Dragonfly Clay

Finally, part 2

2009-11-01T16:36:00.004-07:00

A serving platter. A uterus.

Mugs with more anatomy lessons.

Porcelain lanterns with definitions of the word woman on them.

The creative work that I was busy with. Miller Joyce Kinzel. We call her Millie.

Finally!

2009-11-01T16:30:00.002-07:00

I'm glad to be back after a long studio hiatus. I was busy creating but not ceramic vessels. I got back to work recently and have finished the pots for my Woman as Vessel show.

They are all porcelain, functional vessels with laser printer decals.

The show will take place in May 2010 at an as yet to be determined gallery location.

I am very, very pleased with how these turned out.

a creative break

2009-01-25T13:28:00.002-07:00

A lot of thought and discussion has been happening in this household. I have been feeling a little overwhelmed lately and fairly dissatisfied with the ceramics portion of my life. After much reflection I have decided that some big changes need to occur. With this in mind I am closing my gallery until July 2009 and taking time away from teaching lessons until May 2010. I need to fix up my studio so that it is a warm and inviting place for me to be. I need to take some time away from production and focus on being creative. I need to see the sunshine more than I do these days. I will still be in the studio, but on my own terms. I think that I see grad school in my future. I live in a very isolated area and I need more challenge and stimulation in my artistic life than seems to be possible where I am. ANU, here I come (I wish! More like the Red Deer College portion, but still very cool).

My orchids love to bloom all of the time, lucky me.

Beautiful orchids growing on my kitchen window ledge.

A view into the teenagers lair.

I will still be around, just not as frequently. Wish me luck!

food

2009-01-25T12:44:00.002-07:00

We were missing our coastal sushi fix so we made some at home. Yummy!

Jada made a lovely dinner for us on Sunday. Stuffed tomatoes, spinach salad, grilled chicken and rice.

Here she is measuring and mixing.

She is also our resident baker. Aren't these beautiful?

and more...

2009-01-17T13:03:00.003-07:00

This picture is me at 5 months. I do not like having my picture taken and this photo is evidence of HOW MUCH I LOVE MY FIRENDS AND FAMILY that I am posting it so they can see me as we all live so far apart. Also showing the limitations of photography without a flash and without a tripod.

I really do like my new job with the schools. I am finished at 4pm everyday and able to come in and spend some time cooking. I love to cook. These are compontents for the salad I made. Really simple and fresh: leaf lettuce, two small zucchini diced, minced garlic, juice of 1 lime, olive oil, salt, pepper. Tossed together and served with fettuccini alfredo. Yummy.

Sorry that this post and the last were completely unrelated to clay. I am only in the studio on Saturdays for the next little while and finding it very hard to motivate myself. I don't feel creative when it is dark. Or maybe I am just too busy creating a new person to find any other creative energy. I did get my clay order today, so starting next week I have no more excuses. I have to get my show pieces finished. Oh, and probably think about applying places to have the show...

new photos

2009-01-17T12:45:00.003-07:00

I have been trying to take a photo a day and I am finding that I forget about it until the end of the day. I need to get in the groove of thinging photo all the time. I have managed to capture a lot of cooking times. This is potatoes getting ready to go in the fritata.

I refuse to read the manual to start. I am just going to fool around with the camera and then when I have reached the limit, I will research. I strongly dislike flash photography, so most of my photos are going to be without. I am waiting for the adaptor ring and tripod. This is a lovely chili that I haven't made in about 8 years. I have recently begun eating meat again and my kids are THRILLED. All the old, old recipes have come out again.

Spices, spices, spices, we love curry.

I did it, I finished reading War and Peace. It was completely unlike I thought it was going to be. I hadn't really learned much about it over the years, just heard passing comments about its length. It was wonderful. If you like period novels (I do), history (history major), and metaphysical and philosophical discussions about how history is viewed, then this is the book for you. It does not disappoint.

not crappy photos

2009-01-10T13:50:00.004-07:00

The new camera and equipment. A lot of bits, but less than with a high end manual slr.

Adorable dog who is much happier now that I am manually focussing and forgoing the flash.

Looks much less like a devil without the red eyes.

I have been busy back at work and with the regular business of living. This is the first time I have been in the studio in two weeks and I am decidedly unmotivated. I have run out of porcelain. I put in an order from my supplier and am hoping that by the time it is delivered I will feel a bit more like making things.

I have been thinking about what I am going to do with my year of maternity leave. An entire year devoted to baby, family and artistic exploration. Thoughts so far include:

100 mugs in 100 days (brilliant idea thieved from A Fine Mess).

365 days of photos. I tried this last year but was a little discouraged by my equipment. This time will be different.

Wax resist and water etching on porcelain.

Exploring a theme in nature in functional pottery and see where it takes me.

Expanding my repetoire of finishing techniques.

Playing with porcelain paper clay, specifically creating sculpture. The idea terrifies me.

Obviously with a new baby and 4 other children I will not get all of these things started. I like the idea of having a lot of options though.

the family that spends together...

2009-01-03T20:15:00.002-07:00

We went to Calgary yesterday. 7am departure time. That is very early for these girls...

This was taken at 7pm when we realized that the car battery had died and we were going to have to wait for a jump. Thankfully, we found a restaurant in the mall that wasn't atrocious and had a pretty good dinner.

This was my purchase that made it all worthwhile. Yep, from here on out any crappy photos will be the fault of the photographer.

10 things that make me happy

2009-01-01T10:07:00.002-07:00

kyle Houser over at homefry sketchbook was talking about the top ten things that make him happy. I like the idea, thinking about happy things is good. So here are my top 10 in no particular order:

#1 - My family. My whole entire giant family. My mom and dad and sister and brother-in-law and neice and nephew. All my aunties and uncles and cousins (I have a lot), my grandmas. My parents-in-law, my husband, my daughters, my step-daughters and my new growing baby.

#2 - My friends. Far away and close, you know who you are. You make me happy, thank you.

#3 - Noodle kugel. Yup, right now that is making me happy. Leftover noodle kugel for breakfast with a hot cup of green tea when everyone else is still sleeping and I have the house to myself is a very good thing.

#4 - My down duvet. I strongly dislike winter, cold is not my friend. I looooove my down duvet because it is cozy and warm.

#5 - Taz. Something about a small, furry creature that just makes you smile. Unconditional love. You don't get that from anyone else.

#6 - The Henry Mancini CD that we found at a garage sale this fall. Groovy 1960's bossanova music that makes me feel like I should be glamourously dressed and drinking a martini. Think Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys. That's who I am when Henry Mancini is playing.

#7 - My studio. I have my own space. A space big enough to teach in and to throw all the pots I want. It is all mine, I can decorate it or leave it a mess and do whatever I want. My space.

#8 - My growth as a ceramic artist. I feel like I have come a great distance down the path I have wanted to travel toward my artistic goals. Gallery sales are up, studio sales are up, waitlists for my classes, custom orders are up (argggggg), KHMR orders are up.

#9 - My new cordless phone. You have to understand that we have had a rotary dial phone attached to the wall for the last 3 years. Now, no more running from one end of the house to the other to answer the phone. Excellent Christmas present.

#10 - Lynda Barry and her book 100 Demons. Inspirational. Read it, do it.

things I did over the holidays

2009-01-01T09:59:00.003-07:00

Put new tile in the bathroom. Now of course we need to do the kitchen and laundry room because the bathroom looks so damn good.

Took a small dog for walks in his ridiculous cold weather clothing which he is completely embarrassed by.

Built gingerbread houses with children.

Had a New Year's Eve party and played a lot of games. Old school games like the original version of Trivial Pursuit.

Ate a lot of yummy holiday treats and got rounder, but I am blaming that all on the baby.

non-ceramics Christmas post

2008-12-26T11:34:00.005-07:00

My father sent me a mystery present. All it said on the card was "Luv Dad, I didn't know." I couldn't figure it out until I opened it. My electric train set.

My electric train set, it was worth the 29 year wait, now all I need is a special room to build tunnels and villages...

Sexy working man in his new sexy work overalls. Mmmmmm, carhartts.

Matthew practicing his baby holding with one of the cutest babies in the world.

Christmas Eve dinner with friends. It was fun and we all had to head home at 11pm because NORAD told us that Santa was on his way to BC.

pricing conundrum

2008-12-23T16:23:00.003-07:00

I'm pretty comfortable with the pricing on my functional pieces. I could raise the prices a bit, but now doesn't seem to be the time. I am making quite a few smaller pieces for this show as the smaller pieces seem to be the ones that people purchase. I have a really hard time pricing my art pieces. A lot of work goes into them and a lot of me personally goes into them. They are so much more than production pieces. So my question for you guys: Do you have any formulas or systems that you use to arrive at prices for your pieces? Either functional or non-functional pricing schemes. Help!

frost porcelain lantern forms

2008-12-23T15:24:00.002-07:00

I started to work on the vessel portion of my upcoming show this week. I am happy with these lantern forms. The Frost porcelain is beautifully translucent when lit.

The text and image portion of the show is a little more challenging. There is so much I want to say and so many different aspects of woman as vessel that I can explore. I think I will spend next week researching more and letting ideas float around in my head.

