Hand Built Ceramic Sculpture 9-2014

I'm trying a few new things in my ceramic sculpture.  I am still retaining the simple, primitive forms, but I'm trying to make the bowls MUCH thinner...not always conducive to hand built ceramics, but when it works, I think it brings something special to the piece.  I'm trying a few new forms and adding some brighter colors just for fun.  Hope you enjoy the new pieces.

Large Bowl with Wood, approx 18" across pot

Large Bowl with Wood, view 2

Large Bowl with Wood, view 3

Small Bowl with Geometric texture with Red Accents, approx 8"

Small Bowl with Geometric texture with Red Accents, view of outside texture

Small Blue Bowl with Incised Detail, approx 8"

Inside view of Small Blue Bowl with Incised Detail

View of incised detail

Small Pod Pot on Wood, front view, approx 9" tall

Small Pod Pot on Wood, back view

Colored Spirit Ball, 3"

Hanging triangular bird feeder; stained textured outside, white glaze inside, approx. 10" sides.

Hanging pod pot, green smooth side, approx. 9".

Same hanging pod pot with textured side showing.  This texture was made from a mold I made of the texture left by elk's teeth scraping the bark off of Aspen trees in Colorado.

Mini hand built pot, 3" tall.

Mini hand built pot, 2" tall.

Pod pot on Slate, approx 5" tall.

Spirit of the Stream, 9-2-2014

After visiting Colorado for a week and getting deep into the forrest, I had to try to capture the magic of the creeks and streams that were so numerous this year.  The light/shadow; textures of moss, rocks/pebbles, logs; and the QUIET………………..except for the soft burbling of the stream……like it was whispering to me……like hearing God in church.........those were the things I wanted to capture and communicate to the viewer.  

So I wanted something that felt big but small, if that makes any sense.  The forrest was SO deep and HUGE but around the creeks, it was like the forrest was enveloping me in a hug, soft, quiet, warm and yet cool breezes caressing my skin.  That is why the Spirit is small in proportion to the whole painting.  I knew I didn’t want her to dominate as in some of my other paintings, why I wanted her transparent, almost not there, quietly caressing the water, barely making a ripple.  Is she really there, or will the bubble burst and it will all be just imagination and wishing?  

Hope you feel the quiet of the forrest, the cool water, warm sun, and most of all, the peace of the Spirit of the Stream.

Spirit of the Stream, 30"x15", mixed media--acrylic on stretched primed canvas, ink, pastel

Enlargement of the Spirit

Hand Built Ceramic Sculpture, Aug., 2014

I am finally back in my ceramic studio!!!  It feels so good to be working in clay again......it is my first love!  I got to try out the new small Skutt kiln that my husband found for me at an auction for $30.  We figured it had maybe been fired twice!  It works beautifully and will be great for small loads, test firing, testing glazes, etc.  I also have some new glazes which work beautifully with my earthy style.  Here are a few examples of the new pieces.  Keep watching for more updates.

I love working with simple, primitive styles that look like they might be found along a path while walking in the woods or along a river.  So these pieces are all displayed with or on wood or stone pieces to strengthen that feeling of unearthing a treasure.

Handbuilt Ceramic Sculpture by Barbara JO Converse Stevens, August, 2014

approx. 12" across

approx. 8" across

approx. 12" across

Pod pot approx. 10" tall

Spirit Ball....this is taken from an Native American belief that the artist's spirit is captured within the sphere.  One hears the 'spirit' by shaking the sphere and hearing the rattle of the spirit inside.  I love this concept as I feel that  a portion of my spirit is transferred to all of my art pieces, whether it is 3D or 2D.  

Spirit of the Cycle of Life, 6-2-14

Every day I say a prayer for my family, friends and myself that God open our hearts to His love and light, wisdom and grace and His joy.  I have expanded this prayer into the cycles of life as I see it.  I hope you enjoy these new pieces and the message they bring.

Spirit of the Cycle of Life:

These are all four panels making up the Spirit of the Cycle of Life.  There are four 12"x24" panels to create this 24"x48" piece.  It is mixed media with a base of scraped acrylic and layers of acrylic, ink, pastel.

