Spring flower garden in my studio.

When Mike got up about 3AM this morning for bathroom, I told him, 'I am going to place something under bronze glaze before firing so please don't start the kiln.' He was naturally surprised. This is not something he expected to hear from his sleeping wife. Apparently I had been thinking about it in my half-sleep state.

Each glaze-firing is time consuming and important. Loading the kiln takes at least one hour, but sometimes two hours. It is a 3D puzzle in a real life.

And preparing bisque for glaze-firing is even more time consuming and hard work. Among recent masks, Apple tree took the longest to prepare. I was cursing myself. Who on earth made these details without any consideration for painting? Only a fool makes something like this! After 3.5 hours' painting, it was only half done.  Disheartening.

After 3.5hours, it was not finished yet. 

One of the studio tables. 

And next morning.

Certain glaze prefers a high shelf, and others prefer a lower shelf. Masks shouldn't be touching each other.

Intertwined appearance, but all were carefully slid to gaps.

I have to look at them from all directions; so nothing will be even slightly touching.

From a lower angle, they look like this.

Once all were loaded, we took them to the kiln, and carefully placed them inside. As I have broken work during loading too often, I always get quite nervous.

Luckily, the result was great. Half were done and others will need re-firing for minor reasons. The end is in sight.

Work for Ceramic Art London and An exhibition in Normandy.

Preparation for Ceramic Art London and my first exhibition (group) in France are going well.  A few bisque firings and one glaze-firing were done. More to go.

Working solid for weeks is like shaving life a bit and a bit. I will slow down to normal working hours sometime this year. But I have to get these two events done, first!

Apple tree

This mask is inspired by our own apple trees. We have planted three over the years. We and the wildlife enjoy the fruits. There are still a few apples left on the ground. Blackbirds and magpies peck them every day.

The next three works were inspired by the photo I saw on Twitter. In the New Archaeological museum, Patras, Greece, there is a display of a girl's skull with ceramic funeral wreath.

They are pink, yellow and gold. 

After loading the kiln with the masks and a larger piece, I fill the space with smaller animals. 

They are bisque now.

As for other sculptures, I will plan carefully how to load the kiln.

Owl for an exhibition, Normandy

Fish woman

She has eggs at the tail.

And the last one. I had to change the shape of the two balls at the bottom, as they didn't work out.

Owl. 

And his friend.



Those are successfully fired.

Now I am going to do bisque firing-for the rest of work. A problem is I have space to add one more, but there is no room for kiln furniture. I might re-think.