Happy Holidays everyone!

pondering new forms, thinking warmth and light

2008-12-21T12:20:00.003-07:00

It seems like quite a break to be in my studio only. I have been working full time in the schools again. I love it, but find it tiring when I return to my studio each evening and weekend to catch up for Christmas orders. Now it is holiday time. My only responsibility is to be in my studio until Christmas day. All of the orders are out, all of the extra pieces placed in the galleries and shops and I am just sitting in my gallery waiting for last minute shoppers. It is -30 outside so I am quite happy to be inside. I spent yesterday catching up on bookeeping and organizating the paperwork portion of my studio. Today is all about thinking. Thinking about my upcoming show which I need to finalize forms for. I am still floating around a lot of ideas. I start building the show pieces tomorrow so I have to come to some kind of a conclusion. With all the cold and dark around me I am leaning toward porcelain vessels that contain candles. I like the idea of the warmth and glow coming forth in a darkened room. Now I need to decide on the text and images to have on the cylinders. Hmmmmm

christmas meme

2008-12-13T14:52:00.002-07:00

This meme comes from Gary Rith, a fabulous and friendly fellow potter.

1. What was the best present you've ever received?

A ride-on yellow duckie that my sister actually got. I, being the bigger (and apparently meaner) sister, pushed her off and rode it around myself. My family still mocks me about this...

2. What was the worst?

A barbie camper when what I really wanted was an electric train set. A great present, just not the train set I was dreaming about. Still have never received a train set (but I'm over it now).

3. What is something you really want this year for yourself?

A new camera body. To be specific a Pentax K200D digital SLR body that will fit all of my beautiful and unsurpassed by modern techonology lenses of old.

4. What is something you really want this year for someone else?

I would like little fairies to come and finish building my husband's workshop so that he can start his business.

5. What's your favorite Christmas memory?

This would be an amalgam of all of the Christmas's spent with my family at either my Grandma Kate and Grandpa Vic's farm in Vancouver, or at my Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Roy's beautiful brick house in Winnipeg. All of my family together, eating and playing games. Magical.

What are your answers?

new pots and new stamps

2008-12-13T13:34:00.002-07:00

I opened the last kiln load before Christmas today and was very happy with the results. Here are the porcelain vases with the plant decals in matte copper.

Porcelain plant vases in Gary Cranberry (what a nice ring).

Large bowl (16 inch) in matte copper. I have a plant series going now. I have however run out of decals. This is a good thing as I need to start working on my show that is coming up. No production decals means that I shoud focus my energy on creating forms and text for May.

Squidly the bowl.

Some lovely new stamps from my friend Vanessa. Who knew that befriending a scrapbooker would have such great results? (Just kidding Vanessa, scrapbooking is totally cool, I mean it...really). I just mock it because I am no good at it.

winter wonderland (aka - no one can make it to Calgary)

2008-12-06T15:21:00.003-07:00

The snow has been falling for two days steady now. It is beautiful and deep and means that a lot of people will be town doing their Christmas shopping this weekend...

I finally have something with a dragonfly on it. I get a lot of requests and had yet to find the perfect image. This one is it!

Spring flower decal mugs. I sold a lot of decalled ware at the last two craft faires. I am going to spend tomorrow scanning and printing new images.

The shelves are full but with no back up pieces. My best hope is that I will sell it all in the next month and can then get started working on my upcoming show and a new body of studio work.

Waiting for decals and then waiting for a place in the kiln.

revelstoke craft faire

2008-12-06T14:58:00.003-07:00

When you can't afford to go to Hawaii, you go to Revelstoke. At least that's what we kept telling ourselves last weekend. Picture the above, but with a lot of snow...

Here is my sweetie, faithfully manning the display and spending the entire weekend with me, indoors, selling pots. He is a good man.

It was a good weekend, a lot slower than the Golden Craft Faire, and not nearly as warm as Hawaii. But good in it's own way.

oh it's been so long...

2008-12-06T14:46:00.002-07:00

Much silliness ensued during the last weekend in November. My girlfriends and I met in Calgary for our annual weekend of debauchery. My girlfriends all debauched and I behaved myself...

This photo illustrates the reason for my good behaviour. In case you don't notice the bump, Tracy's finger is directing you to it.

However, the rest of the gang had no problems making up for my lack of craziness.

See, no silly face making this time.

I have a confession to make. I am no longer solely running my studio. I have taken a position with the School District again. So Monday to Friday I am in the schools full-time (self-employment doesn't offer maternity leave...). This would be the biggest reason for the lack of posts lately. Running a studio during the busiest time of the year AND a full-time job haven't left me a lot of time for posting. I will back at it on the weekends and as soon as the position ends.

crafty goodness part two

2008-11-16T13:30:00.003-07:00

Holly Drage and Gray Johnson of Crimson Cat Creations. Holly makes beautiful lampwork and fused glass work. Her son Gray paints some extremely interesting paintings.

Sharma and Jane and their leather and felt creations.

And of course, a whole lot of cute baby hugging. Babies were everywhere at this craft faire.

crafty goodness

2008-11-16T13:18:00.002-07:00

The craft faire was a success! Here is Miss Suzanne Cooper of Sexpots with her stunning display of sexy pottery.

The lovely Miss Tammy Castonguey of Rainbow Threads. She had a tent sent up and was busy stitching as people shopped.

The ever enthusiastic Misses Risa and Jada with their collection of jewelry, vessels and Christmas ornaments.

My display was two tables long, so it neede to be shot in parts.

The turquoise mugs and most of the decal bowls went right away. Sales were somewhat down from last year although still worth spending the weekend. Everyone seemed happy with the weekend. I am tired and will save my energy for another two weeks before we hit the Revelstoke craft faire.

more pretty things

2008-11-11T15:31:00.003-07:00

Risa's vessels.

Turquoise beauties.

Bug bowls.

Jellyfish undersea mugs.

Bulbs.

pretty things

2008-11-11T15:23:00.002-07:00

Special order compost jar.

Jug with my new glaze.

Saki set with red glaze and floral decal.

My favorite, undersea squid.

Octopi.

phew

2008-11-09T15:52:00.002-07:00

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful things came out of my kiln today. I will take more photos later in the week when I am sanding and pricing.

The second 2/3rds of the ski hill order...

And the rest of them. Yay! Handles and stamping on Tuesday and then they need to dry. Glad that it is (mostly) done.

Christmas Craft Faire

2008-11-08T16:01:00.002-07:00

The craft faire begins this Friday at noon. I am mostly ready. I need to do one more bisque, 3 more glaze and 1 more decal firings. I will not have enough days, so some stuff will just have to be sold out of the studio or at the Revelstoke Hand Made Parade at the end of November. I will spend all of Thursday night packing and boxing up all the pieces.

My daughter's beautiful vases waiting to go in the glaze kiln. She made, glazed and decorated these herself. I am excited!

The first third of the ski hill mug order was glazed today and will go in the kiln next week. Tomorrow the other 2/3rds will be thrown and then stamped/handled on Monday or Tuesday. The studio is starting to get really chilly now and we are supposed to have snow by Thursday.

a little music to get me through

2008-11-01T14:55:00.002-06:00

The wonderful Winnipeg band Nathan. They are the fun alt country band that got me through my day today. I am very tired after having 6 teenage girls sleepover at my house last night. Because Halloween + unlimited sugar + teenage girls + scary movies = Mom doesn't get to sleep very much.

I finally had to stop throwing because my hands were no longer functioning through the control of my brain. I ruined two large bowls through sheer clumsiness, my hands didn't do what my brain told them to do. You know that means it is time to walk away from the wheel. I have 1 and 1/2 weeks left before the first Christmas craft faire. Mostly ready except for glazing and decal firings. I would like to try to get some more medium sized bowls thrown this week.

Mugs glazed in the lovely new red glaze that was generously recipeed (is this a word? and if so, how to spell it????) to me from Gary. Thanks Gary! I love it. These are now sanded and priced and on the shelf.

Glazing and posting were the final parts to my day. All is done now and I am going to go inside and find my book and relax in a lovely hot bath. I have the house to myself and that rarely happens. Lucky me.

need more time...

2008-10-25T15:35:00.002-06:00

A very hot kiln needing to be unloaded so that it can be reloaded with bisque because I have students coming to glaze on Monday. One layer at a time, with mittens. This always happens. I think that I will let it cool down to under 100 degrees with the lid closed. Then the time crunch, then I am propping the lid at 400 degrees, opening at 300 degrees and removing pieces with mittens because they are damn hot. No crazing yet, I have been lucky. More photos of new work coming tomorrow.

Some large bowls thrown today. 12 pounds each, I am COVERED in clay. More bowls coming tomorrow.

still cute and lots of pots

2008-10-23T15:11:00.002-06:00

Here is Taz after his spa day. He looks like a whole new dog...or a rat, depending on who you ask. I think he is adorable and I like that this new 'do' doesn't collect as many sticks, leaves and clumps of unmentionable ickiness. He fits through his dog door a little more smoothly as well (he is on a diet).

My studio is getting so full of work in progress that I am having a difficult time finding a place to put things. It is all about the shuffle stuff around game. This week and next I wrap up lessons with my students. They are excited about glazing and I am excited about having more space for my own work.

I have been talking to a lot of different people about the state of the world and the looming financial crisis (or in some places, the existing financial crisis). We talk about ways to cope and job security and expendable income. When things get tough and tight, people make fewer uneccesary purchases. Do any of you have any thoughts about this? How do you think we artists will fare? My business has steadily been growing and the optimist in me thinks that this will continue. Thoughts?

more bowls, animalia and a shaggy puppy

2008-10-21T15:54:00.002-06:00

More small bowls. I am feeling the time crunch with the first Christmas faire in the middle of November. I am mostly on track, just feeling a little crowded in the studio.

I love the freedom that children have when creating. They seem to be missing all of those negative 'you can't do that' voices that we adults often have.

This is a kitty bank that one of my 7 year old students made for his little sister for Christmas. All by himself. Very cool.

