March 2026 Monthly Analysis of Progress

This analysis is based on my Learning Agreement from this current module.  It is undertaken to aid me in seeing my progress.  During this module, my Learning Agreement somewhat switches from its format and forms the basis for my final written module, the poster. I'm only including relevant points for this blog, not all my objectives.

To design and make ceramic forms, primarily in stoneware, that visualise these narratives

I have taken a detour this month on my building plans. I decided that I needed to nail some smaller pieces that will be available to sell at fairs or in galleries at some point in the future. I've found in the past that people, for a variety of reasons, often like to buy a smaller keepsake of my work. I do this myself with artists whose work I like. Our house would be full of ceramics if I didn't buy smaller pieces!

Sticking to a Victorian theme, my first idea was to merge cameos with ribbon plaques. My nana and my mum both collected ribbon plaques for many years, so they are very familiar to me. Cameos are generally a small brooch or wall plaque with a likeness to somebody special. I like the idea of putting the profile head of my characters on a ribbon plaque.

I set to with drawing up the profiles, sculpting them in clay, and making moulds of them in plaster. It was all surprisingly quick apart from the moulds then needing to dry out.

Designing the incised plate turned out to be less easy. This was unexpected. Firstly, I don't throw very often, so running off a series of plates wasn't an option. Throwing is neither my skillset, nor something I find enjoyable. I settled on slab rolling the plates to get a consistency. I realised this would require a former, but that was easily achieved. Drawing the design for the stencil proved tricky. Getting the symmetry accurate took a long time. This is where the challenge really hit me.

Apparently, it is during the design process that I work through the engineering aspects in my head. The further into the stencil drawing I got, the more I realised the difficulties.

The incising of the plate would be the tricky part. Each cut would be a weak point only apparent after firing. I decided that rounded ends would help with this but would still not be 100% reliable in avoiding the issue. The time it would take to neaten all the incisions would prove lengthy. The edges of my design would be cut into, to give the traditional laced appearance of a ribbon plaque. Again, this would require significant time to achieve the desired effect. Getting the symmetry correct on my template would be one thing, but maintaining this throughout the build could potentially be difficult.

Revisiting the point of the build, the plaques being a quick build to make smaller pieces, I realised that they weren't meeting the brief. I made the decision to leave the design for the time being, and to come up with another solution.

Having already made the moulds for the cameos, my obvious choice was to revert to making these. Instead of the incised plaque as the background, I designed a Victorian style plaque with a contemporary twist. Making the heads white with the back plates in black would provide the contrast I needed to give the cameo appearance.

To avoid shrinkage issues, I made both head and plaque in the same clay, ES20. The head will have the dirty wash applied and the back will be painted black with underglaze. The top glaze will be either a matte transparent finish or a gloss crackle glaze that I will ink in black to show the cracks. I'm still running tests in this area. Lustres can be added as a final flourish should I feel they are needed.

My other idea was to create some mini heads of my three protagonists. I made some plain face sculptures and then turned them into press moulds. Lady Delores proved a tad trickier with her dodo's beak. This one had to be a two-part mould. The faces are blank so that I can add expressions, should I wish to. I can also add surface detail, printing, sprigs, etc.

I've already run off a series of these heads in a variety of clays. White stoneware (two different kinds), black stoneware, grey stoneware and I have coloured some white stoneware too. All can be low fired and then just glazed. I can add lustres if I feel this would enhance the overall designs.

In terms of times for both the cameos and the mini heads, they have proved viable against the brief of being able to produce each in a short space of time. Given these were all first builds and subsequent ones are always quicker, then I feel I have met my goal.

Alongside these smaller designs, I have continued to design my larger pieces, but this is purely at the drawing stage. I now have Lady Delores sat atop a box of shotgun cartridges, Scrawny hugging Deaders to death, Scrawny curled up on top of the ringmaster's top hat, and a new version of Deaders that exploits his being dead further. All will take time to build and will need me to make some decisions on surface finishes.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and I have been testing underglazes, final glazes, crackle glazes, clay bodies, and combinations extensively. I am currently awaiting them coming out of the kiln with bated breath.

