A delivery to London and Wallace collection

Hello everyone. Since Friday I have been a bit busy again. I have been mainly packing and posting my works. Saturday morning, after I posted a rabbit bowl to a lovely lady in London, I went to London to deliver a box full of rabbits and whippets to the Cecilia Coleman gallery in St John's Woods High Street. There will be an animal themed exhibition from the 6th November until the end of January. My three large rabbits, three little rabbits and two large whippets will be part of it. So please visit the gallery if you are in the area.

It felt a bit too heavy to carry it around. 

As the box seemed to me to be too much to carry by tube; I took a bus from St Pancras station. It was rather a long journey, but it was much easier than changing tubes at Green park, and also I like seeing the scenery from the bus window; as I am not familiar with its route. I had to wait for about 15-20 minutes for the bus to come. It was about 20-30 minutes ride. I was sitting comfortably, but it was a bit chilly. I didn't imagine that inside the bus would be chilly.

No bag was big enough for the box, so I wrapped it in traditional Japanese Furoshiki. Super convenient! 

Nonetheless, I enjoyed observing all different lives in different parts of London. There was a bit sad area, then neat places, middle class area, apparently wealthy street, and then energetic corner.  I studied Sociology for my BA degree in Tokyo. So observing the society is one of my favourite things to do. And it cost me only £1.40! Lots of things are cheaper in London than Canterbury.  

Oxford street

When I suddenly realised that the next stop was mine, the rain was quite steady, and I had to find some place to shelter. I popped into a cafe and had a cup of Earl grey. Next to me, there was an Imperial college business school student working hard with lots of paper strewn over the table. The rain stopped after about 15 minutes. 

Water pipes reminded me of my stay in Turkey,

The St John's Wood had a sort of familiar feel to me. It looked similar to a part of Canterbury High street with similar looking people shopping and enjoying their drinks in cafes. One thing different was there were not so many elderly people there. High percentage of permanent residents in Canterbury are the elderly.  

Lovely plants - so neat

After delivery I went to the Wallace collection. The last visit was a long time ago. So I enjoyed it as if I had visited it for the first time.  

Near Bond street

Near Bond street

 After about 10 minutes walk, I arrived at the Wallace collection

It is a mansion. There is beautiful furniture, armours and paintings. I especially love French paintings; Watteau, Boucher and Fragonard. Not only did I admire their beauty, but also I examined how they expressed lights and used shadow to enhance the light. Magical!

 Chandeliers are everywhere. Some are original and others are not. I had a couple of shots. 

This is holding chandelier in the entrance hall 

 When I came out, it was getting dark. I never saw any of the male nudes promoted on this flag!

Wallace collection

I took the tube to St Pancras. Guess what I found! So pleased with this. I buy loose Keemun tea from their main shop, but how convenient it would be if I could pick it up here in near future.

Of course, I bought four almond croissants and one brioche from Le pain Quotidient. They were too hot to be held; they had just come from the oven. So a nice shop assistant put them in a box. 

Mike picked me up at the station, and dinner was ready. Dogs were very happy to see me again. What else do I want? : )

People make me happy!

Hello everyone. I had a great day today. It was about time because Wednesday was difficult for me. As soon as I got stressed, I caught another cold. So I had mostly rested yesterday in warmth. I usually get mild SAD (seasonal affected disorder) during October and November. In order to avoid to getting depressed, I try to keep myself busy. This year I didn't have to try, as I have been very busy since early summer. But when difficulties pop up during autumn, I tend to feel a bit down even though I am naturally optimistic.

So when I found a tweet from a lovely lady @esmepink232 after lunch time on Wednesday, the air around me suddenly brightened!

'Look what was bought for me! Made by the wonderful, talented @MidoriTakaki' 

I had no idea because her friend bought this rabbit for her. What could I want more?

I enjoy reading Esme's tweets; they are funny and zany! I also like her drawings of young women. I could relate to them.

Thank you so much Esme and her friend! You both cheered me up to no end!

*************

Today I felt better mentally and physically. These two beautiful bronze-gold whippets are going to a lovely home. They look great together! Thank you so much!

Bronze-gold glaze

I packed them and posted them late afternoon with our loyal pooch, Topaz. After dinner, Mike and I have spent a couple of hours packing several rabbits and whippets in a box. That was quite difficult. Packing ceramics is never easy!

When I checked my email, I found this rabbit bowl was also sold! How wonderful! Thank you so much! After a couple of down days, I already feel so much better.

We have fired more porcelain bowls and a pair of coffee C/S with a little rabbit on the handles. Once blue sky returns, I will take photos of them to share! I can tell you that they are really sweet!

