I know this is an ad, but as a potter I am just blown away by that fellow blithely throwing 40 pounds of clay (!) I did notice that the throwers are all men and the decorators are all women . . . . Anyway I get to open my kiln tonight. It is only a bisque firing, but I do have some tiles with under glaze on them that I am anxious to see.
I found this video on the site “This Week’s Top 7 Smart Videos”
I think this technique and it’s execution is pretty cool.
photo: deightonceramics
“In mid-November, Jennie Jieun Lee was moving a life-size ceramic sculpture of a woman out of her studio. The piece, which had taken her a few months to create, was about to be photographed, ahead of its debut at a Miami art fair just weeks later. But Lee’s dolly hit a bump, and the ceramic figure toppled to the floor. It was shattered irreparably.
What exactly makes clay so volatile? Issues can arise at the earliest stages, from the moistness of the material to the way it’s kneaded and stored. If clay is too wet or too dry, it can collapse or crumble; if its parts are improperly attached, it can break; if it’s not “bone dry” when it’s fired, the piece may crack or explode in the kiln.
photo: deightonceramics
“Merging botanical forms from England with the delicate plant shapes from her childhood in Japan, ceramic artist Hitomi Hosono produces delicate layered sculptures that appear as frozen floral arrangements. Often monochromatic, the works are focused on carved detail rather than color—repetition of form making each piece uniquely beautiful.” – Colossal
Hosono works in porcelain. As a potter myself, I find her work absolutely amazing – and not just a little OCD.
This is the glow from my kiln when it is being fired . . .
The opening: the view inside after it has cooled (a little) . . .
Moustache mugs bisque fired and waiting to be glazed . . .
The finished product . . .
And, of course, some ‘stache tattoos:
The answer is that the first Sunday is June is traditional for celebrating the Day of the Rice God. From Chase’s Annual Events:
Chiyoda. Annual rice-transplanting festival observed on first Sunday in June. Centuries-old rural folk ritual revived in 1930s and celebrated with colorful costumes, parades, music, dancing and prayers to the Shinto rice god Wbai-sama.
Firearms, fibers, any news or behaviors that make me say, "hmm, let me take another look at this."
I still miss my man, but my aim is getting better.
Gunsmoke and Knitting 