decalmania

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.