| Mount Pleasant Pottery Artist Statement |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
I have always been interested in ceramic pottery since I took a class in
high school in 1981. However, I let many years go by without exploring
this medium until I renewed my interest again in spring of 2000. That
interest has turned into something that I have grown to love very much.
It is very gratifying to take a lump of clay and turn it into something that
has both function and beauty.
Although I am very interested in the many aspects of high-fire ceramics,
I have found myself drawn more to the Raku Firing Process. It’s a very
interactive and exciting process. (What else could you do where you
can play with mud, chemistry, and fire and not be viewed as some kind
of nut?)
A little about the process:
Once you have your piece glazed and in the kiln, the entire firing
process can take between 30 minutes to several hours, depending on
the size and thickness of the work being fired. And even though you
have an idea of how you expect your work to look according to the
glaze you choose, it’s always a surprise! The interaction between the
fire and the pot is never exactly the same. It's very fascinating. When
the glaze reaches maturity, around 1750-1900 degrees, you open up
the kiln to reveal a glowing orange vessel, pulling it out with tongs and
placing it into a container with some kind of combustible material. As the
material becomes fully involved with flames dancing all around your pot,
you cover the “reduction container” sealing it tightly starving the fire of
oxygen. The flames attack any oxygen molecules within the container,
including that which is in the glaze and clay body. This interaction is
what gives you some very stunning results, never to be repeated exactly
the same ever again. I love to experiment and try new things both in
shape and in color. I am always learning new and interesting things. In
the ceramic community, I have had the wonderful privilege and honor of
meeting some extremely talented people.
For far too many years I left my creative side behind me along with my
childhood. I highly recommend to everyone to be creative in whatever
medium fascinates you. Explore your own creativity. It brings peace of
mind and is both soothing and therapeutic.
My studio is in my daylight basement for now. I hope to build a separate
building on my property as a studio in the near future. This will be a
place where I will be able to find peace in creating art that I hope will be
enjoyed by many in the years to come.
- Paul Nicholas
high school in 1981. However, I let many years go by without exploring
this medium until I renewed my interest again in spring of 2000. That
interest has turned into something that I have grown to love very much.
It is very gratifying to take a lump of clay and turn it into something that
has both function and beauty.
Although I am very interested in the many aspects of high-fire ceramics,
I have found myself drawn more to the Raku Firing Process. It’s a very
interactive and exciting process. (What else could you do where you
can play with mud, chemistry, and fire and not be viewed as some kind
of nut?)
A little about the process:
Once you have your piece glazed and in the kiln, the entire firing
process can take between 30 minutes to several hours, depending on
the size and thickness of the work being fired. And even though you
have an idea of how you expect your work to look according to the
glaze you choose, it’s always a surprise! The interaction between the
fire and the pot is never exactly the same. It's very fascinating. When
the glaze reaches maturity, around 1750-1900 degrees, you open up
the kiln to reveal a glowing orange vessel, pulling it out with tongs and
placing it into a container with some kind of combustible material. As the
material becomes fully involved with flames dancing all around your pot,
you cover the “reduction container” sealing it tightly starving the fire of
oxygen. The flames attack any oxygen molecules within the container,
including that which is in the glaze and clay body. This interaction is
what gives you some very stunning results, never to be repeated exactly
the same ever again. I love to experiment and try new things both in
shape and in color. I am always learning new and interesting things. In
the ceramic community, I have had the wonderful privilege and honor of
meeting some extremely talented people.
For far too many years I left my creative side behind me along with my
childhood. I highly recommend to everyone to be creative in whatever
medium fascinates you. Explore your own creativity. It brings peace of
mind and is both soothing and therapeutic.
My studio is in my daylight basement for now. I hope to build a separate
building on my property as a studio in the near future. This will be a
place where I will be able to find peace in creating art that I hope will be
enjoyed by many in the years to come.
- Paul Nicholas