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#94 Creating Carved Floral Designs with Gradients of Underglaze w/ Kirsty Kash
35 Plays3 years ago
What is up Shaping Nation on this episode of Shaping Your Pottery I got to interview Kirsty Kash. Kirsty creates carved floral designs and inlaid with a gradient of underglazes. Kirsty is also a mother and is transitioning in becoming a full time potter. You can check out Kirsty's work on Instagram @kirstykash
Top 3 Value Bombs
1. How to create carved floral designs inlaid with a gradient of underglazes
2. Exploring issues surrounding motherhood and how to tie it back into your pottery
3. Learning to mix and match techniques to find your unique voice
and so much more
If you have questions about finding your unique pottery voice send them to me here www.shapingyourpottery.com/contact/
Listen to other episodes by clicking here www.shapingyourpottery.com
Follow me on Instagram to get more tips on Discovering your voice @nictorres_pottery
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Shaping Your Pottery'
00:00:01
Speaker
If you love pottery and want to take your skills to the next level, you're in the right place. Find your own pottery style right here on Shaping Your Pottery with Nick Torres. Let's get started. What is up, everybody? And welcome to Shaping Your Pottery with Nick Torres.
Interview with Kirsty Cash
00:00:17
Speaker
In this episode, I got to interview Kirsty Cash. Kirsty is a mother and makes some really wonderful floral gradient designs. And in this episode, you will learn how Kirsty makes her floral designs.
00:00:31
Speaker
how making what you want is the really, really best way to find your voice and then also the power of modeling but putting your own twist on it. Kirstie, welcome to Shaping Your Pottery and share with me what is something people might not know about you?
Kirsty's Musical Background
00:00:52
Speaker
Hi, good morning, Nick. So something a lot of people might not know about me is that I actually
00:00:59
Speaker
Music was my focus for a lot of my life. I studied piano and voice and I played lots of instruments throughout my childhood. And the first time I went to university, I actually studied music and majored in voice. So what made you want to pursue ceramics?
Discovering Pottery
00:01:15
Speaker
The story to that would be that when I had my first son in 2011, I basically
00:01:23
Speaker
was kind of needing something to do for myself just for fun. And a friend of mine was taking a pottery class at the city art center. And that inspired me to go and take a class with her just for fun. And I think it happens for a lot of people when they discover clay and kind of play with clay for the first time, it just hit me. There was like this pull to clay and all of a sudden it was kind of all consuming and I just couldn't stop thinking about it or wanting to learn more and more about it and just practicing it.
00:01:54
Speaker
I love it. I definitely feel like a difficult pool that just kind of happens with pottery. I totally and I think that was literally the first time in my life that that had ever happened to me like I've enjoyed things before and had fun doing things before but ceramics and pottery it just consumed me and pulled me there. I definitely agree.
Self-Education in Ceramics
00:02:14
Speaker
So tell me the story about why you started working towards a bachelor's of fine arts.
00:02:20
Speaker
Um, I think it's because of that poll, I just wanted so badly to learn more and do more that I started seeking out, um, like post-secondary type, um, programs in my city and there wasn't one. So I lived in Edmonton at the time. And, um, none of the colleges or universities offered any, any ceramics programs at all.
00:02:46
Speaker
So I basically made a decision to create my own education. So from there, I just continually took lessons at a local studio that was absolutely amazing. And the studio brought in
00:03:04
Speaker
artists who did workshops a couple times a year. So I always attended those and took notes and asked them questions. I read as many books as I could and watched videos on clay flicks or purchased workshops online and just found as many ways as I could to kind of create a post-secondary education for myself. I love
Skill Enhancement in Winnipeg
00:03:30
Speaker
it. So how did this help you develop your pottery further?
00:03:34
Speaker
Well, basically I was just always seeking out ways to improve. And so eventually we actually changed cities that we lived in. A year and a half ago, we moved to Winnipeg. And part of the reason that we moved here is among many other reasons, but they had a ceramics program at the University of Manitoba. And so I,
00:04:02
Speaker
decided to basically just start taking one class each semester because that's kind of all I can could afford and also just had the time for because I have a family. And the first class that I took was a drawing class and it's something I hadn't ever done before. So I began to learn about line and value and shading and composition and color theory and like working with and exploring different materials in a way I just never had before.
