More on my clay and rust theme. I threw two pots on the wheel, then used my hands to squish in two sides in order to make a flat surface to attach a piece of rusty metal. I wrote about my hunt for rust here. The first time I happened upon a piece of rust laying on the street, I attached it to a ceramic piece using super glue. The rust on that piece doesn’t seem very secure, so this time, following a suggestion from my smart husband, I used silicone sealant – the kind one might use to form a water resistant seal around a sink or tub. On the silicone sealant tube, it reads “Excellent adhesion – Permanently flexible – Will not crack, shrink or peel.” And that’s exactly what I was looking for!
Because the silicone doesn’t dry right away, I needed to clamp the rust to the pot for a period of time, and this proved difficult. I tried clamps, a vise, rubber bands, and fabric.
I don’t think I’ve found the perfect solution.
I’m a little disappointed in the glaze on these two roundish vases. This glaze combo works better on objects with sharp corners, where it breaks to a rusty brown color. On these two vases, there was no opportunity for the glaze to break. But I remind myself that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and what I may not be crazy about, someone else will love 🙂
Here are the finalized pieces filled with flowers from my Wisconsin garden.
Rachel Imsland, Artist 