Crazy clay head - my mother’s day present from my daughter
Side View
It’s hard to believe, there are only 2.5 weeks left for my for daughter until school’s out for the summer! That means that I only have one more week of teaching my after school clay class - which is both good but also sad. Good because teaching takes time away from my own work and I’ll have more time in the studio. Sad, because I really enjoy watching the kids create and I’m going to miss them.
The kids always amaze me with what they come up with. Even when I give them the same assignment they all look different; it just goes to show we bring our own stuff to our art work. One of their favorite things to do is “free clay” - which is basically my way of keeping them busy until the end of class once they’ve finished the project. Some kids finish the project right away and others need the whole 2 hours to complete the assignment. It really depends on their attention to detail or fear of messing up. I always tell them, it’s hard to mess up when you make the rules.
The head above is the result of “free clay” made by my daughter. When I first saw it freshly made, I was in love with her creation. She didn’t want to fire it, and I pretty much insisted. Since then, there have been a rash of crazy clay heads in the making by the rest of the class. Fun, fun fun.
Ceramic rattles
Two weeks ago, we made clay rattles and they are so cool! I’m thinking of making some myself. It’s hard to resist the temptation to pick one up and shake it up. They all sound differently too, depending on how thick the walls or how many and large the clay balls inside the rattle are.
Meanwhile, I finally upgraded my Word Press blog to version 2.5 - and it seems to be running a little slower. It has a really cool administrative interface, but I wonder if it’s causing the slow down. And, wouldn’t you know it, I upgrade and there’s already another upgrade available to 2.5.1. I’m staying put for a little while.
Cheers from snowy Colorado (yes, despite 75 degree weather yesterday, we woke up to snow!)
~Cynthia
My kitchen and dining room table are being overrun by plates that my kid’s clay class made last Tuesday - they’ve sprouted everywhere! I needed an easy project to work on since I combined both classes for this week because their show happened during Monday’s scheduled class time. So, 19 leather hard plates are in various stages of drying in my house. I hope to bisque fire them tomorrow.
The plates are a project that I read about in the March/April 2008 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated, pg. 39. (scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the pdf link titled “Instructors Link: Full Plate”). Just need clay, basic tools and some paper Chinette plates. It’s quick and gives the kids a real sense of accomplishment at having made something recognizable and functional.
Meanwhile, I received an email from a local Denver fiber artist, Angelina Kastroll, who purchased ceramic buttons from me within the past year, with some photos of completed projects attached. Somehow, between going to law school and being a new mom, she finds time to knit and crochet. I think they turned out really great!
With that bit of eye candy, I bid you farewell for a few days,
~Cynthia
P.S. I really love the Akismet spam catcher that Wordpress provides - it’s caught some really heinous ones in the past few days.
Both my Monday and Tuesday after school clay classes will be displaying their most recent work at the Space Gallery today from 4:00pm - 7:00pm. We’re sharing the gallery with the After School Art Club and their work - come on out to see some great children’s art! I spent a part of yesterday afternoon setting up and can hardly wait to see the kid’s expressions when they see their finished masterpieces in a gallery setting. All the work is for sale and we will be donating the proceeds to a charity - yet to be decided. We will be voting next week.
Remember the slip transfers I highlighted in the past couple of weeks? This is the technique the kids also used for their gallery show. I really think they’ve done their best work. Just in case you can’t attend the opening, here’s what you’re missing:
Here’s one of my favorites - “Lucky”, by Anna, (3rd grade) after doing the slip transfer, and then finished. I was a little worried that the dog was too small, but should have trusted her creative instincts.
Have a great week,
~Cynthia
Sunday afternoon, I made a larger prototype for my organic shaped bowl for which I had received an inquiry from a buyer on WSC . The glazed bowl to the right and on the bottom is my original bowl that I have uploaded to the site and while large at 8″ across and accomodating 24 oz. of liquid, the new bowl will be serving size large. Leatherhard, it measures 12″ across and 5″ high (though it will shrink during the bisque fire) - based on similarly sized bowls it will hold over 60 oz. of liquid. This will make an awesome set!
I only lost 1 bowl during my experimentation - but now think that I can easily replicate the larger sized one. I know I need another studio tool - a huge rolling pin, right now I’m using a standard sized one which just doesn’t cut it when one needs to roll out slabs larger that 12 inches wide. Yes, folks, I hand-roll my slabs of clay at my studio. I have access to the electric slab roller at the guild, but I wasn’t inclined to drive over to there to do my experimentation this past weekend. Now, the trick will be to dry it slowly to minimize warping when I fire it.
Today is a good day - bright, sunny and just right for a morning jaunt in the park after I drop my daughter off at school. I hope to get a good 6 hours in the studio before it’s time to pick up my Mile High Scholar at the end of the school day. Yes, she sure has made me proud this year!
Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with this image:
Bubblicious, white earthenware with acrylic paint by my daughter at age 9
He greats me every morning, pierced tongue sticking out at me, when I stumble down the flight of stairs to the kitchen looking for my caffeine fix. Thanks Jazz I love him!
I must get moving now,
Cynthia
In an effort to bring a little art history to my kid’s clay class, I found a great project in Ceramics for Kids by Mary Ellis (which sadly is no longer in print) to share with my kids. The project is based on ancient Peruvian Stirrup Cups which are basically big sippy cups. Of course my kids thought this would be a blast - sippies for 2nd - 5th graders - what could be better?
Unfortunately, we spent so much time assembling our mobiles last week that we ran out of time for this project. I’ll save it for the next Clay + Imagination = Art session starting after Spring Break. The cups are generally closed at the top and contain a hollow handle with a mouth piece for drinking. I wasn’t sure about the cleaning aspect of it and left the top open on mine. My daughter loved it and claimed it for her own. My husband, well, let’s just say the first thing that came to his brain upon seeing it was this response, “Did you just make a bong?”
Try explaining that to a 10 year old with more questions than anyone else I know and who does not take lightly to subject changing when she wants to know something. She’s relentless, not unlike her mom I might add.
Meanwhile, Blogging with Moxie by Joelle Reeder and Katherine Scoleri is sitting on my nightstand for some easy and quick reading. Although I understand blogging - it’s been a good refresher course.
I normally sign my blog with my name - but read a bit in either this book or Wordpress for Dummies that signing one’s blog is a sign of an amateur blogger. Well, darn it, I’m not new - but like signing it like a letter because it makes it just a little more personal.
So, with no further ado I bid you adieu for today,
~Cynthia
P.S. I hope my blog is running more smoothly for you - please let me know if you encounter any problems.
