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ENAMELING

GREAT LAKES CERAMIC HOBBY EXHIBITION

May 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 1956
Mason|c Temple, Detro|t

Ceramic Hobbyists
U.S.A. and Canada

Dear Hobbyists:
This open letter is written in response to the many questions
raised in the letters received after the announcement of the 3rd Annum Exhibition. There are probably many of you with similar questions in mind and I take this opportunity to answer a few of them.
Yes, the Show is progressing nicely, thanks to everyone. Nearly
all of last year's exhibitors will be back, along with new exhibitors who
were actively encouraged by them to attend this year. Because of this
cooperation it is receiving from the exhibitors, it can't help resulting
in a better show for you.
There will be a competitive hobby exhibit, with prizes open to
all amateurs. Everything possible is being done to arrange for more
space to take care of an open class. If space can be arranged for it,
there will be such a class. Watch next month for more information.
Along with the wonderful demonstrations that the exhibitors give
in their booths, special scheduled demonstrations will be given in a
separate area with chairs available.
Following the tradition of the California group, brunch will be
held on Thursday morning at 10:45 for hobbyists and exhibitors, so
they may become better acquainted.
A brochure of the show's activities will be available the last of
February.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur S. Higgs.

GREAT LAKES CERAMIC HOBBYEXHIBITION

M A Y 16, 17, 18, 19, 2.0, 1956
MASONIC TEMPLE, DETROIT

FOR Easier and Better Firing

Low Cost Operation

Money-Saving Prices
Factory Guarantee
SPECIFY A

PARAGON KILN
Compare these Outstanding Values

MODEL
R-3
Max. Temp.
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$160.00, n o
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Chamber:
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across
x 20" h i g h .
19 a m p e r e s
a t 230 volt~
ping weight q
lbs.

Model It-3

MODEL
A-55
Max. Temp
2300 F.
$60.00, n o
crating
c harge
,
f. o. b. D a l las. F i r i n g
Chamber:
11"
across
x 1 3 l& "
h. R e q u i r e s o n e
a m p . 115 v o l t
c u i t. S h i p p i n g
w e i g h t o n l y 68 lbs.

Perfect for Use in Schools

Reaches Enameling Temperatures quickly
Sturdy, Simple Construction
Low-cost, Trouble-free Operation

FREE TEXT
ON
ENAMELING
by Thomas E. Thompson.
Send for your copy of
thls 40 page illustrated
text on metal enameling.
Techniques--tools--equlpmentutypes of enameling--firlng--finlshes, etc.

Silver plated metal--no pre-cleaning--no formation o{ oxide scale--costs little more than
copper.

NEW
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Model A-55

MODEL A-66 Max. Temp. 2300F. $72.50, no

crating charge, f.o.b. Dallas. Firing Chamber
14 3/8" across x 13 1/2" high. 13 amperes at
230 volts. Shipping Weight only 90 lbs.
M O D E L H-17S Max. Temp. 2400F. for cone
10 firings. $291.50, no crating charge, f.o.b.
Dallas. Firing Chamber: 17" x 17" x 18"
high. Maximum Power Consumption 6000
w a t t s at 230 volts. Shipping weight 500 lbs.

FREE CATALOG: complete information on

24 models of Paragon Kilns.

PARAGONINDUSTRIES
P. O. Box 101:33

FEBRUARY,

1956

Dallas 6, Texas

THE

KLOPFENSTEIN
WHEEL
A full size, quality constructed, a l l
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Th~s wheel has

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Twelve

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13pv t h r o w i n g head * 100 lb. flywheel * P a n 30" x 30 vp x 5" * Wheel

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accessories available for wheel.

OPTIONAL

EQUIPMENT

AVAILABLE

Reversible T h r o w i n g Head - - for m a k i n g bats H a s a locating and

ejector slug f o r r e m o v i n g and re-centering bats. A special metal band
to f o r m the sides of the bats is included. P R I C E : $10.00.
W e d g i n g W i r e and Board - - a handy piece of e x t r a equipment for your
wheel. W e d g i n g board removable for t h r o w i n g . P R I C E $10.00.
A l u m i n u m P a n - - P R I C E $15.00.
WRITE

TO

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359

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all entries judged at

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MAY

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Please

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[] Fourth

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CM-2

CERAMICS MONTHLY

Volume 4, Number 2

FEBRUARY

1956

50 cents per copy

in

this

Letters
Itinerary

issue

...........................................

.........................................

Indoor Fountain by .John Kenny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11

Children at Play with Clay by ,.lane Hartsook . . . . . . . . . . .

14

Enameling: Jewels Plus F o i l by Jo Rebert . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16

CM

Report: Combustible G r o g

......................

18

David Weinrib's Tiles by O p p i Untracht . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20

Overcjlaze Enamels by Zena I-Iolst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

22

CId Briefs: N e w Use for Old Cones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

23

Make a W e d g i n g

Board

.................

25

Enameler's Column: Colors by Kathe Berl . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

26

Answers to Questions conducted by Ken Smith . . . . . . . . . .

27

Ceram Activities

28

..................................

Suggestions from our Readers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

29

The Underglaze Series by MacJge Tummlns . . . . . . . . . . . . .

31

Index to Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

33

Editor
Business M a n a g e r
Associato E d i t o r
E d i t o r i a l Associate
A r t Director

Louis G. F a r b e r
Spencer L. D a v i s
Mary E l l i o t t
T h o m a s Sellers
Robert L. C r e a g e r

A d v i s o r s a n d Special C o n t r i b u t o r s : C a r l t o n A t h e r t o n ; K a t h e B e r l ;
Edris E c k h a r d t ; J o h n B. K e n n y ; Z e n a S. H o l s t ; Bea M a t n e y ;
Dorothy P e r k i n s ; J o R e b e r t ; K e n n e t h E. S m i t h ; M a d g e T u m m i n s ;
Vera W a l k u p .
Cover by R o b e r t L. C r e a g e r
Ceramics M o n t h l y is published each m o n t h a t the L a w h e a d P r e s s ,
Inc., A t h e n s , Ohio, by P r o f e s s i o n a l P u b l i c a t i o n s , Inc., S. L. Davis,
Pres. a n d Treas. ; L. G. F a r b e r , V. Pres. ; P. S. E m e r y , Secy.
S U B S C R I P T I O N P R I C E in U . S . A . a n d P o s s e s s i o n s ; one year, $ 4 ;
two years, $7; t h r e e years, $9. C a n a d a a n d P a n A m . add 59 cents a
y e a r ; f o r e i g n , add $1 a year. C u r r e n t issues, 5Oe; back issues, 60c.
ALL CORRESPONDENCE
(advertising, subscriptions, editorial)
should be sent to t h e editorial offices a t 4175 N'. H i g h St,, C o l u m b u s
14. Ohio. E n t e r e d as second-class m a t t e r a t t h e post office a t A t h e n s ,
Ohio, as g r a n t e d u n d e r A u t h o r i t y of t h e A c t o f M a r c h 3, 1879.

Copyright 1955 by Professional Publications, Inc.

All rights reserved.

little ability b u t a lot of interest and fun

DEMOCRACY AT W O R K (PART 2)
Gentlemen:
May I say in a n s w e r to A u d r e y D.
Brown [Letters, J a n u a r y ] t h a t I a m delighted with your magazine. I t is the only
magazine t h a t answers the need of the
hobbyist and would-be c r a f t s m a n . . .
T h e craftsman, like the professional in
any field, does n o t have to look to others
for s u p p o r t a n d c o n s t a n t direction. He has
reached a p o i n t w h e r e he is the spearhead
of the new, the different, the experimental
. . H e is a l e a d e r - - a setter of t r e n d s - not a follower.
O n the o t h e r h a n d , the craftsman m u s t
not lose sight of his origin and of the o t h e r
u n c o m m o n hobbyists struggling to become
craftsmen. T h e d y n a m i c needs of an ever
m a t u r i n g c r a f t s m a n c a n n o t be met in the
pages between pages of a mere magazine;
they can only be m e t by the open book and
open minds and hearts of the world and
its people.
TERRY HOLBERT
West Point, N. V.
Gentlemen:
I m u s t say it is a pity t h a t " d e m o cratic" A u d r e y B r o w n was ever t a u g h t to
write . . . I n h e r first p a r a g r a p h she wants
n o t h i n g b u t technical i n f o r m a t i o n ; after all
there are " u m p t e e n " hobbyists c o m p a r e d
to the few potters . . .
K e e p u p the g r a n d job you are doing
and your subscriptions a n d fame will continue to grow! I ' m no artist; I have a

. . m y ceramic work will never win a

prize . . . N o w I ' m getting the h a n g of
enameling . . . and C M has been the
guiding light!
I d o n ' t customarily write letters to Editors, b u t the Brown letter just could not
be ignored !
NAME WITHHELD
Gentlemen :
I d o n ' t quite get the plea that C M be
m o r e democratic . . . After all, it is the
m a j o r i t y w h o rules in a democracy. C M
is not in this business for its h e a l t h - - i t
m u s t be financially successful! If there are
m o r e people w h o w a n t the "less serious"
material, then why their needs and wants
should not be m e t I will never know.
I have m a n y friends who w a n t and
enjoy the kind of material that predominates in CM. T h e y are wonderful, w a r m ,
cheerful, friendly peor~le and I love them.
And, a l t h o u g h I a m a s o m e w h a t "serious
hobbyist" they do not seem to resent me
I m u s t a d m i t I have enjoyed the serious
articles m o r e t h a n the obvious how-to
material; and since that is so, I c a n ' t refrain f r o m m a k i n g a suggestion to those
w h o plead for m o r e of the same:
Serious ideas are w h e r e you find them!
I n any field of l e a r n i n g you have the good
f o r t u n e to investigate . . . So for goodness
sake, you serious people, stop complaining
a b o u t n o t getting all you w a n t in CM.
Libraries are full of good reading . . .
C M renders a service that is in demand,
or else it w o u l d not be published.
MRS. EDGAR FULLER
Washington, D. C.

CONFUSED?
Gentlemen :
I believe [Mrs.

ONE STROKE

Hoist]

has

two separate words which have the same

spelling and pronounciation. T h e word in
question is " p o u n c e " used in [ h e r ] October article [ " T h e Overglaze Page"] T h e
first m e a n i n g given the word, as a verb,
in Webster's Dictionary is "to sprinkle,
dust, rub down, smooth, etc." T h e second
m e a n i n g given is "to spring or leap at
suddenly." These two different words are
not related . . . And so, to p o u n c e with
this pad is to dust or touch gently. T h e
word does not imply a "vigorous attack"
with the pad.
RICHARD KRUTSCH
St. Helen, Mich.

# Mrs. Holst replies that her intention was

to point up the [act that the use of the
word "pounce" in either sense is not
suitable in connection with background
blending of colors in china painting: "A
silk pad is used for blending and smoothing wet color (not powder) in china painting. Using the word 'pounce" as a substitute ]or "pad' is misleading, although it is
done by many teachers . . . " - - E d .

VOLUME IV, NUMBER I

Gentlemen :
I was beginning to feel in agreement
with Mr. Stephens [Letters, Nov.] about
"artsy-craftsy" articles, b u t the J a n u a r y
issue with the three fine articles . . . [Ball,
Fitzpatrick, Sellers] has p u t C M back on
the top of my list again.
ELIZABETH C. HELME
T a m w o r t h , N. H.
Gentlemen :
. . I feel compelled to c o m m e n t on
your J a n u a r y issue. I am delighted to see
that you are "still going strong" as you
enter your fourth year . . .
T h e m i n o r changes in your format, such

(Please turn to Page 8)

confused

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Unlmited Color Selection

Clear Dipping
Clear Brushing
Bultercup Yellow
Marigold Yellow
Orange
Autumn
Leaf Green
Olive Leaf Green
Malt Green
Turquoise Green
Turquoise
Emerald Green
Maplewood
Nutmeg Brown
Cinnamon Brown
Black

Blood Red
Mahogany Brown
Manzanita Brown
Black Luster
Rusty Amber
Shell Pink
Camellia Pink
Rose Pink,
Antique Green
Chartreuse
Royal Ruby
Coral
Hawaiian Blue
Orsk Moss
Gull Grey
Chinese Red

Tangerine
Royal Purple
Moss Green
Sage Green
Palomino
Clear Crackle
Chinese Blue Crackle
White Opaque Crackle
Spill
Paltern
Tropic Green
Tan
Antique Beige
White Satin
Bay Leaf Matt
Teakwood Black Matt

Ming Yellow Matt

Tropic Pink Matt
Mist Green Matt
Range Grey Matt
Hawaiian Turq. Matt
Transparent Mall
Speckle Blue
Speckle Tan
Speckle Grey
Robin Egg
Grey Lava Art
Charcoal Lava Art
Caramel Stone Art
Iron Brown Art
Silver Slate Green
Lime Green Art

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Chamber:
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WRITE FOR LITERATURE

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DEALER

IHQUIRIES

IHVITED
5

Send show announcements ear]ymWhere

to Show: three months ahead of entry
date; Where to Go: at least six weeks
before opening.

N E w YORK, Buffalo
M a r c h 14-April 22
Western New York Artists (14 counties)
annual at Albright Art Gallery. All mediums including ceramics. Jury; prizes.
Fee, $2 for 3 entries. Entry blanks due
Feb. 15; work, Feb. 20. For details write
Beatrice Howe at Gallery.

WHERE TO G O

NEW HAMPSHIRE, M a n c h e s t e r
February 19-March 11
American Jewelry and Related Objects
(contemporary). At Currier Gallery of
Art.

ARIZONA, Phoenix
F e b r u a r y 10-13
Arizona School of Art 8th Annual Outdoor Show.

NEw YORK, New York

M a r c h 1-24
New York Society of Ceramic Arts 62nd
annual exhibition at Cooper Union
Museum for the Arts of Decoration.

