A Different Cat

While I was doing a set of pieces for a show about cats and dogs, I set myself a design problem making a loose, free drawing of a cat.

I wanted to draw it as a child would draw--just go for it!

The other restraint was to lift my brush as little as possible, making the expression in one continued line. To be as free as a child in making the image.

The head outline was one line. The body another. Face and claws were last.

You almost have to do this holding your breath.

It's fun.

It's harder than it looks.

It's also a good discipline for visualizing what you are going to do before you do it.

Doodle to Design

All my school notebooks had doodles down the margins.

It wasn't that I was not paying attention; actually, I could remember what was being said by looking at the doodles.

I took notes too. I don't mean to say the doodles were the ONLY thing I did while in class.

Some doodles grew into pictures or expanded into design.

This little doodle is about 3 times larger than the original. I liked it so much I cut it out and glued it on a larger piece of paper so that I wouldn't loose it.

The first time I used this design was on a large slab of clay rolled out with the intention of cutting it up. But when I looked at the shape, I liked it so much I coaxed it into a large platter, smoothed the edges and fired it. The "Angry Cat" was done over the iron glaze with thinned oxide.

Every time I've used this design, I've sold the piece.

Stress

I made this little sculpture when I was working. It expressed all that I was feeling at the time.

Not that I didn't love my job; I did. It was just a high-demand, high-pressure with a long commute coupled with home demands. At first, when I was at work, I was totally -at work- and when I was home, I was totally there. But as time went by both sides began to erode into the other.

Thank heavens this isn't my situation now.

The head is segmented with spacers in between to give the appearance of pushing upward. The bands are holding it down.

Originally, the head was encircled with rubber bands, but I decided that wasn't permanent enough and replaced them with wires. I don't think the message is as effective as with the rubber bands.

That's why it's never been shown. The resolution of where the wires go and the base doesn't work well.

I love the idea of the tension, though.

It's a do-over for sure. Next time with something that looks like rubber bands and slots in the base for them to 'fit into' as if anchored down.

I also like the use of the same clay to form a base.

Maybe a base that appears to be metal with bands of metal.......

Break a lot of bad pots; Keep a lot of bad pots.

Photo by the very talented Erik Johansson. See more at http://www.alltelleringet.com/

Break a lot of bad pots.

My rule is, if it offends me, I break it.

If the piece glued itself to the floor of the kiln and I had to break it off, definitely break it and stick it into the bottom of a flower pot.

If the piece has a crack, a break, a dangerous glaze result and doesn't contribute to the "look", break it.

If the structure or the glaze just didn't work, break it.

BUT

If the piece was a good idea gone bad, keep it.

Photograph it.

Analyze it.

Try it again.

Or pack it away and forget it for a while.

I have to admit that there have been a few pieces I've applied the hammer to that I wish now I hadn't been so hasty. Or so persnickety. That was when I first started making ceramics and had this image of perfection embedded in my mind. After I went to a few NCECAs and looked carefully at a huge variation in other people's works, I edited my ideas of what is and isn't perfection.

I do have a series of mugs that I thought would be a good 'family' with variations in shape, but uniform in glaze and unique (same) handles. I still think it's a good idea, just didn't pan out that time. They are sitting on a shelf in the studio as a reminder.

So, trash the 'failure', don't trash the idea.

P.S. Don't forget your goggles while you're happily smashing stuff!

This is TOO Funny

Re: How Long did it Take You to Make This Pot?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8kaYg3XjVQ

Mystery Flower Pot

Every once in a while, I run across a pot on the web and wonder about making one similar.

Here's a rather strange one.

I wonder who designed it and why.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Saint-Cloud_porcelain shows a detailed photo of the piece.

The side portions are designed to be flower holders.

They would keep a stemmed flower upright. Daffodils? Tulips?

But what are the four other holes in the middle for?

