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On the occasion of the exhibition “Picasso’s ceramics. Jacqueline’s gift to Barcelona” that can be seen in the galleries of the museum until April 1st, the museum has held a ceramics workshop divided in six sessions.

First fired ceramic pieces. Photo: Conxita Payarol

In the workshop, given by Conxita Payarol, similar procedures have been followed to those used by Picasso when producing the ceramics that are exhibited nowadays: we have worked with red and white Mediterranean clays, we have stretched it, we have used plates and bowls as moulds, deforming the shapes and making new pieces.  To decorate them we have used incisions, waxes, slips and enamels to personalise them, and all in all, we have played and experimented with the clay just as Picasso would have done. Here you can see the procedure:

Conxita Payarol in the workshop with the participants showing the different techniques. Photos:Vanesa Rojas

Applying strips and incisions in the ceramic pieces. Photos: Vanesa Rojas

Some of the pieces produced by the participants before baking. Photos: Vanesa Rojas

Pieces in the kiln of Conxita Payarol once first fired. Photos: Conxita Payarols

The pieces are now first fired and today we decorate and enamel them.  You can see the final result in our Facebook page where we will add the photographs to an album.

Glossary

First fired (bisque or biscuit): Piece of fired pottery.  Now it doesn’t dissolve in water, and allows the pottery to be decorated and enameled due to its porosity.

Enamel: Ground glass that is applied to the first fired piece.  It can be transparent or opaque, glossy or matte, coloured or not. Enamel pieces have to be second fired to allow the enamel to melt and to stick to the surface of the piece.

Strip: Liquid clay, white or dyed in different colours, that is applied to the unfired pieces, both to hide the colour of the clay as well as for decorating it.  It has to be first fired.

Wax: Paraffin that remains liquid at room temperature. These are used to both make reserves of the unfired pieces and the first fired pieces. It can be dyed with metal oxides.

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Photo album