joyous creation studio

how much snow can we take?

2011-02-22T14:57:00.000-08:00

Last week it was 70 degrees. It lasted long enough to do a winter Raku firing where a few pieces were good, but some of my experiments were better. This has sparked me onto a new path... jewelry. I haven't taken any photos yet, but I will soon.

the making of a gnome

2010-07-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

When I was invited to a cross country croquet tournament in Otis MA, I was really excited. When I got the invite video and it showed a gnome getting hit with the croquet ball, and falling over slowly and safely onto luscious grass...I thought that I would make my own gnome to bring to the show. Who should it look like? well, my friend Maryann seemed to be the perfect choice.

This is my lovely friend Maryann. I started with the photo and sculpted the head.

After that I rolled slabs in my basement-studio and made the body parts. Hear are some of the phases it went through.

When the Gnome was finished, I let it dry a bit and painted it with under glazes.

After that I high fired fired it with weathered bronze, red, and chartreuse. Then Maryann met her effigy.

hello again after a break

2010-06-03T07:30:00.001-07:00

I have been taking some blogging time off to get my life together. After a year of job searching, I have decided to make my own job.

First, I started at the Wayne Art Center and was lucky enough to get hired as a part-time ceramic tech. This has me very busy, loading and unloading kilns, mixing glazes and cleaning (the clay traps are particularly choice jobs). So half of my working week was fixed.

The rest of the week I am an "elder personal assistant". I drive, clean, cook, garden, organize, file, and anything else that is needed. This is a good thing, helping others and not trying to get folks to buy stuff they might not need. Or struggling with website coding, not fun at all.

No pictures today...my little pot got fired (a mediocre naked Raku, at best) and then somehow jumped off the table and died an uncertain death. Rey's beloved fish, a bottom feeder, somehow made it to the top of his tank and jumped. He crawled towards the refrigerator and expired there. We don't know why these strange things happened, but we are very sad about them.

So today I am creating a gnome for a cross country croquet tournament and that will be photos and a story to tell.

my little pot gets handles

2010-05-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

So, my little Raku pot got trimmed and got handles and a layer of terra sigillata. It is now in the bisque fire. At this point, if I don't have a plan for the glaze, which I usually don't, I start thinking about it. It is really good if I write it down, I forget what I was going to do far to often. There are so many different ways to go. This one might be naked raku with a rim of black and black handles.

I smoothed out all the ridges before I painted on the terra sig and that should make the naked raku work better. I haven't had very good luck with the naked raku, it never peels off for me, or the one time it did, it was a pretty boring pattern. I have had really good luck with all the other glazes and even the commercial glazes with clear over top. But, if nothing else, I am an experimenter and really want to try just about everything. It would have been better if I realized how much I loved potting before this, but I will make up for lost time.

Rey Posado builds a skateboard...

2010-05-04T07:47:00.001-07:00

North Wayne Meteor makes it's debut.

Fire at the Art Center

2010-05-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a big day at the Art Center...they took all the pots out of the pit fire...and had a Raku class as well. Here they are starting the Pit fire.

Here are a few photos from the Raku Class. the use of paper, sawdust, and straw created some wonderful colors and finishes.

not ready to post...

2010-04-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't moved along with the naked Raku project. There is nothing to photograph yet. Tomorrow I'll be adding the terra sigillata, so I'll show that then. But today...the garden. When I went to Florida there was nothing growing, just a few daffodils, but when I came back it was in full spring. Not half spring, but full...so here are a few pictures of how lovely the East Coast can be.

a view from my deck.

Here is what I did with the fabulous bowl that John Wilson gave me. It fit perfectly on my pedestal. The birds love it and there are usually 3-4 bathing in it at once...maybe not this week, in the cold....there are little gold specs that look celestial in the sunlight.

and my oregano and parsley made it through the snowy winter as did the scrawny Wisteria (left of garage) and the Japanese maple (right of garage)You can see the shadow of Figgy, who promises to produce more than 1 fig this year...of else!

how we do it.

2010-04-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to show a piece from start to finish, leaving out the boring parts. This jug is going to be part of a special naked Raku firing. I will say more about that when I get near to the firing. I will include videos because it is so fun, especially for guys who love playing with fire. So, since I have rented my shed out to a master woodworker, I am making do with my basement studio for a little longer. Here is where I do most of my pottery, the rest is done in the well lighted and spacious Wayne Art Center.

