Laura Fraedrich is BACK Playing with Stencils and Ceramics

Welcome BACK Laura Fraedrich!!!!

Hi Everyone! My name is Laura Fraedrich and I am a mixed media and ceramic artist from Fresno, California. I am so excited to share my third post as guest blogger for StenciGirl with you!

I just can’t get enough of using StencilGirl’s beautiful and unique stencil designs on my ceramic projects! They are an easy way to add visual interest to my pieces. I just love texture, and I can get all the texture I want by either using the stencils by themselves or combining them with other tools such as stamps, palette knives, sponges and, of course, other StencilGirl stencils!

I usually use multiple stencils to add detail to the background of my compositions, but lately I’ve been experimenting with making a single stencil the focus of my pieces. 

Here are a few that I’m really excited about:

On this piece I used the Krishna Deity stencil on a simple background of ivory glaze. Then I outlined it with black glaze in a fine tipped bottle to really make it pop.

Here I used the Paisley Floral Repeat Pattern Stencil on top of a background of three different blue glazes that were marbelized. I love how the yellow and orange really stands out against the blue and how crisp the pattern came out.

The next three projects are examples of how I use stencil designs in the background:

Here I painted random sections of the vases in different colors, then used the Fractured Glass stencil with white glaze to soften it up. Then I added some black and white bands, because I love the look of black and white patterns combined with bright colors.

These plates are my ‘signature’ pieces. I’m known for making lots of dog and cat themed pieces, which are inspired by my own pets. I love combining multiple StencilGirl stencils for my backgrounds. The texture adds to the whimsical nature of my plates and makes them even more fun. I used Fractured Glass, Paisley Floral Repeat Pattern, Eddy Rose, and CirclePlay stencils on these pieces.

This is a new piece that I’m especially excited about. I used the PaisleyFloral Repeat Pattern and the Wall of Words stencils in the background along with a bamboo tree rubber stamp, then used paper to mask off the shape of the elephant while I painted white and teal glaze on top. I enjoyed making this piece so much that I am going to be doing a live webinar on how I made it on July 10^th. If you are interested in seeing how to do this technique live, please visit I Fired Arts for details.

In case you missed them, my first StencilGirl post talked about how you can get started in the wonderful world of ceramics and my second showed step by step instructions on my glazing process.

I really hope you enjoyed seeing my latest stenciled projects! I would be happy to answer any questions you might have or help you locate what you need to get started with this amazing art form. You can contact me through my blog/website or on Facebook. Until next time!

Stencils Used:

Krishna Deity, Paisley Floral Repeat, Fractured Glass, Eddy Rose, Circle Play, Wall of Words