1. Dealing with the Absurd
David Jones
CE 4004 Analysis of Contemporary Contexts
Dealing with the Absurd
‘Practising a craft with ambiguous reference to function one has occasionally to face absurdity. More than anything, like a demented piano tuner, one is trying to approximate phantom pitch. One is apt to take refuge in principles that crumble.’ (Hans Coper)
So have my principles have crumbled?
I am no longer obsessed with craftsmanship - but it has taken until now to free myself of the burden!
I believe I am more able to consider a broader range of approaches.
Note the images of Vasarelli and the bright colours I have been aiming towards.

2. Alan Caiger-Smith
I have always been interested in studio pottery believing that function and form go together. This plate is one of a complete dinner service produced by Alan Caiger-Smith. The brushwork and the surface quality of the glaze are elements I have attempted to emulate in some of my work. Caiger Smith worked with earthenware clay and earthenware glazes whereas I have always worked in stoneware.
Caiger Smith

3. Alan Caiger-Smith
The lustres are fired in a static reducing atmosphere so that as they vapourise they move within the kiln adding interest outside the bounds of the decoration.

4. David Jones
My attempt at decoration using cobalt oxide in the form of a glaze pencil and as a suspension in water.

5. Toff Milway
Toff Milway uses the atmosphere in the kiln to obtain the surface qualities he wants and adds common salt or sodium carbonate to create the effect he wants. The soda reacts with the glazes and the slips to provide texture and depth to the surface.

6. Michael O’Brien
This is my favourite pint mug, made by Michael O’Brien. I like the way the wood ash has coated the blackslip in a natural process taking place in a wood firing, There are similarities between the surfaces of both this piece and the work of Toff Millway.

7. David Jones
My attempt at a similar piece using a ‘rutile’ glaze in a reduction firing. The rutile creates small grey crystals in the glaze - I aimed to create an autumnal look rich in oranges and browns.

8. David Jones
This bowl May 2011) has a greyish steely surface that breaks in the throwing ridges into blue lines. Cobalt decoration subtly interrupts the throwing lines resulting to produce a textured surface like those achieved by O’Brien and Millway.

9. David Jones
This piece is heavily influenced by the work of Caiger Smith - the white ground broken by a blue cobalt decoration

10. Clive Bowen
The richness of surface on these earthenware pots made by Clive Bowen are thick, honeylike and clear. His pots are shapely and have a voluptuousness that suggests bountifulness.

11. Clive Bowen
Bowen

12. Jim Malone
Malone works in stoneware.

13. Jim Malone
Malone - this rich tenmuku over a black slip is sumptuous - it chocklatly and caramel with syrup markings-

14. Mark Griffiths
Griffiths

15. David Jones
Jones temoku overglazed with ash glaze offers a similar chocolate

16. David Jones
Explain image on left

17. Antje Ernestus
And here - all of a sudden I’m heading down a different route - at last I think I have found a direction for my work.
Celadon and copper in a reduction firing.
Explain image on left.

18. Antje Ernestus

19. Antje Ernestus

20. David Jones
The pink tinge on this porcelain with a celadon glaze are reminiscent of the work of Caiger Smith the proximity of a glaze heavily laden with copper carbonate produced the pink blush.

21. Peter Beard
Ceramic Art 2011

22. Peter Beard
Surface qualities achieved with slips and glazes and resists.

23. Peter Beard

24. David Jones
So back to Vasarelli and the high colour achieved by oxides, clay stain and light.
This is where my interests will lie during the next four months. Working with porcelain to develop subtle yet colourful surfaces that appear soft with vibrant colours that shimmer against each other.
Wheareas my previous work may have been firmly fixed in the studio potter genre - with definite functional purpose - I now see a different purpose that is about experiment and development of greater aesthetic interest in my work. The challenge presented by porcelain is great and the opportunities to develop work in the medium exciting.
This breakthrough has come late and therefore I have not thought about where it might be exhibited. The work is not yet advanced sufficiently. The qualities of porcelain allow me to play with light in my work.
The scale of these is pieces is smaller - but I see them increasing in size as I develop my working methods. Concentrating on simple forms with single glazes joined by ‘lozenge’ porcelain as a contrast. I want to work with reduction firings.
see these

25. Dealing with the Absurd
David Jones
CE 4004 Analysis of Contemporary Contexts
Dealing with the Absurd