There is a joke among potters… just make it blue and it will sell!
Well I have always had this thing against blue pottery… I feel like it just covers up the form. Or it’s kinda like a paint chip just shouting out to you– COLOR! It always seems too reflective, or boring, lacking depth, or just too much hippy, drippy, blue. For years I have not used blue… until a couple of years ago. So many customers were asking, “does this come in blue?” Finally I broke down. I starting using blue in little bits on my urns, then a subtle blue/greeny kinda speckly glaze (bordering on hippy, drippy). Next I introduced a dark blue to my line of FoodieCeramics, with butter keepers, garlic grates, and salt cellars. But have really kept it at a minimum.
As time goes by I have asked myself, why do people like blue so much? The next favorite color seems to be green. I love green pots, so that has always been a part of my pottery. But what is it about blue and green pots that people like so much? I think it comes down to this… they are both calming colors. People walk into my studio sales and see variations of green pots, a common reaction is, “it’s so peaceful, so calming”. Another thought I have about these two colors is that they are the colors that surround us… big blue sky, blue/green ocean, and large expanses of green grass and trees. who out there doesn’t feel peace while sitting by the ocean with a big blue sky over head!
Over the years I have looked at as many blue pots as I could, to find ones that did not have the negative attributes I mentioned earlier. I found some very nice blue pots. One in particular tipped me over the edge by my friend Molly Cantor. It was one of her wood fired pieces that had this magical deep blue on the inside of a mug. I think that was the first time I thought wow, I could get a nice blue that wouldn’t take away from my form. So after years of trying out little bits of blues here and there, I decided last year it was time to do some experimenting with glazes. This past month I have come up with one I like. Here is a sketch plate that came out of the kiln the other day. It has a lot of depth to it, which doesn’t show well in the photo. I think it has potential though!
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