Comment

Comment by Joe Shaw on October 29, 2012 at 11:13am

Teresa,

You brought up a very interesting line of thought with your original question. Which leads me into thinking about what do we tell other potters and the knowledgeable collectors when we use glazes that have question marks about their usage and intended functionality? Are we implying that glazes which were questionable are now safe? Maybe, and that concerns me. My posting this image was merely as an example of Weathered Bronze. The message seems to be that I am endorsing Weathered Bronze for utilitarian ware. That's not the message I want to send at all because I don't without some caveats. The main thing to take away from this is to test under your own conditions. I don't use Weathered Bronze on food surfaces except for this platter. I use it on the exteriors of my mugs, glasses and bowls. I felt safe using it on a 17" platter. I think that might have been irresponsible on my part. Not because the ware was unsafe, I'm satisfied that in my case it is safe, but, because the image itself seems to imply my endorsement of the safety of this glaze and that concerns me. I think this would be a terrific topic for further dialogue.

Thanks again for the question, it is truly inspiring!

Joe Shaw

Comment by Teresa Wooden on October 29, 2012 at 9:24am

Thanks for the info, Joe.  It is a beautiful piece.  I will definitely have to experiment with the glaze.

Comment by Joe Shaw on October 29, 2012 at 9:18am

Carl,
Yes it was done with slip and thank you for your comment!

Comment by Joe Shaw on October 29, 2012 at 9:17am

Teresa,

There can be pin-hole issues when the glaze is too thick. I fire to a hard cone 6. I have tested using lemon slices and vinegar several times and have observed no leaching. It also doesn't "metal mark" either. The concerns I've read are more about hygiene due to pin-holing than leaching with this glaze when fired to a cone 6 and higher. Each of us should be testing our glazes because our conditions can vary so much. Matte surfaces are questionable in regards to food. Some mattes are under-fired and matte surfaces can present hygiene issues. I wouldn't recommend this glaze for food surfaces until you've done the testing under your own conditions.

Comment by Carl Ray Crutchfield on October 27, 2012 at 5:53am

beautiful piece, texture band adds much interest.  was it done with slip?

Comment by Teresa Wooden on October 25, 2012 at 2:54pm

Joe, can this be used on food surfaces? I use the CC Strontium matte only on sculptural pieces.