Angela Mellor

My work investigates the translucency of bone china and its potential for the transmission of light. I am particularly interested in the effects of light on the landscape, especially in coastal areas where infinite variety of organic contours, tonal contrasts and patterns provide a continuing source of inspiration.
                    
All my work is slipcast using bone china casting slip. I design and make one piece drop out moulds to avoid seam lines. I use paper slip for the textured areas of my work, a recipe which I developed during my M A research. I pour the paperslip on to a textured plaster slab, which is left for a minute or two, peeled off and torn or cut to the desired shape and inserted into the mould before pouring in the bone china casting slip, which is left for a few minutes and then poured out.

The work is smoothed with a sponge when dry and then bisque fired to 1000 C. After bisque firing the work is polished with wet and dry sandpaper 400grade. The work can then be high fired to 1250'C in an electric kiln with ½ hour soak to enhance translucency. If colour is required I tend to use soluble salts which are painted on to the bisque and then high fired, without noticeably affecting the translucency, in fact when lit from above, the objects become more luminous and ephemeral. I use mainly copper, cobalt and chrome nitrates and chlorides, usually 10 - 20%. The work is unglazed.
Setters are used to keep the shape of round cups and bowls with a straight rim. No setters are used for the organic forms which have a paperslip edge.