My very shaggy puppy who is going for a MAJOR grooming tomorrow. I will post after photos on Thursday.

finished work, fresh bowls and a surprise

2008-10-14T15:07:00.003-06:00

New coffee mugs. I love the way this glaze is always changing and dripping.

A new combo of oil spot and brown. Not my favorite, but variety is important on the shelves. Or so I keep telling myself, although less and less often...

This week is make bowls for the craft fair week. Here are about 24 of the small soup bowls that I threw this morning.

Clay reclaim waiting to be wedged up.

Suprise, coming to a really full household near you (well, probably not near most of you) sometime in May.

my day for Mrs. G

2008-10-12T16:18:00.003-06:00

6:30 am, the alarm rings us awake and Taz starts cuddling and wiggling about. We are both up and getting ready for our day. I make lunches for my girls and then have a quick cup of green tea before I wake them up at 7.

8:15 am, the girls leave for school and I head to the computer with yet another cup of green tea so that I can check my email and all of the blogs that I am addicted to. I make myself some rye toast with peanut butter and an avacado on the side for breakfast.

9am, hop in the shower and then head out to the studio.

Today I will be waxing and glazing all of the rest of the coffee mugs that I have thrown. Lots of mixing and dipping. Thankfully, no glaze batch making as I seem to have enough of everything. Many breaks taken to check email and facebook.

12pm finds me outside of the highschool to drop off the baking dish filled with lime green jello. Jada has to build a cell with jello and candy and the dish was too big to carry to school in the morning. I have a quick lunch of leftover salad from last night and some fruit.

12:30 and I am back in the studio. I spend some time cleaning up all of the work that has come out of the kiln. It needs to be sanded, priced and put on display in the gallery. I take the time to photograph some and upload it to my Etsy shop. More puttering around in the studio, getting ready for students and trying to tidy up.

5:00pm and I am inside starting to make dinner. Tonight we will have roast pumpkin and garlic soup with fresh bread (from the bakery) and a green salad. I LOVE soup in the cold seasons.

7:00pm and I am off to yoga class at Golden Lotus Ayurveda. Yoga keeps me sane and I love the escape. I manage to make it to class about twice a week.

8:30pm and I am back home to help my girls with any school work and to organize the house for tomorrow.

10:00pm and we are all off to bed after checking our emails one last time.

Thanks for the opportunity to share our days with you Mrs. G! Check out everyone else's day at Derfwad Manor.

pondering growth and learning while throwing mugs

2008-10-05T16:38:00.003-06:00

Today is supposed to be a day off, but that doesn't actually happen in Sept, Oct or Nov. Too much going on with students, orders and craft shows. Today I threw 1/3 of the KHMR mug order. Things are getting exciting with them, a bit of variety in the style and colour as well as an increase in the total number. I like a little variety with my orders.

While I was throwing I was thinking about training in the field of ceramics. I live in a small town where opportunities are somewhat limited in the art training field. I always wonder if my work would grow faster and be better if I had some more formalized ceramics training. I started throwing about 7 years ago. I am mostly self-taught. I have taken a few hand-building/raku courses, I have taken a 3 day workshop with potter Dee Funk, I have taken two short courses at Red Deer College, I have done a 1 year apprenticeship with local potter Lee Bedford of Canyon Creek Pottery, I have thrown and thrown and thrown now steady for 2 years. I want more training. I am thinking about doing a distance ceramics diploma from Australia National University. Two years, lots of learning. Janet DeBoos is the head of program and I LOVE her work (see above photo). She is my ceramics hero. So my potter question to you is: What experience and training do you have? How do you feel about this? What do you wish you had done, what do you wish you hadn't done? Please comment or email me, I would love to know how your experience has been.

a day of wet clay

2008-10-04T17:13:00.002-06:00

I spent the day throwing saki sets and tumblers. My hands are numb from the cold water. I am off to a hot, hot bath now.

my etsy is running again

2008-10-02T13:46:00.004-06:00

It has taken me forever and I apologize that my etsy shop has been so empty for so long. I think that if I was happier with my photography I would have a shop crammed with items. When things get busy, somethings got to give. In my case that would be screwing around with my pocket (and therefore not fabulous for this type of thing) digital camera. My photos are suffering because I do not have the proper equipment, nor the energy to devote to trying to work with what I have. What I really want is a nice sunny day at at outdoor location with real live people and my pots. I will work on that for next time...

Here are the pots that are now in the etsy shop. I do make custom orders (although most of you guys are actually potters yourselves and do not require custom made pots from others). Nonetheless, if you want a particular turn of phrase on a mug, let me know.

I would love some suggestions (can't call it criticism as that word terrifies me) about my work and the direction it is heading in. What do you like? What do you not like? I do tend to only make work that I like, but at the same time, if we all like it, even better.

I used to be a librarian and an elementary school teacher, so the background to my love of reading and nerds is pretty obvious. My husband is the sexiest nerd around (oh, and my friend Dana's husband - he is an uber nerd as well). Really, embrace a nerd today!

I have also made specific cups with bad words on them. These I don't list on Etsy and I don't have on my table at the craft faires (don't want to offend and there are children about...). Unless you are offending me with your choice of words, I will put all kinds of curse words on cups. Oh, and I put happy things on cups too.

the shelves are filling up with pretty things

2008-09-29T17:09:00.002-06:00

One of the large bowls with my new floral decals. I love the sepia and turquoise together.

The fun fish now have homes on mugs with handles. They come in orange, wisteria, yellow and lime. Fishes are whatever I most enjoyed looking at when the time came.

Here we have the deep sea creepies and a school of salmon.

These are the mugs that I prefer the shape of. They are the perfect combination of control and wobblyness. I wish I had hundreds and not just two.

A close-up of the vases. Orange says beautiful flowers and lime says I love pretty flowers.

I have mistakently created italics. What fun!

talk nerdy to me

2008-09-26T15:14:00.002-06:00

I have had another busy few days in the studio. These are some jug forms that are setting up a bit and waiting for handles and spouts.

Fresh work out of the kiln. Which is a good thing as the tourists still seem to be around and my shelves were getting pretty bare.

Oh and I do, I do.

Mugs with the turquoise glaze that worked. Thank goodness because the bride to be comes to pick them up in about 30 minutes. I am busy with custom orders, but they all seem to be fun so far. I guess I have just been saying no to the orders that I don't want to make (large dinnerware sets, goblets).

Bright coloured vases in the sunny display window. I am very happy with the new loose and wobbly forms for the tall mugs. They are also in the window, but you can't really see their fabulousness. I will take more photos and post them later.

beauty in the everyday

2008-09-23T14:31:00.003-06:00

This is my father in law, hard at work filling a very large, very expensive hole in my backyard. The hole will be home to a future concrete slab which preceeds the building of Matt's new workshop. Shops eat time and money whilst being built.

I have been busy with classes. These are going very well as you can see from the very happy student who has just thrown the biggest pot she ever imagined she could throw.

This is what happens when you rush to get a load glazed and you neglect to test the glaze first. You get crappy, super-ugly mugs that you can't do anything to fix. These were for an order that thankfully isn't being picked up until Friday afternoon. I have another load in the bisque now and it will be glazed and out by Friday (although still a bit hot...).

These were in the same glaze load and they are perfect. I really love the combination of the matte clear and matte turquoise. They look soft and luscious.

I worked on neclaces and Christmas ornaments today. I have students coming this afternoon, so I needed a task that didn't involve the time, mess and dedication of throwing. These can be whipped off quickly and clean up is easy.

I found a beautiful quote from Frank Lloyd Wright the other day. It was on a blog that I read, but I can't remember which one (sorry!).

"The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes. If you foolishly ignore beauty, you will soon find yourself without it. Your life will be impoverished. But if you invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life."

I am going to try and live this philosophy. Find the beauty in the everyday. Celebrate beauty.

it's been a while

2008-09-16T14:11:00.002-06:00

I have been a busy, busy woman lately. This weekend was the Fall Faire and the entire town came out. We saw giant vegetables, giant flowers, we experienced some face painting and bobbing for apples. We listened to some wonderful local music, watched some amazing skateboarding and bmxing and we sold some pots.

I have been furiously squirreling away coffee mugs. I have set myself a schedule and each item gets set days. I am overflowing with mugs right now and they have move on through the process because next week I start on pitchers and jugs.

My lessons are progressing nicely and I have been sharing all kinds of fun tips (like the one above). I really enjoy teaching.

We have an election coming up here in Canada. We are speedier in process than our neighbors to the south. The election was called last week and we will be voting in October to elect (hopefully) a new prime minister. I am all about democracy and voting. So get your vote on everybody!

My sweetie was tired of listening to my incessant whining about lack of storage space and he kindly took time out from his shop construction to build me a new storage rack. I am happy and feel like I have a little more elbow room. Thank you Matt! I will try to be more on top of posting. New work is coming but you probably have to wait about two weeks to see it.

running out of pots

2008-09-09T15:13:00.003-06:00

Mug bodies thrown today and bowls from another day. Pots have been flying off the shelves and I really don't have a lot left. The tourists seem to be still travelling the roads and I have the Fall Faire market coming up this weekend. Only a few fish cups and bowls left. I am excited and feel my potting enthusiasm returning.

high school, pottery classes and the last farmers market

2008-09-08T13:48:00.002-06:00

Here they are, 13 years old and in grade 8 now. High school used to seem so far away.

I started teaching again this week. I have spread my classes out over the course of the week rather than trying to cram them all in one day. It seems to be easier so far.

Here is my display from the last farmers market of the year. I put my new fish plates out and they were very well received. I like it when what I like, others like as well.

A closer view of the new ware on display.

