Casseroles, Casseroles, Casseroles!

Casseroles (and serving dishes) are about the only thing I want to make these days. And thanks to my slab roller - bought off Craig's List - I can make non-round pieces.

First, a well wedged piece of clay is cubed and tossed onto the table until is it flat enough to go through the rollers.

I have found that the slabs of clay need to shrink and firm up before being attached to the bottomless sides to keep them from separating later in the process.

In the third photo you can see where my fingers pushed against the sides as I rolled the texturizing cylinder around the outside.

When the slab is ready, bring out the Magic Water. (What a wonderful name for water with some sodium silicate to aid in adhesion. It is a recipe from Lana Wilson I got from a pottery magazine. It works like magic!)

Score and slip (photo 4) then add a coil to reinforce the joint. In the 5th photo I haven't smoothed out the coil. Again, apply liberal amounts of Magic Water.

After a period of rest another slab is draped over the top and coaxed into a domed shape. After it is very firm a surform is used to gently shape the edges so they fit in the galley of the piece.

The photos at the top are pieces slowly drying and getting ready for a bisque firing. I'm anxious to see how they turn out but it will be several

more weeks before they can be glazed and fired in the big gas kiln.

Patience, Patience.