iron and pottery

[KILT TURKEY]

Hello all,
I am in the market for some hand wrought iron candle sticks, for the "tuber" style of candle. Does anyone out there have any links or something of the sort that I may find someone to make me some, and or other things as well. I am also looking for some hand made pottery to include plates, bowls and mugs. I really dont care to buy mass produced utensils and such. I want things with some character.
Thanks for he help in advance.
matt z

[Bugbear]

What would you be using the pottery for, display or funtional pieces? It sounds like you would be using them as funtional pieces, but I'm not totally sure, and there is a big difference depending on the answer.

[KILT TURKEY]

Functional, I want to be able to use the items I buy. I would prefer mid to dark browns of deep green colors for the pottery.
matt z

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Scroll to the bottom of this page:
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/cups.html

[Bugbear]

** I'm sorry Matthew Newsome and Kilted Turkey, I didn't see your posts until I posted this as well as the other post. I guess we all jumped on it at the same time.

[KILT TURKEY]

I dont have means or the connections to talk to anyone in school, so I am out of luck there. So I am dependent upon a potter.
matt z

[James MacMillan]

Hello all,
I am in the market for some hand wrought iron candle sticks, for the "tuber" style of candle. Does anyone out there have any links or something of the sort that I may find someone to make me some, and or other things as well.

I can't help with the pottery stuff, but Tijuana is full of shops that sell wrought iron stuff. I've never looked for anything like that on line, but I could take some touresty pictures the next time I'm down there... Almost every month, once or thrice.

PM me is there's no hurry, I could probably figure out something. Maybe they do mail-order.

[TheKiltedWonder]

I had a friend who did lots of pottery. She used to always use her hands to pick up the wet pieces rather than the lifters other people used. Her stuff always looked good, but there were always fingerprints hidden somewhere or a slight smoosh.
Is there a college with a ceramics program near you? You'll be able to find someone there. Either a gifted student or a professor for sure.

[Bugbear]

Oh dear, I thought more people would have posted by now. Kilted Turkey, I don't make that kind of pottery anymore, so I can't help you directly. I suggest that you look at the pottery at the link, Matthew Newsome, posted to see if that is what you're looking for.
Brown and green glazes can be found on both high and low fire pieces. It sounds like you might be wanting some of the unglazed clay body to show, for example, on the outside of a mug. High fire pottery (cone 5 to cone ten) would be best for this because you will be using the pieces in a funtional way.
If you aren't thinking of pottery with the clay body exposed, low fire (usually cone 06 to cone 04)ceramics can be used. Most ceramic dinnerware is made from low fire ceramics. The glazes are more reliable in a way, but aren't always so interesting.
I hope this helps and isn't too much information. Post some more if you want to ask me any questions on ceramics. I will be glad to try to help you if there's anything you're trying to understand. Good luck and I hope you find what you're looking for.

[Bugbear]

I had a friend who did lots of pottery. She used to always use her hands to pick up the wet pieces rather than the lifters other people used. Her stuff always looked good, but there were always fingerprints hidden somewhere or a slight smoosh.

TheKiltedWonder, we were never allowed to use lifters in any of my classes when I was learning to throw, LOL! You use your cut off wire, then wet down the wheel and bat on the side you are about to slide it to then slide it on to the bat. You can also pick it up as your friend did. Those finger marks, the hand of the maker, can actually make the piece much more valuable as your work becomes known.

A lot of my sculptures are very heavily finger marked as a style. I don't always use tools to make them and they are... styolized depictions. It can also give an... native South American look to a piece: Aztec maybe. I also like using forks and broken sticks, what ever's laying around.

BTW
Some people throw off the hump and flick a cotton cord wrapped on their hand onto the spinning piece. This cuts the piece off and slides it onto the bat in one move. I have heard of potters taking two bamboo strips and lifting a pot off the wheel, but I've never tried it. Hope that isn't more than you wanted to know.