My one and only squid bowl. I love it, I took it off the table about 5 minutes after this photo was taken. I can't sell it.

groovin' to Barry White whilst unloading a kiln

2008-09-02T15:50:00.002-06:00

This photo is for all of my friends and family who have seen my hideous fireplace. This is the new and improved fireplace. Add a little paint and plants and art and it improves so much. Now I just need to get rid of that nasty gas insert...

Fresh out of the kiln and I am loving them!

Little fishies everywhere.

My favorite, looks like he is going for the drip.

Little goldfishes leaping out of the yellow hole.

a weekend of work

2008-09-01T13:35:00.002-06:00

The Tattoo show was fabulous. Lots of great ideas for next year. The food however, left a lot to be desired. This is what we had for dinner.

This is the greatest baby toy ever that was HANDMADE and given to the greatest baby ever. I am thinking that these should be sold on etsy (toys, not babies).

This is my turquoise matte glaze on some new tumblers. I have thinned it down to try to solve the running problems and have encountered new pinholing problems.

Decals applied, these are now in the kiln. Detailed photos tomorrow after they have cooled down.

decalmania

2008-08-29T16:02:00.003-06:00

I finally got my decal paper in the mail. Today was spent photoshopping, printing and cutting out all of the decals. I haven't used laser printer decals for about two years. I used them in my show "Written on the Body" in 2004, and have made a few pieces as presents for friends. I like them because they are easy and you can make a decal of anything you can scan. The freshly glazed pots are in the kiln and the BAB's are still too damp to trim. I am off to Calgary tomorrow to re-stock clay and glaze materials AND to attend the big tattoo show.

glazing, chocolate, mixed cd's and some photography

2008-08-28T15:55:00.003-06:00

The light is beautiful today. These are waxed and waiting for me to commit to glazing. I have decided that this entire lot is to be consigned to the new glaze/decal plan. A bit daring as it could all look like crap. In my head it looks great and I suppose I could do a small test run, but that wouldn't really be like me.

I am busy trying to tie up loose ends, most of which revolve around my ancient website. I get SO many more hits and business from my blog that I wonder whether my website is even necessary. I have decided that since the blog server is cheap and I can create and maintain the site myself, I will keep it up. That being decided I now have to update it as most of the functional ware depicted is unlike anything I currently make.

My parents gave me their old digital camera when they got a new one. The new to me one is nicer than my convenient pocket digital (that I know how to use). I have been trying to find time (motivation) to take some new photos of my work. Today was the day! I set up, I photographed, it all looked great. I plugged the USB cable into the camera and the laptop...nothing. The laptop cannot read the camera. Quickly to the manual, follow instructions to the letter. Try again...nothing. Give up and use old digital camera to take some pictures before the new work is sold. So the above shot is taken with the old camera. I am trying to make the photos a little different and interesting. I think the next step is to take it all on the road and find interesting, incongruous spots to photograph work.

The highlight of my day has been eating the chocolate that a very thoughtful friend gave me as a wedding present (well, I guess us, but I needed it more). And listening to wonderful mixed CD's that my friend gave me long ago. Rock on (friends and loved ones picture my rock face and hands here). My mood has lifted.

making BAB's

2008-08-26T15:15:00.003-06:00

Today was all about the big-ass-bowls. I have not thrown in about a month and these have been sitting on the to do list for a while. I was fine with the centering (usually a gong show with slip everywhere including my glasses) of the large lumps of clay. However, everytime I tried to pull up the wall I would instead remove large chunks of clay. It was getting really frustrating and I couldn't get the clay to stay wet. Simple solution (which came to me after about 5 tries) was to use my sponge to pull up the walls. Usually I just use my fingers, the sponge is better. The walls flew up easily.

I spent the morning running errands. A new display at Jita's Cafe and some more stock to the Gallery as things are selling well. Tomorrow is the last farmers market in the regular location and we have a special market happening up at KHMR on Sunday if anyone can make it. They have music and food, the gondola and shops are open, perhaps even Boo will out and about. My class registration is going well, only a few spots left. Now I'm off to throw more BAB's.

a bit terrified and excited too

2008-08-22T15:47:00.002-06:00

As I mentioned in yesterdays post, I have been doing a lot of thinking about ceramics lately. Foremost has been thoughts about the show 'Woman as Vessel' that I am working on. I have a lot of ideas but none of them have been capturing my interest. Except this one, this little thought that keeps bubbling up to the surface when I am least expecting it. I promptly shove it to the bottom again, hoping that it will go away.

It's not going away. So here is what I am thinking: I am the woman as vessel. All of my shows have been intimately connected to themes that I feel passionately about, but none of them have been about me. I always shy away from this. Sometimes I love an artist's work when they reference themselves and their experiences. Often it comes across as pretentious and self-absorbed. It is a fine line. And perhaps (likely) it is a line that moves depending on who is doing the looking. After much discussion with my ever-supportive husband I have decided that I am going to work my experiences in my body into this next show. Maybe it will be wonderful, maybe it will be pretentious, undoubtably it will be self-absorbed, hopefully it will be interesting to people other than myself. Definitely it is scary.

new art and new ideas

2008-08-21T13:17:00.002-06:00

I just acquired another painting by my friend Martha Ryan. It is the first in a new series she is doing and I love it. She works on canvas with oil. This painting is hanging in my bedroom now after a bit of painting re-shuffling. I love windows, I love paintings, the two do not go well together, not enough wall space. I would guess that this painting is about 5 feet by 3 feet or so. I just lie on my bed at night and stare at it.

My time away the from studio was a good thing. I have come home renewed and excited about working on new pieces. I have spent this week organizing my studio and working on my calendar and sketchbook. I have it all planned and sketched out now and I will begin work on the winter collection on Monday. Class registration has begun and spots are filling up. Classes start the second week of September, so I will be busy.

My work has changed significantly from what I made when I started throwing 7 years ago. Apart from the regular progression from chunky, clunky pots to even-walled proportion, I have refined what I like and what I want to make. I am really feeling excited about this narrowing of perspective. I am seeing a lot of porcelain, thin, thin porcelain with colour, text and image in my future. I will post photos and maybe even update my website since what I currently make isn't represented on my site.

the highlights

2008-08-19T13:29:00.004-06:00

The Vancouver Artgallery and the exhibits by Zhang Huan: Altered States, Rebecca Belmore: Rising to the Occasion, Krazy! The Delirious World of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art, and Canadian Women Modernists: The dialogue with Emily Carr.

My wonderful little sister (I still get to say that even though we are almost 40) and my wonderful niece were out for the wedding and we spent a lot of time together. Soleil especially liked to sit up top and 'drive' the boat. She is back in Ottawa now and I miss her terribly (my sister too).

We had all of the children for the holiday time before the wedding. We went to the goats on the roof market, we went boating, we went to the beach, we ate prawns, we ate ice cream, we watched cartoons, we took silly photographs with ALL of the cement statues at the market.

We are a LOT of sushi (and tempera), and it was really, really, really good.

I am still taller than my daughters.

married

2008-08-18T15:14:00.002-06:00

The gorgeous groom and his gorgeous daughter were first down the aisle.

Next came another beautiful fairy daughter strewing petals.

Then came my two beautiful daughters.

Then me, as my dad used his new camera paparazzi style.

Here we are all, one big, happy family.
And it didn't rain.

august 12th

2008-07-31T13:12:00.002-06:00

something old

something new

something borrowed

something blue

see you at the end of August!

farmers market

2008-07-31T13:04:00.003-06:00

Ominous skies to start. We had a brief but powerful downpour to start us off and then although it was chilly and windy, the rain stayed away.

John Jenkins entertained us. It was beautiful.

He has a CD for sale, you can order it from his website.

I sold a lot of the new mugs. I took a lot of orders for custom mugs. I am very pleased that all of my new work is being so well received. I really enjoy making it. Text and clay go very well together.

Thin, thin, thin, turquoise bowls. I need to find a way for this glaze to run less, any ideas?

my favorite ex-husband

2008-07-31T12:53:00.002-06:00

This is a public service announcement. There is a fabulous little bookstore and cafe in Golden B.C., called Bacchus Books and Cafe. It is run by Caleb Moss and Niki Dusseault. Also know as my ex-husband and my children's stepmother.

They have books...

a beautiful interior, with lots of selection and witty banter...

and a fabulous cafe upstairs.

They also have a new website and a blog which is worth checking out!

%&$#@&

2008-07-31T12:42:00.002-06:00

I really thought nothing of it. A normal firing, no alarms ringing, regular 8 1/2 hours. It was very not ok when I opened the lid. Hmmmm, that shelf is tilting at an alarming angle. Oh f___ all of the wedding place cards are in this firing. Ok, be calm, breath. There is nothing you can do, if they are wrecked, they are wrecked. You leave tomorrow, perhaps being a bit more ahead of the game would have been a good idea. No stop, bad self-talk is not helping. Breath...damn it, the kiln is still at 250 degrees, can't move the shelf yet to see the damage beneath. Go inside, pace, calm down, become philosophical about it all. It is what it is. Ok, down to 170, off comes the top shelf. Oh happy, happy day, ALL of the place cards made it.

Not so for the stuff of shelf #2. Everything must have tilted during the firing as the whole shelf spun around. Sadly it came down on my pyrometer/kiln controller thingy. It is very injured, I think it will need replacing. Amazingly enough, I only lost 4 bowls (and the controller, and it looks like some damaged posts/walls and possibly the elements).

