Cat and tapir porcelain spoons

Ceramic spoons stir warm feeling among us. It's because, I think, spoons are symbols of love, healing and nurture. I like to stir my espresso with my cat spoon. It makes me feel happier, a little bit, but happier.

Fresh from the kiln - last Friday's firing

My spoons have glaze all over. So that you could use them for any food without worrying about stains. Although high fired porcelain and stoneware have high resistance against stains, but I know you would feel better if they are glazed all over, because I would. Glazing all over requires a problem solving skill because glaze would be stuck on kiln shelves if they are fired directly on them. I made a firing rack and put the heat resistance steel bar, and hang all spoons on it. The black colour in the holes of  handles were caused by the steel bar. At 1240C even steel became soft a bit. And after several firing the bars deteriorate.  

Cat spoons

The rack is about 20% higher than spoons as porcelain shrinks a lot after firing.  And the steel bars makes a mess in the kiln. As they deteriorate a bit by bit at each firing, steel dusts fly over inside the kiln.  So I usually use an old shelf to fire the spoons on and another shelf to protect other work. As the rack is quite tall, it would be ideal if spoons would be fired with work in similar height. Hence, I don't fire spoons often.  

As glaze ran down a bit at high temperature, some parts of black underglaze become a bit runny with it, as well. 

So that's how spoons were fired. It is quite a challenge. Once or twice, steel bars became bendy and a few spoons got stuck together. Each spoon is small, but it takes a lot of space in volume to be fired. Even so, I like making them. I am not a potter or 'spooner' by trade, but I know people love my spoons. I can't forget when they see the spoons in person, their eyes are shiny and twinkle, and they show their most beautiful inner girls' faces.    

Quite a few from the last firing have gone now. These are remaining ones. 

Remaining spoons from the last Friday's firing. 

Seven little tapir babies.

Autumn litter had seven tapir babies. And now only one left. If you would like to adopt one sweet tapir baby, please check my Etsy shop.  The last one is a naughty one.

Check me out! 

And if you would like to have one for Christmas, next litter would be in late November.  And if you need to adopt one for sure because baby tapirs do something silly to you, as a lovely lady said just before she adopted one, drop me a line. (My email is in my website, under Contact.)

And this is the sixth baby, who has gone to a lady in the west country. He is a dopey one!

Sorry, I am spoken for, 

Handmade at Kew

Some of my work are in show at Handmade at Kew with Gallery Top, from tomorrow to Sunday. 

Flower garden

Angel with blue flwoers

A walk in the park

6-9 October, 

Kew gardens.

http://www.handmadeinbritain.co.uk/shows/kew/about/

 

Blossom in the wind, Girl with red shoes and Black swan

Since I came back from Tokyo, I have worked solid on commissions. This year waiting time has been between five and six months. Now I have the last large piece to glaze. All others have gone to their loving homes. Thank you so much for your patience and understanding. I feel so lucky to have wonderful clients.

Blossom in the wind - commission

My original Blossom in the wind was shown and sold at Ceramic Art London last spring. There were a few people who were interested, and this is the first piece to be commissioned. There are more blossoms all over. This reminds me of Japanese cherry blossoms in strong wind.

Blossom in the wind - details

A girl with red shoes - sold

Black swan and girl with red shoes -sold

On the flight back from Tokyo, I saw Black swan. The story was about a ballerina who put everything to be a true artist. I had empathy with the heroine and her family. The sacrifice they have made resonates with me and my family. I wanted to make a work inspired by it. Probably this is not the last one. Both went to a wonderful lady.