More new stuff

I am busy making more "music-themed" items, as well as a few other things. Here's an assortment:

Answers to questions

Undaunted in the comments has asked: "Is the design produced with decals?" The answer is no, I have developed and refined the use of silkscreens on ceramic. It certainly has been done by others, but I think the specific methods I use work best for me. I teach a class here in Wilmington, NC on how to create silkscreens (very easy process actually), and I have over the year and a half that I have been into ceramics created about 50 screens. I also have learned a great deal about how to make them work with clay and the various tips. I silk screened underglazes onto the leatherhard (sometimes even dryer than that) items. I also have silkscreened onto bisque items, but find doing it earlier, before the bisque firing, makes it easier to correct
smudges, etc.

If you look at the slideshow in this blog entry, you will see numerous items where I have used the silkscreens. My musicsheet silkscreens have produced items that have been very popular and I have sold all that I have made. I did a huge sale in December on my silkscreened Christmas ornaments too and can produce the images in any color of the many available in underglazes. The Peek a Boo kitty ornament used a silkscreen also. I used the same silkscreen on the two vases in this slideshow which sold quickly at that sale. I actually began experimenting with silkscreen on clay in 2007 and you can see some of my early silkscreened items, pendants, etc. here. That should answer your questions. The silkscreens I make are from two companies PhotoEZ SilkScreen and EZ ScreenPrint They supply the 8 1/2 x 11" sheets already covered with emulsion --then I make transparencies with items I want to silkscreen printed in the blackest ink (opaque) as possible, then I expose the screens to sun for about one minute, then place in a waterbath for about 15 minutes, then scrub out the soft emulsion that did not harden by the sun because it was blocked with the black line images, text, etc. then the screen is ready to use. Each screen might cost about $15.00 counting the making of the transparency and cost of blank screens, but each screen can be used countless times! I made silkscreens for the kittybank project and used them over 50 times. These screens are flexible and don't have to be mounted in a wooden frame. You also can screenprint on newsprint then transfer that to the clay items, to include a thrown cylinder for example, that can then be manipulated into complex shape and the image expands nicely. Bonus is that the screens can be used on card stock, paper and on fabric as well with acrylic paint with textile medium. I love using them and create some unique items using them.
Hope this answers your questions, I will try to get some photos made of the screens and some parts of the process so you can see it.

OK, I'll have to fess up

"Undaunted" wants to see all around on this teapot. I did show the good side before.
But now I have to come clean. The other side got a little too much clear glaze on it, I didn't check the glaze bucket to discover someone at the studio had left the lid off overnight and the glaze got too thick, soooo, as you will see in this picture (the whole truth and nothing but the truth!), that heavy glaze shows. I have since ground down the thick bits and touched up glaze on the bad side and teapot is ready to be refired to smooth things out. Good news is that today I have gotten the matching sugar and creamer out of bisque and glazed ready for same kiln load as the reglazing of the teapot, so (fingers crossed), it all will be beeeutiful maybe next week or so. In the meantime, here is teapot from all angles:

My first Teapot

Here it is, I have since made a sugar and creamer to match, but they should be coming out of Bisque Kiln this morning at the studio. Will have to clear glaze and hope they come out OK. Most of the items I have put in the Gallery have sold I am happy to say. Some of my things are also in a shop in Wilmington, NC---Blue Moon Gift Shops
This is actually the booth of a friend of mine and the paintings on the wall are from another friend. At the moment, I am wondering if I am spread out too much. It takes such a long time to get items through all the processes. I still hope to do two shows a year and just hope I can produce enough items to do all of this. Yesterday, I made five more of my musicsheet screenprinted hanging cones. So far, I have sold all seven that I have made. I am also experimenting with some other items with music themes since they seem to be quite popular. The vases with falling squares sold after four days in the gallery and the "Lovers" sold a week ago.
I had a large order for Christmas Ornaments which I have completed and another commission that I have finished, so now I am ready to work on getting some inventory produced for the gallery and the gift shop any maybe a few items for the two shows I will be in later in the year (September and December).

Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World

For Diana Gabaldon fans

Can you believe this two posts in one day, and this one has nothing to do with pottery/ceramics. Some of you might have read previous posts about one of my most favorite book series/authors here and here.

This mornng, my DH called my attention to a Mallard Fillmore cartoon which cracked me up since I usually sound just like this when I explain the book series to friends!

My newest things popping out of kiln:

OK this time I will forgo making an animated gif, but I really love these very contemporary vases. I have such fun pushing the limits of ceramic to see exactly what I can get it to do. I love the look of these and the seemingly precarious bits flying out of each vessel:

Love

OK, I promise this is my last animated gif, but once I remembered how to do these again, I wanted to reinforce the learning by doing several. This is the first time I have made a figure of a couple. Inspired by something I saw in Greece last summer, I wanted to try to create a similar look in ceramic. I am very happy with how it turned out, now I need to put it up for sale. My DH has gotten me a grinder with a rubber wheel and proper sanding strips for it, so I can get my bottoms (of my ceramic creations) nice and smooth and clean. Well here is the lovely couple dancing of course:

Another Dancing Lady

I am trying to reinforce my animated gif skills and share another ceramic creation with you. The Dancing Lady I made and showed in this blog entry was sold and it was time to make another. I just love making them dance.
Isn't she cute?

New Figure, is she a Sister or a Nanny?

Meet the new Family

I loved making these figures, just in time for valentine's day ------

Gallery Walk--Jan2009

During my workday at the Gallery last Monday, I took a series of movies that have been put on this site Take a tour of what is currently for sale in the gallery. I think Sonny Hall will be updating this monthly so each time I work, I will do a little gallery walk for all of you and you can see what has been featured recently in the gallery.

Happy New Year everyone

It's official, a local gallery, Port City Pottery and Fine Crafts has accepted me into the gallery. This gallery is owned by seven potters and has been an extremely successful venture for a almost two years since they opened in April 2007. There are about 20 talented artists in the gallery and I am honored to be among them. Recently, one of the fiber artists, Louise Giordano posted a detailed rundown with photos on the gallery, its artists, and some nice photos of items that were on sale in the gallery here in December. Louise's most recent posting features an article/interview with Diane Masi, the gourd and pine needle artist who is one of the gallery members.

As part of my commitment in selling my items in the gallery, I will work three days a month, all gallery members work in the gallery and I look forward to working with the other artists and getting first hand acquaintance with visitors to the gallery.

Below is a slide show of some of the newer ceramic items I have made and are making, as well as a couple I may not have shared in previous posts. I will be giving another workshop on my methods of making screen prints and using them directly and as transfers to add patterns, images and text to clay on January 31st at the studio where I do all of my clay work (Fat Cat Pottery in Wilmington, NC) One of the readers of this blog, I am happy to say, has contacted me as a result of my mentioning my class in my previous posting of the screen printed Kitty Boo ornament and as a result, she will be traveling from the Charlotte/Hickory area of NC to Wilmington, NC to be in the class. Information on the class can be found here. I have used screenprinted/ transfers onto lots of my pieces. The kitty vases in the slideshow in the September posting showed a few, kitty faces on two vases which have sold and the turtle vase, also sold in December. I also sold over 40 ornaments with silk screened images/print during the December show--my first as a part of the Coastal Carolina Clay Guild.
At the last minute (literally, the night before), I decided to do some creative packaging, i.e., cutting paper envelopes and using my sewing machine to stitch blanket stitch pattern in red thread. Made over 40 of these in one night to make a more interesting presentation of the ornaments and it worked! They flew off the table, I guess Dec 6th was a great date to pick up small, affordable, handcrafted gift items. At the December show, the "Dance with me" lady and my tree lady also sold.

