May In The Studio And Rookie Mistakes

oh my barbara.....

Phbbbt.....Rookie mistakes have left me with a stupid number of seconds this month.  There is crawling, rough edges, and wee bubbles that could have been avoided by NOT applying an untested under glaze thickly on more pots than is wise or NOT inexplicably programming a longer hold at the end of the firing when there was nothing wrong with the way I'd been doing it.  Inadvertently leaving all the kiln plugs out the entire firing probably didn't help either.*derp*.  Pots by the peepholes had spots of under fired glaze but at least that was fixable with a re-fire.

Still my crowning achievement in mindlessness came in the form of small cracks at the handle attachments of more than half dozen carved and decorated mugs due to drying them too fast.

Look how fun I am.  A dog with a
sinister vacuum....

...oh but wait....
(not so much a "second" as a total loss on this one)

  Of course I know better but rationalized that "surely it is humid enough to dry them uncovered and squeak them into this weeks firing!"  Surely it was not.  Most the cracks aren't as grand as the one above, but they are still a boat load of seconds.  Slow down, you move too fast.... 

Not all was lost in my early careless days of May.  This vase made it out of the kiln alright.

FRENEMIES

 Last Friday in big BR was Hot Art, Cool Nights mid city art hop and this piece went to Caffrey Gallery for their "Friends" themed show.  It sold at the opening (yay and thank you) to a woman who said these guys looked like her dogs.  It wasn't clear to me if she meant the fox and bun actually looked like dogs or if just their attitude made her think of her dogs.  I get that sort of thing from time to time and smile.  I never feel the need to correct people.  I just want them to connect with and enjoy the pots and should they see bunnydogfoxes or whatever else then I am completely fine with that.

Wrapping things up here is some work in progress, etc...

One will go to the "Raining in my Heart"
invitational at LSU Glassell Gallery late May.
(That blue on left isn't that electrified and fires more indigo)

notice the plastic to aid in controlled drying!

one of only a few pots to be added to the shop this weekend
because of...well, you remember the infamous
rookie mistakes debacle of May, 2013. 

 And finally a tiresome pet picture:

mama fox

Ok, not a pet picture, but we're rather fond of her none the less.  Fox family lives in the wooded lot next door.  I know this isn't unusual for those of you living in more rural settings, but we live in the middle of town.  She seems like a good mama, quietly shooing her 4 kits into the woods with a short bark when she saw me.  

Alrighty then.  See y'all next time. 

April Blog-o-sphere Think Tank

What's this about? It's " A monthly group blog of a light nature, simple easy topics :)" The group is made up of different people from different areas of life (so not just artists) and on the 20th of every month we'll write on the same topic and post (hopefully) at about the same time. Sounds like fun, yes? Links to the participating members' blogs are listed at the end of this post.

April Blog-o-sphere Topic: What inspires you?

What inspires me?  Hmmm...maybe we'll just look at what inspires the pots.  Quite simply, it has always been about the creatures.....

Bird Teapot, earthenware, hand built, 1988 (at Penland)

Zebra Jar, wood fired stoneware, 1988

Tree Frog Pitcher, white stoneware,
cone 6 electric, 2005-ish?

 Hanging around Louisiana has had an effect...

Gator Pitcher, white stoneware,
C/10 gas kiln, ummm...mid 1990's?

 Then there are the 12 years of catholic school.....

Our Lady of Armadillos
earthenware,  2003-ish? 

....that'll leave a mark.....

Madonna Teapot, white stoneware,
C/6 electric, 2005-ish

....repeatedly....

Bayou Madonna Lidded Jar
C/6 white stoneware
2010 I believe

....not that there's anything wrong with that....

Bayou Madonna Mug
C/6 porcelain, 2012

 Can't ignore popular culture...

Woodland Zombie Animal Platter
C/6 porcelain, 2013

What?  You haven't seen Wa1king Dead?
C/6  porcelain 2013

Or P0rtlandia?  Go ahead.  Put a bird on it.

