Susan Nayfield Kahn is a potter and brush maker who lives and works in Frederick, Maryland. Susan specializes in making brushes for ceramics, brushes that are themselves considered works of art.
One way in which potters make their work distinctive is through decoration, and many can be recognized worldwide by their brushstrokes. In order to create these one-of-a-kind works of art, potters have specific needs when working with brushes. They aren't working with thin paints and inks: they're using thick slips that are suspensions of clay and water, applied to surfaces that frequently are still turning on the potter's wheel. Often, long brushstrokes are needed when decorating pottery, so the brushes have to be able to hold a large amount of material; normal Western artist brushes often don't have the ability to meet these needs.- Susan took apart and studied old and standard brushes, studying types of brush hair as she developed her techniques for making brushes. She discovered that Japanese brushes often use hair from deer tails (figure A): the hair is long and resilient and can hold a large quantity of glaze material. These large tear-shaped brushes have a narrow tip that can make a fine line or a bolder stroke by simply increasing pressure. When the brushes are not in use, it's important to protect the tufts from accidental damage (figure B).
Susan Nayfield Kahn's
brush designs are
considered works of art .
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Figure A
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Figure B
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Since it's one of the hardest and most durable woods available, bamboo is an excellent material for brush handles. It's inexpensive and, because the wood is hollow, brush makers don't have to drill or shape the area for the tuft. Bamboo also withstands the frequent wetting and drying process quite well (figure C).Bill used two of Susan's brushes to decorate his set of mugs (figure D). After decorating the mugs, he loaded them into the kiln for high temperature firing. The kiln must fire for 10 to 12 hours, then cool for at least 24 hours before it is safe to open the lid, remove the mugs and fill them with a favorite beverage (figure E).
RESOURCES :
Kilns
L & L Kilns
Website: www.hotkilns.com
Clay
Highwater Clays
Website: www.highwaterclays.com
Extruders
American Art Clay Co. Inc. (AMACO)
Website: www.amaco.com
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