A photo diary of a ceramic artist

Hello everyone. This week our kiln is working almost non-stop. Once it becomes cool enough, I will load the next work and start it again. A busy week indeed. Here is the diary so far!

Sunday

Sunday morning, Bisque-firing-1 starts early morning.

Bisque-1 

 While the kiln was on, I made another large whippet. Previous one had pinholes on the glaze.

First stage

Final whippet

 While waiting for the whippet to dry to be carved out, I built the body for this cloud.

She looks a bit like fish! : D

Even after the that (it was already after 9pm), the whippet was too soft, so I was playing with clay, and she emerged. I fell in love with her!

Mysterious girl. 

Monday

Monday morning started with drying damp guys in the oven (please don't try this at home!)

They must be dry before going to the kiln.

The kiln became cool enough to open. All bisque looks successful. Phew. What a relief!

All fired well. 

Then I unloaded the kiln. Noon, the whippet became dry enough to be fired. The kiln was loaded for Bisque-firing 2.

While the kiln is on, I have been finishing some of my other work. Wind would go to the second glaze-firing. The pink patches on her head will become blue.

Wind

 Once eyes are coloured, they transform.

 Tuesday 

The kiln became cool enough to open mid morning. They have survived firing. Sigh of relief!

Bisque-firing -2 

Then the kiln was packed for glaze-firing-1. I started the kiln at lunch time. This reminded me of a commuting train in Tokyo!

The were placed very carefully. 

It got to 600 C by 7:30 this evening. It will finish about 1 am in the morning (1260 C /2300 F). I will be able to open the kiln about noon tomorrow.

In the evening, I have decorated Mike's porcelain bowls. The black goes on first.

Mike's porcelain bowls

Then the red.

Then clear glaze. They will be ready to be fired tomorrow. 

We are now preparing for glaze-firing-2, the fourth firing of the week.

Saturday walk in Canterbury

Hello everyone. Thanks to the early night yesterday, Mike and I both felt much better this morning. I had a lie-in, one of my most favourite pastimes. Just before lunch time, we went to the High street to get sourdough bread in the market.

It was a grey day. But Canterbury festival banner was cheerful

A typical grey day in late October

Sidney Cooper gallery was still closed. They open at 11:30 on Saturdays. Both are listed buildings. Yes, the painter Sidney Cooper used to live and paint here. 

Sidney Cooper gallery before opening time

 The library was open. The building is full of character!

Library 

I checked my poster is in the library. I had asked a receptionist to put it up about one week ago.

I liked this decoration! So cheerful!

In front of a cafe

Then I found a dog sitting on a chair in a different cafe!

'Who do you think you are?'

The Cathedral from a quiet back street.

Peek at the Cathedral

The baker who sells sourdough bread we went to get was not in the market. A bit of disappointment. But never mind. Pearl was pulling power. She got lots of attention from whippet lovers!

'I was very popular!'

After lunch, Mike went to hairdresser. He came to my room to show his new shorter hairstyle. I told him that he looks like an acorn! After that he went to parrots' room. Beaper wolf whistled, and Scooter beeped. Perhaps alarmed! I heard Mike talking for parrots 'Poor guy, he was plucked by another bird! Look at his head.' Do you know he talks to parrots (that's ordinary), and he replies to himself for parrots? That makes me laugh!  At least he didn't bother to ask sleeping dogs to give comments on his new hairstyle.

I have worked for about five hours to build Breeze and Cloud II's bodies. It was fun, but that's maximum length of time I could concentrate on. 

Breeze 

Tidy up is needed on my table!
 

Stubbornly cute and pepper witch

Hello everyone. I have worked solid in my little studio today despite the cold.  The kiln is on.

Being glaze-fired 1240 C (2300 F) 

After making cute animals, somehow my face insisted to become cute, too! If you know what my faces are like, this is unusual. I resisted a bit by trying to add some dark side, but this one became an innocent child. She is 'Breeze', The daughter of 'Wind'. 

Breeze

Walking in autumn is a fun if weather is nice. Beautiful sky and leaves.   

Autumn colour

Pearl enjoyed a walk, and made a scene when she spotted a cat. But once inside, she sleeps like melting butter, and removes varnish from the floor by her nose water!  

Where she rests the nose has no varnish. Her acidic nose water dissolved it!

At dinner time, we were using spilled pepper from a little dish. We pinched it with fingers. Then Mike said 'I can see a witch on a broom!'  Yes. How timely with Halloween coming! 

Pepper witch!

Both Mike and I are suffering from cold symptoms, again! I almost put a kettle into the fridge today. Tight head makes me feel a bit zombish. No wine, no cider, no strong coffee. We are detoxing again, just after I rediscovered the joy of wine and cider!  Never mind. I will recover very soon. Take care, everyone!