My Favorite Things

Above: Front and Back of a Shine Decorative Serving Plate, approx. 15 x 15"

My new pet project as of late has been making square serving platters that follow the "life aquatic" theme. So how are they made? Let's break it down step by step.

1. The platters are constructed with stoneware slabs of clay pounded flat by hand, then placed in a large shallow bowl shaped mold to stiffen up.

2. The platters are then shaved down with a special tool, and painted with several layers of colored slip (clay) and set aside to stiffen up yet again. When the layers of slip have dried sufficiently, I use a pencil to carve drawings and patterns into the plate (front and back). Depending on the amount of pressure used, the drawings take on a different quality of line and color. The plates are wet-sanded and set aside to dry to be bisque fired.

3. I then remove the pieces from the kiln and begin the process of adding layers and layers of under-glazes (commercially formulated decorating colors) that help to construct the illusion of depth on the final product. The plates are painted on both sides, glazed lightly with a clear coat, and set on small "stilts" in the kiln for a second firing. The stilts allow the pieces to be fully decorated on both sides without sticking or melting onto the kiln shelves.

Finally! The finished pieces emerge from the kiln.

Pots need Love Too...

What Does Your Tableware look like?

So you just bought a nice piece of pottery, and you take it home and put it on your shelf.... and it collects dust. Just so you know, a pot is not a happy pot unless it is used.

In this spirit, I've posted some pix of some very happy pots in the possession of some very happy owners.

Releasing Sub-conscious Energy

Above Image from Barry's Book What It Is

I was listening to NPR's Talk of the Nation today and heard an interview with a Lynda Barry who wrote a picture book for adults that explores the nature of creativity and activity. Her main point was that it is imperative for one's mental health to be able to engage in activities that release thoughts and energy from one's s sub-conscious.

As we grow older, we are taught to limit the ways we express ourselves. It is very common for adults to write or journal per se, but we limit our other forms of expression only to those which we believe will seem productive in the eyes of others. We forget that 'the experience' is just as valid and valuable as the end 'product'. We tend to commodify our life experience and only allow ourselves to engage in activities which will produce something that has monetary value. We some how associate 'writing' with an acceptable outlet, but activities such as drawing pictures and interpretive dance are, for example, are not "valid" unless one is an artist or dancer by trade and can make a living at said activity.

Why do we accept this sort of existence?

Don't deny yourself the pleasure of these images.
Link to pages from the book-
I think these are stunning. http://www.npr.org/programs/totn/features/2008/06/gallery/index.html

The story was about a half-hour long, but worth the listen.

Link to listen to this story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91072892&ft=1&f=5