Then in my spare room, which included the water heater and gas furnace, I have the shelves. this is where I praise the IKEA Gods every day. You will see that I have gone full Sten. Not half Sten, but full and with a touch of Gorm. I also enlist the washer and dryer for even more shelf space.

Then there are the tables, one covered with canvas and a small wedging area and the other for drying tiles (currently, large leaves) with slabs of drywall. As you can see in the background, more Sten.

So, the clay has been wedged and slapped and thrown. This is the fun part, but since I can't film myself, you must imagine me hunched over my wheel...Think Demi Moore in Ghost. This is what I prefer you to think, should you waiver to other not so complimentary images. And, low and behold, here is a jug. Tomorrow we will trim and add the handles (I can film that as it is a hand-built affair).

Inspiration in a Florida Garden

2010-04-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

When I was in Florida last week, my long time friend Denise had me over to see her studio, pottery, fish, turtles, cats, garden, and beautiful home. She was doing pottery long before I even thought about it. Her hand-built creations are whimsical, colorful and really lovely. A well of information, we spent a lot of the day talking about ceramic procedures and techniques.

The rest of the time we looked at her plants and played with her animals. She has all kinds of fish, cats, and turtles, one of which is a tortoise. We walked into his pen and he ran over to see us. I know it is hard to imagine a turtle moving that fast, but he did, just like a dog would. She raised him from a tiny little thing to this rather large boy. And he will get even bigger.

Mostly, I was inspired by her garden and the really wild succulent collection. I wanted to mold them and make tea pots. The texture is really something and I have a million ideas about how to get a ceramic pot to look like them.

when the going gets tough

2010-04-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

We are in hard economic times, or at least I seem to be. It just forced me to be creative, very creative. I was watching Project Runway one night and when the guy who made a fantastic outfit from actual garbage bags won, I figured it was about time for me to make something too. So, up to the attic to look at my dress dummy. Yes, there she stood, with my old body... (the new body grew 2 inches on the waist and a few more on the butt...not sure how THAT happened) I looked around and found an old yellow chenille bedspread...a present form a dear friend and one I vowed to make something of (before I die) Yes, that's the ticket I thought. Easy. I could see it in my mind, already done and a cute little green skirt to match.

So, I didn't have a pattern or any of that red tape they all use...I just had to wing it. I had some ideas about it...If Carol Burnett could do it..... with curtains, a king size bedspread should be a snap.

I got most of it done and made the pattern match both front and sleeves. That took most of the bedspread...I ended up with a few pieces and two weeks later, I had a jacket, with 2 secret ipod pockets and a small purse to match.

Getting into it, I also created a necklace and some earrings. you will notice the Raku buttons, which was actually what I based the entire jacket on. A vehicle to show off the buttons...So we are talking Raku, yet again.

So, it made it's debut at First Friday, where in a gallery a woman stopped me to admire the jacket...I was thrilled until she whispered in my ear "you made it from a bedspread, right?"

internet impaired

2010-04-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

Since I will have no hook-up to the internet for a week, I am putting my blogging on hold until this situation clears up...I'll be back!

one day of glory

2010-04-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

I am waiting for my images for the Project Runway blog, which marries recycled fabric and Raku. It will be worth the wait, I hope.

A few years ago, Radnor Township came and planted 3 cherry trees. One in front of my house and one in front of each of the neighbor's on either side. They have been disappointing in every way but size until this year.

Finally, some real blooms and they were spectacular. Unfortunately, this morning all the blossoms had blown away....and the 3 trees were back to their mundane appearance once again.

Then in my back yard is the Kerria Japonica, which lasts a long time and makes me happy every time I venture back there...which brings us to the ceramic of the day.

When I went to the Flower Show, I was overpowered by beautiful blooming specimens. I brought home 6 air plants and each one has bloomed it's own weird little bloom. The current bloomer was so lovely it got it's own Raku pot. I hope that it will be encouraged to bloom again as a result.

First Friday

2010-04-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Project Runway will have to wait until Monday, there was a hem issue...today we are talking Porcelain Teapot. I took a few risks here, leaving the stripes unglazed, but it makes a really nice contrast in texture and color. These are photos of the kiln room and the finished tea pot, side and top. I used one colo glaze and hoped for a good reduction. I got it...thanks to the expertise of Rich, John, and Brett. AND, it actually has a dripless pour! What's better than that?

