Glazing:

The following books have been useful references for me when researching glazes, glazing techniques and materials:

• “The Craft and Art of Clay: A Complete Potter’s Handbook” by Susan and Jan Peterson. 4th Edition. Published by Laurence King Publishing Ltd, London, UK in 2003. ISBN: 1-85669-354-6 Here it is on Amazon UK. From my bookshelf. A book on the technical aspects of ceramic process and history. The chapter on glazing, chapter 5, is a great, clearly written account. It explains glazing and materials in a way which takes you from the basics right through to the very advanced stuff that I really wish I could understand. Conversion charts, tables and formulas are all spelled out in a Compendium at the back of the book and contain a wealth of knowledge. There are loads of colour photographs and visual examples. More than anything else, this book filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge. It also has a great ‘experiment and see’ approach, which is empowering. It doesn’t have any glaze recipes in it though.
• “Glazes for Australian Potters” by Janet DeBoos. Published by Cassell Australia Limited, North Ryde and North Melbourne, Australia in 1978. ISBN 0-7269-2212-9 From my bookshelf. Essentially a book of glaze recipes. Actually, this book has been reprinted several times and I’m not sure which version I have. I think it’s not in publication any longer . It has a short, but very good, introduction to glazing methods and techniques and a basic introduction to each section of recipes, which are arranged by firing temperature. It also has a section in the back about how to correct glaze faults. It has loads of great recipes - which as I’ve just found out - work in the UK - only giving slightly different results, but that will be the case with any international publication. There are also loads of great suggestions on line blends and experiments that might give interesting variations. It’s not as beautiful and glossy as the new books, but is written from a scientific and methodical perspective and is worth it’s weight in gold.

Studio practice and technical information:

• Reijnders, Anton, European Ceramic Work Centre, “The Ceramic Process. A Manual and Source of Inspiration for Ceramic Art and Design”, A&C Black, London, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 2005. Here it is on Amazon UK. This book is based on the series of worksheets that the European Ceramic Work Centre’s chief technician, Anton Reijnders, wrote to help artists in residence who were new to clay. It covers slip casting, mould making, hand building, various forms of decorating, firing techniques and glazing, from the very basics to the very technical. After 10 years of working at the EKWC, which hosts up to 50 international outstanding established and emerging artists a year, Anton Reijnders has compiled a wealth of knowledge and experience into this one volume. If there ever was a book that I would recommend as a standard text and reference book for all ceramics students and practitioners, this would be it. Even if you’re a thrower, the sections on firing and glazing alone are worth getting this book for. It would be especially useful to anyone making really large work. Do I sound like an advertisement? Believe me, it’s not, this is just my small personal review, but I love this book.

Ceramics Theory:

This is the literature I’ve been reading, which is of various degrees of relevance to my topic. Most of it is good general reading for any ceramics student though.

• Paz, Octavio, “Seeing and Using: Art and Craftsmanship”, Cambridge, Mass. , December 7, 1973. This is an essay which I found in the book: Paz, Octavio, “Convergences. Octavio Paz. Essays on Art and Literature”. Published by Bloomsbury in Great Britain in 1987, and translated from Spanish by Helen Lane. The particular paperback copy I borrowed from the GSA Library was published in 1990. Octavio Paz won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1990. He passed away in 1998. Cao Fei, one of the artists I was discussing in my first essay, says that the lyrics in her machinima “iMirror” are by Octavio Paz. Paz’s essay is extremely well written. It is clear and poetic, using quite simple, evocative language and at the same time giving an insightful analysis and argument. Paz discusses the relationship between Art (in particular modernist painting and sculpture), Design (factory produced homewares) and Craft (meaning hand made utilitarian ware).
• Rawson, Philip “Ceramics”, with foreword by Wayne Higby, first published 1971 by Oxford University Press, London, UK. The copy I have is copyright 1984 and printed by the University of Pennsylvania Press, USA. Here it is on Amazon UK. This is a great book which gives an overview of ceramics theory, particularly the theory of making in a historical context. Rawson’s writing style is flowing and easy to read. He examines the relationship of ideas to material, and discusses in detail the development and meaning of imagery, colour, form and processes, contrasting and comparing world cultures, particularly East and West. The how and why are discussed with great sensitivity and understanding and an obvious in depth and very comprehensive knowledge of the subject area. His particular interests lie in functional pottery, although sculptural work is also discussed. This has been recommended to me as suitable for a first year undergraduate introductory text, although I strongly feel that it is better to have a little experience with making and perhaps some basic knowledge of ceramics history prior to reading it, to fully appreciate this book.
  

General Theory:

• Wertheim, Margaret, “The Pearly Gates of Cyberspace: a history of space from Dante to the Internet“, Doubleday, Australia, 1999. This is an excellent book which I found easy to read, informative and entertaining. I never had time to read it the whole way through while I was in Australia, but I look forward to getting my hands on it here (seems to be notably absent from Glasgow University libraries). Published before the big cyberspace boom, it discusses the beginnings of interactive virtual environments and theorizes as to their popularity. Wertheim’s thesis is that the appeal of cyberspace is generated by similar mechanisms to what popularized Christianity as a religion over 2000 years ago. Margaret Wertheim is an Australian born science writer and educator. Have a look at some images of where her other talents lie: MW Flikr Page. Margaret Wertheim interview on Inkling Magazine

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Updated Monday, 23rd June 2008