California Backsplash

A visit with architects Susan Ubbelohde and George Loisos in Oakland, CA last summer led to a conversation about me making a backsplash for the 14" X 38" space behind the sink in their loft apartment.  My friends have a collection of fiesta ware and I used these colorful dishes as the inspiration for my abstract design.  I also included a sailboat image because Susan and George  are renovating a wooden boat.

Colored pencil drawing in place in Oakland kitchen.

Once the design was approved, I used underglazes to paint the imagery on 4 X 4 bisque tiles, and then glazed them with a shiny clear glaze.  After the first firing there were a few areas that I wanted to re-work because I didn't like the look of the brushstrokes.  So I carefully painted those areas with an opaque colored gloss glaze.  Everything looked great after the second firing EXCEPT for one tile that had a little piece of the kiln brick stuck to it.

I spent about ten minutes sanding the area with a rough sandpaper.

Then I sanded for a few more minutes until the offending piece of brick was removed.

Now I will re-fire this one tile and I hope that will be it!

The backsplash minus one tile that is being repaired.

Here are a couple of details that show the dots and dashes that I love because they make everything vibrate.

Thank you to Jill Curtis for her assistance with this project.