WHERE TO S H O W

~national competition

FLORIDA,Coral Gables
A~Fril 15-29
ourth Annual Miami National Ceramic
at Lowe Gallery. Jury; awards. Fee, $3;
work due March 29. For entry blanks,
write Marceil Dunn, 908 Paradiso Ave.,
Coral Gables, Florida.
KANSAS, W i c h i t a
April 14-May 15
~Eleventh National Decorative Arts-Ceramics Exhibition at Wichita Art Association, 401 N. Belmont Ave. Open to
American artist-craftsmen. Jury; more
than $1500 prizes. Entry fee, $3. Work
due Mar. 8-20. Write: Mrs. Maude G.
Schollenberger, President.
LOUISIANA, New Orleans
M a r c h 18-April 8
Art Association of New Orleans 55th
Spring Annual at Isaac Delgado Museum
of Art. Jury and cash awards. Entry fee:
$5 membership dues (all artists eligible).
Work due March 1. For blanks, write the
Museum at City Park & Lelong Ave.

NEw HAMPSHIRE,Exeter
February 15-March 15
Italian Arts and Crafts (contemporary)
at Lamont Art Gallery, Phillips Exeter
Academy.

CANADA, M o n t r e a l
o p e n i n g F e b r u a r y 10
Fiftieth Anniversary Exhibition at The
Canadian Handicrafts Guild, 2025 Peel
St. Includes pottery, ceramic sculpture,
enameling-on-metal.

OKLAHOMA, O k l a h o m a City
through F e b r u a r y
California Designed--home furnishings
and accessories including ceramics. At
Oklahoma Art Center.

KENTUCKY, Louisville
F e b r u a r y 15-March 15
Chinese Porcelain, an AFA traveling exhibition, at J. B. Speed Art Museum.

TEXAS, Dallas
February 9-March 11
American Craftsmen 1955 (circulated by
Smithsonian Institution) at Dallas Museum of Fine Arts.

MICHIGAN, Detroit
F e b r u a r y 28-March 25
Eleventh Annual Exhibition for Michigan
Artist-Craftsmen; at Detroit Institute of
Arts.

TEXAS, Houston
February 16-March 14
Design in Scandinavia--over 700 massproduced items selected by top designers.
At Museum of Fine Arts of Houston.

MISSOURI, St. Louis

F e b r u a r y 13-March 12
Missouri Show including crafts--at the
City Art Museum.

WASHINGTON, Seattle
M a r c h 4-April 4
Fourth Annual Northwest Craftsmen's
Exhibition. At University of Washington's
Henry Gallery.

CERAMICS MONTHLY

t~
I--

O
(J
V)
L',
.,J

tn

6
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PREPARED R E A D Y - T O - U S E U N D E R GLAZES AND BRUSH-ON, ONE-FIRE

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A c c l a i m e d a n d Recommended
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MASTER P O T T E R ' S WHEEL el
tinctive pottery excelline anything
Massive steel construction complet~
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include: pro.lubricated bronze bearings tot quint, long servzce, con.
venient arm rests, adjustable wedging wire, large 18" throwing table
with plenty of working space and a removable water cup. 10" throwing
head has joggles for easy centering, underside reverses for casting
plaster bats.
You have complete hand freedom at all times . . . smooth instant
change of speed from 39 to 150 rpm is controlled by a foot pedal.
Easy to use, even for handicapped persons. Use any 1/4 H P motor.
Standard 1/4 HP motor $16.97 when purchased with Master Potter's
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M A S T E R P O T T E R ' S W H E E L F l o o r Model, I t e m 47b,
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INSTRUCTION LITERATURE.

CERAMICHROME

LaboratoNes

2111 W. SLAUSON

LOS ANGELES 47,

CALIF.

Letters

SCROLLING

(Begins on Page 4)
as t h e n e w . s c r i p t d e p a r t m e n t h e a d s . . .
did not go unnoticed . . . Although there
w a s n o t h i n g w r o n g w i t h y o u r o l d style,
k n o w i n g t h a t t h e E d i t o r s a r e " n e v e r satisf i e d " is e n c o u r a g i n g . . .

OR

SWIRLING

DONALD RYAX
San Francisco. Cal.

-M-o--d--e-r---n.......T ien

Gentlemen :
T h e J a n u a r y issue I r e c e i v e d w a s l a c k i n g
p a g e s 1. 2. 35. 36. W o u l d it b e p o s s i b l e
f o r m e to g e t t h o s e p a g e s ? M i s s i n g e v e n
s u c h a s m a l l p a r t o f t h e [issue] is a m i n o r
tragedy. I certainly do enjoy your book
- - b o t h as a t e a c h e r a n d a h o b b y p o t t e r .

GLAZES

V CRATORS,MATTS AND
PATTERN TYPES
V EASY TO USE
V UNUSUAL EFFECTS
V SEND FOR DESCRIPTIVE
LITERATURE AND PRICES

DOROTHY KENDALL
Camp

Hill, Penna.

Gentlemen :
I certainly enjoyed the article, "Penm a n s h i p in P o t t e r y " . b y M a r g u e r i t e M o n t g o m e r y . I t w a s s u c h a c l e a r , c o n c i s e explanation of the Pennsylvank~ Dutch type
of lettering...
Thanks for such interesting
features . . .

HELEN E. ARBEGAST

It's FUN and it's easy when you use

the O R I G I N A L DESIGN Kay Harrison
scrolling tools, whether you work on the
REDHEAD CRAF:TINT kiln or on the
large studio enameling equipment.
(t~

--

Baltimore, Md.
Gentlemen :
Congratulations
upon the improvement
of y o u r m a g a z i n e . I t is q u i t e m a r k e d t h e s e
l a s t f e w issues T h e [ J a n u a r y ] a r t i c l e b y
M r s . M o n t g o m e r y is v e r y i n f o r m a t i v e a n d
well w r i t t e n . . . A r e a l c r a f t s m a n w i t h
her lettering . . .

ALICE STEXVARD GORDY

Laurel, Del.

The KING SIZE SCROLLER is hand-made

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(that's SO important) and LONG hardwood handles to keep you 19 inches
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You'll need only ONE KING SIZE stroller for large bowls and trays. Get it
TODAY and enjoy America's newest and
loveliest phase of copper enameling
FREE illustrated scrolling (swirling) instructions enclosed.
And now for the REGULAR SIZE scroller
to use on the REDHEAD C:RAF:TINT kiln
You're going to need TWO for all the
work on smaller pleces--one to hold the
piece firm, and the other to scroll
They're as beautifully built as the KING
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open-plate Infra Redhead Craftint. You'll
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See back issues for
mediate shipment.

kiln

listing

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407 E. F:Iorenee, Inglewood I, C:alil.~

PRO & C O N DEP'T.

Gentlemen :
I have been a subscriber . . . since your
first issue . . . and have enjoyed, appreciated and received both practical help and
i n s p i r a t i o n f r o m a l m o s t e v e r y issue.
When I first received notice that CM
w a s to b e p u b l i s h e d . . . I w a s d e l i g h t e d
. . I t h o u g h t h o w n i c e it w o u l d b e n o t
to h a v e to sift t h r o u g h a r t i c l e s o n f l o w e r s .
enamels, china painting . . . Your early
issues w e r e j u s t t h a t . . .
However. I am not only surprised but
saddened that this type of material appears
less a n d less f r e n u e n t l y in y o u r m a g a z i n e
. . P l e a s e . l e t us r e t u r n to m o r e s e r i o u s
consideration of fine pottery and crafts
a n d s e e k to r a i s e t h e s t a n d a r d a n d e n courage those things that are the highest
and best.
I w o u l d like to ask y o u f o r s o m e information
on sources
of prepared
or
n a t u r a l [ t h r o w i n g ] c l a y s . . . f o r u s e in
the cone 12-14 range . . .
A. J. SPENCER
St. P e t e r s b u r g , F l a .
Gentlemen :
. . I c a n ' t e x p r e s s m y f u l l p l e a s u r e in
y o u r m a g a z i n e . I t is t h r i l l i n g t o r e c e i v e it.
Thanks
f o r t h e i n s p i r a t i o n a n d h e l p it
contains.
INEZ S. RUSSELl,
Lee's Smnmit. Mo.
Gentlemen :
. . M o r e r e a l p o t t e r y a n d less i n c o n s e quential novelties, please! I appreciate pictures of other potters' work with details
of h o w t h e y w e r e m a d e . d e c o r a t e d , g l a z e d ,
fired . . . How about more about glazes?
I have really appreciated
my year of
CM, but don't peter out[

RUTH MEECHAN
N. Burnaby,

8744W. McNichols Rd., Detroit 21, Mich.

UNiversity 2-9222

B. C . , C a n a d a

phone:

ORegon

8-7067~

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larger figure 347

small 348

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CERAMICS MONTHLY

O. H O M M E L . . .

II

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CERAMICS MONTHLY

 . . But how about city folks?" wrote many

C M subscribers in response to the April
article, "A Ceramic Fountain
at the Edge of a Pool."
" . . . Many of us don't
have an outdoor pool
(in fact some of
us don't have an outdoors!), and we don't want
to fool with p l u m b i n g . . . " The
author, widely known to ceramists for his
instructive writings, replies herewith.--Ed.

NO PLUMBING REQUIRED-A TINY PUMP DOES THE TRICK

by JOHN KENNY

S O Y O U W A N T to create an i n d o o r
ceramic fountain but s h u d d e r at the
idea of c o m p l i c a t e d p l u m b i n g to
m a k e it work? T h e solution is simple.
Just set a very small electric p u m p
FEBRUARY, 1956

into the fountain to do t h e j o b - no plumbing, no piping. T h e p u m p

will circulate w a t e r up from the bowl
t h r o u g h the m o u t h of the f o u n t a i n
to splash back into the b o w l - - u s i n g
the same water over a n d over again!
N o w that we're over that h u r d l e we
can go to work.
T h e general idea is a f o u n t a i n composed of two ceramic units a bowl
to h o l d the water, a n d sculpture
which at some point expels the water.
I n designing the two pieces, provision
has to be m a d e for housing the p u m p .
Showing how to m a k e this type of
fountain, I shall do a m e r m a i d holding a fish a n d sitting on one end of
a free-form bowl. (Please Turn Page)
II

1. First get the pump. (For the

electric p u m p shown here, I would
like to acknowledge the courtesy of
the Canal Electric M o t o r Co., New
York City). This is the way it will
stand in the fountain: the lower portion under the water, the upper section out of the water. N o intake connection is needed, which makes it
extremely simple to connect the pump.

2. Make a small clay sketch of the

entire fountain. Use your own design
ability and ingenuity, trying out a
wide variety of ideas until you hit
on one that pleases you. At this early
stage, work out some of the construction and assembling problems so
that the fountain will work when it
is completed.
3. The fountain will be built in
two distinct parts: first the bowl and
then the piece of sculpture.
The small clay sketch is to be "enlarged" to scale. An outline of the
rim of the bowl is sketched on the
working surface with the small sketch
bowl as a guide. T h e bowl will be
constructed by the coil method and it
will be built upside down.

:il;Z;Ziii;iiiiiiilililililiiiiiii!i!!ii!iiii

4. T h e basic rules of coil

ing (careful welding of the
must be followed if the bowl
to come apart at the seams
drying or firing.

buildcoils)
is not
during

5. Use wads of crumpled newspaper inside the bowl for temporary

support of the clay as you build
toward the center of the bowl.
~!

g:. N~

C22 i .,:)
6

6. If the completed bowl sags in

places, and it is apt to, you won't be
able to get your hand inside to push
the form up but you can use air
pressure. Push a soda straw through
the wall and blow; this will inflate
the shape almost as if it were a large
clay balloon, removing the slumps
and sags. T h e hole in the wall can
be sealed later.
7. Add a f o o t m i f you like--when
the bowl is not quite leather hard but
firm enough to be handled safely.
8. When the bowl is firm a n d / o r
footed, turn it right side up and add
a slab of clay to form the partitioned
area that is to hold the pump. Make
sure this compartment is big enough
- - t r y the p u m p itself for size and be
sure to allow for clay shrinkage. Cut
a hole in the lower portion of the
partition to allow water to circulate.
Now, finish the bowl, smoothing it
inside and out and change the shape
of the rim if you see fit (as I did).

12

CERAMICS MONTHLY

9. W h e n it comes to the sculptural

unit, model quite freely with emphasis
on design rather t h a n realism. You
can block out the figure (or whatever subject you choose) with lumps
of clay piled one on top of another . . .
10.
piece,

. . a n d roughly shape the

using a wooden dowel as
temporary support. R e m e m b e r that a
firm support, such as a piece of wood,
must be removed before the clay
starts to h a r d e n a n d shrink, or else
the clay will be sure to crack.
11. W o r k the pieces of clay firmly
together. T h e n concentrate on the
form itself. Bring out the shape a n d
design you have in m i n d a block
of wood is a good tool to use at this
s t a g e - - a n d support sections that tend
to sag (such as the arms) with wads
of clay.

10

19. T h e base of the sculpture must

be the same size as the portion of the
bowl that is to contain the p u m p , so
try the sculpture on the bowl for
p r o p e r fit. A t the back, provide
enough open space for the electric
wire that will go to the p u m p . Hollow
out the lower p a r t of the sculpture
so that the p u m p will fit comfortably
inside, and d o n ' t forget to provide an
outlet for the w a t e r - - i n this case, the
mouth of the fish.
Fired, glazed, a n d d e c o r a t e d according to your own taste, the fountain can be assembled. Set the p u m p
into the bowl c o m p a r t m e n t , place the
sculpture over it with the r u b b e r tubing r u n n i n g up through the interior,
fill the bowl with water, m a k e the
electric c o n n e c t i o n - a n d you have a
sparkling w a t e r fountain for the
c o m e r of the living r o o m or patio.
Moreover, you will find if you try
that the fountain can be used with
considerable success as a self-dispensing p u n c h bowl at parties for young
or old.

