I am back in the potter's studio again this fall. Just got started a couple of weeks ago and while I have 24 hour access to the studio I am unable to get in there more than twice a week for a couple of hours at a time. It is too bad, but that's the way the croissant crumbles. There is a fair amount of activity going on in there as there are several active potters going at it as well as the local food shelf event, Empty Bowls. There were 380 bowls made for that event that are for sale for, I believe, about $10 each. There will be lunch and dinner served (soups, stews, etc.) and bowls for sale tomorrow. All of this happening at one of the local churches. Turnout is expected to be about 450 people which is pretty impressive in a town of 1150 and the additional surrounding area.
Here are some samples of what is laying around the studio now. There are a few pieces of mine in there, but I am hard pressed to pick them out. Most of them are by people with more skill than I have at this time which is fairly awesome. I learn so much from everyone. Just a hint here and there really adds up after a while.
Here are some that are glazed and waiting to be fired.
Here are some post-firing.
The big lake made for some interesting sculpture a few days ago. The air temperature was well below freezing for a few days, most of the week actually, and thew wind picked up for a while.
If you look closely you may notice some little red things in there. Those are mountain ash berries. Many birds eat those during the winter as they tend to stay on the trees sometimes. Here is a closer shot.
If it should get warm enough for this ice to melt it will be back later for the duration.
The pottery looks so appealing, so tactile! What a nice artistic expression!
ReplyDeletethose pottery pieces are beautiful! learn from the experts. would love to see some of your creativity posted. and that lake ice - brrrrrrrrr!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pieces, especially in photo 3-5 - love the details and textures. But they are all lovely.
ReplyDeleteThat ice coating on everything is pretty impressive. I wouldn't want to stand by the water for long!
Wow, wow and wow.
ReplyDeleteI love the pottery and my tactile self yearns to pick up several of those pieces.
The ice sculptures are incredible too. Frigid beauty. Other than Antarctica I have never been anywhere which gets that cold. And I fell deeply and irrevocably in love with Antartica.
I do feel for the birds though. A diet of popsicles in winter has limited appeal.
Wonderful !
ReplyDeleteI miss pottery , I had my own kiln for years.I love seeing what come out after the last firing.
Always so exciting.
The last photo is beautiful.
cheers, parsnip
Jono--What a neat event (Empty Bowls) and how gorgeous the ice is.
ReplyDeleteNo ice and no snow here, yet.
It's great that you're back in the pottery studio - I'm looking forward to seeing your latest creations! And speaking of creations, those ice sculptures are fantastic. I used to love the spectacular aftermath of ice storms on the prairies... but the price of admission was usually too high. Stay warm!
ReplyDeleteOh I would LOVE to have access to a pottery studio so i could play with clay as much as I wanted. The Empty Bowls project is a great idea. I loved making my clay pieces this summer, such fun. Always a surprise finding the finished product coming out of the kiln.
ReplyDeleteThe ice is lovely but that must have been a wicked wind to shape it like that.
Pottery and ice ... I like the juxtaposition.
ReplyDeleteI love pottery. I have to exercise real self-control when I go to craft sales or I'd own a ton of it.
ReplyDeleteeViL pOp TaRt, Thanks. As long as my hands still work reasonably well I will continue to use them.
ReplyDeleteanne marie, I will show the stuff I am making in about another month or so. Need to keep making stuff and fire it, then glaze and fire again.
jenny_o, The really creative pieces are very fun. I made a bunch of chatter tools for everyone. The pots in number five are not my pots, but the tools to make the texture are ones I made.
Elephant's Child, You're in luck! There will be more pottery pictures later and more ice as the winter progresses.
angry parsnip, It is always a surprise to see what comes out of the kiln. They can be either blah or beautiful.
Sioux, Empty Bowls is a pretty big deal around here. The level of support is nothing short of generously amazing. Don't worry, you'll get winter soon enough.
Diane, Your "winter" will be a lot different than what you were used to. I will be curious to hear about it.
Shammickite, I'll just bet there is a studio somewhere not too far from you that you can access readily. Kiln opening sometimes calls for a party in celebration of the finished products. When the "winds of November" and the rest of winter get rolling the effect can be quite dramatic, but serious caution is advised.
Tom, Sometimes those things just come to me. Not very often, though.
Debra, I am sure your local artists appreciate your participation however it turns out. I need to keep giving stuff away or I'll be overrun with it.
I had to look up chatter tools and learned something new. That is very cool that you made them for the group!
ReplyDeletejenny-o, It's good to know I'm not the only one driven by curiosity. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the Empty Bowls idea. Some serious talent on display in your photos.
ReplyDeleteI always wanted to make my own plates bowls and cups..so cool..and love the ice sculpture.
ReplyDeleteI think of you whenever I use the cup you threw (or should it be potted? or crafted? hmm...) Anyway, it's quite nice. :)
ReplyDeleteBlog Fodder, Empty bowls was a great success. There are indeed some talented potters in the are.
ReplyDeleteJACKIESUE, Doing production runs like place settings for twelve can be a bit tedious, but just making similar pieces in various glazes is more fun. I kind of like the rainbow look on a dinner table.
AK, Aw, shucks. Glad you enjoy it.
You are all kinds of talented, Jono.
ReplyDeleteI love the photos. I wish I had the patience and skill to sit at a pottery wheel. Well, not just sit, but to sit and create beautiful products like you do.
Have a great weekend.
Beautiful workmanship!
ReplyDelete...I am unable to get in there more than twice a week for a couple of hours... <-- Frustrating how work is interfering with life, isn't it?
Robyn, You are too kind. If you spent time with someone like me you would either learn patience or be in prison. :)
ReplyDeletePixel Peeper, Yeah, too bad people like us were just born smart and good looking instead of rich.
this pottery work looks really beautiful Jono and i am sure that you have made some excellent items there:)
ReplyDeletefood event sounds very interesting .
I am hugely stunned with these really IMPRESSIVE shots ,never saw such delicate and fascinating art work of nature before !!!
thank you for capturing them so beautifully ,you are so skilled in photography
baili, Thanks! I also love the images of your world and your life. It makes mine so much richer.
ReplyDelete