"Spring's Rebirth"

"Spring's Rebirth"
"Spring's Rebirth" 18"x30" Acrylic on Canvas 2016

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Pinch Pots: A Study of Native American Inidan Culture

Ancient Native American Indian Inspired Pinch Pots
 We began with raw white clay.  Then we wedged the clay, which is the process of getting all the air bubbles out of the clay.  Then we rolled it into a ball.  Next we started a hole with our thumb and began pinching.

We then "pinched" it into the pot shape we wanted.
Next we carved traditional imagery into the wet clay.  Carving into the surface creates RELIEF.  We had many options for the relief such as: animals, symbols, patterns and natural elements.

Then we glazed the pots using common earth tone colors from ancient tribes (red, brown, black white).  Glaze looks much different at first.  When we first put it on, it is nothing like how it will eventually look once it has been fired in the kiln.  At first glaze looks very dull, has a flat finish, and is very pastel.  In the kiln, is goes through a chemical change (science!) where it melts, releases gasses, activates certain chemicals (don't worry, totally non-toxic), and then cools.  When we take them out of the kiln it looks much different!!!


Here are a few examples of some of the finished glazes!





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