stud io reference - Ceramic Arts Daily

studio reference | texture
Designing WitH texture
by Daniel gegen
One of the greatest challenges for a potter who
decorates their work is finding an image or texture
that fits the form of the pot. For the past thirteen
years, I’ve taught my students to use texture as a
design tool. Recently, I started using textured plaster slabs as a
way to apply decorative surfaces directly to the clay before the
construction process begins. Interesting things happen when
the textured surface is manipulated into a vessel form. Textures
can overlap one another to create contrast or add visual
tension. The result is similar to the way patterned fabric looks
when it is made into clothing, except that I am more interested
in how the patterns don’t line up on the seams. Often I push
the slabs out from the inside of the vessel to create volume,
which softens and distorts the surface texture as well.
Textured vase, 10 in. (25
cm) in height, fired to
cone 10 and glazed with
Weiser Blue on a white
stoneware clay body.
Amber hat jar, 7 in. (18 cm) in height. Rutile
glaze fired to cone 10. In this form, Daniel used
three different textures, illustrating the range of
variation possible with this technique.
Envelope Vase, 9 in. (23 cm) in length, glazed with Reitz Green
and fired to cone 10. The textured slabs used in all the pieces
shown here were created collaboratively by Creative Paradise
and Daniel Gegen Designs.
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