It must have happened right when it reached cone. It is amazing to me how pliable it all is at that point. I have unloaded and set bits aside, closed the kiln lid and walked away until I return from holidays.

one more old love and some pots

2008-07-29T15:14:00.002-06:00

Waxed and waiting for me to decide just exactly how they will be glazed. I am trying to clear my studio of as much ware as possible before I go on holidays. Only 3 more sleeps...

Beautiful lighting in the studio. They are now glazed and drying before they go into the kiln. Out for the farmers market on Wednesday then another kiln load of glaze firing before I go.

The beautiful and stylish Amy Mann. She has a very powerful voice with a range I like (which means I can sing her songs). She has a new album out and she is still fabulous. Thank you Amy for being done with Till Tuesday and the 80's.

3 new loves and one renewed

2008-07-28T16:55:00.004-06:00

Calgary Folk Music Festival was everything I wanted it to be. Good friends, good music, good times. Here we are in the beer garden.

One of my new boyfriends. Formerly of Neutral Milk Hotel, now of A Hawk and A Hacksaw. He is adorable, kind and plays all instruments. I LOVE the accordion and the moustache.

My new girlfriend, Claire Jenkins. She plays with Claire Jenkins avec band. She is witty and funny and flamboyant and she has an AMAZING voice.

A renewed love interest, Wendy McNeil. She is feisty and plays the accordion and guitar. I have loved her for a while but she upped and moved to Europe. Thank goodness she came back.

Totally my number one new boyfriend. I just felt the connection between us despite the other 10,000 people watching him. Andrew Bird, whistler, violinist, xylophone. My own true love (after my fiance).

mother's little helper

2008-07-23T15:16:00.004-06:00

Well, I didn't make it to the farmers market today. So we spent the rest of the day in the studio. This is one of my studio helpers. He slept.

Here is a close-up. He is looking irritated because I am disturbing his slumber.

This is the reason I was not at the farmers market. My hair appointment that started at 11am continued through to 2pm. A little too late to get to the market. So we returned to the studio for the day.

My other helper rolled out porcelain and learned how to make hand-built drinking vessels. She did not like the rolling part. She is looking forward to the decorating part. Off to the festival in the morning, see you on Monday.

back to work

2008-07-22T12:30:00.002-06:00

Greenware trying desperately to please me by becoming dry enough for me to fire. I am running out of time to get this all finished. I am back in the studio today, loading the kiln, making vases and throwing some more water jugs. Tomorrow is the Farmer's Market and then on Thursday I am off to the Calgary Folk Music Festival.

Look look, I'm real! I started the process to get these signs in March. They have just been put up and I am thrilled. One on either side of the street on the same block as my studio. You can see the arrow is pointing directly at my very yellow house. Yay!

and it was good

2008-07-22T12:18:00.002-06:00

I am back from my very relaxing weekend in Banff with my girlfriends. Here is a photo of me with my lovely new market bag from bespoke boutique. I love it, it held everything and is the most perfect turquoise colour. Note my hair, it will be very, very different in the next photo you see of me.

We drank a bit...

We laughed and smiled and told lots of stories. The sun was shining and it was very nice.

Some of us spoke with our hands while we told our stories. We drank some more at various Banff establishments. Oh, and we ate too.

All in all a delightful weekend.

wee break

2008-07-19T16:39:00.003-06:00

So the bowls are trimmed,

the handles are on,

the tumblers are thrown,

and I am off to Banff with my girlfriends. See you on Tuesday.

greenware as far as the eye can see

2008-07-18T14:08:00.003-06:00

Medium bowls waiting to be trimmed. I have been in my studio throwing pretty constantly. I feel like I need to make a lot because September will be here before I know it. That means classes starting and craft faires coming. I am doing two Christmas gift faires this year as well as my regular studio open house. I need a lot more work than I currently have. I also have a new show that I would like to be working on. It will all happen when it happens.

Freshly thrown coffee mugs waiting for handles (they will have to wait until tomorrow).

Different trimmed bowls drying on the shelves.

A very full damp cupboard also drying. I have all surfaces covered with green pots in various stages. Well, not entirely covered. I have room for about 16 more tiles on my table. I think I will go and throw some tumblers and fill up that wasted space...

a very busy day

2008-07-17T13:37:00.003-06:00

The Farmers Market was amazing yesterday. Tons of vendors and a whole lot of shoppers. I had an epic day and I am throwing my fanny off today (if only it were that easy...). Above is a shot of the beautiful wood turnings of Suzette Dunphy from Mystical Turnings. It was sunny too!

Because I have nothing else to blog about I will tell you about the amazing movie I watched the other night. It is a musical called Across the Universe and it is fabulous! I highly recommend it and I LOVE musicals.

progress

2008-07-15T15:28:00.004-06:00

My all time favorite glaze. The cups exactly as I imagined them. They are very thin and uniform. I am happy.

Ditto for the bowl. It measures 8 inches across and 3 1/2 tall. It is really light and delicate.

Less than stellar jugs in my mind. A bit thicker than I want them to be, but the colours are good.

My favorite from the firing. A very loose, very unpracticed line drawing of my laptop. I am going to spend my holiday time practicing line drawing and choosing what odd things I want to place on my pots.

Trimmed today, these are exactly what I am trying to head toward. They have very thin walls and I like the balance of the flared foot. I have learned that wanting exceptionally thin pots means that I will be doing a lot of trimming no matter how thin I throw them to start.

some days you have a lot to post about

2008-07-14T12:55:00.003-06:00

This is the new Art Gallery of Golden. It is looking good and I am pleased that my pots are there. It has only been open a week, so I don't have a read on how well things will sell yet. Summer is tourist busy though, so should be good.

This was dinner last night. Salad Nicoise (lettuce, black olives, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, tuna, boiled new potatoes, any other vegetables you enjoy), this is one of my favorites. I bring all the parts to the table and then everyone can assemble their own. This works really well with children. I always drink a lovely french organic white wine with it. Then I pretend I am in southern France.

The best part is the dressing, it is to die for.
Hollyhock Yeast Dressing: from Hollyhock on Cortes Island, British Columbia
1/2 C nutritional flake yeast
1/3 C water
1/3 C tamari
1/3 C apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp crushed garlic
1 1/2 C sunflower oil
Mix all the ingredients except the oil in a blender. When well mixed, slowly drizzle the oil in while mixing until desired consistency is reached. This is the best dressing ever and we also eat it on grains, or as a gravy for fries.

Freshly thrown bowls. I am trying to push my practice in a bit of a new direction. I guess it isn't really a new direction, I am just trying to push myself in a certain direction. I find that lately a lot of what is coming out of the kiln is ok, but not what I really want to be doing. I have decided to try and push myself in the direction of the pots I want to be making, the pots I will be proud of making. So first I had to catalogue what I wanted to be creating:
-really thin walled pots
-colours that really catch my eye and are unique in my area
-soft, flowing, organic shapes
-line drawings
-pots that are crossing the line from solely functional to functional art

This is a heavy order. I still need to make the pots that sell. I need to find time to let this new work evolve.

Fresh out of the kiln. They are now sanded and priced and on the shelves. I will post more photos of them all tomorrow. I am loving the little laptop cup.

simply sean and the CBC keep me going

2008-07-12T13:12:00.002-06:00

Glazed pots waiting to be put in the kiln. I am trying a new dandelion yellow as well as a bit of freehand drawing on the sides.

My favorite style of drawing is sort of a modified blind contour. I use a fine tip black pen and draw the essential lines of an object, not removing my pen from the paper and only looking every once in a while to ensure that I am not totally off track. I tried a bit of this on some of these pieces and if they don't totally suck you will see photos of them on Monday.

Water and margarita jugs.

Sean Cullen of CBC radio's simply sean. He is a very, very, very funny man, he makes my Saturday all summer long.

stamps and a bad memory

2008-07-11T15:47:00.002-06:00

A load of bisque waiting to be glazed. I really enjoy glazing. I use small post-it notes to plan out all of the different patterns and glazes I will use. Otherwise Iend up with a whole lot of the same thing or I just forget what my original intentions were. Of course my favorite time is when I get to open the kiln after a glaze firing.

Here are some new mugs stamped with my new alphabet stamps. I love working with leather hard clay. I come up with great ideas (or so it seems to me) for words and expressions to put on my pots and then I forget to write them down. When it comes time to stamp the pots I am always scrambling about trying to remember what my ideas were. Seems I have some memory problems, perhaps I should start writing things down...

These mugs are finished with my homemade stamps. I like them so far.

feeling good (and noticed)

2008-07-10T13:02:00.002-06:00

A lovely surprise today. I was reading my morning blogs which I greatly look forward to, coffee in hand. My first stop, Derfwad Manor, is being hosted by many other fabulous bloggers while the wonderful Mrs. G is away on vacation. Some very, very wise and funny woman are helping out and I have now added a slew of new blogs to my morning read. I am going to have to get up an hour earlier just so that I have time to read them all. Trust me, it is worth it. And to top it all off, Mrs. G. (or a guest blogger???) has put my blog and a photo of some of my work up on the sidebar with the heading 'check out this crafty derf'. I LOVE being a derf. I have already let my future husband know that my retirement plans include the Women's Colony. He can come and visit.

messy, but lookin' good

2008-07-10T12:43:00.002-06:00

Farmer's Market #2 yesterday. Entertainment was provided by the High Country Spinners. We had the chance to try out the spinning wheels and the drop spindles. I felt just like Briar Rose.

The down times find me reading as I can't just stare at people as they walk past the booth, I feel like a combination of a peeping tom and a zoo exhibit. This book is fantastic.

Proud of the alpaca yarn that she has created. We had a good time fantasizing about the alpacas we would raise and how we could all spin yarn and learn to knit. Lasted for about an hour before I was reminded that I don't really like the country (to live in) and am high tailing it for the city at the first opportunity. Kids and their clear sightedness.

