testing testing......

i have been testing clay bodies for the last couple months and concluded nothing. hmm.
needless to say, i didn't get much work done in june, for this reason, not to mention a couple other bumps in the road. i am now soldiering on.

i purchased 2 new clay bodies from trinity ceramic supply in dallas last weekend. have made 88 small test tiles for my glazes.....will post results later. i'm very excited about the prospects. these are both mid range clay bodies and i'll fire them to cone 5 (although one can go to cone 6 and i may run a test on both temps just to see the difference).

i have also been working on some terra cotta and although i'm not sure how i'll continue to use it in the future, for now i have a few new designs in the kiln and i can't wait to see them finished. photo to come.

below are the 2 new bodies. i start with little tiles but shape them into small bowls to get an idea of how the glaze will really work/look on a form. and they stack nicely:)

around the studio.....

i've had a bit of a hiatus from posting, not because of any particular reason, though. i guess from just being gone, then busy catching up on regular work...excuses, excuses. sigh.

around the studio (playing with a recently discovered zoom lens!):

i've recently been working on some donations for various local charities.

Destined for Greatness
Youth Home
Eggshibition 2013

Among Friends (17" Platter)
Arkansas Repertory Theatre
ArtWorks 2013

a little time out

just a little note to let you know i am taking a short break from my daily paintings as i get ready for my annual studio sale on saturday. if i can squeeze one in now through saturday i will, though. i'll have to take each day as it comes. till then, i may post some of my pottery i'll have at the show.

thanks for understanding:)
it's a little intense around here!!

back to the drawing board.

so. my daily painting yesterday was a little message to myself.

i have been working on a big commission the last 3 months and 2 days ago i put the piece in the kiln to fire. this was what went in:
(btw, they were dry, i just don't have a picture of them dry)

its is 3 large scale books with a base. anyhoo. i have been waiting FOREVER for it to dry. and then some just to be sure. ahem.

so, yesterday i opened the kiln (just a peek as is was still hot but i just HAD to know, though i had an uncertain feeling about it all along) and was NERVOUS to even look.

um, let's just say i knew immediately there was a problem with the base, which was on the top shelf. it was in shatters. i closed the lid and waited for it to cool completely and prayed the books were ok. sure, i can make another base. it won't be so bad, etc. etc. oh, sweet denial.

yea. i know. tears.


sigh.

i don't remember off hand the 7 stages of grief, but i'm pretty sure i went through them all this morning. ugh.

the worst part. is now i have to email the patron and tell them the bad news and hope they kindly give me more time to redo this. sheesh.

anyhow, normally i would like to wallow in the disappointment and give myself a week to recover, maybe go out with friends and cheer myself up, go shopping, generally avoiding anything to do with the entire issue. but, unfortunately, i have created an entirely too busy a life to indulge this. and being in a bad mood over it really is a drag. (but can i just say that "it's not fair!!" )

my mister reminded me that at least i'm not (fill in the blank) or don't have (fill in the blank). you know, i GET that, but even though i'm not starving in africa, i AM DISAPPIONTED!!!!!

OK. in the spirit of "pulling it together", though, i decided i have a choice:

1. i can wallow in the stink of professional failure (which i don't really have time for and is really boring for anyone around other than the wallower)

2. i can dust myself off (literally as you see it really made a mess), vacuum out my kiln, and start over. just writing this makes me a little tired. sniff sniff, but alas, it's the only thing to do.

so i pick #2. now i get to write a fun email and get back to work. after all, i have a daily painting to do. not to mention a giant sculpture. hm.

the wee hours

i have been up late the last few nights and will probably be for the next few nights as i get everything finished for my studio sale on friday night. finished a round of underglazing, the kiln loaded and firing, and some glazing started. to be continued after a little shut eye followed by a cuppa joe. here's a peek into what's in store for friday......

gone fishing

it has been ages i know! sigh.

moving on....

it is christmas season in my studio and has been since the last post and i have been a busy little elf with deadlines, deliveries and one ginormous art show and sale (the weekend before thanksgiving, which btw, was great, and thanks for asking:)

i have one more at my house with jeri warlick who is an amazing jewelry designer, among other things. that will be on the 9th.

i also painted an apron for the Tie One On event supporting Our House. it ended up being a really fun project. i was given the category of 'coffee lovers'. being lover of coffee, it seemed like a perfect fit. photos of the process to follow.

also, here is some pictures of the work i created recently for the christmas and holiday sales.

the only pictures i seem to have taken lately is of these new mugs but i will include add some others after i unload the next kiln. stay tuned!

cheese dip season

i am so excited to be working with the World Cheese Dip Championship again this year! a sneak peek at the award trophies i'm making for them...

 oh, and on another note:

the future home of my new bigger studio(!)........

ok this isn't the best picture of my studio so i'll get a better more recent one soon, promise!

post: numero uno

i can't believe it's already march 9! my goal was to begin this blog with the new year....sigh. i suppose i am not really sure what to say as i am usually on the reading side of these and really enjoy that role, but alas, i really feel the urge to step into this blog world and see where it leads me. i am usually in a constant state of reorganizing my studio and just put up shelves on either end of it which i am in love with as it got a lot of the clutter handled. though i notice that no matter how clean i get my space, the available room gets filled immediately! no one else has this problem, right? the camera, computer and myself are in a new relationship but i'll see if i can manage to get some pictures up of my work space. i currently am working with terra cotta and underglazes on hand built wares. i threw for years during and after going to university and in the last few years, have really mostly hand built. i occasionally return to the wheel, but for now i love working without it. i feel very lucky to have a new (2 yrs) beautiful skutt electric kiln that i use along with my ancient old tiny cress kiln that live in the garage. also my studio that is in the back of my house which enables me to work at home. i am a lucky girl!