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Photography by Bernard Blais
- This stoneware ceramic teapot is created in the form of a violin, modified in freeform fashion to shape its component parts to serve respectively as the teapot's body, base, snout and handle.
- The work's name is intended as whimsical wordplay encompassing mellowness, melody, melodious, syllabic stress and surprise (in the "oh!"), tea and teapot, as well as communal togetherness (in the "us").
- Tagboard templates are created and modeled to provide means for making a three-dimensional form.
- Violin images are silk-screened onto preglazed clay slabs which are then used in the construction process.
- Panels are cut from clay slabs according to tagboard designs and fitted together to form the teapot body. Cording is added as a trim.
- The spout is wheel thrown and sculpted.
- The violin fingerboard, neck and scroll are shaped into a teapot handle, which is formed of several clay slabs joined together.
- The teapot lid is a faux wooden violin peg. Additional tuning pegs are fashioned for insertion into the violin pegbox. A chin rest, bridge and tail piece are added.
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Construction sequence:Silk-screen imaging and underglazing in leather-hard state.First fired to cone 06.More underglazes applied.Refired to cone 5/6.Multiple layers of China paints are added.After each layer, the piece is refired to cone 015.Beaded wire and cold finishes complete the work.
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Date: 2010.
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Size: 18.0" x 9.5" x 4.5".
- Available for purchase.
ENLARGED VIEWS
CREATIVE PROCESS
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Initial studies are drawn to make preliminary images in various configurations.
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Cut and paste methods allow for modifications to be made to satisfy the artistic demands for maintaining the violin configuration while providing the functional needs of a teapot.
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.Tagboard templates are designed for purposes of cutting and shaping clay slabs for use in slab building of the teapot.
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In designing the templates, i draw one piece freehand.
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Then I fold the template in half longitudinally (shown above, left side) to ensure the two sides are symmetrical.
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The final template form is made with sides evenly matched (right side).
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The tagboard template is made into a three-dimensional form by the additon of side panels taped into place.
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The initial process involves rolling out clay slabs that will ultimately be used for the front and back panels in the construction of this teapot.
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The slab surfaces are then underglazed prior to the silk-screening process to impart a faux wooden appearance
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Silk-screened collage of random violin images is applied to the previously underglazed clay front and back panels.
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They are now ready to be cut to the shape of the tagboard templates that were made earlie
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The tagboard template is placed upon the clay slab where it will serve to ensure the panel is cut correctly according to design.
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The clay panels are cut precisely to design.
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Note the randomly applied silk-screened images on the previously underglazed faux wood background.
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The side panels are aligned in place (top image, above) ready to be joined together to each other and to the front panel by being scored and slipped.
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The joining process involves scoring the edges to roughen them, moistening them with clay slip that serves as the glue, and then pressing and holding them together until the join is permenent (bottom image, above).
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Construction continues by attaching the back panel to the side panels by means of score and slip process.
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In addition, a spout that has been wheel thrown and sculpted to match the teapot's overall design is appended in place.
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A coiled edge is added to the sides of the body panels as a trim.
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A hole is made where the teapot lid will be located. The lid will be a faux wooden peg used for tuning.
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The teapot handle is made to resemble a transformed violin fingerboard, neck and scroll. It is constructed of several clay slab pieces cut from templates and modified by sculpting, then joined by score and slip method, and attached in place.
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Additional pegs are to be inserted into the holes made in the pegboard portion of the handle
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Nine tuning pegs are crafted by hand.
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Eight of the pegs are inserted into the holes made for them on the pegboard on the teapot's handle.
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The ninth peg is for the lid.
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A chin rest is sculpted in clay and attached in place.
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The construction phase of this work is completed with the addition of the violin bridge and its tail piece, both sculpted and permanently appended.
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The teapot is now allowed to dry sufficiently so that it can be safely kiln fired for the first time to cone 06
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After successful first kiln firing, additional detailed color embellishments are applied to the surface by underglazes.
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Underglazing continues with application of faux wood design to side panels, handle and spout.
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Nearing completion, the decorative underglazing encompasses the entire surface of this work.
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A small unfinished central triangular section on the front will be occupied by the bridge piece being made and fired separately.
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Faux violin strings, made of wire for durability, will also be added.
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Refirings to cone 015 are done after each China paint layer
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Tiny turquoise beads are strung on wires to serve as the violin's strings.
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Cold finishes are added to complete the work
DETAILED VIEWS *
