Striped Large Bowl

Going to play catch up and post some pieces I've had done for months now.  I have some exciting ceramics related news coming up!  This is a wheel thrown medium sized bowl that is perfect for pho.  

Photos by David Wesley

Fox bowl

This is my largest wheel thrown piece. I started with 8 pounds of clay.  I used sgraffito to carve the fox, but I couldn't carve enough detail without making it a muddled mess so I decided to paint it in with underglaze.  I'm not happy with the eyes but the rest of it turned out alright.  He looks like he hasn't had rabbit in a week. The field mice aren't cutting it and he's jonesing for some hasenpfeffer.

Behold, the grail!

Behold, the grail!  This was wheel thrown in one piece.

Photos by David Wesley

Practicing cutouts - yarn ball

Here is another piece I did cutouts on.  Its a knitting needle holder and I cut the shape of a yarn ball into it.  The top holes are to weave yarn pretties through, but I need to dig through my stash to find just the right fiber for the job.

Photo by David Wesley

Practicing cutouts - owl

One of the new techniques I wanted to try was cutouts.  This was intended to be some unidentified nocturnal creature but everyone has been calling it an owl.  I REALLY don't like it. I'm almost embarassed to post it.  Lots of people told me they like it though.

Just passed the leather hard stage

Photo by David Wesley

For sale or trade

Red Bowl and Red Salt Pig

Bright red is a newly available slip color in our studio, so I had to try it out.  I made another salt pig that will match my kitchen better, as well as a nice big serving bowl.  

Photos by David Wesley

Projects 57 & 58/50

Picasso inspired tile glazed

Here is the glazed tile I posted the sneak peak of a few days ago.  I thing it will be nice in a wooden frame.

Photo by David Wesley

Project 56/50

Bowls with "crazy clear" glaze

There is a glaze in the lab that we call "crazy clear".  It's just supposed to be clear but the company screwed up the mix, so it does crazy stuff.  Some cool stuff, like mixing colors crazy ways; as seen below.  I regret only using it on these two bowls.  It sure makes interesting and beautiful results.

Photo by David Wesley

Photo by David Wesley

Photo by David Wesley

Cell phone shot

Cell phone shot 

Projects: 54 & 55/50

Sneek peek - Picasso inspired tile

A while back I went to the Picasso exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago.  I left inspired. This is before the bisque fire.  I'll show you how it looks when it comes out of the glaze fire next week.

Image journal - bowl with wooden handle

Final drawing for my image journal.  It's been fun.  Maybe I should take a drawing class someday.

Project 53/50

Image Journal - Bull Terrier

This is the 9th installment in my image journal.  One more to go.  I really enjoy being made to draw. I'm not sure why I don't do it on my own.

Project 52/50

Art for the sake of art

I always try to make utilitarian pieces (unless its wall art).  This is the first ceramic piece of art I've made for the sake of art. It is two cylinders stacked which worked out pretty well in the end even though for one, it gave me a hard time during trimming and, secondly, it fell over and got a big ding it it.  So that green spot is actually an impression made when it tipped over. Mistakes can sometimes be made to look intentional. That is a lesson I remember from my kindergarten teacher.  It has stuck with me all this time.

For sale or swap

Project 51/50

Small blue tumbler and blue vessel

Drum roll please.....I completed the 50 projects in 2013 challenge!  These two are #49 and #50.  I will still keep count and post the rest of the projects I complete until the end of the year though. I like to see how my pottery has progressed through the year.  One of the people that use the labs and has been doing pottery for almost 5 years told me that he has mistaken my bowls for his a few times.  His work is very good so that is quite a compliment

Small wheel thrown tumbler.

Wheel thrown vessel. 

Photos by David Wesley

For sale or trade

Pot - Remembering the 1990's

Neon jelly shoes, Polly Pocket, "Saved by the Bell", and New Kids on the Block.  That's how I remember the 90's.  For some reason looking at this pot brings it all back. 

Photos by David Wesley

For sale or trade
Project 48/50

Striped tumbler

Wheel thrown tumbler with Frankie and cardamom glaze.

Photo by David Wesley

For sale or trade

Project 48/50

Little dishes

Claimed

For sale or trade

Claimed

Photos by David Wesley

Projects 44-46/50

Image journal - Ewer

Project 43/50

Spoon rest

This is the only picture I had taken of the spoon rest I made to match my salt pig.  My roomie's dad has been doing pottery for several years and makes beautiful pieces.  He let me choose from five big, lovely pots so I let him pick one of my humble pieces to take.  He claimed my spoon rest but I wasn't about to deny him when he was so generous. 

Project 43/50

Salt pig

This salt pig was thrown as a closed vessel and then a hole was cut in the side. I find it very handy to keep it right on the stove.

Project 42/50

Soft slab tree canister

For our soft slab project we had to take our 3 stiff slab pieces and put them into one.  So this became this....

I don't know if I have any other pictures but you can see a sliver of the birch tree part and the oak tree is on the other side.  I added the acorn lid to give it a more complete look.

For sale or trade CLAIMED
Project 41/50