Latest Plant Pots

In my last pottery session (January to March) - a hand building studio - I tried to make larger pots - ones that would hold some of my indoor potted plants.

I was only partially successful. Only three of the four are wide enough. 

And even the large blue one has the plant pot sitting on top of the rim. The opening would need to be wider for the whole pot to fit in.

One of the potters, an 88-year old neighbour named Dina, showed me how to make "eyes" on my clay using a little ball of white clay topped with a dab of black clay, then rolling them in... (Yes, with a rolling pin!)

The result - the brown vase with the eyes in the top picture - could hold cut flowers (or knitting needles!) but not a round pot.

More practice needed!

Clay

When working with soft clay, I never really know what will come out!

Pinching it here and there, I was aiming for a bird with both of these lumps of clay... 

But at one point, the second started to resemble a turtle - and the picture (in my memory) of my older son swimming with a large turtle in Maui came to mind... So I went with it!

That's one of the interesting things about working with clay: I may have a goal in mind - but the clay sometimes takes a turn in a different direction. Then I just have to go with it!

Hand-built Clay Birds

One of the things I most enjoy making from clay is animals - and birds.

I made these a few sessions ago, but only glazed them recently.

Whenever I make a clay animal, I make sure the base is heavy enough to support it. It seems obvious, but it isn't always easy to achieve.

After all that work, you really don't want it to topple over and break - a lesson I learned early on.

Last Pottery Class

Last Monday was my last pottery class for this session.

I haven't worked on the pottery wheel for some time, so it was nice to get back and see if I could remember how to do it.

I brought home a few small pots that were glazed (above).

But - as usual - I had to leave some, that were still drying - to pick up later.

I also glazed three owls that didn't get glazed the last time I did hand-building. You never know what they'll look like when they come out of the kiln!

Back Doing Pottery

I signed up for a pottery class this fall...

My goal is simply to improve...

I'd like to make thinner pots - though I enjoy carving designs into thick ones as well.

To get better at the basic shapes - a cylinder and a bowl. I may even try to add lids to my repertoire! 

I find clay to be a peaceful - if muddy - past time, especially when things are going well.

Pottery Idea

I recently noticed this cute glasses holder. Just what I need!

It can also hold an envelope in its mouth!

I'll have to make something like this next time I take a pottery class...

Such a great idea!

My Pottery Owls

In my last pottery hand-building class - that ended mid-March 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic - I started to make little clay owls. 

I didn't use a photo reference - just a picture in my mind of what an owl might look like. I've never really seen one close up - just in pictures.

I continued to make them when I returned to the studio last September. Time ran out before I was able to glaze them all, so some are pink - the color of the clay.

Then over the winter, I took a break.

What kind of owls do these look like? I'd sometimes wonder. There are many different kinds of owls.

Recently I came across this picture of a "screech owl". There was immediate recognition. Yes, that's it!

My clay owls are short, stocky screech owls! The color is about right, too!

Before ... and After

A week ago, the whole family painted pottery at a studio called "Color Me Mine." 

Yesterday I picked up our finished creations.

Here are the mermaid statue; the ice cream bowl (just waiting for a generous scoop of chocolate ice cream); and the ice cream (jar) - with its base (cone) and lid (soft serve look alike).

Mug and wine goblet....

And my sunflower plate.

Can't wait to go back and do it again!

Pottery Painting Fun

I recently celebrated a birthday...

I wanted to celebrate by doing something fun - and different - with the whole family.

So last weekend, our whole family (except Terry) shared a pottery painting experience in the mall where I often go to walk.

I didn't know what to expect - but it was easy - and fun!. Step 1: Choose an unfinished pottery piece to paint...

Step 2: Choose the colours you want to use.

Step 3: pour some paint onto the palate - and paint!

We were told that three coats of paint were needed to bring out a dark hue when fired in the kiln.

Ivy worked on a mermaid statue. Jericho (with support from his mom) painted a container with a lid - that looks like an ice cream cone.

One of our sons chose to paint a wine goblet...

The other, a bowl.

I painted a sunflower on a plate. 

Our daughter chose a mug.

Now we have to wait a week for the pieces to be fired in a kiln before taking them home. 

It was really such fun! 

Jericho thought his ice cream looked good enough to eat! I agree!

I could see myself doing this again and again, even on my own. It's a relaxing, meditative way to spend a few hours. 

Unique Watering Can

I'm not currently doing pottery - but next time I do hand-building, I'd like to make a gentle watering can called a watering bell thumb pot - like this one.

Dip the bell in a bucket of water until the pot is immersed in water - and water fills it. 

Cover the tiny hole on top with your thumb before lifting it out of the bucket. The water will stay inside.

Lifting your thumb over a plant will allow water to flow out. 

Ingenious!

Ingenious Pottery Idea

I recently saw a pottery idea that I'd like to try sometime...

Clay rolled to look like a long loaf of bread - with slits cut into it.  (I wonder what she's rolling the clay on... I've never seen a pad like that before...)

The slits make three serving dishes...

But the big surprise is that the ceramic loaf comes apart - revealing a platter below! Such a cute idea!

Interesting Christmas Gift!

One of my Christmas gifts this year was this bottle of MARLENE beer, which my daughter tells me is made in Berlin and named after Marlene Dietrich, the famed actress of the 1940's. (Come to think of it, I was named after her as well!)

The label says: Original Berlin White Snow Owl...

I'm not sure how Marlene Dietrich relates to snow owls... (Was she known for wearing white fur coats?!)

But I found the owl to be an interesting coincidence, given that I've been making a lot of pottery owls recently... 

... though mine look more like horned owls than snow owls - according to this book of North American birds. 

Maybe I should try to make a snow owl next!

Do They Look (vaguely) Alike?!!

This is the squirrel pose I had in mind when I tried to shape a wet bit of clay into a squirrel...

The real guy is taking a rest, lounging on our front deck...

And  here's the piece I made. 

It's not often they stay still!

I wanted to made a sitting squirrel - but the clay was so wet and limp - all I could do was to let it lie down!

Maybe I need to work on creating "furry" texture. There's always something new to learn!