00:04:31
Speaker
And so learning about all of those things has translated to how I think about my pottery. So you mentioned color theory and you do make some really, really kind of like vibrant colors. How does that apply to your work?
00:04:49
Speaker
Well, that's something that I'm looking to incorporate more as an understanding of color. And it's something that's just recently kind of been taught in one of my courses called Visual Language. So to be honest, I look forward to applying and developing that further to my work. I love it. I'm looking forward to seeing that. Thank you. So you are...
Transition to Full-Time Pottery
00:05:15
Speaker
In the transition of becoming a full-time potter, can you describe the moment you decided to start becoming a full-time potter? Yeah, so I would say that there wasn't really a moment. It's more that there's always been a desire to do it full-time, and so
00:05:32
Speaker
lots of conversations with my husband over time and lots of planning and just mental preparation and deciding when that right moment would be that could make sense for myself and for my family to make that move. And that's just kind of come about recently that that it finally makes sense for me to focus on this full time and and make a go of it. Can you describe some of those conversations you have with your husband?
Support System in Marriage
00:06:03
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. So a lot of it is about about goals that I have and and just dreams and my reasons for for wanting to do it. And, you know, just kind of receiving a lot of support and encouragement from him. And then always just talking about what I what I need and what we can do in that moment to support me moving toward that goal. So sometimes it's
00:06:32
Speaker
finding a way for me to be able to do and practice it more or finding a way to afford a workshop or finding a way to, you know, change our space in some way to accommodate me being able to do ceramics at home. So one huge example of that is that for a very long time, we lived in a very small space.
00:06:56
Speaker
myself and my family. And so there came a point where I was just really, really feeling frustrated that the only time that I could make pots was at my weekly pottery class.
00:07:09
Speaker
And so I wanted to have a wheel, but I just couldn't see a way that could possibly work. And what those conversations resulted in was, well, we bought me a wheel and it sat in the middle of our kitchen floor because that was the only place that we could make it work. And was it in the way? Yes. But was it really important? Also, yes. So we just made it work.
00:07:36
Speaker
I love that. For those that are listening, if you have a husband or a wife, it's important to have these conversations about what you want to go further with your pottery. I think that's super important. Absolutely. Communication is always so key in a relationship. And when we want something and when we are wanting to work towards something, nobody can read minds. So we always have to be communicating about it and working together to come up with solutions.
00:08:05
Speaker
Definitely. That's super important.
Carved Floral Designs Process
00:08:08
Speaker
So can you tell me the story how you started making your carved floral designs with gradient underglazes? Yeah, for sure. So it wasn't, you know, a moment like boom, it hit like lightning that this is what I was going to do. It was it was really an evolution. So
00:08:29
Speaker
10 or 11 years ago in my first pottery class at that city art center, we made a closed form pinch pot and cut off the lid and my very first instructor, he basically encouraged us to begin exploring and incorporating some sort of surface design and so
00:08:51
Speaker
I carved on that pot. And I didn't think about it a whole lot, but I just took one of my tools and started making a design on that pot. And I loved it. I loved the texture and just the feeling when you hold it and how it changed the way the glaze sat on the pot. And so I've carved most of my work ever since and found some way to incorporate texture. And for me, it
00:09:20
Speaker
just every time I would sort of explore something new, or, or try a different technique, I would notice what I liked or didn't like about that pot. And I would, I would often just hang on to a piece that had something special about it. And until I figured it out, like, what was that something special? And then
00:09:44
Speaker
try to incorporate that in my future work and gather that information over time until I gradually figured out and narrowed down what it was that I really loved doing that resulted in something that I really loved. For those who are listening, I think it's super important to just narrow down and keep on practicing and practicing until you find what you love. And I think that is some really great advice.
00:10:12
Speaker
Thanks. So can you give me a simplified version of how you make your floral designs with gradients of underglazes? Yeah, you bet. So it begins by throwing on my wheel. I use porcelain. And so I throw it, let it firm up, flip it over and trim the bottom, give it a foot ring. And then obviously make and attach a handle.
00:10:38
Speaker
And I coat the surface of it with a wax resist and let that dry. And then I carve my design through the wax into the pot. And then basically, I have an underglaze prepared, like a line of underglazes prepared in an ombre, kind of in a gradient. And then apply that. It takes two coats usually to get a good even coat.
00:11:05
Speaker
And then the next part would be letting that dry and removing the excess from the waxed part so that the underglaze only sticks into my carvings. And then basically biscuit and fire it, like glaze it and fire it again. That's my lesson in a nutshell. What do you use to carve the flower designs?
