Ever since she became acquainted with porcelain, Wilma wanted to go to the Chinese center of porcelain, Jingdezhen, in order to work with this material in its historical context. In 2019 this became possible through a work stay in Sanbao, Jingdezhen, organized by Gallery Terra Delft.
After her stay in Jingdezhen, a workshop ‘making Chinese teapots’ was given at Toonbeeld in Castricum, NL, by Li Zhen of Jingdezhen and Simone Haak. Wilma was drawn to the sculptural qualities of the teapot as object, as well as to the different ways of affixing the various parts. Through this focus, Bosland’s subject changed from organic and physical to minimalist and abstract. The work has become more constructive and architectonic.
Porcelain is a refined material which often stimulates a desire for perfection. Throwing porcelain on the wheel demands total concentration, devotion, and timing. But other aspects of the process of creation, such as preparing the clay, kneading, and mounting, also together form a kind of established ritual. The material is difficult to work with, which places limitations on the size of the objects.
Working with porcelain requires experience and knowledge of the technique. It invites the application of glazes, which can give a personal signature through the firing temperatures. Celadon glaze and terra sigillata are used here. In order to control the character of the glaze through oxidation reduction during firing, Wilma worked and conducted experiments for a month in sundaymorning@ekwc (the European Ceramic Workcentre). This quest has not yet ended, but meanwhile an intriguing series of work can be seen both at the exhibition ‘This is not a Teapot’ in Delft and at the NVK Triennial in the Coda Museum in Apeldoorn.