Clay Nest Pottery ceramics are a combination of the influences of my former years as a painter and my love of nature. My vessels provide a ceramic interpretation of the natural world and its processes of growth and renewal. The volume of clay used is a little heavier than most pottery. This added clay is needed to support the weight of the hand built features that are added to the piece after it has dried to the leather-hard state.
The hand building is my version of natures collage. I like to take bits and pieces of nature, magnifying some and diminishing others and assemble them into a vessel worthy of use and giving whimsical pleasure.
Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try! ~ Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!
Work in progress.....The following is a vessel that has been thrown on the wheel and dried to the leather-hard stage. As you can see I'm getting my inspiration from a print I acquired years ago and always loved. After the design elements are added, the vessel is wrapped for a couple of days to give the clay a chance to equalize it's moisture level. The vessel is then air dried, and bisque fired to 1855 degrees. Color is added using velvet underglaze, the piece is then dipped in clear, lead free, food safe glaze and fired to cone 6 (2269 degrees)
I would be remiss for not acknowledging my husband, John. He helps to maintain my kiln.
He has been a refractory worker for years, relining furnaces for a steel company.
Having a lot of experience with fire brick is a plus. Thanks John!
A special thanks to my daughter, Meghan Harrington for my original logo design & to my son, Ryan Harrington for my new banners...whoo hoo what a lucky Mom.
Some closeups.....
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