Open Seasame !

It took 18 hours to fire one of my kilns the other day as it would not rise to the wanted temperature.
But after hearing the Dawn chorus of birds I finally could let it rest .  Notice a new Kiln shed made by James Benzing.

Glazed pots before the firing ...

Some of the fired pots. Will show more and a film later on. 

These are the new shelving. And this is my proud son Theo in front of the outside display.. 

KILN OPENING

PRESS RELEASE for immediate use / 2 May 2014

Michel Francois : River of Colour
Free kiln opening event at the Rural Workshops, Breage 
Saturday 17 May 2014 - 3 pm to 5 pm

 

On Saturday 17th May potter Michel Francois opens his studio doors to the public for another of his popular kiln opening events, where buyers and art enthusiasts can be the first to see his latest show of work straight from its final firing.

In celebration of spring this new collection, entitled River of Colour, brings together a dazzling palette of hues across a range of ceramic objects including wine cups, coffee beakers and Oriental dining ware. Francois’ elegant hand-thrown porcelain works will emerge hot from the kiln in a vivid stream of celadon yellows, sky blues, emerald greens, glowing ambers and the warm orange of Gunwalloe clay, interspersed with pieces in tones of pearl white, midnight blue and rich luminous black.

The 60 to 80 piece collection includes noodle bowls, Japanese yunomi cups and coffee beakers, elongated desert bowls and porcelain champagne and wine cups. The show also includes a collection of statement pieces including a contemporary porcelain wine carafe and uniquely beautiful jars and bowls in Maple, Plum, Beech and Chestnut ash glazes.

Visitors to this FREE event are welcome between 3 and 5pm. Artisan coffee courtesy of Espressini Coffee House Falmouth will be served along with luscious cakes from Peasouk Café Falmouth. All works are available for purchase with prices ranging from £10 to £500. 
Michel Francois Porcelain, The Rural Workshops, Breage, TR13 9NW. 


Michel Francois' studio is 2 miles from Helston, signposted on the B3302 between Helston and Hayle.
For further information telephone 01736 448002, email

 mrmfrancois@gmail.com or visit www.michelfrancois.com
 

On the productive streak again this time I'm embracing porcelain. . 

a few new coffee cups. So much is being made now a lot of good work too, I strive to keep quality high as porcelain is very unforgiving.. 

vigilance and patience. 

Here is a new blog on pottery by artist and potter Jacob Bodilly

jacob bodilly pottery

 Some rare work is so blessed by the kiln  there is no price to it.
A 0 can be added to its price without flinching. .

This is such a bowl. One of the finest pieces to come out of the Studio last year.

A bowl like this fits a particular person; this one now belongs to my dear friend David Collen of the Essence of Tea.

Here you can read a new
Cornwall living article
about my studio.

Bye bye Tableware..

Hello Porcelain ..

Spent the last 8 weeks producing a new range of tableware for a clothing company.
It was a good experience, but cant wait to get my life back and move on to something else.
Sometimes one pushes ones self too much.. I need a holiday!

Michel Francois Kiln Opening Event

Saturday 21st September 2013 / 3pm to 5pm


On Saturday 21st September, West Cornwall based potter Michel Francois welcomes the public to another of his ever popular kiln opening events. Visitors will be first to enjoy the unique results of this firing and see his elegant porcelain emerge warm from the kiln.

This new collection of studio pottery showcases the luminous, translucent beauty of Celadon glaze, in subtle duck egg blues inspired by Korean and Japanese porcelain, imperial yellow, and milky white satin glazes inspired by the Sui and Tang dynasty.

Pieces range from bowls and serving dishes to wine cups and flower jugs alongside statement pieces such as tulip vases, fine jars and larger works.





This event will coincide with  the launch of the new range of contemporary porcelain designed by Francois’ for Espressini Artisan Coffee house, Falmouth.

 Michel has also recently co-designed and produced a new range of tableware for the Eden project and his work has been shown at galleries in Paris, London, Edinburgh and at the International Teabowl Exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan.