11

12

X - r a y view s h o w s the w o r k i n g
parts of the fountain.
N o t e the hollowed sculpture
which houses the top of the
pump; and the n e c e s s a r y openi n g s - - a t the base of the
partition, the mouth o f
the fish, and in the rear, for
the electric wire.

FEBRUARY, T956

13

Children

at

Play-

with

Clay

by JANE HARTSOOK

At the w e l l - known Greenwich

House Pottery in N e w York, of which
the author is director, many a seriousminded potter perfects his technique
in classes for adults. But it is about
the children's classes, where the aim
is different, that Miss Hartsook writes
here. Although no two groups are
just alike, she says, what happens in
the children's area may hold ideas for
other centers or settings w'here boys
and girls gather for ceramics.--Ed.
HILDREN'S GLASSES at the Greenwich House Pottery have m u c h in
C
c o m m o n with ceramics in schools and
recreational centers. T h e classes are
large (20 or more children in each) ;
there is no tuition, attendance is not
compulsory, and the primary, purpose
as not to make pots! T h e sheer pleasure of the work itself and pride of
accomplishment keep the classes full.
Not long ago, a distinguished visitor
from United Nations headquarters
came to observe the Greenwich House
Settlement p r o g r a m (of which the
14

Pottery is a part). She was particularly interested in the type of after-school

actMties which appeal to America's
young. T h e whoops and leaps of
noisy joy as the children trooped in
she could understand for she knew
these boys and girls had come from
crowded schools and apartments and
were eager to enjoy the ample play
space the settlement house provides.
But as she walked toward the Pottery
(a new group was in session and who
could know whether the children
would actually be working with clay
or throwing it!), she expressed surprise that, after a long day at school,
children would really enjoy ceramics.
She entered u n a n n o u n c e d and there
they were seated at long tables, each
intent on the wad of clay in his hand.
with an eye of appreciation for what
his neighbors were making!
T h e Settlement offers children a
variety of activities to choose f r o m - g'ym, games, clubs, painting, theater,
music, dance and woodcraft, as well
as ceramics. Those who enroll for

clay classes, therefore, usually do so

because they prefer this activity.
About 160 children, ranging in age
from six to thirteen, attend the sessions regularly. The majority come
once each week, but the child with
exceptional interest is allowed to attend more often.
A h h o u g h the groups, as they begin to be assembled each September,
are arranged according to age, this
breaks down quickly because of conflicting actMties (and little brothers'
dependence on big sisters to bring
them). In the end, the classes are
fairly nfixed as to age and experience
with" clay. This presents a real challenge to the teachers, all of whom are
volunteers chosen for their interest
in and ability to work with children
as well as for their skill as potters.
Each child works at his own pace
and on any type of piece that he
wishes. Critical discussion and the
variety of talent present help him to
progress in technique and to broaden
his creative ability. His teacher is
CERAMICS MONTHLY

alert for the time when "the next

step" should be suggested. Moreover,
the a d u l t potters whose classes h a p p e n
to coincide with the children's, a n d
who occasionally participate in joint
projects with them, stimulate a desire
t o w a r d perfection; a n d in the painstaking care they give to their own
work, demonstrate the need for personal discipline.
T h e child's first and most creative
work is in sculpture. Because it need
not serve a useful function, it can
be as crude or imaginative as he
wishes. An elongated blob m a y look
exactly like a dog to a seven-year-old:
he can say this is rn)" dog, a n d be
very p r o u d of having created a statue
of his dearest friend. But if he tries
to m a k e an ash trav for his daddy.
he knows it should look like an ash
tray a n d be so-constructed t h a t it will

hold ashes. So it
is in sculpture that
the beginner is first
intrigued a n d most
productive. Later,
when he is willing
to work over a
longer p e r i o d
of
time on one and the
same object, he begins to m a k e items
that are considered more functional.
D u r i n g the h o u r - a n d - a - h a l f - l o n g
classes, the youngest of the children
do m a n y t h i n g s - - p a i n t , draw, play
games, as well as mold clay. T h e
older ones, however, are still h a r d
at their ceramic work at closing time
(and choose to ignore the clock).
Most of the time each child works
alone on his own project, p r o b a b l y
because he likes to keep w h a t he
makes a n d enjoy it, a n d there is no
problem of deciding w h a t belongs to
whom. But once in a while the
children's d i s c u s s i o n - - p e r h a p s a b o u t
FEBRUARY, 1956

a history project at school or a T V

show they have s e e n - - w i l l p r o m p t
them to develop a g r o u p idea Last
vear. for example, one class p r o d u c e d
: ' T h e W o o d e n Horse" complete with
horse, boats, army, a n d a very tragic
Cassandra on the battlements of the
walled city.
T h e children's studio is a large,
well-lighted r o o m with a m p l e sinks,
long tables a n d chairs. Shelves and
display boards line the walls: these
are for everyday use a n d for frequent
exhibits a n d " o n e - m a n shows." T h e
Potterv's large kilns a n d equipment,
used t~v the adults, m a k e it possible
for the children's work to be glazed
and fired: otherwise, quantity which
is so highly regarded, especially by.
beginners, would be a m a j o r problem!
Most of the classes do their own
glazing, and usuallv before the end
of a term, stack a n d fire a kiln.
Classes are deliberately held away
from the wheels, a n d this is important. for w a t c h i n g a p o t t e r throwing
on the wheel affects young students
the same wav it affects adults watching t h r o u g h a shop w i n d o w - - i t ' s fascinating, but not conducive to doing
one's own work. M o s t children are
not physically ready for the wheel.
a n d it does not stimulate their creative urge as h a n d work does. T h e y
regard it as a toy a n d do not try very
h a r d to p r o j e c t the
process. A special
"wheel class," however, is organized
o n e afternoon a
week for those chil-

dren from all groups who have accomplished the required n u m b e r of

projects, a n d they are entitled to attend the wheel class in a d d i t i o n to
their regular work. Before a child
m a y a p p l y for this special privilege
(which means working in the big
studio), he must have c o m p l e t e d a
coil pot, pinchpot, slab piece, tile, and
a piece of sculpture.
Teachers become the children's
trusted counselors in m a n y ways other
t h a n m o l d i n g clay, a n d it is they who
know, a n d act accordingly, w h e n a
child has developed the ability a n d

interest for b e c o m i n g a p o t t e r in the

fuller sense of the word. ( T h e Pottery's
facilities for the a d v a n c e d a n d / o r
serious-minded ceramist are well
known. Moreover, a recently established scholarship f u n d - - i n m e m o r y
of Bessie Cohen, a former t e a c h e r in
the children's c l a s s e s - - p r o v i d e s special
training a n n u a l l y for six or seven
talented young students selected from
the regular classes./
Year after year, children come to
the Pottery, a n d after the first motive
of taking t h e m "off the streets," there
is the satisfaction of seeing t h e m develop a sincere a p p r e c i a t i o n of h a n d
crafts a n d become creative a n d discriminating in their own work. Some,
who later become professional potters,
return to volunteer as teachers for
the children's classes from w h i c h they
themselves have " g r a d u a t e d . "
T h e Pottery has been in existence
a long time. I t was o p e n e d in 1903
when w h a t is now r e g a r d e d as play
in its most acceptable form was expressed as a "workshop." A l t h o u g h
one of the pioneers in the m o v e m e n t
against child labor, G r e e n w i c h House
nevertheless sought to preserve old
world skills a m o n g the children of the

throngs of i m m i grants who settled

in the lower west
side of N e w York.
It was far b e t t e r to
teach t h e m a skill
with which they could some d a y provide for themselves t h a n for t h e m to
work in the sweatshops which were
absorbing whole families. Thus, fine
wood carving, stone sculpture a n d
needlework were p a r t of the settlem e n t house's activities for children
a n d adults. This kind of m o t i v a t i o n
has long since passed its usefulness;
now the late afternoon hours are
c r o w d e d with the h a p p y h u m of children as they seek to create with their
hands w h a t is b e a u t i f u l - - f o r its own
sake, a n d for the pleasure it will give
to the m a n y w h o a d m i r e it.
15

~ 4 ~ E

NAM ELS

JEWELS PLUS FOIL

ynthetic
"jewels" for special
effects in enameling can be made
S
from bottles, marbles, broken glass,
etc., as demonstrated previously in
C M ( J a n u a r y ) . Nicely rounded and
retaining their shapes under ordinary
e n a m e l - firing temperatures,
these
jewels are very interesting in themselves. But they really sparkle like
gems when gold or silver foil is reflected through them. T h e play of
color and the m a n y variations that
can be achieved by combining foil and
jewels are most intriguing.
T h e effect can be gotten on an
enameled piece that has an area of
foil under transparent enamel: if a
plain jewel is fired onto such an area
the foil will shine through. Frequently,
however, you want brilliant accent
to be at a point where there is no
foil area. "Foil-jewels" are the solution. If you have a quantity in various
colors, sizes and shapes already made
up, you need only to select from this
stockpile, set the foil-jewels in place
on the enameled piece and fire!
Assuming you have a supply of
plain jewels, turning them into foiljewels is not difficult: you simply fire
the foil to the flatter side of each
jewel. Better results are obtained,
generally, if silver foil is used with
cool colors (green and blue) and gold
foil with w a r m tones (orange, gold
and red). But do not consider such
a statement as a r u l e - - v e r y interesting
effects often come of doing just the
opposite. I n my own work, for example, I have made beautiful yellowgreen jewels by placing gold foil
under green glass.
PREPARATION:

Light-colored jewels are best to use;

the dark ones will not sparkle as
much. T h e flat side of each one
should be cleaned with steel wool or a
Swiss file, if necessary, to remove kiln
wash or dirt; then wiped with a cloth,
dried and laid flat side up on a piece
of paper.
THE FOIL :
I n size, the small piece of foil for
each jewel should approximate as
closely as possible the flat surface of
the jewel. T o o small a section leaves

lb

a dark rim showing around the edge

(which may or may not be desirable,
depending on the design plan). O n
the other hand, if the foil is too large,
it will curl up around the outer edges.
Circular shapes of various sizes are,
therefore, punched (or cut) from a
sheet of foil so the right size can be
selected for the particular jewel. (If
larger foil paillons were being used,
they would be pricked with a needle
at this point to provide for the escape
of gases during firing later.)
Foil in the form of tiny bits, instead of a single piece, can be laid on
the jewel, and this is the m e t h o d I
prefer ("Bits of Foil," CM, June,
1955). It is easy to fill in the flat
surface of the jewel until covered;
the bits of foil may be overlapped,
and oddly shaped jewels can be
covered easily. Different effects can
be obtained by spacing the bits of
foil in various ways, and you can even
lay on designs or patterns. Gold and
silver foil can be intermingled to produce a play of changing colors. All
sorts of combinations can be tried.
APPLICATION :

Before applying the foil, a little

thick agar is spread on the flat surface of the jewel. With the jewel held
in tweezers, the foil (or bits of foil)
is picked up by the point of a brush
and laid in place. It is allowed to dry
a little; then it is pressed down with
a dry cloth to remove excess agar.
FIRING FOIL :
W h e n the jewels are thoroughly dry
they m a y be fired. Tweezers, again,
are used to transport them, foil side
down, to a smooth firing surface that
has been brushed with kiln wash.
Firing time and temperature depend largely on the type of glass the
jewels are made of. Usually the foil
will adhere if fired at around 1500
to 1550F. for a few minutes. T h e
customary test for foil m a y be m a d e :
remove the jewels from the kiln, turn
them over with a pair of tweezers and
scratch the foil surfaces with a pointed
tool: if the surface cannot be marred,
it is usually fired on; if not, retire.
(I have not f o u n d burnishing, which

is customary for paillons, necessary

for small jewels.)
"SETTING" JEWELS :

Setting jewels in an enameled design is an extremely simple operation.

They must, of course, be laid on an
enameled surface which may already
have been fired but not necessarily;
jewels can be placed right on enamel
before firing. In either case, a little
thick agar is brushed onto the foil
surface of each jewel to be set.
If the enameled surface has not yet
been fired, the jewel must be carefully placed with tweezers to avoid
dislodging grains of enamel. But if
the piece is fired, the jewel can be
pushed around over the surface to
determine the best position for it;
various shapes and colors can be tried
out. My personal preference is to do
the placing on an already fired surface. T h e results are generally more
satisfactory when you are able to try
out different jewels in different positions. (When doing the color sketch
of a design on paper, in advance, it is
difficult to determine just where
jewels should go for the best effect-perhaps because they are so much
more brilliant than the paint used
in the sketch. Moreover, the third
dimension of the jewel gives a certain
feeling of .weight that cannot be felt
in a paper sketch.)
The jewels are fired on at the temperature normal for the base coat of
enamel involved. When they have adhered securely, they sink into the
enamel ever so slightly.
Once you have used foil-jewels in
enameling, you will not want to be
without a supply on hand. It is most
convenient to have a good assortment
of colors, shapes, and sizes from which
to choose, at a moment's notice, just
the right rich accent for a particular
design. Better make up a supply and
be prepared !
One word of caution: when you
are going to add foil-jewels to a design, don't plan to use too many
enamel colors; remember that the
jewels themselves are extremely brilliant. Let their brilliance be the
accent.

