P is for Patience…
Is it Wednesday already?? I had meant to post yesterday, but our torrential downpour Monday night prevented me from photographing some of my new work. So, I had to postpone my “photoshoot” till last evening.
Back to the title of this post. Now, I don’t want to have a pity party for myself or anything, but I have been learning or maybe re-acquainting myself with the nuances of working with clay in the past few months. She’s a demanding mistress and will not be rushed. But, if one waits too long, then the opportunity to manipulate the medium quickly disappears. How am I learning this lesson? The cake platter above, is one that I threw Sunday, May 6th, and it’s only been ready to handle in the past couple of days. I had already trimmed the piece, but I’m drying it very slowly. I don’t want it to warp or crack at any stage of the making process.
I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I really think that I have a touch of ADHD. One of the reasons clay works for me is that I bounce from project to project depending on where the pieces are in said making process. I can throw something, put it aside, carve something else, glaze something, fire the kiln, etc. etc. all in the same day. The ultimate multi-tasker’s nirvana. Or, maybe I enable myself?? Not sure.
Despite the bouncing around that I do in the studio, I’m learning not to rush the clay. I have had more than my share of warped and badly glazed projects come out of the kiln in the past month, not to mention cracked handles etc. I am really trying not to become attached to a piece, until after it comes out of the kiln for the final time, which is hard to do when one spends X amount of hours on a piece. All of my pieces become like my babies.
I have to say, that I really like how this one is turning out. In the top 2 images above, I hadn’t yet finished carving the design. I’m pleased to let you know that the carving is complete as of last night. I finished carving the platter while I watched AI and Haus last night. It’s always good to multitask while watching TV. I don’t have a new photo of the finished platter, but you get the idea. Now, my project has to finish drying so that I can bisque fire it this Friday/Saturday.
As far as the design goes, it came about as the result of 2 mugs whose handles I cracked while transporting them from one side of my studio to another. My first instinct was to launch them accross the room, but then I thought I should use these as test carving pieces/colored slip pieces.
Anyway, must get going now,
11 Responses to “P is for Patience…”
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Yes Cynthia, it’s Wednesday already. Can you BELIEVE IT?!? I tell ya time goes by….
Anyhoo, your pieces look wonderful!
If ya have anything girl,a lil or alot, it doesn’t stop you from being creative! Which I think is wonderful!Thank you for sharing!
*HUGS*
The platter, the mugs — they are all turning out lovely.
Wow, I really like these pieces. Love the colours!
That is one scrumptous looking platter or cake plate! I’d never want put anything on as the design is mind boggling! Nice work, Cynthia!
That’s an awesome cake platter.
These are great pieces. The cake platter is wonderful. Very impressive by it’s self… love it.
O.M.G.!!!! I love the cake plate…O.M.G….*faints*.
That is so perfect. Perfect!
Cynthia your cake platter is just wonderful, functional but a work of art in itself. I agree with mary I wouldn’t want to put anything on it LOL!
Thank you Angela – now it’s Thursday, where did the week go?
Thanks Janet, Dy, Mary Timme, Stegart, Nancy, Heather and Jafabrit.
It’s good to see some of the fiber art bloggers visiting, since I’ve been neglecting that part of my creativity for the past couple of months. Though, yesterday, I was eyeing some fabric…
Fingers crossed, this will fire correctly, and then dammit, it had better be used!!
Glad you like it Heather : )
I love your ceramic pendants! They are all lovely but I think I like the apple green best. I`m an apple green type of girl! No I`m not Marsian
but spring in the south of Sweden where I come from is very much an apple green affair. Will defenitely come back to this blog!
Cynthia, I can see how they are like babies but how hard it must be not get attached to the piece from the very beginning. The cake platter is stunning.