I had an apron epiphany on Tuesday. I am a VERY MESSY potter. I am also concerned that I look good in the studio. This is also my gallery and I see a lot of people each week. These people come to the gallery because they want a little bit of the art and artist in action. Me in action is very messy and wreaks havoc on my nice clothing. I had been using this normal apron and found that it worked fine except for the entire lower half of my body which was always covered in clay. I snipped it up the middle so that it will separate and cover each of my legs as I sit at the wheel. It works really well and I didn't have to buy an expensive pottery version. If you are a messy potter who likes to wear nice clothing to work, I suggest you snip your apron.

the wedding is coming, the wedding is coming

2008-07-08T12:52:00.002-06:00

My theory is that by the time you are heading to your third wedding and by that I mean MY third wedding, I should be pretty relaxed. I mean honestly, I have to have it all figured out by now right? The wedding is small and intimate with only immediate family. The children are the wedding party and they are excited. I should be the relaxed, cynical bride. Anyone who knows me knows that I can't do relaxed although oddly I vacilate between cynicism and pollyanna-ness. I feel relaxed so far. I spend the day making porcelain heart pendants with everyone's name on them to use as placecards at the wedding dinner.

I also made a lot of porcelain leaf tea lights. I have a vision of us eating dinner outside overlooking the ocean at tables covered with beautiful candles. Hopefully the weather will accomodate me.

On a completely different note, here are my new folding, collapsable tables. I have now used them in one farmer's market and can tell you all that they are great! My mom picked them up for me at Rona or maybe it was Canadian Tire. Actually, I just realized that I haven't paid her for them yet. Sorry Mom! They were a great deal, they are easy to assemble, fit into my mini-van and did not break the bank.

13 years old

2008-07-07T11:46:00.002-06:00

Yes, this child turned 13 on the day this photo was taken. She is going to be an actress when she grow up. This is her impersonation of a viscious teenage mutant ninja turtle. We LOVE Value Village.

This child turned 13 as well. She is portraying a much sweeter and less viscious princess. She will grow up to do whatever the hell she wants because she has that kind of drive.

This is my friend and I coping with the day in the big city at the mall by finding the nicest lounge and drinking. *note - we only had one drink and did spend the day wandering the mall with the girls - the drink was purely medicinal.

4 teenage girls + huge mall + money = 4 very manic and happy teenage girls.

Here they go, loaded down, not tired and on to the next shop.

margaret, coffee mugs and home made bats

2008-07-03T16:41:00.005-06:00

These are my home-made bats. Not by me, by my father. They are made with MDF, I gave my father the measurements and he gave me about 10 large bats with pin holes. Matt took two of them and carved out the tile inset spot. I had to refine it with a chisel and they fit well now. I have found that you don't want ANY wiggle room in bat pin holes or tile insets. You have to measure carefully, err on the side of too small and chisel away slowly to fit. They have held up well. They are about 6 years old and are now getting a bit wobbly, time for new ones soon.

Here it is with a tile inset. Remember to create a space at two corners to dig your finger or some other tool into to lift out the snug tile. They are just standard terra cotta wall tiles from the hardware store. I just looked for the cheapest box and made the tile inset accordingly.

One of the greatest tools ever invented for creating smooth, strong rims. This is a small square of plastic cut from a bag of clay. I have a lot which is good as they are always going missing. They are easy to replace. You use it by holding it in both hands, forming a hump that you run over the rim of the pot as it is spinning. It is a great tool!

I always use the same amound of clay and take measurements of height and width to assure that the forms are the same. Keeping in mind that this is handmade and nothing handmade is exactly the same. A large part of it's charm.

Finally a photo of Margaret. If anyone knows the true name of this tool, I would love to be enlightened. I will still call her Margaret, but will be better able to direct others in her purchase. Margaret is my tool of choice for trimming all I can from forms while they are still freshly thrown.

1st Farmer's Market of the year

2008-07-03T12:50:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was supposed to be cloudy and rainy with thunderstorms in the afternoon. It was sunny and humid and about 34 degrees. I didn't have a tent. We were very warm and I am a tad sunburned. I will have a tent next week.

Here is my display with one of my helpers hiding in the shade and doodling new ideas for glazing. It was a busy market, we had fun.

The entertainment was provided by two gentlement from Invermere. One brought a portable forge and created things out of horseshoes and railroad spikes, the other brought a treadle lathe and made spindles. It was very cool. I think we have some spinning and weaving being demonstrated next week.

My favorite sign from the market.

My other helper, hot and a little bored...

tumbler how to

2008-07-01T13:00:00.003-06:00

These tumblers are thrown from a porcelain clay body. I take a 22# block of clay and divide it into 22 balls, easy and no measuring. I am not a precise, measuring kind of person. I throw on clay tiles that fit into a wooden bat that sits in turn fits on the pins on my wheelhead. This makes removal very easy without modifying the shape of the cup. I like to throw thin and I measure the height and width of each mug to ensure a uniform size. For these tumblers I have thrown thin from the bottom up and then used my trimming tool to cut away the excess at the bottom and to turn up the bottom edge so that it forms a lip. These are destined for the matte turquoise glaze and it runs like crazy, so lips at the bottom are a good thing. I cut them off the tile with my wire cutter after I throw and then pop out the tile and put it in the damp cupboard.

Day two has me removing the tumblers from the tiles and rolling the bottoms around and around to get rid of the cutting wire marks and obvious cut line. I like to do a minimum of trimming so these are not trimmed after the intial throwing.

Next I use the heel of my hand to make an indent in the bottom of the tumbler. I like the organic look and it feels good when you hold the mug. It also helps to prevent the tumbler bottom from drying outward and high centering the cup. I also use my Golden, B.C. Canada and my dragonfly logo stamp at this time. I put these on the bottom of the cup. The dragonfly is located on the sides of all bowls and the bottom of all cups. I don't know why, this is just the way I do it.

The next step is to use my right hand (I am right-handed) to grasp the cup and create two indentations of either side. These are very useful for gripping the cup and they give the glaze yet another interesting things to flow over and around.

Here they are: thrown, rolled, indented, stamped and grasped. Back into the damp cupboard for a few more days as the porcelain tends to crack on the bottom if it dries too quickly.

too hot to do anything

2008-06-30T16:17:00.002-06:00

I AM NOT COMPLAINING! It actually isn't too hot until around 3:30 when my studio focuses the sunlight and becomes a bit of an oven. So prior to the crazy heat time I did get a lot done. My favorite task is always unloading a kiln after a glaze firing. I was very happy with everything that came out of my kiln today. The bowls (above and below) are exactly what I was hoping they would be.

The matte turquoise runs beautifully. I also had some in and out of town customers to chat with while I was throwing tumblers. I have to do some more work on them tomorrow and then you will get a photograph.

My lovely friend Lori brought me some flowers from her garden so I am sending on the pictures to brighten your day.

A view of the studio through the wildflowers.

summer is finally here!

2008-06-28T16:46:00.002-06:00

I have no photos of summer to show you. Imagine 32 degrees and scorching sunshine. It is beautiful and make me think we need a swimming pool. Above is a picture of the water jugs with their handles attached. They are still in the damp cupboard and under plastic with all this dry heat.

I unloaded a decal firing this morning and got all the orders organized to head out the door. This is a set of baby dishes that will be heading to Australia soon.

Here are some new neclaces that will be in my shop and at the Farmer's Market. Let me know if you want to see them on Esty and I will get to it sooner rather than later. I also threw some more medium bowls today and had quite a few customers. The summer traffic has arrived, I hope it keeps up.

got it in gear again

2008-06-26T13:54:00.002-06:00

I am always on the lookout for new things to impress into clay and I have been having some trouble with my letter stamps. Luckily I followed my friend into the scrapbooking shop yesterday and found myself some new letter stamps.

Then we headed to Bacchus Books and Cafe and had lunch on the patio overlooking the fast and full Kicking Horse River.

These were pulled out of the kiln last night. I LOVE them. This is my favorite new turquoise glaze. I think I need to focus on matte glazes again.

This is a new glaze, I have named it night sky. It looks richer in the sunlight which in noticeably absent today.

A closeup of the mug. Busy day today. Appointments to confirm and cancel, decals to apply and fire, more pots to glaze, bottoms to be sanded, pots to be priced and put out on the shelves. Nice to have a few customers today and an order picked up. The shop will be closed tomorrow as I am in Calgary for the day. Going to buy wedding shoes for the family.

honestly, i need a kick in the ass

2008-06-24T15:25:00.003-06:00

More puttering about today. Running errands all morning and then not really get much accomplished this afternoon in the studio. I stopped at the Chamber of Commerce to pick up the new Kicking Horse Mercatile brochures. They look great, I am in them and a photo of my work is on the cover. I also grabbed some farmer's market brochures. This starts on the first Wednesday in July and we ae trying to spread the word. So if you are in Golden on a Wednesday this summer from 2-7pm, please stop by.

Someone pointed out that our wedding party is in a month and a half and that I had better get those invitations mailed out, so I spent a fair amount of time getting those ready to go.

This beautiful dragon is the work of a very special friend of mine. He is a wee bit excited about his dragon and we talk about it each time I see him. The dragon is drying VERY slowly and for a VERY long time as he is a bit thick in places and I don't want any explosions.

Tuesday's photo is of a very beautiful flowering shrub in my front garden.

