Dust Has Settled! January 2016

Back to Play   (December 7, 2015) 

The dust from "Before the Rush" has settled, my studio has been purged and tidied, and washed! Cupboards in my show room are filled.

Today Kevin Anthony, carpenter, and very old friend came by to pick up a surprise gift for his wife. We poked about, looking at old and current work.

Expressing my ideas to him has stimulated me to write again.

At the moment, I am fooling around with tiles. I bought myself some lovely handmade tile cutters. They are sized to allow 12% shrinkage of the clay.  I have some old clay that I am willing to squander.

Lyne, a new student came in for the first time last week. She truly loves pottery, but has had a very busy career. Now she has touched clay for the very first time!

I decided to start her off with some tiles, using my Living Fossil technique. (There are still a few hardy leaves out there.) I handed Lyne some clay, and encouraged her to handle it to 'clay' exhaustion! She managed that very nicely!

We collected some leaves from my garden, and I taught her about negative space. I demonstrated a  little bit. She is a natural. Sliding the tools over to her seemed like breathing. She caught on to the design elements, and was meticulous at handling the clay. As she was off on a trip, I have tidied up her coasters, (AKA tiles) and will glaze them soon.

Kevin, who came in today, drooled over her little tiles. I told him that they would be black and turquoise.

"They will pop!" he exclaimed.

I am experimenting with my tile cutters, improving my technique, and planning composite Living Fossils, framed with small tiles. There are some technical issues with that that I need to experiment with.

I am not very painterly. Texture, relief, shading and highlighting of colour

appeal much more to me.

 

Leaves and grasses have been pressed into wet clay. A first layer of  black/blue glaze has been sponged on, and the tiles are bisque fired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tiles have been reassembled, and sprayed with a turquoise glaze.

The faint imprint of leaves and grasses are somewhat visible.

 

                 

Finished piece looks like the forest submerged in the river!
 

 

January 10, 2016

after the festivals of friends, food and foolishnesssss!

 

Lyne was in this week for a double header. She prepped tiles on Wednesday, and carved on Thursday. Her project at the moment, is to make some Provencal style tiles. She will carve and paint them. Time flew on Thursday, and she insists she will bring her sleeping bag next time! Take a peek: