Spirit Plates, 9-24-16

I wanted to try to use the glaze in the same way I use the paint for the backgrounds of my Spirit paintings, and IT WORKED!  I am VERY excited at the possibilities that this presents.  The experiment was done on a hand built dinner plate and hand built bread plate.  They are VERY thin and slightly irregular.  I think a set of these would be really fun.

Dinner plate in Spirit painting style.

Bread plate in Spirit painting style.

New Experiments, 9-24-16

I have been working on more experiments with the clay and glazes.  I am excited with the results and the possibilities for more series and sculptures.  Here is a preview of the pieces that came out of the kiln this week.

Doily laid on pot and glazed over it.  This turned out very nice.  About a 12" bowl, this is the under side of the bowl.

This is the same bowl, yellow glaze on the inside with the doily dipped in glaze and laid on the inside on the side of the bowl.  It is a fairly good print, but like the outside 'stenciled' look better.

I took my regular bowl shape and fluted the edges and tried overlaying a second glaze over the first then texturing the glaze with a regular ceramic tool.  I was not sure how it would work, but I like the affect.  This is the inside of the bowl, approximately 12" across.

This is the side view of the flower bowl.

Mishima bowl, red clay with white clay over texture and then the surface is scraped to leave a smooth surface, but white clay in the depressed texture and the red clay showing through .  The inside of the bowl is just burnished red clay, no glaze.  This is one of my favorite bowls.

The outside of the mishima bowl.  Love this piece.  Approximately 8" across.

Large pod pot with geometric texture on one side and my grandmother's lace curtain texture on the bottom side.  Approximately 12" across.  Glaze is inlaid in the textures, then wiped off.

Geometric side of the large pod pot pictured above.

Small pod approximately 8" across with pine needle texture with glaze in textured areas.  The holes will have small branches/sticks through them and then hang from those sticks.

Very small VERY THIN sculpture, displayed on vertebrae, approximately 2-3" across.

Red clay face with textured surface inlaid with glaze.  Title is 'Spirit of Strength'.  The concept is that almost everyone carries around some scars whether they are visible or not.  The experiences that caused the scars make us stronger and who we are.  So many people do not see those scars, only the surface of who we are.  I wanted to show more.

White clay face with textured surface inlaid with glaze.  Part of the series, 'Spirit of Strength'.

Coral and Pink bowls 9-14-16

I've been experimenting with new colors for my shell like bowls as well as using a different process.  So far everything is turning out great.  This post shows a new coral color that is neither too orange nor too pastel.  The second bowl is a nice rich pink.  Both glazes are put on the WET clay right after I make the bowl.  Then after I bisque the piece, the inside of the pot is already glazed and the stain I use for the outside of the bowl wipes right off the inside like it does when you wash a dish.  That saves so much time and mess.  So far I'm really pleased with the outcome.  I'm also trying some new textures.

Coral bowl, 9" across, with heavy lace texture with black iron oxide stain wiped off.

Pink bowl, 12" across, with geometric texture and black iron oxide stain wiped off.

Geometric texture on 12" bowl with black iron oxide stain wiped off.

Ceramic Face Sculptures, 9-4-16

I am working on my ceramic sculptures for my solo show at the Deines Cultural Center in Russell, KS in January, 2017.  Although I will have many of my thin bowls displayed on wood, I will have many other sculptural pieces.  Here is the beginning of that work.

Life sized face in white raw clay with red raw clay leaves surrounding the face. 'Spirit of Fall'

Life sized white raw clay face with red raw clay hair. 'Spirit of Water'.

Life sized raw red clay face on 18" hemisphere surrounded by raw white clay leaves.

Tiny hand built sculpture approximately 2.5" across displayed on found wood.

Tiny hand built ceramic sculpture approximately 4" tall by 1.5" wide displayed on found wood.

Extremely thin, about the thickness of 140lb weight watercolor paper,  ceramic pod pot, raw white clay with black iron oxide stain displayed on found wood.  Pod is approximately 6" across.

Shafer Gallery Masquerade Ball, 9-2-16

The Shafer Gallery on the Barton County Community College campus near Great Bend, KS held their first annual Masquerade Ball on Friday, September 2nd, 2016.  The event was the opening for the Friends and Acquaintances Art Show featuring the Artists at Large art group from Great Bend, of which I am a member.

Each of the Artists at Large group were allowed three pieces of art in the show.  Many other artists were part of the show filling seven or eight rooms in the gallery.  I felt very honored as my large ceramic bowl displayed on found wood, was featured in the first room just inside the entrance in the center of the room.  It was the first thing you noticed upon entering the room.  I was amazed and so very pleased.  My 'Spirit of Anger' was also in the first room.  

The decorations, featuring a life sized tree with leaves that lit up, table decorations, drapes from the ceiling, live band, wonderful food with wine, and some people in costume and others in masks made for an exciting and wonderful evening.

All dressed up with fancy mask standing beside my large ceramic hand built bowl displayed on wood.

Lighted tree and crowd enjoying the festivities.

Ceiling decorations.

Table decorations and food table.

Bev Simonson, founder of the Artists at Large group, in front of poster featuring all the members of the group with her alcohol pastel painting on the right of the photo.

My red hand built ceramic bowl displayed on found wood.  

My 'Spirit of Anger' mixed media, 12x18" hanging in the first room of the show.