Ahhhhhhh.

 

Finally getting time cleared away to start posting new work from the February firing up on my Etsy... and after being off my game for over a half year... it feels good! 

Ahhhhhhhhh!

Demies

I'm finally getting to enjoy the results of shrinking things down to Demi size. I've been reluctant to create works for this smaller size. I've been part of the BigGulp society for so long, that's what I felt comfortable carering to. I understood the need.
But I haven't had a BigGulp for years, and now, I enjoy smaller droughts with lots of leisurely refreshers.

I understand the need...

A 1/2 pound of clay makes a light 3" high by 2.5" Yunomi. 

Perfect for a noon tea or a early nightcap.

It feels great in the palm of the hand, (the hand just wraps around it). Warm tea feels really good nestled in the hand. 

The Hamada White worked like a tried and true dream, but it's the dry glazed surfaces that are icing on my cake

Happy Dance!

Drop Frames & Monsters

Ok... it's time to throw a few more bananas into the cake...

I've decided to get another studio monkey to help with the R&D in prep for the Small Monsters exhibition.
Enter the Jade Monkey... (inside joke)... I had the good fortune to have a helper out in the studio testing a set of Drop Frames this week-end. Jade's slab work was exceptional and opened up a whole new path. High Five!

These frames are from Matt at MossBeach Ceramics. Check them out, these are a whole bunch of fun!

Decorate a slab an set in the frame and drop! 

FUN!

 There are so many directions to take this...

 Big thanks to Matt & the Monkey!

This is only going someplace good...

Playing the Mile

Found a nice warm sunbeam out on the street corner Sunday morning and sunk into it with my violin like bum in a warm tub.

In my head, I'm invisible.
In reality I'm a clay covered man taking a break from a life in the studio by playing violin on street corners.
Local photographer, Christopher Staggs posted this photo on FaceBook. What a HOOT! Good thing you got my good side...
So any locals that see this crazy violin guy out there, stop, introduce yourself, and say "hello".
Thanks Christopher!

Souper Supper

Getting to handle work so different from my own always is a big treat. I'm still cleaning and reboxing up works in prep for the TideWater's SouperSupper Friday night. 

Here's a look at a few more of Bruce Cadman's works for the event.

Low and slow. 

The alchemy of the surface is gorgeous.

Souper Supper

 I'm tucking 2 little monkeys into this years boxes of works that are going to be unwrapped Friday night at the SouperSupper.

Pinched formed and incised white stoneware and inlaid with a cobalt slip. Cone 6.

Souper Supper

One of 12 Agateware for this Friday's SouperSupper at the ScottishRite in Stockton.

Beatrice Wood

Art 101

Style'n #5

I hang out on the street corners practicing violin WAY more than I'm comfortable admitting to.

I'm still a work in progress but for whatever reason, it makes a whole lot of people find an excuse to genuinely smile...

That's time well spent.

Creating 3-Dimensional Beauty

I'm moving into another day spent climbing trees in the rain to get some much needed pruning done. I made a wish for a bit of security while I moved into the new year and a new body of work... now I have to remember to hold on tight!

My warm and fuzzy thought this morning is finding my blog on a list of Top 40 Sculpture Blogs .
If you like exploring, this list created by Sharon Harlan is good fun and worth cruising through... it's all filled with new faces and her site has a wealth of information on interior design.
Nice! Thanks Sharon!

Souper Supper

I've been spending a few hours with a few friends work while getting everything packed and boxed up for this Friday's Souper Supper for the TideWater Gallery here in Stockton. It's a great showing for hidden local talent.

Here's just 3.

Bruce Cadman,

Tara Heinzen Danielson,

Mitch Smith, 

Each paid entry gets to choose their bowl for the event. 7 soups to sample, music, wine, and deserts. 

Keep the bowl... support the Arts!

Unboxing

I'm still sorting and pawing through this weeks' kilnload of ware.

Most is still hasn't been handled yet and I'm still giddy from getting back to playing with gas.
I can't wait to start putting work into hands again. Just a bit longer...

Wish'n Fishing

Nuff said...

Style'n #6

Learning to successfully live with adversity is trait that takes a bit of creativity and patience to develop.
My wife and I are raising our children in a city that has distinguished itself nationally by winning Forbes America's Most Miserable City award... twice.

Stockton, California.

Why is it style'n?
Because there are no "gimmes" or easy answers here. The crowds are so busy with their personal hustles, that as an artist, you have to pull some serious rabbits out of your hat just to get their attention and just hope they don't start shooting. This is a city where even the Mariachi Bands pack pistols.

Living in Stockton has driven home the point that Art not necessarily a thing that we produce, but ultimately, Art is Entertainment. It's a performance of ideas and views. We are at our best when we provoke, when we sing, when we celebrate.
I don't show this crowd skulls and the like... I don't feel the need to through that on the pile. This crowd needs beauty. The swirls are for them. They understand the Delta Breeze motif and smile for it.

I've learning the importance of standing tall and speaking loud and proud.
Bloom where you grow!

Stylish Bogger?

No questions. I won't drop the potato on this one. Someone has my jewels in her hand and is forcing the issue on this, but I won't pass it on to 15 others though either... I'll hunt out a few more sucker out on this Ponsey scheme, but no promises.

The challenge is to post 7 things that haven't been revealed so far on this blog. Hummmmmm.  Gotta think "stylish".
This could take a while...

# 7  My favorite color is yellow. It's a happy color. Smile...

Plastic Stencils Results (round 1)

Well laid plans often work with a wide variance of success.

 Plastic stencils and hakeme.

The detail is going...

 

Gone... 

The translucents work well, but this is a good point to rethink my approach to creating a controlled breaking of surface tension using my crackle glaze and the underlying surface.

Bit of Blue

 Just over a half dozen small 3 lb canisters went through Tuesday nights' electric cone 6 firing along with another load of bowls for next Friday's Super Supper. These canisters weren't slated for a blue crackle, but I couldn't resist opportunity of a fresh bucket of glaze... nice and deep bit of blue.

FireFlies

White stoneware chawan with a cobalt slipped paper stencil design and sprigged relief. Gas fired to cone 10 using a mystery Celadon glaze.

When I close my eyes, it feels good in my hands...

Quick Shot

 Busy, busy, busy, and no time to sit still. 

Unloaded a lot of answers from the last kiln load... now it's time to put those answers into action.

Think'n I Like It Dry

I pulled a few samples from yesterdays gas kiln as it was cooling. These cups are testing 3 Flashing Washes made using a basic 30/70 mix of soda ash to clay mix. Different clays are switched out of the mix to test. The washes are really meant for salt or soda, but I'm looking for dry surfaces to play with this spring and I'm happy to see the results.

Helmer

 RedArt

Tennessee BallClay

Nice diversity,
time to find more clays to test.

Drying Chucks

I'm not sure why it took so long for it to dawn on me to use common bisqued trimming chucks to rack freshly dipped cups on. This lets the glaze settle and thicken undisturbed at the rim really nicely.

 

This is only for handling the exterior glazing. The interior of the cup is still raw clay and can be poured as soon as the cup is ready for the next step.

Easy peasy...