I have also done a couple of things in damask pattern (which is my favorite), I guess I was on a napkin ring--coaster--ornament kick for a while. I have a few more sculptural figures in the works (some drying, some bisqued and one ready for final glaze). I love the lady with the two children, sitting on drying shelf, I have already underglazed these and will see how they make the kiln journey. I want to make more in different shapes, positions and colors. also have a silkscreen with sheet music and have used this one to make wall hanging vases which can hold flowers. I was inspired by the Scandinavian custom of making sheet music cones, mostly for Christmas as I understand, but think these would be pretty in ceramic all year round on porches, fences, indoors and out.

I look forward to working with Port City Pottery and Fine Crafts in this coming year and to continue to share the adventure with those of you who continue to read my blog despite my recent laxness in posting. I hope to do better and wish you all a healthy and happy 2009!

Peek a Boo Kitty Christmas Ornament

I have decided to begin again to list a few items I have been making in my Etsy shop which has been bare for many months. Mostly because I put several of the items previously listed into a local shop here. Since I last spoke to you regarding the art show I was in and some of the items in that show, I am happy to say it was very successful for me. I have been selling regularly here in Wilmington and have another show next weekend. I will also be in a local gallery beginning the first of the year. However, I have made these adorable kitty peek a boo ornaments which I will list at the shop this week prior to my show next weekend to see what might sell. I actually have made 10 of these and I love them! I also plan to list several other ornaments, all of which feature my silk-screen transfer technique. I teach that technique at my local studio and have developed it further. I love using images in my work and this is an excellent way to accomplish that.
More later dear friends.

My First Art Exhibit/Show

I spent all day yesterday collecting some of my pottery/sculptures, etc to put in our local Art Show which opens tomorrow. It will feature some of my recent work, some you have seen, but also my new "Bowl Heads" very funny, makes me smile when I see them. Since you all can't come to the show, thought you might like a little viewing via slideshow, and here it is:

Glazed and Dazed

Well here she is in her lovely colors --I love her and will put her in the art show I have signed up for in late September.

My latest

Shhh she is sleeping and is now covered with glaze to be final fired today, and hopefully emerge intact next Tuesday!



Her saucy, saucer collar is one step behind her, due out of bisque firing today:

Another Concealment Idea that needs more work

There has been a place in my kitchen that has outlets with wires to phone/lamp, etc. For years this lovely majolica plate (no I didn't make it), has tried to hide the area.


Now I have a new potential fix, this ceramic screen which was designed to hide that area and provide illumination through the holes (I have a small lamp behind it). Unfortunately while decorating it broke and I had to mend it before final glazing and last firing. It has held together, but has some weak spots as a result. I may refine the idea a bit and create a new one. This lovely sheep was painted from one of my favorite photos taken in Ireland in 2001. I have always wanted to use it somewhere. I also used ceramic raised accents which you can see in the closeup, I love the shaggy sheep idea. Also decided to play around with a quotation that might help geet the message across. I like it for now, but will work on another one later I think.

Now for some more "creative concealment" ideas

Have you ever wondered why all toothbrush holders stand up? I have, and wondered why there hasn't been a better invention. So, because I can do things with ceramic now, I thought I would have a go at a different design. Here is the "old" toothbrush holder, with slime dripping down and catching at the bottom, messing up counter, etc., see my green toothbrush for a clue to the direction I am heading.

YUCK! I don't even like looking at toothbrushes and wanted a way to hide them but still have them accessible.









Here is my new invention, it works, but a friend commented that it looked like "paraphernalia", and I don't think that is a good thing--so I need to find a more pleasing look for these toothbrush tubes.

More on these ladies

I sold the first "lady" I made and enjoy making them, here is a picture of the first one I sold in her new home. I am honored that she is standing next to an original "Claude Howell" sketch (he is an artistic legend here in Wilmington)


I will be making a series of these in different attitudes, etc. I love them.

The third one I have finished may be in an art exhibit late in September, it will be my first art exhibit and I love this lady, not sure what to call her though, perhaps
"Rooted and Reaching", let me know if you have any other ideas. I was amazed she made it through all the processes, but she did, so she is tougher than I thought.