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La mia foto
Studio di ceramica-Pottery. After a long period of experimentation and testing at DOCKS POTTERY weʼd like to show our ceramic work. The works we produce come from the use of local red and white clay as well as semigres like the earth of Castellamonte. We make all our own glazes from formulae we found in an old ceramics manual, many of which we have modified after extensive testing and experimentation. All our glazes are lead free and contain no toxic substances. Docks Pottery via Valprato n°68 10155 Torino Italia f.digiovanni@iol.it

giovedì 2 luglio 2009

Finally in the studio

Are hard days, so much work around museums to plan new exhibitions.
But today some respite.
I went with Raffaella to the quarries clay of Castellamonte (70 km near Turin) and we bought 150 Kg of earth. The " Terra di Castellamonte" is a stonware with the mica in it, is used for pots-pentole, fire resitse , with it made the classic "tofeja"round pot for cooking the beans.
And finally I have dirtied my hands, using a curved glass of an old chandelier, found in the trash, I realized four large plates-bowls, 35 - 40 cm in diameter.
Method: I make a sheet of clay with rolling pin, 12-14 mm thick, cut a disc with a compass, using the talc I put the sheet on the glass (see photo) and fixed glass with the clay to the wheel where I made the foot and cut the board, after I drying (I have a powerful jet of hot air 600-1000 ° C) while running on the wheel. I turn all, and delete the glass. Finally I do the shape, enlarging the board and thin thickness to 7-8 mm on the wheel. Simple!Simple!Simple!




























































Rafaella's work


























P.S. for Jim
As promised here's my grandfather Filippo Di Giovanni


















8 commenti:

  1. it's good to see you are able to get to the clay studio and get some work done... it's a great picture of your grandfather, he was a handsome man and i'm sure you're proud to be named after him. my grandfather's name was vincenzo but everyone called him "jimmy" and they named me after his nickname

    RispondiElimina
  2. Thanks Jim,it is tradition in Sicily and in southern italy, give the name of his father to the first child. I have not known my grandfather Filippo, died when I was 5 years, but all my father's stories about him, have always made him alive inside me. his nickname was Fulì and is also mine in Sicily.
    Ciao

    RispondiElimina
  3. Nice bowls and teapots. Is that the Terra di Castellamonte?

    Now which button am I supposed to press...

    RispondiElimina
  4. Yes, a very distinguished man, and thanks for all your comments and information!

    RispondiElimina
  5. Buonasera, thanks Erm...Potterboy, is not the clay of Castellamonte, the bowls are made with red clay of Tuscany, the common name is Fiamma=Flame, very plastic and good for wheel work. in the next posts I introduce photos of Castellamonte pieces.
    ciao

    RispondiElimina
  6. Ciao Gary,is a pleasure for me, thank you to.

    RispondiElimina
  7. Interesting way of making bowls! Also, love Rafaella's work and, of course, the photo of your grandfather. My father's grandfather emigrated from the Lake Como region of Italy to Uruguay. His name was Iacobo Testa; my father was named after him, but w/ the Spanish version of the name: Santiago. And now that my family has emigrated to USA, my grandson has the English version of the name: Jacob!

    RispondiElimina
  8. Graciela thanks, I had guessed from your last name "Testa" a link with Italy. I also feel a immigrant here in Turin, especially this morning that I miss the sea, and here there is no sea...
    Ciao

    RispondiElimina

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