Panel 1:  Love and Light

Notice the dried seed pod in the bottom left corner, scattering the seeds from which the new sprout, surrounded by Light and Love, grows.

Panel 2:  Strength and Confidence

Now the life is full of Strength and Confidence, shining brightly and fulfilling the promise of the first sprout.

Panel 3:  Wisdom and Grace

With age, one hopes, comes Wisdom and Grace, His light still shining through helping to spread the hope of a full and fulfilling life.

Panel 4:  Joy and Peace

Take note of the dried seed pod at the bottom right corner of this panel.  It is spreading the seed with His light and love shining down from the cross, top right corner, to start the new growth of a new generation.  

Spirit of the Eclipse: Panel 1, Shadow Lives; Panel 2, Emerging into the Light

On April 15, 2014, I was fortunate enough to witness the lunar eclipse on a perfectly clear, calm, beautiful night.  As the earth's shadow moved across the brilliant full moon, I was profoundly touched.  The next day I researched some Native American lore on the eclipse and found many interesting stories.  One that truly touched my heart was the practice of Native Americans looking inward during an eclipse at their "shadow lives" and finding the life they should allow to emerge into the light as the full moon reappears.  I have a bit of Cherokee in my background and have a strong Christain faith.  For some reason this story of the shadow lives emerging into the light reflected how I see God gifting us with many talents and through our free will, we are allowed to choose the life that emerges into HIS light as we follow the path He has laid down for us.  The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to represent this in one of my Spirit paintings.  I hope you enjoy the results.  The two panels will hang side by side to create one painting.

Panel 1:  Shadow Lives, 18"x18", mixed media--scraped acrylic, watercolor, ink, pastel

Panel 2:  Emerging into the Light, 18"x18", mixed media--scraped acrylic, watercolor, ink, pastel

Detail of Panel 1 showing a woman reflecting on her shadow lives which are represented by the shadows outside the circle of her reflection.

Detail of Panel 2 showing the shadow life that has emerged into the light of both the full moon and of the Heavenly light.

Completed "Spirit of the Eclipse" with the two 18"x18" panels together.  You should be able to see the full cycle of the eclipse from left to right, the full "blood moon" at the top left of the second panel, the woman reflecting on her "shadow lives" at the bottom left of the first panel, the shadow lives outside her circle of reflection, and the emerged life surrounded by the Heavenly light as well as the second half of the eclipse toward the center of the second panel.  

Scraped Acrylic Paintings

On March 19th, 2014, Majean Schneider, owner of Stuff n Such in Downs, KS, held a Cookies and Crafts class.  Twelve people attended, six to paint and six to make a burlap wreath.  The following photos show the process of the scraped acrylic paintings and the people who came to enjoy an evening of fun and learning.

Getting started, pouring paint on canvas.

Completed 16"x20" scraped acrylic by Payton, age 9.

The youngest customer, age 4, scraped paint, added more paint and left the "puddles", then painting with a brush for linear contrast....all her own design!

Michelle scraping paint.

11"x14" scraped canvas.

Michelle adding linear drawing of feathers.

Michelle's completed painting.

Andrea and Jennifer  comparing notes.

Andrea's scraped canvas.

Andrea's completed canvas.

Payton working on her second painting.

Payton's completed second painting, 8"x10".

Michelle's scraped painting.

Michelle's completed painting.

Jennifer's scraped canvas.

Jennifer's completed painting.

While my students were working on their paintings, Majean helped six people create fun burlap wreaths.  One group was the Heller family who held a mini reunion while they worked and caught up with each other.  A circle of love and fun!

Heller family working on burlap wreaths.

Jessica, Majean, and another customer with their finished wreaths.

Spirit of the Promise of Spring, 3-2-14

While my friends across the north and east are battling some of the deepest snows and coldest temperatures in the last fifty years, they are dreaming of spring.  For them, I dedicate this newest piece, "Spirit of the Promise of Spring".  While the snow is still falling, in the softness, protection and warmth of the womb of Mother Earth, Spring patiently awaits to be born......softly, quietly, in all her beauty.......

"Spirit of the Promise of Spring", snow dyed  raw canvas background, mixed media (acrylic, ink, pastel),  14 1/2" x 20".

Detail of "Spirit of the Promise of Spring"