00:11:29
Speaker
I really like Diamondcore tools, so I use one of their V-tip carvers. Love it.
Motherhood Themes in Pottery
00:11:38
Speaker
So something I found interesting is you enjoy exploring issues surrounding motherhood in your work. Can you explain this to me some more? Definitely. That's a great question. So for me, early motherhood was a very difficult and isolating time.
00:11:58
Speaker
And I found for myself that I was quite anxious and worried about feeling judged to the point where I almost didn't go out a lot. I just kind of like stayed home and went out sometimes. But so out of that isolation came kind of a feeling like a need to find a way to reach out and connect with other people.
00:12:24
Speaker
So the way that I represent that in my work currently is that my floral design is made up of lines that connect and reach toward each other and fill up space. So that's kind of explaining how I had a desire to reach out and also be okay with taking up some space as a mother in this, moving through the world.
00:12:51
Speaker
I love it. I think that is really, really passionate because you could see that you are really thinking about like how you can incorporate life experiences into your pottery. Definitely. Thank you.
Community and Inclusivity Advocacy
00:13:04
Speaker
So can you tell me what is your biggest pet peeve in pottery? That was a tough question. I had to really think about that one. Um, so I think probably one of my pet peeves is I noticed that our community, um, sometimes kind of has a bit of a disdain
00:13:21
Speaker
toward like hobby potters or small batch potters. And the reason that that is a pet peeve of mine is I just think that people are really coming at, you know, working with clay from all different places in their life. And that we all just need to remember that everyone has different goals and different circumstances.
00:13:45
Speaker
and that ultimately there's a place in this world for as many people as you know as possible who love and appreciate clay and ceramics and pottery. And so I think it's just really important for all of us to you know appreciate and support everyone who's coming at it from any different perspective.
00:14:07
Speaker
I definitely agree. For those who are listening, if you are a hobby potter or if you are a full-time potter, it doesn't matter. You can make whatever you want to make. You can do whatever you want to make. Make pottery whenever you want to make it. It's up to you. Don't let people determine how you're going to make your pottery. Absolutely. Whether you're a beginner or intermediate or advanced, I think it's just really important to realize that you can just follow your passion.
00:14:35
Speaker
100% agree. So over the last two years, what is something you have gotten better at saying no to that has helped your pottery process?
Maintaining Creative Freedom
00:14:44
Speaker
Something I've been saying no to for quite a while is taking requests for custom work or pre-orders for my pottery. I found that when I did accept like a custom order or a request for a piece for me,
00:15:04
Speaker
It took a lot of enjoyment out of the process for me. I felt creatively stifled and kind of more stress than enjoyment out of the making process. And I think that at this point in my exploration, I just really needed to allow myself the freedom to explore whatever I wanted to explore, not what
00:15:32
Speaker
other people wanted me to explore, if that makes sense. How did this help you just overall? Yes. Overall, I think it just gave me permission to pursue whatever avenue I wanted. So for me, I really love making mugs. And sometimes people would say, hey, can you make plates? Or can you make me bowls? Or can you make me something that
00:16:00
Speaker
you know, looks like this or whatever. And I would just kind of say, you know, that's not really what I'm working on right now. I'm focused on this. I really like making this. So that's, that's what I have time for right now. That's what I want to want to keep doing. I definitely agree. For those that are listening, it's important to set boundaries with your pottery and what you actually want to be working on. That way you can feel more refreshed when you're making your pottery.
00:16:26
Speaker
So let's talk about finding your voice. So before you found your voice, what would you say was your biggest struggle?
Expectations vs. Skill Gap
00:16:32
Speaker
I think my biggest struggle before I kind of clicked in on what made my work my own was that there was kind of a gap between what I expected of my own pottery and my own art and my actual skills.
00:16:51
Speaker
So I was learning from so many great artists, taking workshops and, you know, like looking at books and seeing what I perceived as being excellent art. And when my own pieces sort of fell short of that in my own eyes, I felt a lot of frustration. But that frustration really, it really fueled me to continue pursuing to be better and better and noticing the
00:17:21
Speaker
the areas where I needed to improve and finding ways to improve in them. I definitely agree. You have to find those areas you need to improve in order to really improve. Absolutely. So when you found your voice, what would you say are some of the new opportunities that came your way?
