Elizabethtown College Fine Arts major Gienah Sonnema ’25 is combining art and chemistry this summer, analyzing ancient and contemporary celadon glazes and testing different recipes in hopes of replicating the glazes as part of the Summer Creative Arts and Research Program (SCARP).
Working with faculty mentor Professor of Art Milt Friedly, who is lending his expertise and experience, the pair of Blue Jays have performed numerous tests to establish the “perfect color” for the glaze, which is a light blue crackle. Sonnema has the ultimate goal of developing new and unique Celadon glaze recipes to expand Etown’s glaze palette and create 20 finished pieces to showcase them.
Title of Research
Investigating Ancient and Contemporary Celadon Glazes and Their Application on Contemporary Ceramic Objects
Student Researcher
Gienah Sonnema ’25 (Fine Arts major)
Faculty Mentor
Milt Friedly, Professor of Art
What are you researching?
Sonnema: The goal of this research is to investigate chemical limits for ancient and contemporary glazes using 50-100 test tiles to develop new and unique Celadon glazes to add to the Elizabethtown College ceramics program. Through testing existing recipes, we are discovering how the raw materials in different proportions affect the overall appearance of the glazes.
Why did you choose this topic?
Sonnema: I love using our existing Celadon recipe, as it lends itself well to intricately carved pieces, which I enjoy making. I was interested in the history of these Ancient Chinese recipes and wanted to learn how to mix and formulate my own ceramic glazes.
What is the most interesting aspect of this research?
Sonnema: The most interesting aspect is learning how these raw materials, such as silica, alumina, and calcium, affect the appearance of glazes dramatically. Over time, you start to understand how these materials interact with each other and how they affect the overall color or surface texture.
How has your faculty mentor helped you?
Sonnema: Professor Friedly has taught me how to understand how each of the raw materials affects the glaze and clay bodies, and how to calculate the relationship between these materials. He has advised me in the forms and themes of my works to take inspiration from traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese pieces.
Hear from the faculty mentor – Milt Friedly
“Gienah is engaged in this research project. As we progress, she becomes more interested and has accepted the challenges related to glaze research. She is developing her practice as a young ceramic artist. This project will challenge her precepts about glaze possibilities and stimulate ideas for future work. She is well organized, and taking on more responsibilities in the studio. It has been a pleasure to work with her.”