Visitors to this free event are welcome between 3 and 5pm.
Chinese tea will be served and works are available for purchase, with prices ranging from £10 to £500.

For further information contact Michel Francois Porcelain, 
The Rural Workshops, Breage, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 9NW  / 01736 448002

Hello All

I would like to let you know that this summer in collaboration with the Leach Pottery and the St Ives september festival we have launched the first even Cornwall Ceramics Trail !!

Check out the new blog to view the vibrant talent west Cornwall has to offer.
cornwall ceramics trail

I thought it good to post a few more images of what is on offer regarding my new work.

The Last Firing before the Cornwall Design Fair 2013

Why do I have FIRE written on my back? I think it may be time to open..

The now famous Metin Erturk from Turkey will give the final verdict. You ready.

While I caan't help but notice that the black Seto teabowls have gone one touch too hot.
But not that much too hot.. I think Metin is right this is mission accomplished.

Many Hands make light work..

Marc-Antoine from France and Metin from Turkey are spending their summer helping me in the studio. 

I am very privileged to have help this busy time of year. 

Great times, happy memories. .

Firing on all burners for the Cornwall Design Fair ...www.cornwalldesignfair.co.uk
at Trereife House the15th to 18th of August

Préparation à la cuisson pour le Cornwall Design Fair - Getting ready ..

Aujourd'hui, je vous présente les coulisses de la production de nouvelles grandes jarres. Celles-ci seront présentées au Cornwall Design Fair, les 16, 17 et 18 août prochain (www.cornwalldesignfair.co.uk).

Pour les réaliser, j'ai utilisé un mélange de grès et de porcelaine. Je fais toujours très attention de sélectionner les matériaux de la meilleure qualité qu'il soit. Cela s'inclut dans ma démarche d'offrir à mes clients une oeuvre unique et aboutie. Pour y arriver, je souligne que pour ces pièces, le travail des anses est primordial puisqu'il contribue à donner à ces jarres toute leur noblesse.

Ensuite, par ces photos, je vous donne à voir les étapes ultimes de la fabrication :

La glaçure :

1ère glaçure : à base de pierres de Cornouailles

2ème glaçure : inspirée de la tradition de porcelaine japonaise Arita, qui elle-même puise ses traditions en Corée. Cette glaçure est élaborée à base de cendres de peupliers, de Feldspath et d'ocre jaune.

 

Les finitions :

C'est une étape à laquelle je suis très précautionneux. Il faut tout d'abord attendre que la glaçure soit bien sèche à la surface de la pièce, puis ensuite j'utilise un outil fibre de bambou pour égaliser la surface.

La cuisson :

Ultime mais essentielle phase, la cuisson de ces deux pièces va s'exécuter avec d'autres pièces travaillées au cours de la semaine. La cuisson requiert un contrôle du temps, de la température, de l'apport en oxygène.

Après 5 heures de cuisson, à 1000°C, je réduirai l'apport en oxygène dans le four d'un facteur 10. (de 20% dans l'atmosphère à 2% ici).

5 heures plus tard, à 1280°C, j'éteindrai le four, et l'ouvrirai quelques minutes seulement pour donner aux pièces la tonalité souhaitée.

The Glaze Mystery..

When I first started working with ceramics I thought glazes were not interesting, being way too bold and fat, hiding the purity of form and the pulsating quality of the wet clay. 

For many years I turned to sculpture and thought ceramics too limiting as I felt the glazes stifled the form. 

Then seeing the ancient Raku bowls, the Sung and the Chosun Pots, I realised how mistaken I was! 

I then  tirelssly tryed to make glazes that could generate an emotional response. 

Ceramic surfaces, like fabric are limitless in their appeal.. 

I believe their very nature is somewhat 'mysterious' and can trigger wonder, and emotion.

 I believe pots can hold an 'essence' . 

glaze is like skin- the interface- the point of contact drawing the viewer in, inviting us to touch..

