Things That Work...Things That Don't

 

At what point in any given situation do you decide it's time to give up and start over because what you're doing isn't working? Sometimes these crossroads are important - a job, a relationship - sometimes they're not very important, like this pot. This was supposed to be a pitcher but the top got too thin and off balance while I was throwing it. But I am still reluctant to throw any of my pieces away (I'm sure I will get to that place at some point) so I try to "save" them somehow. This one I pinched in the top and decided to keep it for glaze testing. Out of the 27 pieces I made this semester there were at least 5 pieces that I had to push. On of them actually didn't make it - one of my bottles didn't even make it to bisque fire because the lip broke. I think it might have had help breaking though (it happens).

I have learned a lot about me in these two semesters of ceramics - I do much better making 3 dimensional things than other forms of art and I will go a REALLY long way to try to make something work before I finally have to say "enough is enough" and stop what I'm doing and go on to something else. Maybe too long sometimes. Maybe I put up with "things not working" too long when I should stop sooner and move on. Things work (or not work) the way they do for a reason and I guess continuing or stopping is always a balancing act .

Something New

I've made several bowls and pitchers this semester. The pitchers were the most challenging so far. Stephen Horn, a prominent ceramicist, did a workshop recently at school. He has some cool techniques. On of them is to apply crumbled slip to the outside of the piece - it gives a rough texture, sort of like gravel. I cut a channel in this pot and applied some "crumbled" colored (green) slip. This pitcher is in a raw clay state. It hasn't been fired yet. Yesterday I didn't throw at all. I did a lot of glazing and I added handles to pitchers I made last week. Hopefully, in another week I will have 3 finished bowls to show off and more fired bowls/pots to glaze.

What's the Buzz?

Sometimes all you can do is bury yourself in your work and forget about everything else.

They Grow Up Fast

Easter 1996. It seems like only yesterday...that these kids were playing in the trains at Travel Town and in a fountain on Glenoaks Boulevard. These are my nephews and my niece.

Michael, the one on the left has a family of his own now. Among his many other talents, he makes chain mail jewelry. Ana will be 17 years old next month and is a wonderful artist. Jeremy plays video games for a living and is my computer guru when things go kaput!. What interesting paths their lives have taken over the past 15 years.

My sister had all the kids (and pets). I had all the art supplies and cool stuff to play with (and the quiet refuge when kids and pets were too much). I always stayed close to my sister's kids in case they needed a safe place to go if things got too unpleasant at home (parents and teenagers often go through trying times - if you're a parent, or a teen, you know this). I always let them know my door was open to them and that I would take them in but I would also tell my sister where they were. None of them ever took me up on the offer. Guess their lives at home were more bearable than some.

Not having any kids of my own I have to admit I'm not the most "kid friendly" person, but I must have done something right by all of them as they were growing up because they still tell me "I love you Auntie" when we talk (and so do Michael's kids - my great nieces and nephew).

Watercolors

Sometimes when I'm out shooting I end up with something unexpected but interesting. This image is all in-camera - no Photoshopping or editing.

This is one of many pictures from the World of Color show at California Adventure. The diffused color at the top is light on a mist curtain. I look forward to going back again to shoot this because water is fun and tricky and you never quite know what you're going to get unless you know the timing of the show very well and can plan for specific shots.

My Favorite Things

I love candles, fire, the ocean, seashells and shiny sparkly things (and my camera).

Beautiful Fire

I LOVE FIRE! Fire is living, breathing, changing, awesomeness!

Today we had two Firefighters from the LA County Disaster Preparedness Division at one of our facilities demonstrating the appropriate use of fire extinguishers for our employees. I, of course, was there to document the event for...whatever. But I really would rather have been just walking around shooting the flames. It was very windy this morning and the flame was wild and blowing and beautiful. They used a tray of water with a gas diffuser (I'm guessing propane) inside so they could control the flame (of course - they're firemen - that's what they do).

The few times I've been fortunate enough to go camping, my favorite time of day is when we light the evening fire. I can sit and watch the flames dancing all night. I have a very healthy respect for fire and I would love to take a Fire Technology class. Maybe I can reinvent myself and become a pyrotechnician.