CERAMICSMONTHLY

SYNTHETIC

JEWELS

OF DISCARDED

MADE

GLASS

ARE EFFECTIVE...
WITH

FOIL ADDED

THEY

SPARKLE

LIKE GEMS

Enameling that ornaments ~

/
the person is Jo Rebert's
specialty. Moreover, there
is nothing she knows about
the subject--and she knows
a great deal--that she will
not reveal to CM readers
in her continuing series on
enameling jewelry and accessories.
Begun last June, the series has already covered
"Bits of Foil," (June); "Modern Cloisonne," (July);
"Lines in a Design," (August); "Copper-wlre Accent."
(September); "Fitted Necklaces," (October); "WireJess Cloisonne," (December); "Jewels from Broken
Glass," (January). Many more of her detailed,
demonstratlon-type articles are to come, including
among other subjects, compacts, linked bracelets,
mosaic plaques for box tops and multi-piece jewelry.
Jo is a prodigious worker in the arts. Enameling
--her own creative output, exhibitions of her work,
the series for CM--is primary. But there is also painting (exhibits here too) and frequently teaching, and
all the time there is the art of home-making and
family-ralslng (two children). Currently, she pursues
her multl-part career in Los Angeles where her husband is a member of the faculty of the University of
Southern California.

!:~i j

!
~:~i

:~

~B ~ i

Foll may be added easily

to plaln glass iewels.

foil. 2)Lay on agarcovered bottom of jewel.

3) Fire, foil side down,
on kiln-washed surface.

3
FEBRUARY, 1956

17

search your kitchen-it's filled with materials

t h a t c a n be u s e d a s

REPORT

COMBUSTIBLE
for

veryone working in ceramics.

E
even a c o m p a r a t i v e beginner,
has heard of the m a t e r i a l called y,ro;.,
and, at one time or another, has used
it. H e knows that it is a coarse, sandlike material, m a d e from crushed, fired
clay which has been screened; and,
when a d d e d to plastic clay, it makes
the clay body coarse a n d rough tex.
tured. After a piece is m a d e a n d fired,
this rough texture is, of course, retained.
W h a t would h a p p e n if a combustible grog were used; in other words,
w o u l d it be possible to use a coarse
m a t e r i a l that would b u r n out in the
kiln? A n d w h a t kind of results would
you get? I t seems t h a t wherever a particle b u r n e d out a hole w o u l d be left
in the clay wall. But could these voids
be utilized as a decorative element?
A n d w h a t kind of materials could be

GROG

decorating

used as "'combustible grog"?

These a n d other questions could bc
answered only by e x p e r i m e n t i n g with
combustible grogs. This was done and,
from the results, the following helpful
hints were p r e p a r e d .
Any grainy m a t e r i a l that will burn
out in the kiln is a good possibility for
combustible grog. T h e only w a y you
can tell for sure is, of course, to try
some of the materials you have a r o u n d
the house. Shown in the photos below
are a few of the things that were
tried here: rice, Grape-nuts breakfast
cereal, tapioca, coffee. Also tried were
split peas, sawdust, oatmeal, a n d several others.
" H o w to use" can be discussed in
two parts: as an overall m~roo.,a n d as
a surface decoration.
FOR

AN O V E R A L L GROG,

the material

pottery

can be wedged into the clay as would

an ordinary fired clay grog: a n d the
grogged clay can be used for any of
the clay working t e c h n i q u e s - - h a n d
building, throwing or sculpture. T h e
difference in results, of course, is that
the ordinary grog produces a rough
textured piece when fired, while com.
bustible grog gives a pitted a n d somew h a t porous result. E a c h of the abovem e n t i o n e d materials worked fine as a
wedged-in g r o g - - e x c e p t the rice a n d
the split peas. T h e reason for failure
with the latter materials is that the)"
contain a good deal of water; during
the bisque firing, they p o p p e d open,
tearing out chunks of the clay wall.
As h SURFACE DECORATION, all of
the above materials worked fine and
each gave a different type of surface
texture, depending, of com'se on the

TESTING FOR TEXTURE: Among foodstuffs tried as combustibles were mateda!s shown below. These were pressed into
the surface of soft clay (using the stencil, right foreground) and,
when fired, produced the varied textures shown at the right.

2 5

~*~:~;

18

~ ~i

..... *,,~,,~...~

CERAMICS MONTHLY

coarseness, shape, and so forth. Even

the rice and split peas worked satisfactorily.
This surface decoration can be applied in a number of ways. One method would be to sprinkle the combustible grog all over the surface of the
piece after it has been completely
formed but is still rather soft, then to
press it in with the fingers. Another
would be to arrange the grog in a
given pattern, either by hand or by
using a paper stencil. It could be
pressed into the surface with the palm
of a hand if it was on a formed piece
or, as shown in the photo sequence
below, the grog could be arranged
on a clay slab and pressed firmly into
the surface when the slab was laid
over a hump to receive its shape.
Regardless of how the combustible
is introduced, either as a surface decoration or wedged throughout the
clay, the fired piece will have a textured surface, characterized by pits
and hollows. This may be decoration
enough and the piece can be left in
its bisque state or, perhaps, merely
clear glazed.
The surface texture can be emphasized, however, through the use of
underglazes, engobes, oxides, or glazes.
By all means, try different mediums
to see what kind of results each will
give. Underglaze or slip, for example,

DIFFERENT METHODS were used to make these examples of the

combustible-grog technique. At left, the stencil method shown below was used." Above, grog was wedged throughout the clay for the
thrown bowl (right); pressed into the surface for the footed dish.

can be poured over a shallow dish and

when dry, sponged off the surface so
that only the pits contain the color.
Or a glaze that deepens in color when
it pools can be applied by brushing,
dipping, or spraying, giving a twotone effect after firing.
Practice on small test pieces and
be sure to keep careful notes so that
you can reproduce results.
Actually, the use of combustibles
as a grog is not a new technique: sawdust and, in some cases, napthalene
(moth flakes) have been used in the
manufacture of lightweight brick.
Moreover, potters have introduced
high percentages of combustibles in
clay bodies and then used such
clay to make extremely large, lightweight garden planters. This technique requires very high percentages

ONE WAY to design with grog: Here, grog is laid on a cut-out

stencil and pressed into the clay with a roller. Then the slab,

FEBRUARY, 1956

of combustible material as compared

to the small amount used for purely
decorative purposes.
The idea of using combustibles for
decorating is certainly worth trying
and, for most of you, it will be new
and different. Whether you plan to
use them to produce a lightweight
material or for allover or surface
decoration, you will, however, have a
common problem: when these materials go into the kiln, they will send
out a thick smoke! And, the more
combustible, the more smoke! So keep
this in mind when you plan to fire
your kiln and arrange for a vent to
carrv the smoke to the outdoors. In
addition, the smoke in the firing
chamber will create a reducing condition, so do not fire any of your
glazed ware at the same time.

with stencil removed, is laid over a drape mold from which it takes
its final shape. Finished piece is in the small photo, above left.

19

bali4 Wei,ri6..
by OPPI UNTRACHT
he tiles made by David Weinrib sprang from a
desire for a means of putting into concrete form
T
the continuous flow of design ideas that preoccupied

(above) Installation in
Poteat House, Black Mr., N.C.

his creative imagination. Weinrib is a competent

thrower on the wheel, and after much experimenting
with ceramic forms, he found his work tended to
follow two avenues. The pot and it's decoration became separated at a crossroads one of which led to
form, the other to decoration. Though he continued
to produce pots, it was natural for him also to seek
the greater design freedom offered by large areas
composed of tiles.
"Most people immediately think of fireplace
decorations when installed tiles are mentioned," says
Weinrib. " I have tried to avoid any stereotype and
to find other suitable uses for tiles in the home."
In line with this idea he has designed tiles as panels
on interior walls and exterior walls, for the floor, the
garden walk and pool. Always when planned for use
in interiors, the tiles are integrated with the house,
and become a part of the structure in the sense that
they function architecturally.
The burden is heavy, of course, on the designertilemaker who must consider the permanency of
architectural installations. His designs and the color
of the glazes used must be adaptable to a variety of
moods and retain interest over an extended period
of time. The glazes used by Weinrib on his tiles are
designed for stoneware and because of their compara"
neutrality and limited color range are especially
able to combination with the natural-colored
erials popular with m o d e m architects. His des, for the most p a r t creative abstractions derived
n nature subjects, rich in composition and tex~1surface, maintain a kind of uncapricious dignity,
without occasional humor, assuring welcome
Lpanionship, and a desire for extended acquaintMaking a tile requires more skill than the mere

"Chickens"~ small presslngs were

used to make texture--then
inlaid with white slip and glazed
CERAMICS MONTHLY

POTTER

TURNS

description of the process would seem

to indicate. As with m a n y apparently
simple techniques, you have to try it
before you realize that ease and efficiency in tile-making come only with
skill,
WEINRIB USES a battery of three
plaster molds into which wedged clay
is pressed. With the heel of the palm
of the hand (see photo-series, far
right), he forces the clay into the
mold in a pounding motion, starting
roughly from the center and working
toward the edges. At this point, judgement indicates whether an excess of
clay has been used, and if so, it is
deftly removed with the thumbs
against the mold sides. He then draws
a flat, rigid, wood stick across the tile
surface, starting from the center, and
pulling toward himself, leaving the
area equal in thickness. T h e same
procedure is followed for the other
end. Using a looped-wire modeling
tool, he then gouges grooves about an
inch apart in the exposed surface
which will eventually become the
back of the tile. They act as a good
gripping surface if the tile is to be
installed with plaster on a wall, and
they reduce the possibility of warpage
by furthur opening the surface to air,
thereby allowing a more uniform
evaporation of moisture.
By the time the three tiles have
been thus prepared, a matter of about
fifteen minutes, the first tile is ready
for removal from the mold. It takes
just a little coaxing with a small piece

TO

TILES

of clay pressed at the corner, and then

gently lifted, to free the four corners.
After this, the tile, still in the mold,
is covered with a board large enough
to cover it completely, and the whole
unit is turned upside down on the
table. T h e mold is slowly lifted at
one end, and the tile is allowed to
drop out (too fast a manipulation
may result in breakage). T o correct
possible folds, a metal rib is drawn
carefully across the tile, and now the
smoothly finished working surface is
ready for decorative treatment.
When designing for tiles, Weinrib
creates a full-sized cartoon if practical, but frequently develops designs
from small-scale sketches which are
enlarged directly at the time of execution. " T h e thing that happens between the small sketch and the big
tile has always been something of a
mystery to me. Large-scale sketches do
not always seem to work. W h a t makes
a design good happens as you work
with the actual materials, and cannot be m a p p e d out in advance."
Designing for ceramic tiles is not
just a matter of reproducing a sketch.
"Slips and glazes when applied cannot be seen in their ultimate state,
but must be imagined", says ~Veinrib.
" I t is impossible to visualize c o m p l e t e l y all the interrelationships of
any composition. Color, for instance,
can vary with a twenty-degree difference in the firing temperature or
position in the kiln. T h e variations

r-t

1=:1
=:1

r--I

r--t

(Please turn to Page 33)

"-t

. . . . . . .

@F~"~"

~!

"

~"~

, r ~

~ :

~ '

s,~~

"

" ~

............

: ',~

~"~

....

~5:~ ,~

.........~

......

~""~.

......

(above) "Plant Forms"; panels set in cement

(left) "Lion"; slip trailed in olive, orange, brown,
t a n ~ u n d e r a seml-opaque matt glaze
FEBRUARY,

1956

21

rERGLAZE

PAGE

OVERGLAZE ENAMELS
(PART 2.)

by ZENA HOLST
The overglaze decorator often uses
enamel pigments on china and other
ware to produce slightly raised, glossy
designs which will contrast with background painting done in translucent
colors, thin washes, etc. Last month,
Mrs. Holst discussed these enamels
in a general way; below, she giues
the details about their prepalation.
Next month--application.--Ed.
~IANY
D E C O R A T O R S prefer to
use soft enamels on soft ware,
and beginners are advised to work
with the soft enamels--on pottery,
hobby art bodies, semi-porcelain, Satsuma, Beleek and comparable ware.
T h e enamels, whether they are soft
or hard, however, are prepared the
same way.
The beginner will notice that the
enamels in their powdered form and
after they have been made wet look
very dull and weak in color. Brightness develops in the firing and the
colors become really quite intense.
This must be taken into consideration
when you choose your colors.
Some decorators mix their own
colors by using white enamel with
translucent colors but it takes an expert to know just the right proportions of color and flux needed. This
would be quite experimental for the
novice to try. Prepared enamels are
available. The color range is not large
but not too many are needed; an
assortment of fifteen should be sufficient for the beginner. Very beautiful
colors that should be included are
Chinese scarlet, Persian red, mazarine
blue, English cobalt, Doulton turquois and celadon green. It is advisable to make a color wheel and do
firing tests in order to acquaint yourself with the values and intensity of
the colors. M a n y hues are not recognizable in the vials; chartreuse and
canary yellow, for example, appear
to be pink, and scarlet looks orange.
T h e prepared colors might be described as Oriental in quality. It is
best to use them in their pure form
as m u c h as possible. Sometimes an
addition of white is needed for a
softer tint. Because of their properties, enamels cannot be intermixed
on the palette except by follow!ng the
22

same rules that apply to translucent

mineral colors.
T h e technique of using enamels in
overglaze decorating is not difficult,
but it is exacting. Beginners too often
find that their decoration blisters during the firing, or crackles to the extent of chipping or scaling. T h e
trouble is not usually caused by incorrect firing procedure, but by careless preparation and application of
the enamels.
There are various formulas for the
mixing mediums but it is best for the
beginner to use the already prepared
medium which may be obtained from
the same source as the enamels.
Teachers may have preferences and
the choice of medium may vary with
the type of work to be done; that is,
whether large overall masses or small
broken areas are to be enameled.
For relief work, some prefer a heavier
medium than is used for flat designs.
Avoid the use of formulas that contain fat oil because this oil will cause
blistering if used in too great a proportion. T h e test of a good medium
is in the appearance of the enamels
after a short drying period. The
painting should become dull as it
dries. (Drying should not be hurried
by artificial means.) If there is any
shine after the painting has been
allowed to dry naturally, the medium
was not composed of the proper ingredients or too m u c h was used
An preparing the pigments on the
palette. If the beginner realizes that
enamels could be mixed with water
for application except for the fact that
they would be difficult to handle and
rub off easily, then he will understand that only the very smallest
amount of oil is needed just enough
to hold the pigments together and
make them adhere to the object.
Most of the rules concerning proper
vehicles, cleanliness, mixing, etc., for
the translucent colors also apply to
enamels. If there is any unusual grittiness, as is often the case especially
with the gold oxide colors, the enamels should be pre-ground with alcohol
before proceeding with the regular
mixing. It is best to mix only one
enamel at a time in order to keep
it in fresh form during the appliea-

tion; it will dry quickly on the palette.