In this case a sensual milkyness, something soft that seems palpable, fluid, tender yet firm. 

The other day I sent a bowl to Taiwan for Stephane from the blog Teamasters.

The glaze was a duck egg white that has hints of blue to it,
 based on my reseach into the ancient White chinese glazes.

 I have been working on this glaze for five years.

I have now made this glaze even softer by calcinating the China clay I use in the glaze.
 I don't think I will change much to it now. Probably my finest glaze!

Philippe m'a envoyé une photo d'une dégustation de Long Jin en Herbe ..

Heureux de voire mes pièces utilisées.

East meets West

Photo Paul Mounsey

Sung Dynasty - Timeless & Contemporary..

I thought you might all enjoy a bit of writing about what makes Sung Ceramics so fascinating.
Like the sculpture of Constantin Brancusi, these ancient pots seem to capture so much essence in their simplicity. With the Korean Chosun dynasty pots, made at about the same time, they never seem to loose their grip on me. I've been sucked in .. and will forever continue to be inspired by them.

This piece has flown off to its owner in Taiwan.

"Chinese Ceramics of the Sung Dynasty are probably the classic expression not only of ceramic art in China, but in all the world. By classic we mean that the ceramics of the Sung achieved a unity of the essentials of the ceramic art which has never been surpassed. 

Shape, potting techniques, glaze, from both an aesthetic and chemical standpoint, the techniques of using the materials and firing them were all unified at the highest level. 

The result was a flawless series of wares which still commands the respect and admiration as well as the despair of the modern potter. 

In general, the shapes of the Sung Dynasty wares are extremely simple. They tend to be subtle, one form flowing into an other, in contrast to the ceramics of the Tang Dynasty and earlier. While one can speak of the neck, body and foot of a Tang ceramic, it is very difficult to know in many Sung wares where the neck commences, the body leaves off, or the foot begins.  One form flows with ease into the other, producing a unified effect. The glazes of Sung ceramics tend to be monochromatic and have surfaces that are usually rather soft and mat. They appear to be an integral part of the form of the ceramic object and have wondrous depth and texture inviting the spectator to touch. 

This was achieved by a pragmatic chemistry which, while not skilled or knowledgeable from the stand point of formulas or modern chemical processes, achieved by trial and error a very high level of chemical technique. 

Fortunatly their chemical method was not prefect, and consequently their glazes have enough imperfections in the form of chemical impurities to relieve the effect of the glaze from that hard and bright single  colour effect so characteristic of later chinese porcelains. 

The ornament used on Sung ceramic wares was, with the exception of one class, very spare, chaste, and subdued when used at all. Often the ornament was incised or carved on the body before the application of the glaze, which served to hide the ornament to a certain extent, allowing the form of the vessel to dominate the decoration. "Sherman Lee ex-Cleveland Museum Director. 

Celadon Tea set

2 teacups neither small nor too large, confortable for all teas. 

Sencha, Darjeeling, Red tea, Pu ehr, Oloong ..this is the most versatile shape. 

 Celadon Pitcher & Teaboat. 

A used water bowl in Cealdon is also available. 

Please email me for prices and availability. Made to order 3 weeks till delivery.

mrmfrancois@gmail.com 

Set en Celadon 

2 tasses à Thé  ni trop grandes ni petites, ces tasses sont adaptées pour tous Thés. 

Bateau à thé et Pichet Celadon. Un bol à eaux usées est aussi disponible. 

Passez moi un mail pour le prix. Temps de livraison 3 semaines. 

(photo credit Paul Mounsey)

3 Chawans

These 3 Teabowls are flying off to New York. I know they will be cherished..

(photo credit Paul Mounsey)

New Teabowl

This is a new teabowl.
I have already sold it  the famous Ceramicist Roger Michell.

I now have a professional craft photographer Paul Mounsey. He understands pots as he has spent 5 years working with a potter.

Voici un nouveau bol à Thé.
'Tache d'huile' ancienne glazure chinoise.