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Category: Discover

Works in Woodfire – Kiwi Ceramists

My partner and I bought a beautiful pit fired bottle 5-7 years ago in Coromandel Town. The muddy, lumpy form was being exhibited as part of a community ceramics show in the town hall. It was love at first sight. A rich, rustic and heavily textured piece that looks like it was just pulled from … Continue reading Works in Woodfire – Kiwi Ceramists →

Carragh Amos All, Ceramics, Discover, New Zealand Ceramics, Wood-fired Ceramics 1 Comment August 16, 2019August 25, 2019 5 Minutes

10 Contemporary Ceramic Artists Embracing Line

As much as I love them, museums only take you so far when you're trying to research ceramic drawing options... and there's nothing like deep trawling the internet for ceramics inspiration, am I right? Ruth and I have been researching for our collab body of work over the past six months which has dug up … Continue reading 10 Contemporary Ceramic Artists Embracing Line →

Carragh Amos All, Ceramics, Discover, Uncategorized Leave a comment August 16, 2019August 25, 2019 5 Minutes

Droolworthy NZ Ceramic Collaborations

I really miss New Zealand. Nothing like walking along the beach on a breezy morning and and having a few strangers wish you a good morning, or start up a chat about some sandy dog. In fact, the place is so small you might bump into someone you actually know while you're there. Kiwis are … Continue reading Droolworthy NZ Ceramic Collaborations →

Carragh Amos All, Ceramics, Collabs, Discover, New Zealand Ceramics Leave a comment August 16, 2019August 25, 2019 8 Minutes

Welcome

Welcome to The Humble Mud, a ceramics blog by Carragh Amos. I'm Carragh (pronounced Cara), a ceramic artist from New Zealand. I've started this blog as a way to archive my research and technique development. Posts will spread across a range of subjects related to the clay arts, like process break downs, round ups of … Continue reading Welcome →

Carragh Amos All, Ceramics, Discover, New Zealand Ceramics, Studio, Uncategorized 2 Comments August 7, 2019August 25, 2019 1 Minute

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Another sandy white teacup, coming soon to @eatandsip.co. I think this piece was carved with a needle tool. The left of the image features a handsaw scar from building ceramic display tables back in 2013 🤦. . Hope you're not sick of this batch of white kurinuki cups! They were last things I had electric fired back in March (before lockdown CB). . I made a group of them, all slightly different and I'm still working through sharing the documentation of those here. It's also nice to see them again and remind myself of what it's like (/that it's possible??) to finish something 😅

A right-side up view of those star-footed mugs I shared yesterday. They're based on a black woodfired set I made for the hubs and I last year, which have quickly become our favourite daily coffee mugs. These friends here will be a speckly white. . Ten on the shelves so far, more to come. They will get a final tidy up and sponge bath (creepy way to put it? 😂) before eventually hitting the kiln. . Ps. Best get used to the WIP and greenware posts cause I have no kiln at my home studio and nothin's getting fired/finished any day soon. 🙆 Safety first, friends!! #stayhomeforsg

Shelves are filling up, which is kind of amazing considering how slowly I work 🙌. . The Singapore CB Lockdown has basically just been extended another month, so it's unlikely I can open my online store or fire new work until July now. Sorry for any disappointment. . I am still making regular work to the best of my ability so get in touch for any cafe orders/commissions that aren't so time sensitive. Thanks for your patience.

View from the top. What the teapot sees I guess?? 🤔 I'm working on kurinuki teapots today, based on the one I made for my brother last December. Can't wait to share them with you!

Carving tool essentials. Although some specific tools might be helpful, you don't necessarily *need* anything fancy for hand-building.⁠ .⁠ This wooden modelling tool, steel crescent tool, and needle tool can all be found for a dollar or two at local craft stores. The stamps on the left (my initials) are not specifically designed for clay - they're your everyday craft stamps from an alphabet set.⁠ .⁠ Even this small collection is not really necessary. You could make beautiful carved work with any single tool here. 😊

Straight-type sake cups / ochoko. Greenware. . I took this photo about five minutes before I elbowed one off the shelf and it turned to a pile of dust on the studio floor. Such is ceramics 🤦🤷

What I consider to be one of the best things I've ever made. An architectural teacup form, carved from a single block of clay (kurinuki style). It was woodfired last year and sits pride of place in my home - and of course stretches its legs for green tea occasionally.⁠ .⁠ I adore this piece because of the colour palette and wide variation in effects across the surface. I have a bit of a thing for moss, and this chance dusting of moss-green ash across the upper portion seriously makes my heart sing. The pink-edged white below is a simple shino glaze based on old traditional recipes.⁠ .⁠ #Anagama (Japanese wood kiln) fired, with a team of artists working to continually stoke two fire holes for 51hrs.

Time for the second to last post for the handbuilding collection of #ToolsofCA. After next week, I'll be moving to carving tools. This is a small excerpt from 'The Potter's Tools | Handbuilding Collection' blog post - check out TheHumbleMud.com for the full story.⁠ .⁠ BRUSHES⁠ .⁠ ◽ What is it for / what does it do?⁠ .⁠ Slip and glaze application.⁠ .⁠ ◽ How do you use it?⁠ .⁠ Far left brush - My go to for slip inside tumblers or cups. The brush is narrow and has soft, long bristles. Because of this I find it the best suited to creating an even brushstroke inside these difficult to reach areas. Holding the brush in one hand and tumbler in the other, I twist in the motion of wringing a towel. (Other brushes, tips and methods in the full post).⁠ .⁠ ◽ Does this particular one have a story?⁠ .⁠ .⁠ This brush (left) is actually designed as a pastry brush. I found it for about $1.50 SGD at a basic cooking supply store.⁠ .⁠ ◽ Any hints or tips?⁠ .⁠ Scale brush width for the effect. The smaller the brush, the more complex and delicate the brushwork will look.⁠ .⁠ Head over to #TheHumbleMud for other tips, a brief history of hake brushes, and a really cool video I came across of a master craftsman making these traditional tools in Japan.⁠

Blushing detail on a coil-built vase. The off white splash on the right is a basic filler glaze I swished around the inside, to ensure the interior is watertight. . The rest of the colour is all natural - peach flashing and fly ash from the laborious #anagama woodfiring. 🍑

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