The Beauty of Ceramic Beads and the Jewelry Created with them.....

MaryAnn Carroll

My journey with bead making started with low-fire ceramic beads known as earthenware. Low-fire is when you ultimately (usually after the glazing stage) fire the beads to approximately 1850 (give or take) degrees in a kiln which is basically a specialized oven that will heat to certain temperatures. Marsha wrote a post that goes into much more detail about this process. If interested in learning more, click HERE.

Today, when I create ceramic beads, I usually am drawn to a mid-fire porcelain or I am fortunate enough to be able to use high fire clay and fire those beads in my husband Bill's wood-fire kiln. I will leave pictures of those for another post.

 I just wanted to share some work from a few ceramic artists. Following a sample from each, is an example of another piece of theirs used in a different artist's jewelry. Ceramic beads are fantastic in jewelry making as I hope you will see.

If you have not yet tried out ceramic beads, I do not think you will be disappointed. Navigate to shops by clicking on the links below each picture.

Beads by Karen Totten

Necklace by Martha Thomas

Pendant by Diana P.

Earrings by Sarajo Wentling

Pendant by Leslie Watt

Necklace by Debi

Pendant by Marsha Neal

Necklace by Rejetta Sellers

Bead by Natalie

Necklace by Karen G.

Pendant by Mary Harding

Necklace by Genea CK

Cabochon by Lisa Peters

Necklace by Carol Dean-Sharpe

These are just a few of the many artists who create ceramic beads, pendants and jewelry. I think you will agree that the beauty of ceramic is further brought out in the designs created.

Lastly, I want to thank-you for supporting artists who create handmade with handmade. I would also like to give a special thank-you to all of the members of LMAJ who keep this blog what it is. I've had many "events" along the way that have kept me from creating, as have some of our other members. It is because of the artists here that step in for each other to keep us moving.

Thank-you.

MaryAnn

Ceramic Beads on Etsy and Berks Bead Bazaar

Just a really quick post today to show off some beautiful artist handmade ceramic beads!

All of these in the treasuries have been kiln fired in their various glazed finishes.

Ceramic Bead Collection Treasury

Ceramic Bead Collection 2

All ceramic beads (earthenware, stoneware or porcelain) must be fired in a kiln to be called "Ceramic".

However, not all ceramic beads need to be finished with the traditional high temperature (1750 to 2300 degree F. glaze temperature ranges).

There are lots of ceramic bead makers and artists that finish their ceramic work by painting with an air dry medium or something that can set a lower oven baking temperatures.

These painted layers are applied, wiped off, layered, dried, and often sealed.

Here is a beautiful example of a "cold glazed" Artist made kind of ceramic beads by 

Rey of GreyBirdStudio:

Porcelain Beads (Cold Glazed) by GreyBirdStudio

More to come on glazing and firing techniques and care and use of beads with different finishes…

And this weekend, if you happen to be close to Reading, PA (USA) swing by the Berks Bead Bazaar Saturday and Sunday!

There are many artists, suppliers, and bead & jewelry educators selling kits!

Berks Bead Bazaar Website CLICK HERE.
Staci Louise (items pictured above) will be there!

Testing Non-Fired Finishing Techniques on Porcelain or Ceramic Clay

I have always been drawn to painting.

Was never encouraged to peruse it or take classes ever.

So when this girl - that worked 3 jobs while going to University Full time decided to say - forget this path that everyone from family to college advisors says you should go on:

good school for education to get a good paying job, married, kids, white picket fence...

yadda… yadda… blah, blah…

I'm going to do what I want to do in my heart - well…

It becomes a blissful mess!

Marsha Neal Studio Drying Acrylic and Oil Painted layering on ceramic.

When I started taking ceramics classes in school (going on to get my MA in Ceramics) everything just seemed to focus on glazed surfaces.

Not to go into boring details (which I do LOVE the science of glazes!) but basically a glaze is glass that has colorants and binders and water added to it, applied to a ceramic piece, then fired in a kiln - in my case - to over 2230 degrees F.

Layering of ceramic glazes fired in kiln to 2232 F.

But sometimes there is that painter in me that wants to make pieces that are just sculptural and not functional in the "food safe" and simply usable sense of the word.

So this is where I'm busting out the paints: water color, acrylic, oil.

I want to try renaissance wax, alcohol inks, colored pencils…

Left are glazed. Right three are water color painted onto pieces already covered in gauche and sealed.

Watercolors directly onto clay (no gauche under-layer. just a black underglaze).

Lana Wilson layered underglazes and glazes (fired ceramic techniques)

Marsha Neal Studio Slab Roller/Painting Table.

There is SO much to test out and fiddle with.

And to try these on ceramic is a bit different than on Polymer Clay surface or a Metal surface.

With a 5 day weekend upon us (thanks for the 12-14" of snow we are going to be receiving 2/13/14 I sure hope to get a log more testing done.

Any suggestions to other materials I could try out?

And any links to tutorials or information about painting on things other than canvas would be awesome in the comments below as well.

Let's hope I get some great results!