New Glazes!

As a potter, I am always on the hunt for new, unique glazes. I'm especially interested in finding rich, earth-tone glazes for my Deluxe Sunflower series (which could also work for other parts of my repertoire) and cool glazes across the spectrum to use in my increasing range of leaf-related work. (I try to use a single glaze for all pieces using the leaves from a given plant species, just so I don't drive myself nuts.)

Amaco's Potter's Choice series of glazes has been a real friend to me - most of the glazes have been great to work with. (There are exceptions and, in at least one case as far as I'm concerned, a complete misfire.) But their development of new glazes has not kept up with my expanding inventory. You can imagine my delight when I heard that my materials supplier, Rovin Ceramics of Ann Arbor, had decided to start carrying selected glazes from Coyote Clay & Color.

Rovin did a great job of generating samples not only on the standard white stoneware or porcelain body (standard practice in the industry) but also on the Peach Stoneware (RO-23) I use for a lot of my work. After perusing the test tiles, I selected ten of their glazes, samples of five of which are shown here, on Mini Sunflowers.

I started out by doing test tiles but, since I planned to use these particular glazes on my sunflowers, thought it would be a good idea to try them out in that format as well. My choices included Goldenrod Shino (MBG088, upper left, which has already gone into production for my revised Spinning Deluxe Sunflower Design), Butterscotch Shino (MGB 086, upper right), Leopard Shino (MGB089, center), Light Shino (MGB045, lower left) and, finally, Cedar Shino (MGB087, lower right, which I have combined with red iron oxide for a Dwarf Chinkapin Oak [Quercus prinoides] Leaf Pocket for my friend Chad Hughson of Hidden Savannah Nursery in Kalamazoo, Michigan).

I'm still sorting through the results, as it's important that the glazes I purchase be sufficiently distinct from one another to be worth purchasing but I'm pleased with these samples and will definitely be investing in the Goldenrod Shino when finances permit.