Or funny Etsy trends....

It's all cupcakes and mustaches over here (2011)

ya see, pie is the new cupcake and
beard is the new mustache (2011)

Go ahead.  Search antlers on Etsy.  I'll wait.

Of course I can't forget my dear furry ones....

the outdoor wee kitty hanging indoors

well, she isn't pink, but she
does leave us headless
rat gifts on the front porch

the bad dogs

the squirrel whisperer

dog battles hateful sinister vacuum

...But before the bad dogs was the good dog.....

Spotted Dog Teapot, white stoneware,
C/10 gas kiln,  early 1990s
(we still miss you, girl)

Alrighty then.  Let's get out of here before I find another picture to post.  Visit the other participating member's blogs before you go:

• Andes Cruz: http://www.andescruz.wordpress.com
  pencilfox: www.pencilfox.com
  Shelagh Blatz: www.designsbyshelagh.com/blog
  Christine Esovoloff: http://christineesovoloff.tumblr.com/
  Kathleen Krucoff: http://kathleenkrucoff.wordpress.com/

April In The Studio

Don't be grouchy....it's spring!
Is it because I put a bird on you?

What happened to February and March?  I'm not sure.  I blinked and then it was April.  Let's see what's been going on lately in no particular order......

I started back at the local first Saturday arts market again in February. It had been quite some time; So long in fact that many shoppers (and *ahem* artists too) thought I was new.  I had been letting myself get a little too isolated and needed to make an effort to participate.  Time to say yes again.  Anyways, I've been to a few and it has gone well.  I spend a lot of time trying to look pleasant and approachable for the entire four hours like this:

Well....maybe not quite this much, but you get the idea. 

Also in February I got to play queen for a day and did a little demo at Southeastern La U for my friend Dennis Sipiorski's ceramics class.  Beforehand I eavesdropped  on his beginner clay class crit.  They would all clap for each other after their turn which I thought was kind of sweet.  So anyhoo, I threw and trimmed and carved and decorated and talked about pots and making them and selling them on line and this and that and and a good time was had by all....or you know, I didn't embarrass myself.   Bonus points:  I got a campus parking ticket.  Dennis said if I don't pay it I won't get my grades at the end of the semester.  I'm gonna risk it....

boo...tax time

In March.....please notice I said MARCH and not April....I got our tax stuff together despite another year of complete and utter bookkeeping neglect.  At least I know enough to dump it all in one basket all year long so that the disorganization is corralled in one place.  I've started using 0utright  this year.  Ok, "started using" might be an over statement of sorts since I haven't looked at it again since signing up, but at least the disorganization will be digitally corralled in one spot... right?  My intentions are always good.




Also in March I shipped these guys off to Mudfire Gallery in Atlanta-ish for their "Fur And Feathers" show.  Like Zombies vs Pirates last year, it was something I just couldn't pass up.

From L - R:
Bun masquerading as cardinal
Bear masquerading as bluebird
Fox isn't masquerading as chicken, but he IS growing
feathers from partaking too much.

Lotsa nice work in the show.  You can view it HERE

Other random studio stuff:

All antlers all the time.
(platter in progress)

the zombie apocalypse has hit
the woodland animals....
(oval platter in progress for a very patient customer)

you know the pile of clay glop you end up with after throwing half the day?  I make mine into these little kiln filler wall tiles...or blocks, or whatever they are.   Anyways, they have a hole in the back and hang.

yup.  wee little art

In the yard.....

Hey! What happened to my tail!!

...spotted the first gecko out the other night.  They are pink and translucent and you can see their internal organs.  This poor dude lost his tail. Ouch.  It's starting to grow back though.

The satsuma trees have lots of fragrant flowers and are full of busy bees.  After a poor showing last year it looks like it might be a good year.  YAY.

LOOK AT ALL THOSE TEENY
SATSUMAS STARTING!!!

Just when you thought it would never end.....time for the tiresome pet picture:

Hello....my name is Bad Dog

Alrighty then.  See yas next time.