A little sunshine and happiness for you.

some thoughts on production

2008-06-23T16:02:00.002-06:00

A busy day today. I have a bunch of orders heading out the door on Thursday (and by bunch of orders I mean 3 of varying size). They were glazed today and are now in the kiln working their magic.

Mugs with bright insides and clear outsides. I think they are fun for spring and summer and the bright colours have been very popular.

Vessels waiting for handles. I like this water jug form, very loose.

Ok, here are some thoughts on throwing, trimming and production work. I have a small studio and so I try to minimize each process and step so that it all takes less time before it makes it onto the gallery shelves and out the door. The places that I do not try to take many shortcuts is in the planning and in the glazing. I have learned that these things need patience and planning.

So here is my typical process when planning and executing a new mug form: I look at what has sold well in the past, comments that people have made, my own mug preferences and my own throwing and design strengths. I might sketch a few shapes, but I am much more likely to visualize what I want and just head to the wheel. I use a standard weight for my mugs as this simplifies things. My clay comes in 22# blocks and this is divided into 16 balls. I throw the form and work on it until it is the shape that I am looking for. Then I trim off as much as possible using a japanese trimming tool whose name I don't know, but we call Margaret. I throw thin and my goal is to do no trimming after the initial throwing and trimming. I use a measuring tape to assess the height and width and then I throw the rest of the mugs to match. They are thrown on tiles and cut off with a wire, then the entire tile is removed. These go into the damp cupboard for two days (depending on what else is in the cupboard and how hot/dry it is outside). Then I pull handles and let them set up, I don't pull off the mug. It makes me nervous. I remove the mugs from the clay tiles that they have been thrown on and roll the bottoms to smooth and clean the edge. I stamp them with my dragonfly and the Golden, B.C. stamps. I attach the handles and then they go back into the damp cupboard for until they are dry. The clay I am using really likes to separate and crack. Drying slowly is very important. Once they are dry they are cleaned up in preparation for the bisque firing. I plan what kind of glaze will be used on each form before throwing as this makes a big difference in shape and texture. The only forms that I consistently trim when leather hard are bowls. I like a tall and defined foot so I enjoy trimming these and it seems worth the effort and time.

busy weekend

2008-06-23T12:27:00.002-06:00

Kuljit and Trevor are married.

It was sunny and beautiful and very, very colourful.

Fancy clothing doesn't stop us from playing horseshoes.

I had a camera attached to my face for the entire day. But, because I don't use a flash, I was free to dance all night.

Playing volleyball in a sari. It is as hard as it looks.

cactus, coffee mugs and an indian wedding

2008-06-19T15:35:00.003-06:00

Wednesday's photo is of the most beautiful flowering cactus growing in front of a local building. The garden is full of succelents and cacti and they are in full bloom. Very beautiful.

I don't know what this is called, anyone?

Today I played busy catch-up, try to get ahead of the game. I unloaded my bisque kiln, waxed all the pot bottoms, wedged up and threw some new mug forms and a few water pitcher orders. I reclaimed some clay, trimmed the large bowls, checked email, blogs, posted to my blog, checked facebook (wee addiction), made a bunch of phone calls, re-organized my studio calendar, and watered all of my gardens.

The studio will be closed for the next two days as my friend is getting married and this means much visiting and dancing and drinking of red wine. And really, really great indian food. I will post photos next week, hopefully my sari will stay put (I am cheating with safety pins). Enjoy the weekend.

2008-06-17T14:34:00.002-06:00

I am finding it a little difficult to get back in the swing of things after so much time off. I feel like I need a little holiday from my holiday. However that is not to occur now as I am holidaying a lot in August so must wait. I perused the contract for the new gift gallery for Kicking Horse Culture and packed up some of my work.

I threw some large bowls as they seem to fly out of the gallery. This is my highly technical and organized dimensions and weight chart. I just add things as I make them. I find it really handy regarding the weight to start with and indispensable when I need to make a special order to match something that has already been made.

This is all the stoneware clay I have left. It sort of just disappeared without me noticing. Good thing I am going to Calgary next week. I will focus on porcelain until then.

This is the shape of the new large bowl. It is 8 inches tall and 10 inches across. I only threw 4 as I wanted to save the rest of the stoneware for some water jugs.

a busy weekend with no pottery making in sight

2008-06-15T18:24:00.002-06:00

My friend Kuljit of the famous Jita's Cafe is getting married on Friday. We had her party on Sunday. We belly danced and hennaed. It was fun.

My mother and I (mostly my mother) sewed a lot. The dresses are beautiful and done.

My daughters graduated from Elementary school.

High School here they come!

In between all of these festivities, they played in their soccer tournament and they played HARD.

A busy and wonderful weekend.

visiting and sewing

2008-06-12T18:05:00.002-06:00

Sleeping critters.

Apple blossems.

Flower girl dresses.

My parents are visiting and my Mom and I are busy sewing. See you in a few days.

pretty, pretty turquoise

2008-06-10T16:21:00.002-06:00

Today was my favorite kind of day. It was a day that started with unloading a glaze firing. I am thrilled with almost everything that came out of the kiln today.

New mug shapes, colour and designs.

Crawly vines and turqoise glaze.

One of the bowls glazed in turquoise, clear and now waiting for a decal.

The icky bits from the kiln would be the four bowls that ended up cobalt blue when they should have been oil spot. How did that happen you wonder? It happened because SOMEONE was in a hurry to glaze and load a kiln and SOMEONE didn't read the labels on the glaze bucket. I have no studio assistant, so that SOMEONE was me. It is my own fault, and I HATE cobalt blue. I have hidden the offending bowls away and I will revisit them another time.

Today I also: ran a million shop errands, bank, mail, sanded pot bottoms, affixed price stickers, artfully arranged shelves, dusted, posted to my blog, took more photos, thought about how I need update my webpage, glazed some pots (carefully and slowly), packed up more student work, talked to customers, sold things, checked items in damp cupboard and revisited my production schedule for June/July/August.

i got it! (and i need your help)

2008-06-10T14:10:00.004-06:00

Oh happy day. I was a successful applicant for a project grant from the CKCA. It is a small grant, but I am not one to look a grant horse in the mouth. I have been lucky with grants in my short career. This is the third that I have received. I applied for the VADA grant last year and was very disappointed when I did not get it (it was a BIG one). I had high hopes for my application this year but sadly the main organization is having funding issues itself and the granting process has been put on hold.

So onward to discuss my successful grant and the project for which is was granted:
The title is Woman as Vessel - form and function
Those who know me, know that my shows explore gender issues, body image, advertising and the effect that media has on our view of ourselves. The brief summary provided to the granting body was: 30 to 40 ceramic vessels exploring the theme of woman as a vessel or a metaphor for a vessel, both positive and negative associations.
My intention is to create of body of functional work that explores this theme using image and text.

So here is the part where you come in. For my last two shows I have requested that people become involved in the project by sending me their thoughts and related articles and images that they come across or may have been holding onto. I take it all and in various ways it becomes part of the project. This can take many forms. For the first project "Written on the Body" I had over 100 woman answer a survey for me regarding their experiences and thoughts about media and body image. These were distilled into text that covered the bodies of 18 different sculptural pieces. For my most recent show "We've Come a Long Way Baby?", people sent in images and thoughts about how advertising has and hasn't changed regarding women's roles in society.

So my request to you? Please think about how you feel about the theme of woman as vessel. Please leave a comment or email me with "Woman as Vessel" in the subject line. I would like your thoughts, comments, images and text. I know I have come across this idea on an almost daily basis. Now I just need to collect all the instances and explore.

THANKS!

road trip

2008-06-10T12:31:00.002-06:00

Hmmm, where could I be driving to? I would love to tell you that I was driving to Paris to see the French Open but you know I live in Canada so that is impossible. Almost as good though, I went to Rossland to watch the French Open with my friend and to visit her adorable town.

She has left Golden for the greener pastures of Rossland B.C. and is busy selling homes. Beautiful, old homes. I had major home envy when I wandered around. Of course I am trying to get away from wintery weather places and eventually head to the Coast, so purchasing in Rossland makes no sense for me. Not that I didn't have about a million little fantasies about how I would fix up my little heritage gem should I be so lucky.

She herself has created a lovely little nest in her new but very old home. I swooned over the high ceilings, kitchen cupboards and stove.

We went on many walks and were joined by some very enthusiastic stick chasers. Sorry Rookie, but I don't think I can throw that for you...

This is the view of Rossland from the top of one of the local hikes. It is a very friendly and picturesque little town. Perhaps they need a local potter...

back soon

2008-06-06T16:35:00.002-06:00

new music, old crush

2008-06-06T15:11:00.003-06:00

A friend stopped by the studio today to drop off the new Martha Wainwright CD. If I wasn't already madly in love and getting married, I would be wooing her. She is quirky and sexy and sings like an angel. She sounds a lot like Mary Margaret O'Hara, but modern and odd.

Someone special is having a birthday and has requested chocolate eclairs instead of "boring" birthday cake. They are easy to make and very, very easy to eat.

One of 7 nordic skier mugs that were completed today. I have made my own stamp and it seems to be working well. I guess I will know better after the glazing.

The beginnings of a new series of work. Porcelain, clear glaze, simple shapes, part dipped in either oilspot or turquoise blue. The final part will be the new decals that I have been working on. Should be a few more weeks before I get this all together.

Student work, finished and heading out the door today. I will miss the company but not the cramped, work is absolutely everywhere feeling in the studio. No more regular classes now until September.

om

2008-06-05T15:30:00.002-06:00

Wednesday's photo is from my yoga class. My friend Vanessa brought her 2 month old baby for the first time and Dalia from Golden Lotus Ayurveda taught yoga and kept the baby happy. It was lovely.

