Indigo Float and Snow over Obsidian

Ceramic artist Kathy McGuire created this Indigo Float and Snow over Obsidian combination on a white porcelain clay body, using layered AMACO glazes fired to Cone 6 oxidation. Obsidian forms the dark foundation inside the bowl and across the upper walls, while Indigo Float moves downward in dense cobalt trails. Snow settles over the surface in soft white bands that break apart during firing, revealing blue currents beneath. Together the layers create the feeling of winter water under a night sky – deep, cold, and constantly shifting along the curves of the vessel.

Layering Indigo Float and Snow over Obsidian

The glaze application follows a careful sequence. Obsidian anchors the form with a glossy black surface that gathers heavily near the rim. Indigo Float is brushed over the exterior, where it develops branching mineral patterns and pale blue breaks along the edges. Snow is added in loose horizontal bands, melting into the cobalt during the firing and opening pale pathways through the darker glaze. On porcelain, every transition stays sharp and luminous. Fired to Cone 6, the surface develops movement without losing definition, allowing the layered glazes to remain distinct while still flowing into one another.

Cone 6 Glaze Movement with Coastal Blues

What gives Indigo Float and Snow over Obsidian its character is the balance between structure and drift. The bowl itself remains simple and quiet, letting the glaze chemistry shape the landscape across the surface. Near the foot, the blues separate into narrow vertical streams, while higher areas gather into dense midnight pools edged with silver-white foam. Kathy McGuire’s layering approach turns familiar AMACO glazes into something that feels geological rather than decorative – like mineral deposits left behind after waves pull back from dark coastal stone.