A great deal more powder is used
than for ordinary flat painting because the quantity prepared must be
sufficient for filling in masses as contrasted to painting in lightly; any
leftover color may be reconditioned
at a later date by thinning with turpentine. M a n y decorators grind large
amounts of enamels and store them
in a covered palette which has wells
for the purpose. YVhen a mass of
mixed enamel is dry you should be
able to crumble it; otherwise it contains too much oil.
The usual steel palette knife may
be used for grinding the pigments but
it is better to use a horn palette knife
made especially for enamel work. A
steel knife often produces a chemical
reaction which discolors and muddies
the white and light colors and the
tint will not clear in the firing.
Enamels should be well ground and
mixed on the rough side of the palette. Grind the powder until there is
no grittiness whatever by adding only
enough medium to hold the powder
together, not enough for a wet paste.
T u r n the mass over and over until it
is very smooth in texture. Thin with
pure fresh spirits of turpentine, adding only a little at a time. At this
point, many decorators use a pestle
for further grinding and often, if mixing a large amount, a mortar and
pestle: T h e final consistency will depend on the type of decoration to be
done and j u d g m e n t in the matter
requires experience. Small dots, tiny
petals, narrow borders and lines, done
in relief, take an enamel of quite
heavy consistency. For wide-area
work, the enamel should be more
creamy so that the surface will run
together and be smooth; it will run
out of bounds if too thin; and, if t o o
thick, it will not settle into the designated areas. T h e consistency will also
vary depending on whether soft or
hard enamels are used since hard
enamels are not applied in relief but
kept very thin and fiat. An enamel
mixture evaporates quickly so more
turpentine has to be added at intervals to keep the mixture smooth as
the work proceeds.
To be concluded next month.
CERAMICS MONTHLY

M]~rief~

New Use for Old Cones

by REINHOLD MARXHAUSEN
Who s a y s you c a n ' t use cones over a g a i n ?
Well--I
a g r e e t h a t t h e y c a n n o t be used a g a i n in t h e k i l n ; h o w e v e r ,
t h e y c a n be m a d e to serve a n o t h e r useful purpose. T h e
e x a m p l e s s h o w n in t h e p h o t o will give you a good idea of
w h a t I h a v e in mind.
One of t h e certain a s p e c t s of the p o t t e r ' s a r t is t h a t
a cone will bend w h e n s u b j e c t e d to t h e r i g h t t e m p e r a t u r e
f o r t h e correct a m o u n t of time. Cones bend into a v a r i e t y
of b e a u t i f u l , g e n t l e c u r v e s a n d h a v e a m a t t , h a r d s u r f a c e .
Collect a boxful of v a r i o u s s h a p e d cones a n d h a v e f u n
p i c k i n g o u t those w i t h i n t e r e s t i n g " b e n d s . " F i n d two t h a t
h a v e s i m i l a r b e n d s a n d p u t t h e m t o g e t h e r , b o t t o m to bottom, a n d look a t the i n t e r e s t i n g s h a p e t h e y f o r m . T h i s
should get you s t a r t e d p r o d u c i n g a n endless v a r i e t y of
o r n a m e n t s a n d jewelry.
Since t h e base of a cone is g e n e r a l l y u n e v e n a n d r o u g h
a n d since i t is difficult to a t t a c h a n y t h i n g to such a h a r d
m a t e r i a l , it is a d v i s a b l e to w r a p cloth, l e a t h e r , s t r i n g , wire,
raffia, or o t h e r such m a t e r i a l a r o u n d t h e joint. I g e n e r ally use r a f f i a a n d s t r i n g . T h e process of w r a p p i n g a n
object in t h i s m a n n e r is called wbippi~zg. How to whip a n
object is s h o w n in t h e s k e t c h e s below.
1. L a y t h e s t r i n g (or w h a t e v e r you a r e w h i p p i n g w i t h )
a l o n g t h e o b j e c t a n d d o u b l e - b a c k t h e end.
2. T a k e t h e w i n d i n g end a n d w r a p it a r o u n d the object,
k e e p i n g t h e s t r i n g t a u t a t all times.
3. W h e n you get to a b o u t t h e middle, you c a n t h r e a d
t h r o u g h s m a l l m e t a l loops or w h a t e v e r t y p e of fixture you'll
need f o r h a n g i n g .
4. W h e n you w a n t to end the w h i p p i n g , r u n t h e w r a p p i n g end t h r o u g h the end of t h e i n i t i a l loop a n d pull t i g h t .
5. Pull t h e s t a r t i n g end a n d it will pull t h e loop a n d
loose w r a p p i n g end u n d e r n e a t h t h e w i n d i n g . P u l l t h i s a b o u t
h a l f w a y t h r o u g h a n d cut off b o t h r e m a i n i n g ends. N e a t
as a pin.
T h e possibilities f o r used or even n e w cones a r e endless.
Jewelry, accessories, t i n y mobiles, c o m b i n a t i o n s of t h e d a r k
a n d l i g h t cones a n d t h e s m a l l a n d l a r g e c a n keep a n y o n e
b u s y f r o m n o w on.
(Since t h e p e n d a n t s s u g g e s t c a t t l e
horns, t h e y o u g h t to m a k e a h i t in T e x a s as tie clasps or
w a t c h f o b s ! ) A s a closing t h o u g h t - - i t occurs to me t h a t
it m i g h t be a lot b e t t e r f o r some p o t t e r s to t h r o w a w a y
t h e i r pots a n d do s o m e t h i n g w i t h t h o s e w o n d e r f u l , little,
b e n t c o n e s ! - - C o n c o r d i a College, Seward, N e b r .

i
\

AK.

FEBRUARY, 1956

23

CAMELSHAIRBRUSHES!20 FoR $1.00

"'o,.t~

SURPLUS
I m a g i n e ! N e v e r used C a m e l s H a i r B r u s h e s t h a t cost
m a n y , m a n y time s t h i s lo w p r i c e . You a c t u a l l y buy
th e s e b r u s h e s a t less t h a n th e cost to m a n u f a c t u r e r . F o r
use i n th e h o m e , office, shop or store. F o r t o u c h - u p ,
pasting, d r a w i n g , lens cleaner, t y p e w r i t e r cleaner,
c l e a n i n g p r e c i s i o n i n s t r u m e n t s , g u n s , tools, s p o r t i n g
e q u i p m e n t a n d h u n d r e d s of o t h e r uses. M o n e y b a c k if
n o t s a t i s f i e d , a s s o r t e d sizes, 20 b r u s h e s , $1.00, 42
b r u s h e s , $2.00. S u p p l y l i m i t e d . O r d e r N O W !
S e l e c t e d Red S a b l e B r u s h e s g u a r a n t e e d to p o i n t . F o r
W a t e r Color, S c r i p t , L e t t e r i n g , T o u c h U p , C e r a m i c s ,
T r a y P a i n t i n g , a n d m a n y , m a n y o t h e r uses. M a d e
to sell f o r up to $1.75 each. B r a n d n e w .

| AC MO MA TP EE UT IRT I VHEO BEBXYHI SI BT I T

for i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a c t
MERCEDES SWAN
192 C h e s t n u t , N u t l e y , N . J .

L~I). P R O F E S S I O N A L C E R A M I C
COMPETITIVE EXHIBIT
for information contact
,BEE B A S C H
7 Oak Tree Lane, Rumson, N. J.

Contests to be conducted at the 4th Annual

Eastern Ceramic Hobby S h o ~

May 2-6, 1956
CONVENTION HALL
ASBURY PARK, N . J .

CERAMIC EXPOSITIONS, Inc.

Jerry Gasque, Managing Director
77 Ridgecrest Ave.
S~afen Island 12, N. Y.

.
. _

No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.

.
~

0
1
2
3
4
5

Reg.
Reg.
Reg.
Reg
Reg.
Reg.

P r i c e $ .60 O u r P r i c e
Price
.65 O u r P r i c e
Price
.75 O u r P r i c e
P r i c e 1.10 O u r P r i c e
P r i c e 1.45 O u r P r i c e
P r i c e 1.75 O u r P r i c e

Set of six brushes (1 of each)

Flat Camels Hair Brushes. Finest
quality Camels Hair. Perfect brush
for Lettering, Touch Up, Ceramics,
S h o w c a r d , Model P a i n t i n g , F i g u rine Painting,
and
many
other
uses. A n I d e a l a ll a r o u n d b r u s h .

30c
35e
45c
50c
55c
60c

ca.
ea.
ea.
ca.
ea.
ea.

$2.50

~ - ' ~
~

Size 1/4" 8 for $1. Size I/2" 8 for $1.35. Size 3/4" 8 for $1.75.

MATTHEW DAY CO., INC.

Dept. B-857, Dumont, New Jersey

A THOUGHTFOR TODAY
(AND TOMORROW, TOO)

|{l':lcelet ,-.
Necklaces, Earclips, F i n s , Ti e
B a r s & Cuff
Links, With
the Magic
Snap-In
Feature.

A man is judged
By the company he keepsu
A company is judged
By the products it handles

A v a i l a b l e in
Antiqued
Copper, G re e n
or S i l v e r &
Jet Black
Introductory
A s s o r t m e n t $25

HOUSE OF CERAMICS
is known nation-wide as the home of "name"
brand merchandise. Our big 52-page fully
illustrated catalog reads like a who's who in
the hobby ceramics field.

HOUSE OF CERAMICS
3293-3295 J A C K S O N
MEMPHIS 12, TENN.

24

COMPLETELY ASSEMBLED
Accessories for Copper,
celain Discs.

Ceramics & Por-

Manufacturers of Jewelry Findings and

Copper Shades for Enameling.
WHOLESALE ONLY

MAGIC

NOVELTY COMPANY
136 West 21sf St. New York11,N.Y.
WRITE

FOR

CATALOGUE

PA-1

CERAMICS MONTHLY

cMbriefs

C. TOOL'S .

S e e q ~
rowing line of
potter's wheels for every purpose!

Make a
Wedging
Board
ABLE
IEEL
vho

E v e r y o n e w o r k i n g with clay n e e d s a w e d g i n g board.

If you have been bitten w i t h the " d o - i t - y o u r s e l f " bug, you
will find t h a t m a k i n g a w e d g i n g b o a r d is not a v e r y difl3cult or t i m e - c o n s u m i n g p r o j e c t . H e r e are some details
which may prove helpful if you decide to make one of your

leel

o~.vn.

1. A wooden, s o f t - d r i n k case is the best kind of cont a i n e r to use for a wedgino, board. It is e x t r e m e l y well reinforced and the wooden s e p a r a t o r s inside give added
s t r e n g t h . Removal of the s e p a r a t e r s is s o m e t i m e s recomm e n d e d ; this is not n e c e s s a r y , h o w e v e r , if the s e p a r a t e r s sit
about an inch and a h a l f below t h e top of the side wall.
2. Cover all o p e n i n g s in the box so t h a t the unit will
hold the fluid p i a s t e r . S h e e t s of thin c a r d b o a r d will suffice.
Be sure to cover the h a n d g r i p s at the sides f r o m the inside
so t h a t the convenience of the g r i p s will be r e t a i n e d a f t e r
the w e d g i n g b o a r d is finished.
3. Fill the box w i t h p i a s t e r and s m o o t h the top off to
give a p e r f e c t l y f l a t surface.
4. A s t u r d y stick is now s c r e w e d f i r m l y into place in
an u p r i g h t position at one end of the box. A t the top of the
stick, fix a nail or hook in place and slip on a turnbuckle.
This is to hold the w e d g i n g wire.
5. I t is a good idea to cover the p l a s t e r s u r f a c e w i t h a
heavy cloth to p r e v e n t pieces of p l a s t e r f r o m c h i p p i n g off
and b e c o m i n g e m b e d d e d in the clay b e i n g wedged. This is
easily done by f i r s t completely s o a k i n g the m a t e r i a l (canvas, cotton drill or sail cloth) and while it is still wet,
s t r e t c h i n g it t i g h t l y over the box and t a c k i n g it f i r m l y on
all f o u r sides When it dries, it will s h r i n k and become
even t i g h t e r .
6. Now the w e d g i n g wire is f a s t e n e d to the turnbuckle
and the o t h e r end fixed to a s c r e w - e y e a t the base. The wire
is made t a u t by m a n i p u l a t i n g the turnbuckle.
This p o r t a b l e w e d g i n g b o a r d should s e r v e f o r m a n y
years. The cloth covering will e v e n t u a l l y w e a r out, but it
can be replaced with little difficulty. - - H e r m a n Weiner,
Brooklyn, N. Y.

i !iii!iiiiiiiiil!i

iiii

KICK
$120.00
(TREADLE)
WHEEL I
Ruggedly constructed and easy
to operate. Ideal for schools, / H E A V Y DUTY ELEC;RIC WHEEL
therapy shops and studios.
4
Especially designed for constant
operation; particularly suited for
/
Send for the NEW
1
classroom work.
Complete Craftools CatalogI
No. 1128... $189.50
I
mN It:, u ~m} ~'m k~qm DEPT. CM, 401 BROADWAY, N.Y.C.
I

COPPER ENAMELS
Torrance Enamels
Give Controlled..
* GLOSS
"N R E L I A B I L I T Y
FLOW
*

CORRECT
SIZE

KIT No. 1

MESH

Torrance

Copper

Enamels

10 Brilliant Opaque Colors

Red--Green--Yellow--Light Blue--Black
Dark Btue--White--Brown--Turquolse--Clear
COPPER CLEANER ENAMEL G U M

INSTRUCTIONS

$S.00 postpaid
KIT No. 2
I
Transparent Colors as above $S.00
I

Postpaid

I
I

New Copper Enamels for Hand Painting

Manufactured on the West Coast by

TORRANCE GLASS & COLOR WORKS

22922 S. Normandie Ave.--Torrance, Calif.

FEBRUARY, 1956

25

MOLDS
u g with handle, 11/z Qts., 7" hi.
~ 364417JDecanter,
ll/z Qts., 11" hi.