Today's photo is of my mug filled with tea made with coriander, cumin and fennel. This is good for me as I have a pitta constitution. This is entirely related to my studio practice as yoga and ccf tea help keep me flexible and sane.

Not a crazy day in the studio today. Unloading the kiln after the 3rd refiring (ski hill mugs - don't ask), loading it up with glazed ware, cleaning up the bottoms of fired pots, wrapping pots for shipment, a small order of 8 mugs and 1 set of baby dishes thrown, visited with my new friend Fern who came in looking for fimo clay and ended up staying and chatting about life and everything for an hour. It was very enjoyable. Fiddling about with my scanner and photoshop program trying to get my decals just the way I want them. Checking items drying in the damp cupboard, smoothing and fixing seams. Chatting with customers. Playing with the dog. Listening to the CBC and wondering if the sun is ever going to shine again.

feelin' the bloggy love

2008-06-03T15:06:00.002-06:00

Tuesday's photo goes out to Emily Murphy for her helpful suggestions regarding feathering and detail work. Thanks Emily!

One of my students is a painter. Here one of the bowls that she has decorated. Next it will be dipped in the clear glossy and then into the kiln.

I made porcelain vases today. I really enjoy handbuilding so these are fun to make. I even had the opportunity to try out all of my new stamps that I have made.

The main body of the vase, stamped and waiting to set up a bit before it is rolled and attached to the base. I use 'magic water' for my attachments. The recipe came from Dee Funk, another potter: 1 teaspoon sodium silicate to 1 cup of water. It works well.

Here are the finished vases. They will go into the damp cupboard which is quite full as they need to dry very slowly.

My shop hours have changed to reflect my classes being over and summer tourist traffic beginning. I am open 12 - 5 everyday except Wednesday and Sunday. A body has got to rest and lounge about in the sunshine with her girls once in a while...or twice a week.

a bit of process

2008-06-02T16:36:00.003-06:00

I am struggling with glaze application these days. I am wanting to do some fine drawing and painting on my pots. I can't seem to get the glaze lines thin enough to please me. They are dipped in clear after the drawing is done on the bisque. This can cause a bit of feathering and running, which can look good. It all depends on the drawing. The fine details get lost when this happens. I am going to try an underglaze next and after that perhaps some china paints.

Here is all of the bisque with the initial glaze work (simple as you can see).

They are next dipped in clear glossy and then when dry the tops are dipped in a matte copper blue (which will be shiny because it is over the glossy clear). I am hoping that the black line drawings show through the matte copper blue. This is an experiment, I haven't tried it before. And no, I don't make test pieces. I am impatient and I just consign the whole lot to my experimentation. Sometimes this works out well, sometimes not so much.

This is one of my favorite studio books. It is filled with really old botanical drawings. Inspiration for my next project. Think clear glossy white porcelain, some bright colours and some decals.

The fired and finished product. This morning they were unloaded from the kiln, inspected, their bottoms were sanded and they were all wrapped in paper and bubble wrap in preparation. They are being picked up tomorrow night. I will not miss them.

sunday's photos

2008-06-02T16:26:00.003-06:00

I am having so much fun with my birthday list. This is a very happy child who is eating pizza at a birthday party.

Charming puppy at the same party.

Oh look, there he is again. What a fine looking puppy.

all praise the decal goddess

2008-05-31T15:30:00.003-06:00

Friday's photo is of a very pink birthday cake made for a very pink 7 year old girl's birthday.

I love spring! One of the many, many flowering trees that dot the landscape in these parts.

Saturday morning was garage sale day (our own). Feels so good to be rid of so much junk...and to go out for a nice dinner date with all the money we made. Mmmmm sweet potatoe fries. Mmmm what a hunk to go on my date with.

The decal goddess was smiling on me yesterday. My decals arrived by courier AND accompanied by a note saying that because of the mix-up they were free! They are applied and waiting to be fired and a lovely mug is waiting to be sent to my kind decal supplier.

Another special order to be checked off the list. These are wine/tea/coffee cups, to be glazed in clear exterior, wisteria interior, red flower stamps and green dots. I had a lot of fun making these. I like the shape and I think I will start making them regularly.

bowls, bowls and a hot kiln

2008-05-29T16:01:00.004-06:00

A whole lotta bowls, big and bigger, waiting to go into the kiln. Which they need to do as soon as possible as I have run out of room in my studio.

Little bowls fresh off the wheel. I love throwing! I have plans afoot for the decoration of these which means I have to spend some time practicing with my sketch pad.

My beautiful kiln, demonstrating it's wonderful ability to retain heat. So wonderful in fact that it is taking FOREVER for it to cool down. Inside are all of the lovely student pots, glazed and finished and waiting for me to free them. Sadly, it is hovering in the 400-500 degree range and taunting me with the treasures inside.

On a plus note I think a giant thunderstorm is rolling in and I heart thunderstorms!

Oh, and thank you for all of the great decal energy. Seems they are 'in the mail' or rather with the courier service. Yay!

sometimes I struggle

2008-05-28T13:17:00.002-06:00

I am trying to post each day that my studio is open. I want to do this because I want a record of what my days were like, what really goes on in a pottery studio on a daily basis. Then I second guess myself because I don't want to bore my dear reader(s) with the inane day to day. Then I am back at thinking I should post what happens, boring though it may be. Obviously I have too much time on my hands. So here is my day: Unload really hot kiln (had to wear my stepdaughters gardening gloves to do this - love that last minute, smoking hot kiln rush), get set up for a day of student glazing, glaze with students, load kiln, review calendar to ensure that all I want to be making is getting made, putz about organizing and tidying and watering plants, read a book in the sunshine, decide book is crap and get a new book, do this twice, decide to post on blog, agonize about what to post, write post while drinking chai, politely tell insurance saleswoman that I am not interested in purchasing her insurance as I am already insured and very happy thank you very much, more students, more glazing, more kiln loading.

This calendar very accurately presents my system for running a studio. Assign each task a day and do not cross off until accomplished. The first photo was on May (look at all those lovely accomplished tasks) and the above photo is my plan for June (note I am going to Rossland AND my parents are coming to visit). I am trying to have a lot of extra work prepared because I am going to be on the Coast for almost 3 weeks this August.

I don't use test tiles, these are glaze test pots. These are most of the colours that my students can choose from when they are glazing their own work.

The current bane of my existence. Yup, you have seen those before. Those are the ski hill mugs that were ordered in March and have been ready for decals since April and where are the decals???? Really, who knows. I have now sent two emails to my decal supplier and have not heard back. I may have to be getting a new decal supplier. I don't want a new decal supplier, I like the current arrangement minus the missing decals. The ski hill opens in two and a half weeks. I NEED THOSE DECALS! All positive decal energy would be appreciated.

the sun is shining and all is right with my world

2008-05-27T15:35:00.002-06:00

The lilac trees in my backyard are blooming and they are lovely to photograph.

I have been experimenting with my pocket digital (Sony Cyber-shot). I want to take photos that look like they were taken from an old fashioned Kodak Brownie, but I want them to be digital, any ideas? I am struggling with finding an affordable source of film and developing for my little Brownie. Ideas for where to get 127 film affordably developed would also be appreciated.

I love lilacs, my house and studio are now filled with them.

A new mug shape. I am hoping this one is conducive to a lot of line drawing. The flared top seems to be preferred by customers, but I don't like the way it looks. It is too cut off and fancy looking to have a lot of detail in the glaze-work. Problems to be resolved.

brrrrr, it's still cold here

2008-05-26T16:18:00.002-06:00

Sunday's photo is of my lovely new (although quite old) tool chest. I will be using this to store paper and decals that are now all jumbled together in a big bin.

My garage sale score still has the original calendar from 1953 when the box was made. It looks great in my studio.

Studio work today consisted of praying for no rain so that my student's work would dry in time for a firing tonight, cleaning up coffee mugs and throwing some new mug forms. The pots still aren't dry, so the firing may occur in the morning.

lucky, lucky me

2008-05-24T13:02:00.003-06:00

Friday's photo is of yummy spicy zucchini salsa.

My new bowl form, well actually a revisiting of the shape I was making about 6 years ago.

My very full studio. In fact all available space is full of pots drying. So, when you can't work in your studio....

You go garage sailing. I had a stellar day! A mint Kodak brownie holiday flash camera (film is already winging it's way here and I am VERY excited!)

4 vintage turquoise canisters (the same colour as my studio walls) and a metal recipe card holder that someone went to the trouble of carefully macktacking (is this a verb?) great black and white shelf-paper onto. Now the transcribing and organizing of glaze recipes will begin. Already a fabulous day and it is only 1:15.

student work

2008-05-22T17:00:00.003-06:00

Drying and waiting for the bisque firing. A great bunch of pots!

beautiful glazing and some hugs

2008-05-21T17:34:00.002-06:00

Some inspired student glazing. Beautiful freehand rose, 11 year old girl. Very impressive.

The other side of the mug. This is done with Mayco stroke and coat glazes applied with bottles and small nozzles. The work will then be dipped in a clear overglaze.

My imaginary friend Meghan in Golden at Jita's cafe. Kuljit is my witness, she is real (actually both Kuljit and Meghan are real).

Lucky me, lots of cuddles from my adorable 'neice'.

new schwag

2008-05-20T12:56:00.002-06:00

My lovely new advertising bits. Postcards in lieu of brochures or rackcards because they are damn expensive. Pretty cards to use for shipping neclaces all over the world (well, so far Canada and the US, but a girl can dream...). No more photos or studio business today as I have friends coming from Vancouver, if they can get through the pass considering the huge mud slide.