Maybe to hold cord for a hanging pot? That would then mean it wasn't designed it sit on a table as a centerpiece. But somehow, it doesn't look like a hanging pot either.

This was made in a period of highly experimental china making. So who knows how it was used. One thing I know, pieces were not made with holes without a reason.....so I like to imagine: An elaborate Dutch shoulder yoke sat between two of these pots suspended with cords?

A search for St. Cloud yields several short articles about the company and lists collections that pieces can be found in, but not much else.

A mystery.

"How Long did it Take you to Make That?"

Image from http://www.inspiri-art-and-craft.com, a good site about home-based craft business.

What do you do when someone asks you, "How long did it take you to make this?"

It is said Whistler's answer was, "All my life."

I like that. Because your work changes and grows all your life and what you do today is the sum and culmination of that growth and evolution.

However,

An answer like that will--

1. Probably not be understood.

2. Come off as being flippant.

Besides, the questioner is usually not interested in an account of the hours and minutes you put into making something or the different steps you took to make it.

Some people feel stumped when face to face with art and the artist who created it. They have no experience talking about art. They're a little perplexed and intimidated.

Artists are sometimes seen, in the public mind, to be romanticised, exotic creatures, out of the main, someone slightly mysterious, ethereal, touched by the gods of creativity, owners of a 'gift'.

A little bit of that could be a good thing. But that's not why we are there, standing in a booth in front of shelves of your work, slightly exhausted, keyed up, waiting for customers to come in and buy something.

They are approaching you because your work has drawn them in. They would like to open up a dialog with you, but they don't know how. Picking up one of your pieces might be a bit too forward for some, afraid you'll land on them, make them feel they are obligated to buy something......

Anyway, as I said, they don't REALLY want to know the whole step-by-step story of how you made a piece. That is, unless they want to learn about clay or are truly the curious sort. So recognize it for what it is: A cautious opening, an attempt to talk to you about art.

On the other hand, you may be talking to a bean-counter. That guy who wants to figure out Work x Time x Material = That Price?

Don't go there. It won't work. You can dazzle the daylights out of that guy by peeling off facts about the time it took you to learn the skill, how long you studied or traveled or spent making that very piece with all the steps from pugging the clay to fishing it hot out of the kiln to grinding it's foot down.

He won't understand and by the time you get to about the third fact or so, his eyes begin to glaze over and he starts backing away. Besides, you didn't give him the answer he was looking for anyway.

"When I'm in the creative mode, time just goes away."

"That's a nice piece, isn't it? I'm really happy with the result. Handmade things just have a soul of their own, don't you think?"

"I made that on the wheel/by hand using slabs of clay/etc. The process is so complicated, I couldn't tell you how long it took, but it turned out well, don't you think?"

Always give an answer that will add value and lend uniqueness to the piece. Pick it up and hand it to the customer. (Give them permission to handle it.)

Talk about the color--maybe say, "That's an iron-based glaze." Or "Ceramic glazes are really a very thin coating of glass. That comes from firing it in a kiln at over 2000 degrees." (You can slip in a little education as you go.)

Encourage them to ask questions and start a relaxed, friendly dialogue. Talk about how you can use the piece.

"I really like a big, hefty mug for my coffee in the morning, don't you?" or "Isn't that a comfortable handle?"

"I have a bunch of bowls like this in my home and I use them every day, they are so handy."

"These make great gifts." "I love inventing unique pieces."

"This looks so great near a window where the sunlight can show off the glaze."

Tune into the customer. Try to hear the subtext of their question. See if they have a sense of humor, are wanting to learn, considering the piece for themselves or to give to someone. The quicker you can hone into where they are, the better.

Avoid those who are there for entertainment. Or those who will monopolize your time while other customers come and go!

The minute you are buttonholed by one of those, be nice, but make sure the other people in your booth know you're there to help them buy something. Make a point of saying, "Please ask me if you have any questions or need help." to them. Or disengage yourself from the "clinger" by saying, "Excuse me, I'll be right back." Smile. Leave, keep an eye on them, check back, but telegraph the fact that this is a business, not entertainment.

