Dark Crescent
(middle one in photo) Saggar fired clay, 7" X 14 1/2" X 8"
Bonnie Lynch hand builds her vessels with thick coils of coarse clay followed by measured steps of shaping and using a 40 year old wooden paddle to achieve thin walls and smoothed surfaces.
Coiling vessels is a slow, meticulous process that involves waiting for the clay to lose moisture before one can continue to build.ÃàFor this reason Lynch usually works in sets of 3 âÃà 5 large vessels being constructed at the same time, moving from one to the other as the clay sets up and holds its shape.
The pieces are carefully dried over 6 ̢̈ 8 weeks.
Once the clay is âÃÃbone dryâÃà it goes through an initial bisque firing that solidifies the vessel and sets the physical strength of the clay.ÃàAfter this stage the pieces are completely white and ready for the second, smoke firing.
The second âÃÃsaggarâÃà firing is at a lower temperature than the first.ÃàSaggar is pronounced âÃÃsag areâÃÃ.ÃàIt is a smoke firing that involves loading the vessel in a gas kiln, within a container (the saggar) and filling it with combustible materials.ÃàThese include sawdust, manure, pine needles and pecan shells.
Saggar firing originated in Japan hundreds of years ago.ÃàFiring the combustibles around the vessel inside a container, inside the kiln creates an oxygen reduced environment that yields beautiful blacks, soft greys and iridescent silver marks.ÃàThese marks are not under the artistâÃÃs control, the fire decides what the results are.
Lynch has always preferred a more raw, natural finish to these clay forms as opposed to the smooth glossy finishes achieved with glazes.ÃàThe quality of the clay surface shows the artistâÃÃs hand and the organic nature of the clay itself, earth.