To identify ceramic processes (eg, sculptural modelling, pictorial decoration, illustrative mark-making) that most effectively communicate narrative elements

I continue with devising a process that will work for me for each new piece. Clay body, firing temperatures, surface designs, glazing, and possibly lustres. I have undertaken much testing and I'm working through what I do, and I don't like, both equally important. Whilst I feel I'm making headway, I'm not there yet, but I feel optimistic, even confident, that I will find a solution that suits what I want to achieve.

To experiment with surface design techniques such as printing, etching, embossing and carving, to explore their potential for storytelling

I've been experimenting with stamps and sprigs recently, making both in ceramic form. I have a series of mouse skull and crossbones in five sizes that I have made as sprigs. I also have some small stamps made in bisque that can add surface detail. I prefer the former, with the latter requiring more work. Both hold much potential still, but are not finalised as an idea at this point.

To research artists and ceramicists who use narrative as a core element of their practice, developing a comparative framework

My artist research is a continuous journey. Social media presents new artists on a weekly basis.

Following up on last month's finds, I took a trip to North Wales to Oriel Glasfryn Gallery to see End Times Pottery Club's work up close. It didn't disappoint. The pieces available were every bit as good in reality and I was very impressed. 'Horatio', one of my favourite pieces, had sadly sold, so I never got the chance to see him, but it was unsurprising really, as he is outstanding.

I took the opportunity to have a chat to the gallery staff about the ceramic work on display. The selection of ceramics displayed was a joy to see with some markedly different offerings from what is often selected for galleries. There was nothing safe both in terms of style and size. I discovered End Times Pottery Club have an exhibition opening by the end of April, so I duly obliged and added myself to the mailing list for more information. I will definitely be going back to Oriel Glasfryn again and would recommend it to anyone wishing to see a gallery with a fresh eye in selecting artworks of varying media.

The other inspiring ceramic artists currently on display at Oriel Glasfryn were Gary Turner, Kim Harley-Griffiths, and Ed ap Llwyd.

To bring these strands together, developing a consistent, personal style that balances narrative playfulness with technical skill

As noted above, I'm still a work in progress, but as with last month, I feel that my progress is marked. The last eighteen months research, testing and creating has moved my current practical research to a more finalising point. Much has been disregarded, much has been investigated, and even more has been trialled. I stand firm in wanting a matte transparent glaze with a dirty wash to my pieces. I will achieve this very soon I feel. The extra layering of my surface design and clay bodies add depth and detail to the overall aesthetic I'm trying to achieve. My latest round of testing will further progress my work to the desired end result.

Miscellaneous

This month I have run a wee experiment with social media marketing. I had observed that several artists I follow, Komiko in particular, always includes herself in her posts. I researched this online and found that doing so plays into the hands of the algorithms on Instagram. (I only use Instagram and Facebook, so disregarded other platforms.) I decided to put this to the test.

I posted a video of me, but not looking at the camera, nor speaking, pouring plaster from a bucket into seven prepared moulds with a non-descript tune, the title 'Seven Deadly Moulds', no hashtags and no links. To date this post has generated 209 likes, 16442 views and 131 new followers (there have been many more, but I've removed 'bots' as I've gone along). I'm still getting around 500 views a day on this reel.

I posted a reel (travels further and to people outside of your followers) with some of my work linked by a bland but relevant tune, no text, no hashtags and no links. This post has so far generated 23 likes, 354 views and 0 new followers.

Two reels do not a rule make, but it is interesting to see the difference. There are other variables in play, not just me being in one reel as opposed to not being in the other. In terms of social media marketing, something I'm very much undecided on as a practice tool, it raises many questions. I have blogged separately about this other than in this journal post.