$6.00
$4.50
Add 10% packing charge. Catalog 25c
Metallic Glaze, 4 oz. 75c ScraiIito Tool, 50c

CREEK

TURN

Rt. 38, Halnesport, New Jersey

ENAMEL

SPUN COPPER BOWLS, trays or cups.

Also-stamped circles or squares, plain
or slotted, for belts and links. Also--card,
match or cigarette boxes. The Old Viking
Shop, 1236 Delaware Street, Denver 4,
Colorado.

CUSTOM-MADE FRAMES fOR 6x6 CERAMIC TILE,

ENAMELED TILE, ETC. MAKE YOUR OWN TA|LESI
write today for description and prices.
HALLAM

STUDIO

160OMain
S.....
Racine, Wisconsin

IMPORTED

WHITE CHINA
Send 25c for catalog
Deductible [rom first order
Maryland China Company
1436 N. Gay St., Baltimore 13, Md.

HANDLES
,o,

.o.
Bamboo Rattan Metal
Send For Descriptive Folder

AD-ART CO.
209 VICTORYBLVD.,NEWROCHELLE,N.Y.

SPECIALIZED CERAMICS CORPORATION

manufacturer of
Wonfire Liquid Glazes
Wonmix Off White Casting Slip
Whitemix Pure White Casting Body
200 W. Third St.
Plainfield, N.J.
Gordon Prior, President

BUY A QUALITY PRODUCT

J TOP OR FRONT LOADING

WRITE FOR FREE
CATALOG S H O W I N G 4S MODELS
770 N. M a i n St., Akron, O .

26

COLORS

D o you know how m a n y different

shades of enamel color are available
to us? No? Well, neither do I. T h e
range of color ready for us to buy
seems endless, and if you start mixing and blending these colors, the
variety is almost limitless. But not
q u i t e - - I have yet to see a good transparent vermilion or a good magenta
or shocking pink in either transparents or opaques. Otherwise, we
can have everything. A n d by everything I mean not only the basic colors
in various shades but the in-between
colors including grays, beiges, etc.
Still, m a n y people are working with
a limited palette and do not even
know it. I am sure they would like
to expand the color range if they
knew it could be done. Even an
enamel teacher told me, to my great
surprise, that she used only a few
opaque colors; that neither she nor
her students ever used transparents.
T h e y weren't familiar with them!
T h e very life and soul of enameling
is the interplay of t r a n s p a r e n t a n d
o p a q u e colors, the luster of metal
shining through a transparent, the
difference in the appearance of a
transparent color over metal or flux
as compared with the strength the
same color gains when applied over
an opaque white layer of enamel.
If you have a chance to study old
Limoges enamels in museums or
antique stores, you will understand
what I mean. Where does the brilliance of these pieces come from?
T h e background, if it is not black,
is a dark transparent color, blue or
red or, more rarely, green. T h e design, however, is applied in white
with layers of transparent colors fired
over it. C o m p a r e the Limoges with
champlev& Without the surrounding
metal, the latter would look rather
dull beside Limoges. A n d why? Because champlevfi is done mostly with
only opaque colors.
W h e n you look at an especially
brilliantly colored enamel (or painting) you will notice that not only
bright colors have been used. Quite
the opposite. Subdued color is a
beautiful foil to sparcely used bright

colors. A lot of bright red or yellow,

when surrounded by soft colors, can
shine like a jewel while big splashes
of bright color alone can look flat.
What I am trying to do here is to
make your mouth water for a larger
palette. And if you do buy a large
assortment of colors, you will then
have to get acquainted with them.
Make up color charts for yourself.
There are several ways of doing this.
T h e simplest, to my mind, is to take
metal blanks of even size - - little
squares of earring size are fine for the
p u r p o s e - - a n d make a separate sample
for each color or color effect. You will
need only one blank for an opaque
color sample but for each transparent
you'll need four blanks to show the
effect of the color when applied on
different b a c k g r o u n d s ~ a r e copper,
flux, white, and silver foil. If you
want to use silver as the base, you
need only two blanks for each transparent color, because you will need
to test its effect only over the bare
silver and over flux (opaques look
alike on a n y base, precious or not).
Another way of making up color
charts is to prepare four larger
plaques--bare copper, white, flux,
silver f o i l - - a n d test all of your colors
on each plaque. Incidentally, I
haven't mentioned gold foil; if you
do use it, make tests with it also.
Regardless of the way you do your
color samples, be sure to mark the
number of the color on each sample,
using a p e r m a n e n t marker. A color
sample without identification is very
little help! You can fire the number
on using overglaze color or liquid
gold, scratch it on, anything you like.
Just make sure it is there to stay!
When you have samples of all your
colors, tape the pieces in even rows
on a board, arranging them as you
please. This chart will be a very good
friend in need, a great help in enriching your enameling experience.
P.S. I have color charts with 47
different blues, 39 pinks, 14 grays,
etc!

Correction: Berle column, January--Slush

comes in . . . large kegs (not cakes); when
slush coating is applied too thin (not thick)
it comes out brownish.--Ed.
CERAMICS MONTHLY

Contact the DISTRIBUTOR

in YOUR State

uestlons
conducted

by

KEN

SMITH

~ . How can I prepare a mender/or green ware and bisque

made /tom a red casting slip? I have tried adding colorants to
commercial menders, but I cannot exactly match the color o/
the ware.
A. M e n d i n g colored bodies so t h a t the seams will n o t show
is quite tricky. Y o u r best a p p r o a c h w o u l d be to a d d a small
a m o u n t of s o d i u m silicate to a small portion of t h e c a s t i n g slip
a n d use t h a t as the m e n d e r . T h e seams will p r o b a b l y show
u n d e r a t r a n s p a r e n t glaze; it w o u l d be better to glaze such
repaired pieces with marts or t e x t u r e d glazes for good results.

~.

Can you tell me where I can purchase extremely fine

wire which will withstand the heat of the kiln?
A. I a s s u m e you are referring to n i c h r o m e wire of fine
gauge. If so, it c a n be p u r c h a s e d uncoiled in almost a n y g a u g e
you wish, from a n y kiln m a n u f a c t u r e r . ( Y o u m i g h t also i n q u i r e
at your local c e r a m i c supplier's.) If y o u refer to copper or
silver wire, it w o u l d be better to o b t a i n it f r o m m e t a l - e n a m e l i n g
supply houses.

~. In ceramic glaze /ormulas I o/ten run across the term

"'KNaO'" in the RO column. What material do you use to supply
the KNaO ?
A. F e l d s p a r or n e p h e l i n e syenite. T h e ratio of K~O to
Na~O varies in different feldspars; if, therefore, a recipe recomm e n d s a h i g h soda spar, you would use one t h a t h a s a h i g h e r
percentage of Na~O t h a n K,_,O.

~. Why is red carbon paper used to trans/er a design on

copper rather than an3' other type o/ carbon paper?
A. T h e blue a n d black c a r b o n p a p e r s leave a " g r e a s y "
deposit w h i c h prevents good a d h e r e n c e of the e n a m e l . A defective surface will invariably result, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a p u l l i n g away
of the e n a m e l f r o m the sketched lines. R e d c a r b o n p a p e r d o e s n ' t
produce this difficulty.

~. I have access to large quantities o/ plaster o/ Paris.

Can I use this [or making pottery molds?
A. It is difficult to m a k e a good casting in a poor mold.
After going to the effort of m a k i n g a m o d e l a n d p r e p a r i n g a
mold from it, it w o u l d be foolish to use c o n s t r u c t i o n - g r a d e
plaster; by all means, use a good g r a d e of pottery plaster.
Actually, the two have the same c o m p o s i t i o n ; however, p o t t e r y
plaster has fewer impurities a n d is m o r e finely g r o u n d . It h a s
a m u c h s m o o t h e r surface after setting, w h i c h is necessary for
obtaining good castings.
Q. What is the difference between "glass gold" and "'cerantic gold" as they are called commercially?
A. O u r overglaze expert advises t h a t glass gold is unfluxed w h e r e a s ceramic gold c a n be either fluxed or unfluxed.
T h e unfluxed metals must be used on glass ( a n d o n very soft
ceramic bodies).

All subscriber inquiries are given individual attention at C M ; and,

out of the many received, those of general interest are selected
for answer in this column. Direct your inquiries to the Questions
Editor; please enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope.
FEBRUARY, 1%6

Texas-Oklahoma-Mississippim
Arkansasm
NORRIS STUDIOS
2910 McKinney--Dallas 4, Texas
Minnesota - Iowam
Nebraska-North and South Dakota-Manitoba-Saskatchewanm
HOUSE OF CLAY
CERAMIC EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
123-125 W. Lake St.--Minneapolis 8, Minn.

S. PAUL WARD, INC.

" T h e Ceramic Wholesaler of the W e s t "
601 MISSION STREET

SOUTH PASADENA, CALIFORNIA

Tels: SYcamore 9-2131 - - PYramTd 1-2552

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Pottery Maker, first in the field, is still first in value and in
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features . . . ADJUSTABLE arm rests; BUILT-IN water container; VARIABLE speed drive; QUIET bronze and babbit
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Before you buy, Write B & I . . . get full,free details: Pointby-polnt, we challenge comparison on QUALITY features...
Our price is still the best in the field!
B & I Pottery Maker shipped complete, less motor, f.o.b.
factory, Burlington, Wisconsin, for only $57.50.

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"Originators and Makers of famous B & I GEM MAKERS"

27

Campana Art Company is

now offering a new addition
to its famous correspondence
courses in a r t ~ C h i n a Painting! Everything is included,
four lessons, four 7" imported fine salad dishes, all
colors necessary for completing the colored models, directions for mixing and painting, brushes, mediums, patterns, graphite paper, etc.
Expert criticisms on each
plate from a man who is
noted for being one of the
foremost promoters of china
painting.
Firing is included in the
low cost of $25.00.

CAMPANAARTCO.
442 N0rth Wells St.
Chicago 10, III.
ART DIRECTORS
FREE~ 52 page illustrated catalog
of ceramic supplies and equipment.
HOUSE
OF CERAMICS
3295 Jackson
Memphis, Tenn.

SCULPTURE CLAY
Red or w h i t e cone 06-1. A M i n n . clay
rich in iron. With w h i t e g r o g added g i v e s
a g r a n i t e t e x t u r e to your s c u l p t u r e . F R E E
- - w r i t e for fired s a m p l e piece and c a t a l o g .
M i n n e s o t a Clay C o m p a n y
3458-10th Ave. S., M i n n e a p o l i s , M i n n .

people,
WILDENHAIN'S

WHEELWORK

places
AND

&

things

WIT

(as reported by O p p i U n t r a c h t ) :

Frans Wildenhain demonstrated his technique of throwing on the potter's wheel at a

recent meeting of the New York Society of
Ceramic Arts to which the New York Society
of Craftsmen were invited. Some 7S potters
and craftsmen (who turned up in spite of a
hurricane raging outside) watched in fascination as W i l d e n h a i n in quick succession threw
a large cylinder, a pitcher and a hlgh twopiece vase. While he worked he expressed
informatlve,
stimulating
and
often
witty
thoughts on the subiect cf ceramics. Wildenhaln, whose work is widely known in the
United States and a b r o a d , teaches ceramlcs
at the American School of Craftsmen of the
Rochester School of Technology.
Some of the comments he made b e a r repetition~ not only for their importance, but for
the revelation of the man as a person, and his
pattern of thinking. Here are some of them
taken at random.
"The true potter is a fanatic, a stupTd
person who must make pots . . . There is no
difference between love among people and
the love of a potter for his work . . . The
character of a person is more i m p o r t a n t than
talent . . .
"Throwing on the wheel should not be a
wrestling match . . . A good potter's wheel
must have the right relation between the seat,
the kick wheel and the head of the wheel . . .
A g o o d wheel-thrown pot should go back into
its original form when removed from the
wheel . . .
"The design of a pot is in your mind when
you work on the wheel, but it changes as you
work . . . M a n y potters are not sensitive
enough to form and use the pot simply as
a background for a glaze . . . Shapes rich in
form should nat be decorated. O n l y a few
pots are g o o d for decoration. Texture and
glaze are decoration enough for any g o o d
pot . . .

" A good potter can use commercially prepared glazes. Q u a l i t y depends on how you
use the medium. You can make your own
glazes and still be a bad p o t t e r . . .
"1 would nat build a kiln for myself because
I have too much respect for kiln b u i l d e r s . . .
I cannot see why the minor or so-called
'appJ;ed arts' and crafts are not accepted as
art . . .
"To make a g o o d craft show, you must have
a good iury. A g o o d iury can be a challenge.
FeeJlng ~rustrated on being rejected by a jury
is a sign of immaturity . . . Getting a prize
in a cralt show is like Bingo . . .
" I t is seldom that a writer con write well
about the pots of a person . . . pictures in
craft magazines are a good indication of what
is going on . . .
"People are not prepared to pay the
price a good pot deserves to demand . . .
Since very few potters can make a living at
making pottery, the potter must get his reward not in terms of money, but in the satisfaction he gets from his work . . . The craftsman cannot compete with technical d e v e l o p ments and therefore must make good 'artist'
pottery . . .
"People ask me often do I know what I
am d o i n g - - m o s t of the time I answer 'Yes.'"

