Clay Pottery

12" Carved Saggar Fired Urn

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The ceramic arts include hand made objects created from earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. All of these materials are clay though the constituents of each of these clay bodies are different. Some clays are finer (porcelain), others more coarse (stoneware); and the maturation temperatures of each formulation varies.

All the clay pottery at Brenda McMahon Ceramics is made from white stoneware and porcelain. All of the vessels are thrown on the potter’s wheel and many are burnished before they are fired. Burnishing is an ancient hand polishing process using a smooth object (Brenda uses a stone). Each unfired vessel is rubbed with the stone until the rough surface disappears and a smooth surface is revealed. Burnishing literally compresses the clay particles, creating a satin sheen that resembles a matt glaze.

The carved vessels are not burnished. These are layered with colored clay (slip) and hand carved. The intricate carving on the clay pottery takes many hours. First Brenda sketches out an image. She then comes back with sculpting tools and removes the clay around the edges of the drawing. The result is a dramatic surface design, seemingly rising out from within the vessel.

The burnished and carved clay pottery is then placed in an open fire; some are saggar fired, while others are pit fired. The final result is a one of a kind vessel and a unique pottery art piece.

See Brenda's Clay Pottery for sale

Brenda McMahon Ceramics
518.692.7742
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