The Secret Key Word

Neriage, Japanese, meaning I believe, "to mix". Nerikome is another esoteric Japanese word used in the clay community with a meaning similar to, if not interchangeable with Neriage. But my researches have led me to adopt the following definitions for the purpose of this blog: Neriage- the use of colored clay bodies to create patterns or visual effects within a clay "loaf", from which slices of the patterned loaf are used singly or in combination to form hand-built ceramics. Nerikome- different clay bodies are combined prior to being thrown on the wheel to create patterns in a thrown ceramic piece. I am primarily a hand builder of ceramics at this point. Although I have had a certain amount of experience at the wheel, and achieved a moderate level of skill throwing pots, a number of circumstances have led me to focus on hand building with patterns in colored clay, the most salient being that I don't possess a wheel at home, and find that hand building offers enough possibilities in of itself to last a lifetime of exploration. This site will address what I call Neriage almost exclusively. With Neriage, like so many specialized areas in the vast world of ceramics, the more you know, the more you know how much you DON'T know. Although I have been exploring this arcane corner of the medium for going on five years now, the challenges only seem to expand as my knowledge increases. This blog is being created for several reasons at this point. Primarily I guess, to carve out a little niche for myself and my clay work on-line, where I can show some of my work and indulge in a little shameless self-promotion. But even as I type these words the possibilities for interaction with other potters and the clay word become exciting. The inherent characteristics of this form of communication lend themselves to many options still new to me, especially the execution of such features- comments, links, photo sharing, and much more I am sure. To continue with the reasons for beginning this blog/web page, I am utilizing the process of "verbalizing", communicating, my clay knowledge to help myself prepare for a workshop that I will be teaching in May on this topic... finding words to express what my hands and mind have learned over time, to pass that particular vision and pool of thought on to whomever may be interested.

With that introductory ramble out of the way, I'd like to acknowledge, briefly, my sources and inspiration. Aside from one workshop with Naiomi Lindenfeld of Brattleboro, Vt., I have not had any "formal" training on the use of colored clays. Much of what I have learned has been garnered from browsing the web. There is a wealth of information out there- photos and series of photos illustrating many various techniques and approaches to creating patterns with colored clay. Fimo techniques are often directly applicable to ceramics. And viewing the websites of potters and galleries offers many images of beautiful pots to ponder and admire and then try to figure out how they achieved a particular pattern or shape in a vessel. So with out getting specific at this point, I wish to thank all of you who have shared your techniques, your thoughts, and your work online. (specifics to follow, in time)