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Showing posts with label Turning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turning. Show all posts

Saturday, 7 November 2015

In the studio in November.

The kiln started this morning. A few hours later than expected. One of Tiny baby tapirs fell and got an ear injury!  He was rushed in to A&E, but got in the kiln just before ten.

I have been busy working for the bisque firing for last three weeks. This is the last bisque firing for Christmas orders. I hope you will find what you are waiting for if you have placed orders.

Kiln shelfie - Lower shelf has tapirs for waiting lists as well as orders. A few should have a debut in my Etsy shop. Lots of whippets in various sizes, polar bears a little birds.


Middle shelf has porcelain spoons for tea leaves and parts for sculptures and four salamander brooches on commission. 


The top shelf has vessels on commission, rabbits, whippets and a spoon! 



I would love to fire more often, but I try to be eco friendly and patient. So I will try to fill it when deadlines are not looming. Here are some photos of work in progress before they were bisque fired. 
Tapirs come in three sizes.  


But whippets come in various sizes! 



In the UK, There is a TV program about competition for throwing pots. Here is mine. I seldom do, unless I have orders. A porcelain bowl.   




After drying enough, turning the bottom. I hate post with rough bottom.  



I might do the second turning, if the bottom is a bit soft. 



They have become bone dry for bisque firing. 












Tuesday, 11 September 2012

Looking with fresh eyes

Hello everyone. Yesterday morning we opened the kiln. The commissioned work I have been working on for weeks didn't have a good firing. I was so disappointed. First, the glaze was too thick, and second the glaze pooled in the middle of the piece; hence it hides all the details I painstakingly carved. It is similar to the feeling you have when you realise that your cake didn't rise. You have so much expectation and no result. What is worse than failed cakes is that it was some weeks' work. All air came out of me ( I could almost hear the sound), and I shriveled. I contacted the client. She is incredibly supportive and patient. I am very lucky.

This morning, I looked at them in bright sunshine. I saw how I could alter design to solve, at least partially, the problem. I feel upbeat again. Whatever I do, I seldom give up. Whatever I do, I don't compromise. I enjoy solving problems.

So, I started my day positive. I cooked lunch, which is very rare, for us. I finished turning three pots. I also threw a mug and a bowl on a wheel. I recycled clay and made lots of mess on my clothes in the process.
Three pots were turned. 
I also listed a new item on Etsy, this evening.


What is it? It is a sceptre. It might be also called a ceremonial staff. Have you ever seen in a film kings and queens hold them on their thrones? That's the one. This is inspired by Celtic art. After reading an art history book on Celtic art and a following visit to British Museum to see some of the items in the book in person, I made this and another sceptre, which I will show you later.

Is there any use? I held it in my hand whilst watching one of Narnia films. I was imagining I was one of the queens in Narnia. : ) I wished I had a medieval robe and a crown as well! So I can assure you that it fits very well in your palm. It is made to be held, but it can be buried in the garden for others to discover as an ancient object, if you like!

Poor Mike tweaked his back at work. He screams now and then when he moves. I am doing my very best to help him. I know it is excruciating. I have done it twice. So I will be extra busy looking after all animal family alone until Mike recovers. Get well soon, Mike!          

Sunday, 29 January 2012

Turning and handle making

Hello everyone! How was your weekend? Today we started a bit late, and have spent the most of the day turning the pots we threw yesterday, making handles and attaching them to the pots.
Grey ones are white stoneware and brown ones are porcelain white stoneware

I had only two, and I distorted one of them at the beginning of turning, so all I turned was one mug. I did quite quickly. Mike had five to do. So I made handles and attached them to his pots. It went smoothly for white stoneware clay, but porcelain white stoneware clay was difficult to handle (not pun intended!). It becomes either too soft or too dry. But I finally managed to make nice handles.

Our 'studio' is our dinning area, so I had to clean and wash everything very well afterwards, although our dining set was moved to the lounge during our 'studio' season. Cleaning took me about an hour or so. It became already dark.

There was not much time for anything else. Oh, we both enjoy watching tennis, but we both don't like Djokovic. I am a fan of Nadal, but hate to see him losing. So after watching a bit, we decided not to watch the Australian men's final, which is unusual for us. As you probably know, Rafa was beaten in five sets. Poor Rafa.

Monday, 14 November 2011

Birthday cards!

Card from Mimi
Thank you, Mimi!
My old friend Mimi sent me a birthday card from Japan. It is so sweet. She always sent me really cute cards. She said, when she saw this card in a shop, she knew it must be the one for this year, as she knew that I was making lots of rabbits.

Group photo

I got one from mike's brother, too. Another sweet one. So you wonder what kind of card did I get from Mike?

Silence

Ehem, he decided to make one for me, a special one for his dearest wife. He was doodling in the bed last night. Sketches? Wanna see?

Mike said this is a chameleon.

He said this is a frog.
His parrot was much better. It looked like one. The deadline for submission was extended to the end of next Sunday because he said he would need practices. So, I will report on this when he gives me the final one.

In the past I have made several handmade 'cards' for him. My favourite one was for his birthday in 2004. I made from petals, leaves and stalks in the garden on our white floor tiles, while he was out shopping. I also gave him a wreath to wear!

On Mike's birthday in 2004




in 2009, I painted the scenery of Oare marsh in Japanese ink. One day Pearl the whippet found it and literally chewed it up, and swallowed it ... tears.

ZZZ...Japanese ink was yummy....


I was happily turning the creamer that I threw yesterday during my lunch break with the melody and tempo of Blondie's 'Dreaming', .... when I thought I almost finished, the bottom part sank. Ah-oh. The clay was too soft for turning. Mike's bowls turned out to be too thick. So all went back to a clay bucket. We will soon need a bigger one, at this rate.