Jessica Putnam-Phillips

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Getting a handle on it, Happy fourth of July

Saturday, May 14, 2016

The Clay Studio National 2016

"Cherry Blossom Thyme" and "Humvee & Purple Pansies" have been selected to be included in

The Clay Studio National 2016

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

A.I.R. Vallauris Exhibition......four more days!

The A.I.R. Vallauris Exhibition opens in four more days! I have so much to share about my time here in the French Riviera. I have been so busy making work, visiting museums, eating amazing food, drinking fabulous wine, swimming in the Mediterranean, traveling and soaking up all that the Cote d'Azur has to offer that I have not had time to post. I promise once I am home in Vermont and settled I will catch up on my blog!

Monday, August 3, 2015

NCECA 2016

NCECA 2016

Exciting news for the upcoming year, I have been selected to present in NCECA's 2016 Process Room!
Here is the official title and time for my presentation!

PRESENTATION: Process Room Decals, China Paint & Luster
DATE/TIME/LOCATION: Thursday, March 17 / 10:00-10:30am / 2505 A/B

I am looking forward to sharing my process and being part of NCECA 2016. See you all in Kansas City!

Friday, July 3, 2015

Grenade Mugs, Cups and M4 Plates

M4 Plate & Grenade Cup

Finished M4 plates, grenade cups, grenade plates and grenade mugs. Mishima inlay with underglaze on Porcelain.

Grenade Mug

Grenade Plate

Friday, May 1, 2015

Carving Day and Wax Resists

Porcelain grenade cup after carving and wiping
away excess underglaze. Speedball
chartreuse underglaze on rim, foot and grenade.

Spent the day carving some porcelain mugs and cups. I am trying out a new process where I put wax resist on the clay surface and once it has dried I carve through the wax into the clay. I then apply the underglaze and once that has dried I wipe away any excess that beads up on the waxed surface. Usually I just carve into the clay, apply under gaze and wipe with a sponge or scrap off the underglaze with a metal rib. Often this takes off too much of my carved design or smear clay into the black lines.

Row of carved cups and mugs drying.

Applying the wax adds more time to the process and if the clay has not dried enough the lines are very "smoothy". On the upside I use less underglaze and do not have to wipe so much, which my hands appreciate! Overall I think the time involved is about the same as without using the wax but the process is easier. For now I am going to continue with the wax and will do a follow up post in about a month with the results.

Btw the wax resist I am using is Mr Mark's Wax On from The Ceramic Shop but the Forbes or the Aftosa wax are great too. I have tried the Amaco wax and I am not a fan, it is thick, gummy and difficult to brush on. Also it doesn't dry hard enough to carve through and tends to make the lines smeary!