Black graphite soil from outside the ghost town of Londonderry in Nova Scotia.

Black Posts

Mastodon Black: Firing

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Firing eleven-thousand year old ivory is a bit of a nerve wracking experience. During this process I began to rehearse in my mind what I would say to Peter Russel if something went wrong; and if I would ask for…
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Mastodon Black

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In the beginning of my search for a good black I knew that I would be burning something. There are a couple of minerals that can be used to create black, but usually the black on an artist’s pallet is…
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Betty’s (Bone) Black

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A few months ago Betty Spackman sent three cow bones that she picked up during a trip she took to Albert. Most of the bones she collected are earmarked for an exhibition she is planning, but she was kind enough…
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Elephantium Pigment

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Historically, the making of ivory black was first described in the 4th century BC. The process and the resulting pigment were largely unchanged until the last factory to make this pigment closed in Germany in 1929. To this day, Ivory…
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