Kiln Gods Were Not Kind

There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in. - Leonard Cohen, "Anthem"

I took up ceramics to exorcism a past experience that caused me to give up my love of clay. Most of the time, I feel I have released the past, but at other times I wonder why anyone would ever want to use ceramic as a creative endeavor. There are so many variables especially in a cooperative. I will admit that partly it was my fault. I love playing with different clays. I was told that a new brown clay that come into the studio was extremely easy to use and that it played well with our glazes. I was told that I could get a nice blue, which was what I needed. The gallery I am in requested that I recreate the two masks that had sold. Not something I usually do, but with an unemployed husband this was not an option. So the first image are the masks that were made from the new brown clay done with the exact same glaze and done on the same day. It's a go figure. None of the experts can give me a definitive answer.

There was a time in my life where the voice in my head would have said, "You're no good. You should just give up." The voice is still there, I just don't listen. And while I don't like the idea of starting over, I feel blessed that I can. I also know I won't be using the new brown clay. Lesson learned! Have you done any exorcisms of your own?

By the way, one of my best activities that I have done at ClaySpace Ceramic Arts Center was an evening where I got people to create kiln gods that protect our kilns. Here is mine.

 

It's a Go Figure

I was fortunate to live on the island of Aruba for three years in the mid'80s. The island was full of goats. I have always loved bones and skulls and secretly hoped I would come across a goat skull as a souvenir. As the date to leave got closer and closer, I gave up hope. Then two days before our things were to be packed up for shipping back to the States, I was climbing on some rocks and there was the carcass of a young goat who had broken its leg. I was filled with both sadness and glee. My husband could not believe when I quickly snatched it up, along with a few other bones and rolled it into the bottom of my shirt.

I was looking around for inspiration when I remembered the goat skull and decided to use it as a stepping off place for a mask. It turned out much better than I had anticipated but I never thought I would get the response it when I brought in the finished mask. Five people said that they wanted one! Jeff was the most impressed and asked how much I would charge. I asked if he was willing to trade because I love the things Jeff makes and his curmudgeonly ways. Having a piece of his work would be a wonderful reminder of him.

I am going to digress here for a moment and share the International Society of Curmudgeons' definition of a curmudgeon to give you a better idea of what Jeff is like:

A curmudgeon often has a black sense of humor. They don't just complain about things, they do it with flair, style, panache, satire, and a sardonic view of life! That's what makes them memorable. They also, deep down (very deep down), believe that by saying something about it, life will change. Saying even more about it will hopefully make life change faster and sooner.

Jeff brought in several pieces of his artwork for me to choose and I selected this wonderful turquoise pot which sits on a table in my family room. Jeff felt he got the better of the deal and I thought I got the better of the deal. Who could ask for anything more! Of course, I am still trying to figure out why my goat skull mask was such a hit. When I asked people they just said that it was "different" and "cool." Since many of them watched me create the mask while having the skull in front of me might have contributed. I guess I will never really know and no, I am not making more goat masks.

Your thoughts on why so many fell in love?

This is also my contribution to Off the Wall Fridays.

Is Limited Thinking Holding You Back?

I love serendipity. I have begun making some of my fiber masks into clay when Tom asked if I wanted to join him in the Clay Space gallery in September. Tom is a photographer who specializes in photographs of Civil War reenactments. His thinking was he would share his pottery and photographs and I could share my quilts and pottery. Perfect! Plus I had time to create pieces that I would be proud to display.

One of my frustrations with clay has been the unpredictable and somewhat limiting nature of the glazes. I went looking for other things that I could use and came across Baroque Art's Gilders Paste which reminds me of shoe polish. (It says it can be used on fabric too!) I had not finished the female Buddha mask when I went to class (ran out of time) so I brought her along and the three paste colors I had purchased. I was surprised that the veteran hand builder did not know about the paste. I was not surprised that none of the students in my class had any interest. So yesterday when I was working on the mask and still feeling that she needed something, I realized that my limited thinking was holding me back. I do not need to stick with glazes and I can certainly use my arsenal of supplies to alter my pieces anyway that I can! I glued the bead and fiber jewel to her forehead and used dimensional paint below her eyes. I was so much happier. I am not going to let my limited thinking ever happen again. I want to explore and push the limits. I want to be fearless!

Details: This is my interpretation of the female Buddha which I learned about while in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan use to be a predominately Buddhist country before the Soviets took over. Now it is predominately Muslim, but the woman who taught me was an atheist. Isn't life interesting? Anyway, the fiber mask is 8" w x 12" h and the clay mask is 7.5" w x 11.5" h.

When have you overcome limited thinking?

I have decided to make this my Off the Wall Fridays post. Thanks Nina-Marie for the option to choose any of our posts for the week!

When Life Throws You a Curve

I caught the cold that is making the rounds of the pottery studio on the 16th which morphed into a sinus infection by the 23. I am just beginning to feel like I am on my way to being "normal." This is so frustrating because I had such good momentum and great plans for this month. I hate being ill and having no energy. Now I have to play catch up. I have continued to do creative things like making table runners for gifts, making cards, doing some clay work, etc.

This is the first piece of clay that I have refired with more glaze. I am still not happy with it but it is better than it was the first round. Ben, an resident artist of Clay Space, thought this mask looked demonic. Not my intent at all. I think I will try the design again and see if I can make something that conveys the grief/loss I was feeling. Maybe I will have better luck next time. Embracing the process and looking forward to feeling healthy again. I am a crabby sick person. How about you?