Later, I am going downtown to view some of the galleries. I saw some wonderful pictures of very, very large pots yesterday and was really impressed. My list of showings is almost as big as "Gone with the Wind"....but maybe I can condense to a size that will fit into my new spring purse (nod to Monday's blog)

Thursday_tiles

2010-04-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

Before my wonderful neighbors from Rexford Square gave me a coupon for the Wayne Art Center that started my second life as a ceramicist, I did reliefs that I could mold and cast in plaster and cement. I didn't fire anything, but, rather, painted all my moldings. Even them I loved tiles and wall plaques. There are 2 of a series that I did to adorn a shelf that Rey built me. Inspired by my recent trip to Positano, this is Rey (he wasn't there, but all men are Rey to me...well, that's the tale I tell....) in the coast. and a fish motif. These are painted plaster with inks that saturated into the plaster.

Then I was inspired by the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works in Doylestown, PA. I just love tiles and that show made me rush home and start designing them. This flatware tile was one of the first attempts I made at drawing tiles and then Raku firing them. It is the only one I haven't sold or given away.

Then I made some that were more like my reliefs. Again, the Raku firings. I did sets of 3, but have sold most of them and these are the few I saved. Still far from entering the Tile Festival, but I am setting my sights on 2011. By then I should be better at this and have some quality samples to submit. If I am a good girl and work REALLY hard....

Then I tried to use my plaster mold to create a version of "5 Italian Trees" that I made for the 5-year anniversary of Christopher and Jim. This wasn't as sucessful, too busy for the flashy Raku colors. I have since learned a thing or two and will try again using the method I used on the Ocean Bowl, lighter colors under the clear glaze. It might work. Until then...Tomorrow I will be doing my version of Project Runway.

Wednesday, the oakleaf motif

2010-03-31T08:40:00.000-07:00

Today I am having trouble concentrating on the computer. My spousal equivalent, Rey, whipped up a big vat of turkey meatballs in a red sauce. His sauce has cooked carrots, zuchinni, dried herbs from the garden, and who-knows-what-else. He is known for his creative touches and I never know exactly what I am eating. The meatballs are really good, I can taste the hand-ground cumin and golden raisins among the other flavors. Yes, eating is good today at Casa Joie.

These pots are Oakleaf ware, inspired by the fact I needed something for the Radnor Show last year and thought leaves from the township would be good. Also to commemorate the death of Rey's massive oak tree (which was hollow in the middle and had to be put down). That tree was heere before Radnor was Radnor, so it was exremely sad to loose it.

I am still experimenting with the Raku shapes...I have found that blue tape of green frog tape works better than wax resist (the blacks never get really black for me) or sprayment on paper. this pot I used the sprayment and think the leaves stayed grey because of the sticky glue. I liked it anyway and sold it at my Art sale last November.

Ceramic Blast from the Past

2010-03-30T06:46:00.000-07:00

Working on the WAC Raku blog had me thinking about the good old college days. I was a painting major who really wanted to be in ceramics. Finally I got a minor class with Doug Baldwin and later another class in San Francisco with an instructor that I loved, but after 35 years can't remember his name...searching the internet didn't help. My loss. Anyway, here are a few things I did way back then when I was a hand-builder. They were big and, and even then, I lived in very small places, so they were all given away and where they are now, I know not.

This is a pregnant Ubangi woman made in 2 pieces so we could move it and get it into the kiln. I used earthenware with lots of grog and porcelain for the eyes and teeth. I had only a 33mm camera back then and was never sure if any or my photos would come out, this is the only one I have of this piece. I did not major/minor in photography... all the other pieces were taken with the same hit or miss technique, so.....

You can see that I had a real kitchy edge to my work back then, ....perhaps living in Baltimore and having the cast of Pink Flamingos model in my drawing classes? Or living in San Francisco, no comment. The woman in the opera dress is a cookie jar.

Blogging is hard work.

2010-03-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

Today I was putting the finishing touches on The Raku Accord: Guided Circle for the Wayne Art Center and after the 10th artist blog, the "Google blogger" application wouldn't accept any of my images. Then it lost most of the ones I had uploaded...not a good day. Help is no help.

But the silver lining it that it was a Google problem and I am OK...still a blogger.....

Please check out: http://mobile-raku.blogspot.com to see what I have been up to today.

Weekend Update

2010-03-28T07:52:00.000-07:00

I won't be blogging this weekend, or in weekends to come unless something REALY BIG happens...

