Ceramic Clocks

Once a term I run a six week adults ceramic workshop. I have been running them for a year now. I find they are a lovely way to spend a relaxing evening with classical music, thanks to the ABC, good company and passing on some of my skills. My students range from artists who enjoy learning a new discipline to friends of friends looking for a different way to spend their evening, kid free. I even have a few who come back very term for their dose of mucking in with mud.This term we are making clocks. The photos are of a clock I am working on. I haven't made clocks since I was studying (I think we made one as a project), so it has been nice for me to have a play. This one is a wall hanging clock which will sit about 10cm from the wall.

This class I hope to make some piece towards my exhibition, which will be early next year. Most classes I end up making demo pieces that are a hotchpotch of different ideas to demonstrate different skills/techniques. The finished piece is usually very daggy! But as with any new designing, it can be hit and miss, then back to the drawing board.

I quite like this one so far...
The first thing I got my students to do was experiment with a few decorating techniques. We are using a porcelain paper clay so they will have a nice white backdrop to work with. They have watched a demo on a whole host of techniques; scrafetto, inlay, tissue transfer, wax resist, carving, brush work, lino cut prints.... Then they made some tiles to experiment on themselves. I thought this would be a good way to come up with some decoration ideas for their clocks. The tiles will then be mounted and grouted onto some board as a little wall hanging.

These are a few of the tiles. I will post more photos as the ideas flow and clocks start forming shape.