terracottafiles

[terracottafiles]

slip casting - terracotta block was first cleaned by cutting this strips using a wire, and all organic material and pebbles are removed. Then slowly broken down in the water, to make a slurry. After a week, the mixture was made smoother by using the paint mixer, and then poured into the POP mould.

post 15 minutes in the mould - 5mm

Refilled the mould and left it in for 1hr more - About 1cm thickness

Left it in the mould over night - was able to take the piece out the next day afternoon.

[terracottafiles]

A transparent terracotta glaze was given to me by Tanya, while spring cleaning her studio, and I tested it on this clay. 100gm solutions of the glaze with 100ml water, mixed with select oxides for colour were prepared.

Using small bowls, already smoke fired to 600 degrees, by Venky Anna - I glazed them in the following 3 colours -

yellow - yellow iron oxide

blue - cobalt silica blue stain

black - black iron oxide

The glaze and the clay body were not a good fit. The application could have been too thick too.

[terracottafiles]

Venky Anna gave me three packets of clay to try firing in my ConeArt electric kiln.

Direct clay - wild clay collected and sieved, and then left to age for a year. Shrinkage for this smooth, elastic clay was - - 12.5%

Two kinds of sand mixed clays, for which shrinkage came out to be 15%

These were fired to 980 degrees in the Bisque fast firing setting on the kiln, with no hold, and one hour preheat. The warping was primarily because the clay wasn't dry, but the colour of the clay shows it can take the temperature.

[terracottafiles]

Last month, I tagged along with Spandana, founder of TIIPOI and met the most inspiring potter - Venky Anna - at Doora near Mysore. This is his workspace, where he throws lovely terracotta pots and there are two neat fire pits for the smoke firing.

That's Venky Anna with his family - the young ones love sitting at the wheel too and are getting really good! Looking forward to learning from him and working with him.

Venky Anna's mum makes these matkas. It was mesmerising to see the pot slowly take shape, and be a perfectly symmetrical pot! The mouth of the pot is first thrown on the wheel, and when semi dry, the bottom is first coiled and then paddled into shape.

[terracottafiles]

We finally have a numberplate to our home, made in terracotta - yes! This is a pretty reliable clay that comes from Bahdurgarh, and fires easily to 1000 degrees in the electric kiln.

[terracottafiles]

As one reaches the beginning gate of the Sinhgad Fort in Pune, Maharashtra, there are small stalls that sell the local food from the nearby valley - kanda bhajji, batata bhajji, pithla bhakri.

It is a norm to wash down the extremely satisfying meal with a tiny matka full of dahi. This little pot is made by a local potter in terracotta, smoke fired. It is washed in hot boiling water, and then reused to set another round of curd, for the next day.

A glass full of kadak chai while the wind blows through your hair as you sit overlooking the valley, its a treat - to all senses.

[terracottafiles]

Guhagar is a small coastal town along the Konkan coast, where it meets the Arabian sea. There's quite a lot that happens here, mangroves, turtle nesting, beautiful patchwork quilting, unique woodwork, and also yes, pottery!

I came across a small terracotta slip-casting unit in Dhopave that was shutting down, run by the Dalvi family. They had train kiln that ran on gas, and the clay was locally sourced from three different places to create the perfect consistency. The clay was processed, slip casted or made in a jigger mould, then neatly put on shelves for a firing upto 1000 degrees.

Plates are stacked at the back of the kiln, straight on the glassfibre, and on their side to prevent warpage.

The town is in full bloom with flowers, every home looks like it has its own wild garden to get lost dreaming in.

[terracottafiles]

While at Golden Bridge pottery, Pondicherry, I missed the 'cool tour' - a visit to some really great places close by where the craftsmanship with local materials like wood, stone, clay and metal is quite something to see!

This blogpost by Harry, captures all of it quite beautifully in images and text.