A Basic Study of Clay, Part 1.

The second, hand detailing begins…

It is just pouring outside, again!

It has been quite a struggle this spring to get our lawn mowed and our flower garden done. It’s been raining quite a lot this spring. As the garden dries from the last rain, Wilma and I make plans for when we might get at it, after all, we want to do it “together.” Then, as the date(s) arrive, it's been either raining or had just rained enough to make it impossible.

Yesterday, we finally got into the garden, spending several hours cleaning, raking, planting annuals, mowing, watering and dragging the bags of garbage away. Guess what, it’s Saturday morning and as I’m writing this, it’s pouring rain. Fantastic, we did it! I’m feeling quite smug about all of this.

Excuse me for a moment, I’m getting a coffee.

OK, I’m back, working in the garden yesterday got me thinking about clay. I grew up on the farm and so know about and often played in “the dirt”. There are all kinds of dirt, topsoil, loam, clay, rock, etc. I have learned that clay is made up of extremely small particles of rock. When this kind of “dirt” (Clay) in it’s natural state (nature) meets with the right amounts of water, and someone takes it into their hands and forms something, and it holds that form, it’s workable clay. When it holds it’s form it is showing it’s “plasticity” and that is what makes it the workable clay we want. Then, when it is heated to a high temperature it partially melts resulting in a hard rock-like substance we call ceramic material.

Now I do admire those few artists who move around the landscape looking for and using just this kind of raw clay. But it has a lot if impurities and inconsistencies and the results are highly experimental depending on the particular clay found.

For most part time and full time artists the solution is to buy commercially made moist clay. They have processed the clay so that the artist knows what they are getting and can depend on consistent results. The supplier will have detailed data on each kind of clay they provide. This will include maturation temperature, colour, shrinkage, body content and much more.

So, now it is a matter of what you or me as the artist are planning to do that will dictate the kind of clay we might wish to purchase. The choices are numerous and staggering. When you go to a supplier, you will see lists of clay names, numbers and characteristics that can send you around the bend. Do not be discouraged…ask! Everyone knows it confusing so don’t be embarrassed. Talk to the people around you and find out what they are using and why they have chosen that particular clay. If you take clay classes, discover what clay is being used and why.

"Why", is the important question here. It will have to do with  1) what you wish to make with the clay and 2) what kiln resources you have. 

We will continue with these two "Whys" tomorrow morning.

“When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes…”

John 9:6