Aaron Murray: Owlware

Owlware

In addition to making sculptures I enjoy making pots on a wheel. Lately I have made a series of cups, bowls, and vases with owls depicted on them in underglaze. The pots are made from clay bodies that fire at cone 6 and cone 10. At Alki Beach where I teach classes, we use clay and glazes that fire at cone 6, because we only have an electric kiln. I make pots from a porcelain body called ckk6, another yellow stoneware called Vashon White, a Vashon Brown, and a Kalama Red. Some are also hybrids from various bodies mixed together. At Kirkland Arts Center we use cone 10 bodies. These are generally more hard, and have more color due to reduction firing and heavy iron in the clay. We use Laguna B Mix as a white stoneware. In some ways it takes on a porcelain consistency. I also occasionally throw Columbia White, Dakota Red, and Rod's Bod-- a gritty iron heavy clay.

Cone 6 porcelain teacup

cone 6 porcelain, bronze glaze, underglazes, clear gloss glaze

Cone 10 stoneware, Bryan's Matte white glaze with black stain on eyes and talons

Some owl ware is carved. I like to add texture and carving is a way to add detail. I carve the pieces when they are leather -hard. I like to use repetition to create pattern. Numbers play a role. Sometimes I like to count as I carve, other times I'll look for mathematical meaning within the work, as crazy as it sounds.