Mark Pharis's flat pattern
forming the piece
finishing the bottom
I've been rocking out with roofing paper.
Last spring I took a workshop at Trax with Mark Pharis who demonstrated how he drafts and cuts patterns from roofing paper and adheres them to wet slabs to build his pieces. I was inspired to say the least. He was talking my language - combining pure rigid flat pattern making technique with pliable clay. It took me all summer to get started in this direction...What can I say...I get distracted easily...but the idea percolated away in my brain. Now, back in Berkeley, I have been drafting away building large tall vases, creamer and sugar sets, pitchers using the simplest of patterns.
my very simple pattern
greenwear tea pot and pitcher made from above pattern
7 comments:
Now I am the proud owner of that pot Mark Pharis is demoing in these pics, and can't wait to see your new work in person!
Yay! Your ever evolving style has just taken another side trip. Love the pitchers!
I'm thinking of taking a week long workshop with Mark Pharis -- would you recommend him? I love his work & would love to learn about patterns & handbuilding. A week is a big commitment - so I just wonder what you thought of him as a teacher.
Hi Judy,
I would DEFINITELY recommend taking his class. I learned a ton in a 4 hour workshop. Where is he teaching? Maybe I'll take it too.
Josie -- he's at Shakerag (Tenn) their website is http://www.shakerag.org/
It's a fabulous spot -- I've been there on two different occasions.
Thanks for the recommendation -- might see you there :))
Josie - I love this idea. I'm now bummed I missed that workshop.
If i can ask; are you putting the clay onto the pattern and forming it 'with' the pattern?
great post.
thx!!
Hi Linda,
You actually roll the pattern paper onto your slab so that the pattern sticks to the clay. You then cut around it. Leaving the paper attached you can stand the slab up and work with the piece. It works like a charm and is great for somebody like me who is too impatient to wait for the slab to get to exactly the right amount of dryness to manipulate.
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