Virtual WoodFiring 2011

Over the pond in France, Eric Soule came up with a fantastic new event this spring, a Virtual WoodFiring.

 He invited ceramic artists to send him small works to be included in a firing in an Tunnel kiln firing. The big surprise was finding out Lee & Yolande of Burnt.Normal Church Pottery were on hand with their critters helping fire off the kiln.
For me, the whole idea of a firing event is fun enough. Make it woodfire that pulls in work from international artists and it starts to become something very different.

Thanks Eric for letting me play. I want to actually get to show up for a firing one of these days.
But hey, if wishes were fishes...

Special note: the Tennessee Blay Clay Flashing Wash is evedently everything I dreamed it would be in a woodfire and oh, oh so much more...

I've got to figure out how to get this work into another wood or soda kiln real soon and see what happens. 

"To Go" call for artists

The Mendocino Arts Center is one of the West Coast's secret destination spots for the Arts.
I'd say more, but that'd be giving away the secret.
I am happy to say, with a Crista Assad pawing through the submissions, this has the makings of a truly fantastic exhibition. (note: the link for Crista is an interview provided by the San Francisco blog, "Handful of Salt". This one of my favorite blogs centered in the Bay Area and really shows how to shine a spotlight in a community.)

If you enter one show this year... make it this one.
Down Load the exhibition prospectus at mendocinoartcenter.org/PDF/ToGo.pdf

Kiln Porno

Here's a wonderful link to the creation of an AnaGama Bizen kiln.

The whole blog is absolutely wonderful and provides great insight into Bizen ware. I've been learning a lot from this site and I encourage anyone interested in woodfiring to explore this gem.

BlueCairn

 Pushing some small sculptures through the kiln after I was give the hint that my more sculptural works would be appreciated for an up coming local show.

 Both sides of a cairn that came out of yesterdays kiln. Now it just needs basing.

Here's a blast from the past... a stop motion video from one of last years blog posts showing how these forms are made. It's all pretty strait forward, but these forms are used as blank canvases, they are an excellent vehicle for play.

Post-Ups

 Busy, busy, busy... 

it's day 2 of a 3 day weekend and I'm playing in the larder. I'm starting to push through April and May's works though the kilns

 One of the down sides to working a full time out in the gardens and grounds is I don't often get to match up all the words with the pictures. 

Posting a few posted-up notes from the day.

 

Unloaded the cone 6 from the kiln...

 Small spice bowls and tea bag trivets.

An excellent excuse to make tiny jewels.

I needed a handful of small victories to pick me up.