Week Six

Week Six

Began with a consultation with my uni lecturer about how to progress forward with this project.  He said he was happy for me to continue my learning as a self-directed project.  I did learn quite a bit during my month long internship and I can continue along that line.

I suggested taking up a class with either Clairy Laurence or Clay School in West End.

Clairy Laurence (n.d.) Clairy at work [Image].  Retrieved from http://www.clairylaurence.com/

I have admired Clairy's work for a couple of years.  It is sculptural, figurative and whimsical.  In some of her work she challenges ideas of beauty and ornament, as in her series of golden beetles.  Other works display fabulous females with flowers in their hair.  I attended a demonstration she gave at the Artisan Gallery in Brisbane, and was really impressed with her sculpting skills and beautiful heads.

She has a long history in ceramics, having received her training in the eighties.  In more recent years she was workshop Supervisor at Monte Lupo for ten years.

I would love to learn from this talented artist.  If not now, definitely later.


Australian Ceramics (2013, August 13) Ray Cavill, Clayschool, QLD. [Image]. Open Studio Ceramics Australia Showcase. Retrieved from https://www.australianceramics.com/2013/08/06/unearth-more-than-100-local-potters/

Then there is Ray Cavil who runs Clay School in West End, Brisbane.  From all reports, he is a well respected potter with a long teaching background.  My lecturer knows him and recommended him as a replacement for Paul Holland.

I have contacted Ray and hope to look in on Clay School next week.



During this week, I also visited Walkers Clay in Ipswich.  The manager there was super helpful when I arrived asking for a really soft clay with which to practice my throwing skills.

He went to some trouble to tell me all about how the hardness of clay, called the RP value, is monitored and standardized.  He said most clays are sold as RP4.  In order to attain that, when the clay leaves the pug mill it must be RP3.  After it is packaged and stored, it dries out a little and hardens.  He had a special order for a bulk customer who needed RP3.  They mixed Fine White Stoneware together with School Clay to end up with B/S clay.  I think it stands for Blue Star, but Bull Shit will do.  He said it won't be very strong in the wet form and not to build too tall.  It has both mid-fire and high fire clays in it so will go either way - he suggested 1200 degrees.