Right now I am working on a blog for the Wayne Art Center's Raku show...It will be posted tomorrow at: http://mobile-raku.blogspot.com

Here's a photo of our house guest, Girl, in a quiet, yet hopeful, moment.

Friday

2010-03-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

This blog is all about Bolo Ties. They are the unsung heros of men's/women's fashion. It is a fashion accessory that is subtle and interesting that adds, not takes away from the outfit. My first bolo tie was a simple cowboy hat I found in the thrift shop. Since then, I have loved them.

About the Bolo-tie...
This neckwear is called a Bolo or Bola and proclaimed the official neckwear for Arizona and ironically its advent was the outcome of an accident. Had it not been for the loss of a hat in the wind and a quick thinking Arizonian, the style would never have come to fruition. In the late 1940s, a silversmith named Victor Cedarstaff went riding with friends in the Bradshaw Mountains outside Wickenburg, Arizona . When the wind blew his hat off, Cedarstaff removed the hatband, which had a silver buckle he did not want to lose, and put it around his neck.

When his friends complemented him on the new apparel, Cedarstaff returned home, and wove a leather string. He added silver balls to the ends and ran it through a turquoise buckle. Cedarstaff later patented the new neckwear, which was called the bolo because it resembled the lengths of rope used by Argentine gauchos to catch game or cattle.

Now mass-produced, bolos are usually made of leather cord, with a silver or turquoise buckle. They are common throughout the west and are often worn for business. In 1971 Arizona legislature named the bolo the official state neckwear. (from an article by Partick McMurray, designer)

So, you can have almost any kind of art on your bolo.

There are many famous folks that have worn bolos from James Coburn and Buddy Epsen (his bolo is on E-Bay for $3,000 right now) to Toby Keith. My own Rey Posado's dad (Dr. Golf, himself) wore one to Merion Golf Club on a regular basis.

I chose the Pineapple Raku piece that I made on Saturday for my bolo. Since all wearers aren't Cowboys or Cowboy wanna be's,...these are a few more designs for Eastern wear.

Don't forget the Raku Show at the Wayne Art Center, next Thursday night, April 1. It is a great show and some wonderful pieces. Brett says there will be a lot of food and real liquor, (not just cheap wine.)

Thursday

2010-03-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

Today I am a little disapointed to admit to the naked hamburger we cooked at 10pm. I know you were hoping for so much more...but glad because we went to Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. I loved it, high entertainment, lovely colors and interesting little details, I am a big fan of Burton. My only complaint was the ending. I won't spoil it for you, but the ending was a little too "I will miss you the most, Scarecrow" mixed with a bit of Ronnie Howard's "Hero gets a parade"...and the shock of an Avril Lavigne song blasting out after only orchestration the rest of the film was a surprise. It deserved better than it has been getting in the press. Think of it as a creation, becasue that is what it is all about!

Raku of the day (and it won't always be Raku) is one I worked on in my mind for a few months. I wanted to make a porcelain trivet that was 2 lizards intertwined and very Aztec-looking. I couldn't get my enthusiasm up for the project, not sure why, but several attempts are still in the basement (I mean The Creation Studio) Then I got an idea from my Pottery teacher, Brett Thomas (Happy Birthday to you) and made a lizard mask out of tape and used it on a bisqued tray. It was an experiment because the commercial glazes I use are very colorful, but flat. Brett suggested I use the clear crackle over them to get more depth and give them some character. So I tried it with blue, green, and red. Then a real leap of faith to use a glaze that my other pottery teacher, Rich Farrow, had just mixed up that morning. (I trust him, he is very, very good with glazes.) And I got a piece that I really love. You have to see it in the sunlight, there are gold flecks among the greens blues and even some reds.

Wednesday

2010-03-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

What's for dinner...we could defrost some turkey...that is the first question of the day.

This blog will include food as well as pottery. This Raku bowl is the first of my ocean series. It is inspired by my water dreams and a recent show at the Wayne Art Center that made me want to up my game. As a result, my Raku is getting more and more detailed. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Today is a working piece, tomorrow I will post a non working piece, but a learning experience, none the less...

What ARE we having? I opted for the Turkey burger sans roll (bathing suit weather is appoaching) and my partner, who we will just call "Rey" wants it all wrapped in a tortilla with chilis and such (he is not concerned).

diary

2009-09-13T05:11:00.000-07:00

this blog, should I choose to use it, will be like a diary, or a place I can put the fun things in my life. So far, as it is 7:30 am on a Sunday, it would include going back to bed after feeding the whiney felines.