Rabbit Box and Anniversaries
Rabbit Box
I really like this covered stoneware box, unfortunately, this is the only photo I have of it and I didn’t get photographs of the other side. I like to put different images on each side to keep it fresh. Why rabbits? It reminds me – especially this vintage image – of one of my favorite childhood stories…The Velveteen Rabbit published in 1922 by Margery Williams.
Meanwhile, my husband and I are headed downtown tonight to celebrate our 20th anniversary (has it really been 20 years already?) – which isn’t official until May 19th. Since the 19th is a school night, we’re celebrating early by spending the night at the Hyatt in downtown Denver. We kicked around several ideas – the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park where Stephen King stayed and was inspired to write The Shining, The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs (another historic hotel) and even some other historic hotels in downtown Denver. The Hyatt won out because I love their roof top bar that has a view of the mountains and the city – but also because the designers of the hotel decorated each room with individual artist’s work vs. cheesy giclee prints typical of most hotels.
Don’t worry, my sister in law is staying with my daughter and the dogs and they have quite an evening planned from what I understand.
Have a great weekend,
Cynthia
Gift and Amaco underglaze info at cone 6
Tile by Mary Cay
My good friend and former ceramics instructor, Mary Cay, popped over for a visit last Monday evening. It was so good to see her again and she came bearing a gift for me. She gave me the tile above that I had long coveted and was originally part of an exchange we arranged when I helped her set up her website last year.
It was so good to catch up and I was very excited to hear that she has found space to set up a ceramic studio again in the Denver area after a period of abstinence from clay due to a bit of a life change. I’m looking forward to visiting her studio once she has it set up. Maybe she’ll let me share a few photographs of her studio at a later date….
Bottom of mug attached to kiln shelf
I learned something valuable the other day. I did a couple of glaze tests in my test kiln on a couple of mugs I will be swapping with other EMT members as a part of our annual EMT Secret Mug Swap this month. Unfortunately, this one experienced a bit of a problem and one for which I’m grateful. Why am I grateful, you ask? Because I discovered something about using Amaco LUG Decorating Colors that will save me from making a similar mistake again.
At cone 6, the Amaco LUGs melt like a glaze – they must have some fluxing agents included in the recipe, whereas at cone 05 (the recommended firing temperature), they are a flat matte texture. I figured that if Duncan Cover Coats can fire to up to cone 10 and maintain their color, then the Amaco products should too in theory.
The problem is that the Amaco underglaze acted like a glaze and fused to the kiln shelf – the good news is that it only affected 1 mug and not 40 (the number I have waiting to be glazed this week). Lesson learned. Why does pottery have such a learning curve?
Another good discovery, the raspberry color on the exterior is left over from my cone 6 pink and violet glaze tests and is very stable – it stays put and doesn’t run AND I can brush it on which means that I could conceivably make smaller batches of the glaze so that I don’t have to make big dipping batches.
Meanwhile, I mixing glazes today since I have about 3 bisque loads to glaze in the next week and will visit the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver later on this afternoon with my family. Stay tuned for more on solar energy in the coming weeks.
Have a good weekend,
~Cynthia
Growing Plates
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.
Please Welcome My Guest Blogger, Mary Cay!
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Mary Cay at the opening of her show this past summer at Firehouse Gallery in Denver
My good friend and local ceramic artist, Mary Cay, approached me about a month ago about writing a guest blog post. At first, being the wise aleck that I am, I replied, “Get your own blog!” Okay, I really didn’t say that – I said sure, I’m running out of things to say (not really).
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Mary Cay and her development of kiln jewels were published in Ceramic’s Monthly in February 2006, A Glittering Obsession
Let me back up and tell you how I met her…. I moved back to Denver in the summer of 2004 after graduating from the University of Southern Maine with a degree in art – ceramic’s concentration. I did not feel very confident when I graduated because I didn’t have a really good technical background. I found the Art Student’s League of Denver and signed up for their advanced throwing classes taught by Mary Cay. She’s generous with her knowledge and is a wonderful and inspiring artist. While I am no longer taking classes with Mary Cay, I know that I can always call her with a clay question and she’ll point me in the right direction.
Two porcelain vessels with kiln jewels by Mary Cay
Meanwhile, she has also become my friend. On Friday night, I went out to dinner with her and a new friend of ours, Jane – who recently moved to Denver from Steamboat Springs. The 3 of us could get in serious trouble. I spent yesterday recovering from our night out. Let’s face it, I just can’t party like a rock star anymore!
Wheel thrown and handbuilt porcelain planter, watering can and tray with kiln jewels by Mary Cay
So, with no further ado, I give you Mary Cay’s first ever blog post. Maybe now, she’ll go get her own blog! ;D
Cynthia
Janet and Jules, Mary Cay’s students
Mary Cay:A few weeks ago I asked Cynthia to let me blog about my students, Janet Andrews and Jules Muscari, who are taking semi-private lessons from me and doing really well. A “private lesson†situation is not for everyone because I think potters are naturally drawn to a “community†of artists. But then there are the students who seem to need more time and ask a lot of questions, which is a good match for private lessons. My goal for all my students as well as Jules and Janet is to meet them were they are in their learning process and then push them just out of the comfort zone.
Janet’s bowls on left, Jule’s stemless wine goblets on left
Before starting these classes they had about a year of experience in a community art center. So our first assignment was to work in multiples of six, using the cylinder form, and making pieces that were the same size and shape. Intention and Consistency was the point of the assignment. They chose shapes inspired by the Lark Book 500 Cups. The next assignment for Janet, who wanted to improve making handles and have a signature mug, was to choose a shape she liked and add a handle, again working in multiples. Jules, who is a wine connoisseur and distributor, chose to pursue a simple yet elegant stem-less wine goblet. Jules decided to make the inside of her goblets a golden color after drinking wine at my home from a Connor Burns mug. So we are testing rutile washes under white glazes in oxidation, which is their available firing method. Janet found a new altered bowl shape she liked while working on her own, so we made it into an assignment of making 20 with the quirky handles. Currently, we are working on making trays.
Bowls by Janet
Janet and Jules both have busy lives—they own their own businesses and Jules is planning her May ‘08 wedding. But they have chosen to be committed to their ceramic work through building a studio, buying a kiln and other equipment, and most importantly dedicating time to their assignments — when they are making pots they are working with Intention! I think their progress is impressive and I look forward to our mutual goal of having a show and sale in the fall of ’08.
Jule’s wine goblets
On another note, I just returned form a road trip to Taos, NM, and there are some wonderful new ceramic studios and a BIG wood fired kiln that the two studios are using. If you are into wood-fired pots, don’t miss J. Bradford Pottery and Taos Clay. One of my all time favorite shops in Taos is Wabi Sabi because I love the Japanese aesthetic-awesome glazes.
Thanks Cynthia and Happy Holidays to everyone. I think 2008 is going to be a great year!
Thank you Mary Cay – Janet and Jule’s work is shaping up beautifully! By the way, visit Mary Cay’s Etsy Shop to see some of her kiln jewel jewelry and other work. She does not currently sell her pottery online.