Exhibiting Unique Style
00:17:39
Speaker
One of the big ones for me was that once I started creating my carved ombre pieces,
00:17:47
Speaker
I was just noticing that people were genuinely really, really excited about it. And that was the first time I received an invitation to be part of a show in a gallery.
00:17:59
Speaker
Um, so I got a message from an artist I really respect and admire and they said, Hey, I've been admiring your work and, um, I'm putting together this show and I was wondering if you would like to be a part of it. And I was just, to me, that was a really strong, it was an exciting moment and I felt very validated. And like it was, um, it really showed me that I was on the right track.
00:18:28
Speaker
and producing work that was worthy of being noticed. I love it. I love that you were able to get that opportunity because you found something that you actually enjoyed making too. Exactly. And that was a key for me along the way is noticing which processes I loved and which processes I didn't really love and really leaning into those ones that I love because I literally
00:18:58
Speaker
enjoy every step of my pottery making process because I have curated my own work around those processes. For those who are listening, it's important to find what you actually like to make and find your process so that everything is a lot smoother and you're just overall just happier making your pottery. Yep. What advice would you give to someone trying to find their own unique voice with their pottery?
Finding Personal Pottery Style
00:19:24
Speaker
I think it might be a little bit different for everybody. For me, it was really taking in and noticing how other people made pottery their own and without copying them in any way, exploring that idea for myself. So for example, you know, one of my main mentors, KJ,
00:19:54
Speaker
KJ McAllister here in Edmonton, Alberta. She is incredible at throwing in this beautiful, loose, organic way. And so, you know, I noticed that I love that about her pots, and I love her forms and how they came out on the wheel. So I was always just trying to find a way to incorporate that in my own work. And when it came to surface design, I was looking at other people who carve, like Adam Field, and I would
00:20:23
Speaker
you know, noticed how how his line work was so precise and so intricate and well thought out. And I wanted to find ways to incorporate that in my own work without it being the same design. So it was it was mostly kind of noticing things that I liked about about
00:20:47
Speaker
pots and about things that I used and finding ways to make sure that my own pottery reflected the things that I loved and that I was inspired by. I think that is really, really great advice because I say it all the time that you have to like find what you like, but don't copy it and then try to make it your own. Try to put a little twist on it. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Be inspired and mix and match. You know, I I would make
00:21:16
Speaker
kind of lists of different surface design techniques and, you know, brainstorm different things that I could do on different parts of the pots in order to kind of make them my own. And I would underline and circle the ones that I liked the best. And then I would start to just experiment with putting all of those things together and making my own mark.
00:21:44
Speaker
I definitely that was like some really solid advice. Thank you so much. You're welcome.
Building a Pottery Community
00:21:50
Speaker
As we're coming to a close here, what is one thing you want to hammer home with my audience today? Well, um, one thing that I definitely want to hammer home is that I think we all want to be a part of a community that is really supportive and lifts everybody up as artists. And so,
00:22:10
Speaker
What that means to me is that I am always trying to think about how I want to be supported and I try to do that for other people. So that might be financial support, that might be buying people's pots by signing up and purchasing their workshops, buying the books that they write, giving them credit and you know if
00:22:35
Speaker
If I love their work, then I work to refer other people to artists that I admire and that I want to support. And also just supporting and uplifting other people on social media. So that might be, you know, like being the first one to kind of break the seal and make a comment on somebody's post or reaching out with some encouraging words or just like appreciation of what I see them doing.
00:23:04
Speaker
There have been a lot of times that I've Somebody has taken the time to send me a message or make a comment that really made a difference for me and You know when they take a moment to appreciate something that I did it gave me confidence and belief in myself To keep doing what I'm doing So I try to just make sure that I'm turning around and doing that other for other people as well to create the community To lift other people up
00:23:33
Speaker
I love that. That is some really great parting words of advice. Kirstie, it was really great chatting
Contact and Further Engagement
00:23:38
Speaker
today. Where can my audience go and check out your work? Um, Instagram is what I, what I update the most regularly. Um, and my, my handle is at Kirstie cash, K I R S T Y K A S H.
00:23:51
Speaker
I have a website, www.kirstycashceramics.com. Thanks for listening to this episode of Shaping Your Pottery. If you have questions about developing your voice or just pottery questions in general, send them to me my way. Go to shapingyourpottery.com forward slash contact to send me your questions.