The shop must go on!

I hope you had a good weekend. Mike and I went to the Sunbury gallery to take down the exhibition yesterday. We saw Alan, Barbara and Robert. It was a bit sad that we had to say goodbye to them, as we have worked together for a while. I also met 2 year-old boy who chose one of my little rabbits. How lovely to meet him! It has been great four weeks.

When we got home about eight, we were exhausted. We adjsuted ourselves to summer time quickly and I went to bed about 10:30 (Mike 9:30). This morning, my neck was not doing well. The whiplash didn't like the drive. So I have taken a day off from studio work to rest.

Even though I have been busy with the exhibition and preparation for the Cetramic Art London, the shop must go on! It has been very busy! Thank you so much!

Here are photos of those who went to loving homes this month!

A special black cat for a special lady!

Mia -front

Mia - side

 Piglet and Lamb went to a lovely lady in the US.

A pair of whippet joined a loving whippet home in the US.

A little Polar bear went to a lovely lady.

They went to Sigapore and the US. 

Goat, Carrot and Lamb

Monkey went to a  lovely lady in the US.

Both Carrot were snapped up.

Lyra, Polar bear spirit went to a wonderful lady in the US.

Alice joined Lyra.

Commissioned whippets by a specal lady with a special whippet. 

These are the largest ones from the last firing. They went to a wonderful lady.  

A line up rabbits from the last firing. All have hopped away to all over the world; Sigapore, US and UK! Thank you so much!

So did this one. A talented painter got her for her friends.

The middle wren went to a bird lover in Scotland! 

Whippets are very popular among sighthound lovers as well as gifts.

And this rabbit went to a lovely rabbit lady's home today!

 Are you interested? I still have two rabbits in red dresses in my shop! : ) Come along!

Suffering for my art

I keep making! I did bisque-firing last Tuesday. The rabbit was too tall, so he had to be on side.

Lower shelf

Top shelf

 Once I make a large one, I like to make more! This wolf fills the kiln itself.

Wolf

Tuesday night, I fell from a chair. I was holding a mask I was working on, and sat down on the chair backward. I thought there was chairback. There wasn't. I fell backward and I heard my head hit the hard floor.

Next time I noticed, Mike and two dogs were crowding around me. My leg got stuck between chair legs, and I was unable to get up. Mike said 'You must let it go!' and removed the mask I was holding from my hands. It was my precious baby, I was protecting it!

I'm ok. Don't worry! I have whiplash, a big bruise to show off and a bump, but I'm ok. Also I have looked after myself, and didn't overdo it. Having said that, I had to carry on working on the mask with an ice pack on my head that night! But since then, I have worked in a more comfortable position, I didn't dance like no tomorrow, and walked dogs for such short walks that they complained!

I was given good advice on that night. I should tell Mike to check on me through the night. I told him, but he slept through! (I knew!) But I woke up several times and kept checking on myself to see if I was still with me. I was! I kept thinking 'Good, I'm still alive!'. When I told this to Mike next morning, he said when he woke up early in the morning he checked if I was still breathing! (what if I wasn't?)

So ladies and gentlemen, this is the mask I was protecting. Alison Deegan, print maker friend, said 'that is truly suffering for your art?' Yes, it was!

He will be fired soon.

Despite all of this, Pumpkin the chicken is peacefully shielding herself from the strong wind in the garden. This is the view from my studio. She makes me happy!

Pumpkin's favourite place. 

Another mask for a giant

Now I am in the groove. That means I create more and more with relative ease. They will come to me. How wonderful! However, some labour always comes with physical pain!

I made another mask for a giant. Mike is holding it for me, and Topaz is wonderfing what we were doing.

These hairy arms are not mine, Mike's! :D  Hairy back is Topaz's. 

This is how I have made it.

One dark night I started with this ring. Magical!

And I layered the clay on top.

Just continued. 

Then suddenly it looks like a chamber pot! 

Now checking the form and height at the same time. Did you notice it made babies? 

The closing is tricky.

Now it started looking like a pupee.

Whist waiting for clay dries. I made an ear. Huge! 

To finish closing, this torture device was installed. Mike calls it a prayer.

Tada" A scary huge mask. Not finished yet.  

Now finished. 

A report from the studio.

I have worked hard again this week. Not only that, I have made a good progress on every front. How nice! Sunny warm weather at this time of the year could be distracting. No worries about that here! yesterday the first white rabbit from the last firing went to a new home. Today 4 rabbits and a lamb have gone to a nice lady in Singapore.They are very popular! Thank you so much!

I will share some photos from the studio of the last couple of weeks.

A big head

 The goddess of rabbits and owl!They were bisque-fired.

A group photo! Bisque-fired rabbits.

Next glaze-firing. 

Lower shelf 

Top shelf

Carrots and Strawberries line up! They are in my shop now!

Easter is coming. 6 ladies on the rabbit list. 3 ladies have had their picks.  6 rabbits have gone. Here are some of them.  If there are any left, I will list them on my shop. Watch this space. : ) 

 

New pieces in the gallery

Last Sunday, we went to Sunbury Embroidery gallery to replace Freedom and Hope, which were sold to an lovely lady in the US, with new works. We also took another Answer was in the box with us, as there werer two people who wanted the one in the gallery. Whilst we were there, a third person who wanted it appeared. There are never enough!

Answer was in the box

The new pieces in the gallery are Faun and another Freedom.

Faun

Freedom

 It was a cold day, but early cherry had flowers in the walled garden.
 

The walled garden

 For lunch, we went to Hampton court. We wanted to have a supper on PV night, but we didn't have time then. So we were delighted that we were finally there. There are lots of eateries there.

We went to a family run Italian restaurant. I entertained waiters with my Italian with a Japanese accent. On the same road, there is The Fountain Gallery, run by artists. My friends, Stephanie Wilkinson and Tessa Pearson show their works regularly.

Oppsite to it, there was a pub with Victroian building nicely refurbished. 

We came back home about 4, and took dogs for a walk, then I napped. Within 16 hours, I had slept 13 hours! 

I will be in the gallery tomorrow morning.

Hello! Mike and I have been moving furniture a lot today. It was exhausting. We are doing a mock-up for Ceramic Art London. My arms are already aching.

I will be in the gallery tomorrow morning. If you would like to hear stories about my works in strong Japanese accent, please come! :D

Here is one my latest works in the exhibition. Into the woods.

Hope and Freedom were also sold. Thank you so much!

Hope and Freedom - Sold

WHITE BALANCE, until 29th March, Sunbury Embroidery Gallery
Sunbury Embroidery Gallery Event Page