**Another comment that just kills me is, "Did you make all of this?"

A New Mold

The other day I decided I needed a mold of a half sphere.

I'd been prowling toy and variety stores to find a child's ball large enough to make what I had in mind.

Surprisingly, it was difficult to find but I finally located one after previously buying three of varying sizes.

I had a used box that was just the right size, but it was rather hole-y.

That's when I got the bright idea to line it with duct tape.

Duct Tape - the wonder fixer.

No matter how hard I tried, though, it was impossible to get the tape inside without some seams and wrinkles.

After the duct tape was all in, I coated the inside of the box with a liberal slather of cheap dishwashing liquid. Same thing for the ball I wanted to mold.

I mixed up the plaster and poured it into the box, then positioned the ball half-way in and half-way out.

BUT WHAT I HADN'T THOUGHT OF WAS THAT THE BALL WANTED TO POP UP!

Yikes.

There I was, one hand holding the container that had just held the plaster, the other pushing the ball down to just the right depth in the mold box.

What to do, what to do.

Luckily, I was able to grab a bucket filled with water and put it over the top of the box.

The distance between the top of the ball and the top of the box just happened to be at exactly the right level to keep the ball in place where it should be.

Whew.

Otherwise, I could see myself sitting in a half crouch, holding down the ball in the mold until the plaster finally hardened.

Meanwhile, in the other hand, I still had the container I mixed the plaster in. (Too bad for that, it went into the trash 'cause I didn't have time to clean it out with water.)

Not impossible, but damned uncomfortable.

Sorry I don't have a picture of the ball or the whole thing when the plaster set.

I did have to wiggle the ball a bit and work it loose before everything really set solid.

I'm happy to report that the duct tape idea worked the box was very easy to dis-assemble and the mold, after a bit of a clean-up on the top surface (I don't care how the outside looks) is a beauty and I'm looking forward to using it.

Even thinking about making others in smaller sizes.

And maybe even a positive of the negative.

Next time, I'll be much wiser about logistics......

Handmade Books

This post in a slightly different form, also appears on my other blog,

http://fiberneedlethread.blogspot.com/.

I have an old book press like this one and I use it for fall leaves. I love lacy fall leaves; the ones the bugs have eaten holes in. I save the leaves from year to year so I have a good supply for when the spirit moves me.

I also hoard great paper, raffia and beautiful twigs. (Rocks too, but I haven't figured out how to use them yet---maybe a cut-out with a suspended rock.........)

No reason why I couldn't make a small, bas relief, very light-weight decoration from porcelain to use on the cover of a book. I once saw a potter flip a slab of porcelain to paper thinness. I wonder if there are ceramic book covers in existence.

Or maybe make half-round bosses to attach the binding on the outside.

Or create an interesting bookmark to coordinate with the cover piece.......

Making books is another thing I do when I'm at a slump with clay or it's too cold to go out to the studio. You know, when you're 'off' or stumped or just not in the mood.

The cover of these books are from a stash of old photograph mounting albums. I ran across a bunch of these, dismantled them and cut them to fit the pages, another stash of paper from a book publisher. They are off-cuts from a print run.

The second book is made the same way, but I had to figure out how to attach the bare twig to the back.

Breaking News:

I just googled ceramic book covers and found this:

http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Ceramic-Book-Covers/249094

Sometimes When Things Go Wrong, They Go Right

This is a plate I got a little intense about when I was throwing it on the wheel.

I pushed the rim too far and it did this.

I cut it off from the wheel, laid it aside and went on with whatever it was I was doing.

Later, I looked at it and decided, "What the heck, let it dry."

I bisque fired it, tried a white glaze on it as a test firing and Voila. Not a bad plate.

So, don't be too hasty or too harsh about how your work turns out.

Besides, I don't think I could do this again if I tried.