(Please turn to PaRe 30)

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~end
UAL.
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28

Spread the Good News! Don't keep it to yourself. Let CM readers

know. what's going on in your ceramic bailiwick. Write CM--Today[

D a y t o n 5, Ohio

CERAMICS MONTHLY

FRAMED SETTINGS
from

our

readers
I

BALL-MILL ROLLERS
T w o used typewriter rollers
( w h i c h you can easily find.
usually free) m a k e excellent
rollers for a ball mill. T h e y
can be easily a d a p t e d because
they have their own bearings
a n d usually the proper size
s h a f t for a s t a n d a r d pulley
wheel.
- - ] a m e s Scholes
J o h n s o n City, T e n n .
X-RAY FILM FOR STENCILS
Exposed X - r a y film is m o s t
effective for m a k i n g stencils to
be used for d e c o r a t i n g or
masking. It is flexible e n o u g h
to go a r o u n d curved surfaces:
w e t t i n g will not d a m a g e it; it
c a n be used over a n d over
a g a i n : and, its t r a n s p a r e n c y
often helps if a design calls
for laying one stencil on top
of another.
T h e film is best used if it
is first cleaned of the dark
emulsion.
T h i s comes off
easily if the film is soaked in
hot water for a b o u t a n hour.
Doctors or X - r a y technicians often have exposed a n d
u n w a n t e d negatives to dispose
of a n d will give t h e m away
for the asking.
--Grace d. Reinhardt
Peterborough, C a n a d a
FETTLING TOOL
Dip a wooden dowel rod in
shellac a n d w h e n the shellac
is very sticky b u t n o t dry,
wind on a thin layer of fine
steel wool a n d let dry. T h i s
makes a very useful tool for
cleaning up a r o u n d h a n d l e s
a n d the o t h e r hard-to-get-toplaces.
- - T . I. Wright
Elgin, Ill.
FIRESCALE CONTROL
When metal enameling a
piece t h a t is to h a v e bare
metal s h o w i n g in the final design, you often r u n into difficulty with firescale p o p p i n g
off into the e n a m e l e d area. T o
overcome this, I m a k e a thin

slip from m y casting slip

scraps a n d p a i n t it over all
exposed m e t a l areas. T h e clay
slip holds the firescale down,
yet it is easy to wipe off w h e n
the piece cools. Spread on a
fresh c o a t i n g of sllp for each
firing.

'

....

[]

'

- - P e g Townsend
T u c s o n , Ariz.

CHAMOIS VS. SPONGE

For a well-finished rim on
t h r o w n pots a n d bowls a
c h a m o i s cloth is one of the
answers. A wet c h a m o i s cloth
held
between
thumb
and
forefinger of both h a n d s a n d
pressed gently against the r i m
as the wheel rotates, gives a
nicely finished rim a n d avoids
an a b r u p t t e r m i n a t i o n of the
t h r o w n piece.
- - I r c i n g and Lee Levy
L e v l t t o w n , L. I., N. Y

Ill
"
[]
-- -

Available made up as earrings, cuff

links, pins, tie bars bracelets~, necklaces.
~'~,~
"FRAMED S E T T I N G S ,
PORCELAIN
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BLANKS, COPPER DISCS are shown in
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f o r use.

T h e beads c a n be s t r u n g on
a stiff, n i c h r o m e wire a n d laid
across the setter, resting in the
n o t c h e d areas. If you keep the
setter small, you will find it is
m u c h m o r e v a l u a b l e : it will
take very little space in the
kiln a n d , w h e n no beads need
to be fired, the setter c a n be
t u r n e d over like a small b e n c h
a n d used as a shelf for firing
tiny objects.

- - M r s . Lou Houlle

[]

--

Try these

the sketch, n o t c h t h e m , bisque

fire the piece, a n d it is r e a d y

ml

BEAD SETTER
A small bead setter t h a t
takes up very little space in
the kiln c a n easily be m a d e
from a thin slab of clay.
Simply roll o u t a strip of clay
a b o u t ~ " thick a n d c u t it to
a b o u t 6" long a n d 3" wide.
Fold the ends up as s h o w n in

Conversation
Pieces?
Cigarette Gadgets - ashtrays
cluded.)

from

your

Make gay
odd d i s h e s .

and attractive
(Dish not in-

12--StraightBar--$.SS
:~ 13--Lobster--$1.3S
# 14--Fish--S2.10

Bone Fish - - U s e f u l a s a w a l l d e c o r a t i o n ov a s a n
ashtray.

# 3s--$4.s0

Send for FREE illustrated

& Price List.

BROCHURE

A l l m o l d s , (c) Bee, F . O . B . R u m s o n , N . J .
Add 10% for packing. No COD's please.

St. Louis, Mo.

Dellars
for
your
Thoughts
CM pays $1 to $S for each item used in this column. Send your
bright ideas to Ceramics Monthly, 4175 N. High St., Columbus 14,
Ohio. Sorry, but we can't acknowledge or return unused items.
FEBRUARY, 1956

THESE BEAUTIFULLY PLATED SETTINGS.

70 Oak Tree Lane, Rumson, N.J.

29

COP PE R ENAMELING

" A Very Helpful C a t a l o g "

(Begins on Page 28)

Ceramic Supplies Fully Illustrated

SUPPLIES

Enamels Copper shapes

& forms Findings Kilns
Send for catalog
Also complete llne of ceramic
supplies and equipment.

Ceram Activities

ILLINI OERAMIC SERVICE

439 N. WELLS ST. , CHICAGO I0, ILL.
TELE: MICHIGAN 2-3367

ENAMELING CONTEST: Amateur enamelists

from all parts of the state competed in The
Copper Shop-Cleveland Press contest which
was a feature of the Cleveland Do-It-Yourself
and Hobby Show early last October. The
]udges--Kenneth Bates of the Cleveland Art
Institute; Charles B. Jeffery, art director of
Shaker Heights schools: and Alfred Howell,
art supervisor of the Cleveland Board of
Education--praised the high quality of the
large number of entries. The contest was

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"Unusual-Original
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T h i s booklet includes p r o v e n b e s t sellers. P r o fusely illustrated. S t e p - b y - s t e p i n s t r u c t i o n s .
Mailed anywhere---Ppd. $1.50
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580 S. W a r r e n , T e l : B R 9-5450, C o l u m b u s 4, O.

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1000 W i c k a p e c k o D r i v e
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CERAMICS
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P h o n e 3-0476
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30

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CHINA
I

~ Sllght irregularities. Excellent for decorating. I

:
POTTERY CRAFTS
"
L
l10291NorthlernBllVd"RmmMslYnlnN'Y---'~-"U
FIRST PRIZE winners: Bracelet and earrings, Jean Carol Body: Pendant, Norman
Marden: Bowl, Marilyn Henderson.
divided into three classes--adults formally
trained in enameling, adults who taught themselves, and juniors under 16. Rrst-prize winners selected by the iury for "pieces displaying the best use of the enameling media"
were: Class A--Norman Magden, Cleveland
Heights: Class B--Jean Carol Body, Avon
Lake: Class C--Marilyn Henderson, North
Olmsted. Contest entries, on display at The
Copper Shop booth, were seen by more than
100,000 visitors to the show.
MEET OUR AUTHORS:
,Jane Hortsook is the
director o[ the Greenwich House Pottery in
the heart of New York's
Greenwich Village. She's
responsible not only for
the children's classes of
which she writes in this
issue (page 14) but for
the extensive adult training in ceramics for
which the Pottery is widely known. In addition
to the heavy administrative job, she also
teaches, lectures, counsels: and, sometimes
she is able to salvage enough time to
work on her own ceramic sculpture. On weekends, she tries to get away from it all to pursue a hobby in which her husband shares: i.e.,
exploring the Eastern coast in a Bright red
MG. Mrs. Hartsook has an M.A. degree
from Alfred University and taught ceramics
in Norfolk, Virginia, before moving to New
York in ]946.
(Please turn to Page 32)

"DECORATION DESIGNS FOR CHINA

AND GLASS" by Zena S. Hoist
(Ceramics Monthly's overglaze expert)
Over 200 beautiful designs . . . . only $5.00
postpaid

CAPITAL CERAMICS
1151 So. State St.

Salt Lake City ! 1, Utah

PRODUCTS WANTED
H a n d m a d e a r t i c l e s in h o m e f u r n i s h i n g s and
j e w e l r y to r e t a i l $1 to $10. Send l i t e r a t u r e
or one s a m p l e (not r e t u r n a b l e unless p o s t a g e
included.) Send to T H E C R A F T S H O P , 1044
A m s t e r d a m A v e . , N. Y. C., N . Y.

Repair Broken Bisque

wlfh our WONDER CEMENT. It will
take a glaze, often hiding
imperfections.

Roder Ceramic Studio

1331 Race St. Philadelphia, Pa.

When writing to advertisers

please mention CM
CERAMICS MONTHLY

THE~ ~ / ~ g

Simply
Amazing
For Glazing
. . .

SERIES

Brushes and Brush Strokes

by MADGE TUMMINS
M a n y of the commercial translucent underglazes available to the
school and hobby markets are called
"one stroke" or "single stroke." This
should not be taken literally. T h e
manufacturer does not mean that a
wide area can be completely covered
with single, overlapping brush strokes;
these underglazes have been especially
formulated for shading and undertone
blending, which can and should
be accomplished with single brush
strokes. (For over-all coverage, the
opaque underglazes should be used.)
One of the most important things
to consider for good "one stroke"
work or for any type of painting, for
that matter, is the brush. You cannot
do good brush work with poor
brushes. T o acquaint yourself with the
wide variety of brushes available and
the uses to which you can put them,
vou should, by all means, write to the
~'arious brush manufacturers for their
catalogs and booklets.
In my own experience, I have
found that three types of brushes are
necessary for good underglaze painting (see sketch):

1. A good sable brush or chinapainting quill that will hold color and
come to a point is best for general
brush work. O n the basis of expense
versus performance, the quill is the
better buy; you should have sizes 3,
5, 7, and 12.
2. A flat-ferrule brush that is not
too thick is needed for painting
shadows. You should have a set which
includes widths of , Y2, and
inches; for smaller designs, the ~ inch width will prove very useful.
3. A "gold liner" or "Scripto"
brush will be needed for fine-line details. You should have two sizes-around a 2 and a 4.
Select good brushes and take proper
care of them. Keep them clean and
always shape the hairs after washing.
Store them flat in a box or stand
them in a short bottle or jar, bristles
up.
To apply color to a piece of ware
FEBRUARY, 1956

with a brush is simple; there are,

however, different brush strokes for
different motifs and for different
effects. One of the most useful for
the beginner is the hal/ brush stroke.
T h e half brush stroke (using the
flat ferrule shader) is the one most
widely used for shading; proper loading of the brush is the key to its suecessful use.
First, wet the brush in clean water
and remove excess water by touching
the bristles to a soft, clean cloth or a
sponge. Place a small a m o u n t of the
translucent underglaze on a clean,
glazed tile and dip a corner of the
brush, about its width, into the
underglaze. If the bristles have been
d a m p e n e d to just the right degree, the
color will flow to the far end. This
gives, in effect, full color in the portion that was dipped, and a gradually
lighter color as you approach the
opposite end of the brush.
Now for a practice stroke. Place the
brush on a sheet of paper or on a
piece of scrap green ware with the
pressure on the water side of the
bristles and make a long, curved
stroke. You will note that you obtain
a fairly solid application of color on
one side and that the color fades out
as you approach the water side (where
the pressure of the stroke was applied). Practice wetting and loading
the brush and making half brush
strokes. When you have mastered this
technique, you will be able to make

O
excellent shadows in any given design.
W h e n you are content with your
progress on this stroke, try using two
colors. Pour out, on a glazed tile
palette, a small a m o u n t of a light and
a dark color. Using a dampened, flatferrule brush, fill approximately twothirds of the width with the lighter
color and the remaining one-third
with the darker color, overlapping
them slightly. With the pressure applied to the light-color side of the
brush, make long sweeping curved

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Put the finishing touch of the artisan
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with
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new
Burgess Electric Sprayer
. . . i t s the
simple, t h o r o u g h w a y to glaze ; it b e a u tifies your work. Long, faithful
service
assured by the jeweled sapphire nozzle
o f this s p r a y e r . . . p a t t e r n a n d v o l u m e

regulated
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spray
w h i c h p r e v e n t s w a s t e , saves
and m o n e y . The l i g h t w e i g h t
comes

complete,

For e x a c t l y the
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to

Sprayer.

invest

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you time
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n o c o m p r e s s o r required.
job you w a n t . . . it's
in a Burgess
Electric
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inquiries invited

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(Please turn to Page 32)

31

GLAZING
Art

@lazing

t Step-by-step

$3 C o p y

handbook c o n t a i n i n g 10 complete c e r a m i c a r t g l a z i n g projects.

How to f e t t l e : p r e p a r e d r y glazes for u s e :
c o m b i n e various t y p e s of g l a z e s ; use dec(,rative f r i t s , etc.
W o r k - i n - P r o g r e s s p i c t u r e s as well as photog r a p h s of finished work. E n a m e l type washable cover, s p i r a l bound.
I n t e r e s t - h o l d i n g test pieces s u g g e s t e d . Detailed steps are s t i p u l a t e d f o r e a c h project.
The m a t e r i a l in t h i s h a n d b o o k can s e r v e as
an i n t r o d u c t o r y course to h a n d b u i l d i n g , or
can be complete course in itself.
T E A C H E R S G U I D E B O O K - - $2.00 copy. Cont a i n s class p l a n s for each technique. I t is correlated step by step w i t h A R T G L A Z I N G
T E C H N I Q U E S . O r d e r now !
A ready-made simplified F a l l p r o g r a m .

