Wendy van Dort

Wendy van Dort started potting approximately 20 years ago at a night school class in Surrey. Two great tutors have over the years helped Wendy with her throwing and hand building techniques. She went on to study Ceramics for the City and Guilds and is part of a group of mature students who enjoy meeting and working together for 2 days a week.

Wendy enjoys throwing on the wheel and covers a wide range of shapes and sizes using both earthenware and stoneware glazes, thogether with underglazes for the many brightly coloured bowls and plates.

The inspiration for much of Wendy's work comes from natural designs, the sea being a great favourite of hers. The range of blue stoneware has pleasing results together with a white stoneware glaze and graffito echoing the spray from the sea.

Wendy taught 7 to 13 year old boys at a school in Surrey for a number of years which was a very rewarding time for both te pupils and herself.

The art of Raku

Raku is the fastest and possibly most dramatic method of firing ceramics.
Developed out of the original ancient Japanese technique, biscuit ware is fired up to approximately 1000 deg C in less than an hour - a normal glase firing takes between 10-12 hours.

Once the pots arge glowing hot, they are removed from the kiln using long tongs and placed into bins containing sawdust. The temperature of the pots drop dramatically before they are covered, causing "thermal shock". This manifests itself in the form of very fine cracking in the body of the clay that is characteristic of Raku.

Once the pots have cooled down, the top rim is ground back to reveal a complex pattern of fine lines and the soft grey tones within the body of the vessel. This method ensures that each piece is unique. It is exciting and challenging because each piece is a surprise, sometimes a delight, sometimes a disappointment.

The pattern on the grey bowl is achieved by putting a white slip on to the leather hard clay. Firing the bowl to the biscuit stage where the clay changes its composition to become ceramic and porous. Transparent Raku glaze was poured into the centre of the bowl. Sponged off the rim. The bowl is dipped in to a thick Borax glaze. This went in to the Raku kiln to a temperature of approximately 920 deg C. The Borax glaze crackles enabling the delightful pattern to emerge on the body of the pot. Once cool enough to handle, the Borax glaze peels off rather linke egg shell revealing the unique design.

12-09-2006

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