Jeff Zamek

Jeff Zamek received bachelor's and master's of fine arts degrees in ceramics from Alfred University, College of Ceramics, Alfred, N.Y. He taught ceramics at Simon's Rock College in Great Barrington, Mass., and Keane College in Elizabeth, N.J. In 1980 he started his own ceramics consulting firm and has contributed articles to Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, Clay Times, Studio Potter and Craft Horizons, in addition to Pottery Production Practices. His books, What Every Potter Should Know ($31.45) and Safety in the Ceramics Studio ($25.45), are available from: Jeff Zamek/Ceramics Consulting Services, 6 Glendale Woods Dr., Southampton, MA 01073. For more information, visit www.jeffzamek.com.

PPP: Using Decorative Engobes

Jeff Zamek

March 1, 2011

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Engobes offer potters an alternative method of introducing color and texture to the ceramic surface.

Black Friday

Jeff Zamek

November 30, 2010

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After making pots for 20 years and teaching college ceramics for 10 years, I decided at some point that a change was needed.

Cone 6 vs. Cone 9

Jeff Zamek

June 30, 2010

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Potters operating at stoneware temperatures traditionally fire pottery to cone 9 (2300°F), but many are now discovering a lower stoneware firing temperature at cone 6 (2232°F).

Clay Body Additives: Additive-A

Jeff Zamek

May 12, 2010

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While the use of clay additives has increased significantly in the last few years, many potters often try to work around problems.

Losing Money, Wasting Time

Jeff Zamek

March 23, 2010

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If you are making pottery for sale or just doing it as a hobby, there is one fact that always holds true: The more you touch the clay, the more expensive it is to make the pots.

PPP: Preventing "S" Cracks

Jeff Zamek

March 1, 2010

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The "S" crack, while not the only type of flaw that can occur when forming clay on the potter's wheel, is certainly one of the most common.

Glaze Notation

Jeff Zamek

February 18, 2010

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Now that we can describe a glaze in more detail, the next step is a standardized method for writing a glaze formula.

Glaze Description and Notation

Jeff Zamek

January 22, 2010

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Glaze description and notation is the communication method we use to understand and transmit glaze-related information.

Lime Pop

Jeff Zamek

December 16, 2009

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Unlike other defects that occur in clay body and glazes, the possible causes of lime pop are few. Therefore, tracking the source of the problem and taking the appropriate action will insure a fast correction.

Good Pots

Jeff Zamek

November 18, 2009

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Learning technique is equivalent to learning the letters of the alphabet and then forming sentences. It is possible to learn every letter perfectly and then go on to write the most appalling or mundane sentences.