CERAMIC

ENTERPRISES

322 R I V E R B A N K
New

81/ff '

Underglaze Series

PROBLEMS?
Techniques

11"

WYANDOTTE,
Monthly

MICH.

Magazine

CHINA DECORATOR
in old " K e r a m | e S t u d i o " style, designs,
studies, a r t i c l e s f o r d e c o r a t i n g all ceramics,
i n s t r u c t i o n s by a r t i s t s f o r b e g i n n e r s , classes
and p r o d u c t i o n lines. All subjects. Send
your ideas and a d v e r t i s e your s t u d i o s a n d
products. S u b s c r i p t i o n $3.75 per year.
NETTIE E. PILLET
841 B a r r o w s
Crt.___~, P a s a d e n a :
Californi__.~a

(Beginv on Page 31)

strokes. Repeating the loading technique, try making complete circles

in a single stroke, gradually decreasing
the size of each circle until you can
make one no bigger than a nickel.
These strokes may seem quite awkward at first, but with practice you
will find that they are easy to do.
R e m e m b e r that the brush must be
properly dampened with water or the
colors will not blend, giving, instead,
a sharp dividing line between the

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Remember, also, that the pressure

on the stroke must always go to the
light or water side of the bristles.
N e x t M o n t h - - h o w to load the gold
liner and use it for accents and details
in a design.

Ceram Activities
(Continued from Page 30)

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

A COMPLETE LINE OF MATERIALS A N D
EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE

POTTER'S WHEELS - KILNS - CLAYS

GLAZES - TOOLS - BOOKS. ETC.
New Low Prices on

ENAMELS
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62
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GLAZING

HELP

synthetic gum GLAZING COMPOUND

For use with All Dry Glazes

TOUCH-O-MAGIC
Make y o u r o w n Brush-on, One-fire glaze
f r o m any dry glaze.
H a r d e n s glazes, r e s i s t s f l a k i n g or p e e l i n g .
F a c i l i t a t e s t r a n s p o r t a t i o n of ware, glazes
do not r u b off or chip off w i t h h a n d l i n g .
No odor, no s p o i l a g e - - keeps indefinitely.
An effective t i m e s a v e r f o r all c e r a m i s t s .

$1.00 per pk. D i s c o u n t

on cartons

(25 p k s . )

CERAMIC ENTERPRISES
Box 8 8 C Wyandotte, Michigan

The f o l l o w i n g back issues of C e r a m i c s

M o n t h l y are still a v a i l a b l e at s i x t y cents
per copy (Ohio r e s i d e n t s add 3% sales
t a x ) . We pay postage.
April. July,

1953
A u g u s t , October.

l)ecember

1954
F e b r u a r y , March, A p r i l , J u l y , A u g u s t ,
September, November, December
1955
February,
March,
April,
May,
July,
A u g u s t , September, October, November,
December
Please send r e m i t t a n c e (check or money
order) w i t h list of back issues desired.
CERAMICS MONTHLY
4175 N. I I i g h St.
Columbus, Ohio

32

Pale
"'
"Alto,
"'

Cal.
"

colors.

INSTRUCTIOHS
in C H I N A PAINTING
by an experienced

DESIGNS

LAMPS TO SHOW: With their fifth anniversary at hand the Kenmore (N.Y.) Ceramic
Guild celebrated recently with a dinner meeting at the home of Mrs. Michael A. Scalzo.
It was announced at the time that completed
ceramlc lamps by members would be featured
at the Guild's annual show next May. (The
group project last year was a complete scene,
in ceramics, from the ballet, Swan Lake.)
SCHOLARSHIPS: Four valued at $1320 each,
for advanced study in arts and crafts including ceramics, are again offered by
Cranbrook Academy of Arts. These Saarlnen
Booth memorlal awards cover tuition, board
and room, for the 1 9 5 6 4 7 academic year.
Also available to talented students are a limited number of tuition grants and loans. (Write
the Secretary at the Academ,, Lone Pine
Rd., Bloomfield Hills, Mich. before March I.)
NEW HOBBY GROUP: The Cleveland area
~il] soon boast a new ceramlc hobby group.
An organizational meeting has been scheduled for I:00 P.M., February 25, at Higbee's
Tea Room, Cleveland. Everyone interested
is invited to attend. Full details can be obtained by w r i t i n g to Z i t a M u l b y , A m e r i c a n
Beauty Ceramics, 15648 Euclid Ave., Cleveland.

teacher

SUPPLIES

FIRING

Classes m a y be held in your own studio

by special a r r a n g e m e n t .

POLLOCK STUDIOS
436 V. T a b o r Rd.

Ceraimc

~
{
a
{{
{

P h i l a d e l p h i a 20, Pa.

F CRAFTS

II

~Painting
Bookbinding O Enameling~
~Sculpture
O Silversmithing O Jewelry~
~Ceramics

Metalwork Weaving
Silk Screen CabinetmakLng
IMen,
W. . . . .
Day, Eve. C a t a l o g C I

CRAFTSTUDENTSLEAGUEYWCA nil
140 W. 22nd St., N.Y.C., CH 3-5747

SALESMEN

WANTED

New territorTes beT':g opened up and

expanded for distribution of completely
new item. Only salesmen with established
background of hobbyists' supplies need
apply. Northwest, Calif., New En.qland.
COPPER CAT, INC.
Railroad St., Attleboro, Mass.

FOR

SALE

Established Ceramic Business

Serving Central Florida.

F o r S a l e w i t h all s u p p l i e s .
Reasonable
Hazel S. Havens
Re~. Real E s t a t e Broker

Rt. 1, Box 73, Mt. Dora, Fla.

Phone 2-6896

lVoq'hl' s finest

The potter,s Wheel

Boston Post Road
Westport Southport Line
Westport, Conn.

CopperEnamelingSupplies
Dealer Inquiries Invited

TFor
I LDecorating
ES
S u p e r b E n g l i s h Tiles, bisque or glazed,
6" x 6", t h e y ' r e perfect f o r pleasure . . .
or I)rofit.
ALSO AVAILABLE :
TRIVETS,
black W O O D E N
iron,
rubber-footFRAMES
ed, f o r 1 a n d 2 T I L E BACKS and
tiles
HANGERS
WROUGHT IRON
FRAMES
Write for FREE Descriptive
Price List .No. C M

SORIANO
CERAMICS, INC.
L o n g I s l a n d City 5, N . Y.

CERAMICS MONTHLY

Weinrib's Tiles
(Begins on Page 20)

in thickness that occur when glazes

a r e applied by hand also affect the
resulting color. Since intensity and
v a l u e of color cannot be completely
controlled, line becomes important.
While it is difficult to achieve control
in the illusion of depth by using color,
as would a painter, dimension can be
c r e a t e d by working with the depth of
the tile's surface.
Surface texture is another way the
tile m a k e r can create visual and tactile interest. A surface can run the
g a m u t from dry and rough to soft
a n d creamy. Textural effects, juxtaposed or scattered, produced with or
without glaze, become the vocabulary
by use of which the tile maker can
"speak" in a composition. A close
inspection of Weinrib's tiles reveals a

"Birds" is a deviation from rectangular

panels. After decorating and firing each of
the cut sections, Weinrib set the pieces in
cement. The panel was designed as accent
for a large, white cement wall.

studied effort to produce a varietv

of such surface effects which arise
naturally from the treatment of the
Inedium and its characteristics. All
of Weinrib's tiles are done in one
firing. Most effects such as slip trailing, slip painting, plaster pressings,
and sgraffito are produced by working
on the tiles while they are still in a
plastic state. By. slip trailing from a
quill-pointed syringe, Weinrib creates
enclosed areas in which glazes can
be floated much as cloisons are used
by the enameler. A slip-trailed line
can also work as an element in a
design by itself, in relation to shapes
and areas. Sgraffito and small plaster
pressings can be used to fill in an
area or to break a large expanse. In
addition, there are the infinite variations possible with glaze trailing, and
FEBRUARY, 1956

the straight use of glaze which pools

in depressions, runs thin on raised
parts, and is never uniform after the
miracle of the fire.
Not before the tiles have been
thoroughly dried and then glazed
while green are they ready to attain
permanency by firing. Since the tiles
are a vitreous body, they cannot be
stacked or they will warp under the
heat of the cone 11 temperature. They
are placed two on a shelf and fired for
twenty hours using oil for fuel in a
reduction atmosphere. The shrinkage
is a factor which must be taken into
consideration in advance if the tiles
must follow architectural specifications.
The problem of warpage in firing
is controlled to a certain extent by
the composition of the clay body.
~vVeinrib's clay composition consists
of four parts fire clay, one part ball
clay, 10 per cent kaolin, 10 per cent
grog, and 10 per cent sand.
] [ N T H E I R NEW, well equipped
studio located at Stony Point, New
York, Weinrib and his wife K a r e n
Karnes, also an accomplished potter,
have attained a kind of potter's Valhalla. After teaching ceramics for two
years at Black M o u n t a i n College, they
m o v e d to Stony Point where they
were fortunate enough to be able to
construct a studio built to their specifications, a model in the functional
solution of a potter's needs. V~'einrib's
restless creative energy has touched
off a series of new projects in slabconstructed pots, and an ambitious
project to decorate the outer wails
of the studio with tile murals.
David Weinrib's training was acquired at Alfred University, and in
Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. His work has
been included in the National Ceramic Shows at Syracuse, the " Y o u n g
American" Shows at the America
House Gallery in New York, and
numerous other outstanding exhibitions. He has also joined his wife
in "two-man" shows at the America
House Gallery, the Philadelphia Art
Alliance, and the University of Tennessee.
Weinrib is a great admirer of
Assyrian cuneiform tablets, and the
glazed brick lions of the Ishtar Gate
at Khorsabad. H e gets enthusiastic
at the mention of archaic Greek and
Etruscan ware. His work is intensely
individual and very often without
a n c e s t r y - - a new species, so to speak.
Still a very young man, just thirty,
David Weinrib enjoys exploring the
varied paths of ceramics, and will
continue to do so as long as his
interest remains "high fire." Current
intensity seems to indicate this will
be several lifetiines.

February, 1956
Ad-Art

Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

26

B and I Mfg. Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Basch, Bee, Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Baumann's Ceramic Studio . . . . . . . . . . .
Bergen Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

27
29
30
29

C a m p a n a , D. M., Art Co . . . . . . . . . . .
Capital Ceramics' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Carmel W o r k Center, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ceramic Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ceramic Leagues, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ceramichrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
College Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
C o p p e r C a t Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Craftools, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Craffshop, the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creek-Turn Pottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

28
30
30
32
2
7
30
b, 32
25
30
26

Delta Brush Mfg. C a r p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Detroit Fabricating C a r p . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Duncan's Ceramic Products . . . . . . . . . .

10
9
5

Eastern Ceramic H o b b y Show . . . . . . . .

24

Great Lakes Ceramic Hobby Exhibition C-2

H a l l a m Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26
Harrison, the Kay, Studios . . . . . . . . . . .
8
Havens, Hazel S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
32
Holland Mold Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10
Hommel, O., Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
House of Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24.,28
llllnl Ceramic Service

...............

Klopfenstein, H. B. & Sons . . . . . . . . . . .

30
2

L and L Mfg. Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lauer, Ruth D., Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lehrhaupt Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5
2
30

Maryland China Company . . . . . . . . . . .

Master Mechanic Mfg. Co . . . . . . . . . . .
Matthew Day Co., Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mayco Colors, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Minnesota Clay Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Model Kilns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

26
7
24
4
28
26

Natural Ore Glaze Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Norwest Novelty Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

28
30

Old Viking Shop, the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Olevia Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

26
30

Paragon Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pierce C o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pillet, Nettle E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pollock Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Potter's Wheel, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Potter's Wheel, the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pottery Crafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I
32
32
32
10
32
30

Re-Ward
..........................
Roder Ceramic Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rovin Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3
30
9

Sahuaro Molds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7
Schmid, Ludwig, A r t Ceramic S t u d i o . . . 8
Snead, Jane, Ceramic Studio . . . . . . . .
31
Soriano Ceramics, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
32
Specialized Ceramics Corp . . . . . . . . . .
26
Tepping Studio Supply Co . . . . . . . . . . .
Thompson, Thomas C., Co . . . . . . . . . . . .
Torrance Glass & Color Works . . . . . . .
Touch-O-Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trinity Ceramic Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

28
1
25
32
30

W a r d , S. Paul, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Weatherby Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Willoughby Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wolfe, Jack D.. Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

27
30
8
32

YWCA

32

League

.....................

33

books

on

d e s ig n

from the

~ii ~

book department
l

Basic designs and variations include the circle, line, scroll,

curvilinear, fret, shield, and m a n y others. 1836 sketches, 240
pages, 5" x 8", paper bound.
$1.90

A designer and potter, the a u t h o r presents 350 designs,

m a n y in full size, w i t h suggestions f o r p r o p e r colors. Many
P e n n s y l v a n i a Dutch designs included. Oversize f o r m a t (10" x
13"), 72 pages, p a p e r bound.
$3.00

One of the best books on design, it will prove invaluable to

p o t t e r y and sculpture enthusiasts as well as decorators. Covered in careful detail are g e o m e t r i c form, flower and plant form,
bird and animal form, h u m a n form, and m a n - m a d e form.
The 1280 illustrations include about 400 flower and animal
motifs readily adaptable to pottery. 207 pages, oversize format, cloth bound.
$4.95

Ceramics Monthly
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Columbus, Ohio

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