Trimming-Timing is Everything

Timing is everything!!! I had a full day and almost forgot I needed to trim this piece. Late late late....pop the thrown pieces in a plastic bag so it doesn't get bone dry and come back to it in the morning. Sheesh.

Yeah, I love it when I hear......"my 5 year old can do that" or (I really like this one.....) "I can buy that at Wally world for a lot less"! Well, take this you fart bag......that Wally world piece of junk you just bought is probably made in China by under-aged, under-paid slave labor. Way to go. I on the other hand can say I MADE this with my own two hands and there is no other piece EXACTLY like it. When someone buys this...they get a piece of me...the artist and I am the under paid laborer by choice.

As I was saying before I rudely interrupted myself.... Timing is everything. Well, it was a little dryer than I'd like for trimming but it all worked out.

Up next, the bisque fire. That will not be for maybe another week or two. I need to make more pottery to fill the kiln.

Throwing

So here we go. I have a couple of throwing videos that I did the other day but I'm going to use this one for giggles. I'm going to start by saying that I throw wet....sometimes really wet. I know I know....I've heard it before but I feel most comfortable this way as I hate clay drag and it works for me. It's a choice ya know.

I'm a morning person so I function best in the morning. However, that being said not every morning is productive. I can get in my studio ready to rock and roll but if things aren't working out....well....the hell with it. I'll go do something else!

From Start To Finish.....Raku!

So anyhow, it's been so long since I've blogged I almost forgot that I had a blog to begin with. I have a project and here's what I'm going to be doing. I'm going to focus on one piece and will video the stages from throwing, trimming, bisque firing and then the final stage of the raku firing.

I decided to upload videos on this blog in each stage. Once each stage is finished I will create a single video so I can use it and run a looped movie at our First Friday art walk. I would like for those who come into the gallery to be able to see the process from start to finish. Good idea right? Education for non potters to see how much time and skill it takes for that piece of work to end up in their hands and home. Stay tuned!

Wadda ya think?

It has be a long time since I've blogged. But here's the deal....I make these Yunomi's and I like them both but......which one is has the colors that most people like....love??? The earthtone colors are calm and so .... so.... you know....earthy! But the blue one with speck's of dark blue and green glaze combination is fab.

Just in case you don't know what a Yunomi is, here's the scoop...more or less.

A yunomi is a small cup, usually used for tea in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The walls are generally thick enough so that the cup can be held while full of the tea. (Or, some say, the tea should never be so hot that you cannot hold the cup in your hand.) There is a more detailed description of what a Yunomi is but I won't bore you with the details. Mind you, you can use these for any drink you prefer and you don't really have to have a ceremony before you use them.

What I DO want to know is....which glaze is most appealing to you? Go to my etsy shop...(you can click on my shop link on the right side of this blog or go to www.artsielady.etsy.com to see additional views (you get a better feel for what they look like). Extra chance in the drawing if you make a Yunomi a favorite ( give it a heart).

Post a comment on this blog and at the end of August I will draw a name for that lucky person to receive a Yunomi. You know me.....I'll do it!

It's A Boy

It's a boy and his name is Coco. Well, I've changed the spelling to Koko but he won't be confused because it sounds the same.

I couldn't stand the wait so David and I took our long drive to Baker City to meet with Koko and bring him home. It was a great drive home as he is very comfortable riding in the car. I do know that he was just a touch stressed because he didn't....ahem....poop the day we got him or the next day.

Once we got back to Bend he was curious about his new home and checked every room and every corner! He settled in and I think a little overwhelmed with all his new toys, doggy bed and everything in general. We were able to meet some neighbors and he played well with the chocolate lab next door. They had a good time and he finally relaxed a little. How do I know that???? Well.....he finally pooped! I know TMI too much information.

Koko will get to meet another neighbor chocolate lab today..3 in a row, go figure! And, he will get to meet his new vet on Friday for chipping and a well visit. We all went to bed last night and had a good nights rest. Koko had no reservation jumping into our bed and getting comfortable. Good thing we have a king size bed. It was good though because he is not a mover. Get's into bed and stays put. Kalani and Kahuna would move all over the place and take up most of the space forcing us to tell them to moose over!

O.K. so here was the plan...notice I said "was". Our intention was to get Koko to get use to our routine. Uh, yeah right. He let it be known that HE was ready to go for a walk. Hey! but didn't I just take you outside to do your business? You didn't do anything but....maybe you didn't want to.

First cup of coffee and read the paper? Check...NOT! As you can see with this picture Koko was ready to play or something. Good dog. He kept going to the front door and looking at me. "What" I would say knowing full well what he wanted. Oh for the love of......Ok. fine. David and I are now on schedule. Koko's schedule. It's called Koko time. LOL

Our first walk of the day was 2.5 miles and it took forever. Koko wanted to smell every tree, every rock and every bush...and mind you that's a lot of sniffing. He'll be good for us. We haven't in too long of a time taken our walks or hikes. Today, I even ran just a little with him to get both of us mentally and physically ready to run. I haven't ran in over a year and I've put on weight. Ugh. Koko to the rescue. So I think we are rescuing each other.

Tomorrow....we will have our morning paper and coffee first. Well, we're gonna try to anyway.

Kalani

My sweet goofy Kalani.....16 1/2 year old!!! That's a long life she spent with us. Kalani has been slowing down for some time now. This past week she had front leg problems and with her arthritis of her hind legs, well she was no longer able to walk. We knew that the time was here that she would leave us.

I first laid my eyes on her as she was being born on December 30 1992 and took her first breath. Her pink nose and paws in a squirmy little body. I took her home 6 weeks later and that was the beginning of our forever love.

If you read the book or saw the movie of Marley and Me that was Kalani!!! Yes, she did chew a hole in the wall the size of a cantaloupe. And yes, she chewed up a brand new sofa. Oy! She loved to dig up my plants and it drove me crazy. She did all of this as a young pup. Eventually, she grew out of puppy hood and into a very spunky adult. She loved the water and she even jumped off the diving board into the pool. Most of all she loved it when we moved to the coast of Oregon and she could run on the beach and chase the birds. She'd find a tide pool and flop down into it as if it was the best thing on earth.

I remember when Kahuna ran through a screen door and treed a bear, Kalani was ran right behind her. All of a sudden she put the brakes on as if she were saying "whoa there, what am I doing chasing a bear??" and ran back in the house. Kalani loved her toys. Most of her life she carried one around. When you came home she would bop you in the butt or legs with it until you would play with her or take the dang toy away.

We sent her on her way today. I'm sure Kahuna was waiting for her and now they're running around on strong healthy legs and smelling the flowers and chasing squirrels.

I was there when she took her first breath.....and I owed it to her to be there for her last. I laid there on the floor of the vet clinic with her as she peacefully went on her way.

Raku Raku and More Raku!!!

It's been a while since I've updated my blog. Been super busy working in the studio. I have a raku show/sale coming up on May 9th here in Bend and I've had to really try to crank out more work. I recently got a new raku glaze recipe to try out. Boy do I love it!! The result is a stunning multi-colored piece.

While I have the whole set up for rakuing at my own studio, I have done the last two firings with RACO. That's the Raku Artists of Central Oregon. Pottery is a lonely art. Usually potters are working away...a one man operation shall we say. So it's nice to spend time with like minded artist. We ooooo and ahhhh over each others work. Oh, we're a motley crew to say the least. But it is a very laid back group and we share information and have a good time. What a wonderful way to spend a day!