May was a blur to me and I love this "one of many" art pieces in the NYC subways which I call, "Whoops, I almost lost my head!" The month of May felt like that to me.
Whoever said "Be sure you enjoy the process", must have been an incredibly wise soul. Life is mostly about the process, not necessarily any particular destination. That is the way I have experienced life and now, life with pottery! I believe that is where the "time" goes in that $64,000 question - "where does the time go?"
I had a great winter with all kinds of stimulation from workshops and classes that I took as well as DVD's I enjoyed. I don't have much to show for it at this point but there is a lot happenin' behind the scenes in preparation of bursting forth and I can't say exactly what or when. One example that recently was birthed is this vase with a sprig attached. SPRIG-You take anything buttons, toys, jewelry bits, anything small that you think would look nice on a piece of pottery and make a mold of it. You bisque fire the mold and then take a small ball of clay, push it into the mold, lay it on the pot and pull away the mold leaving a dot, button or bit of clay in the shape of your mold on your pot. It was part of the process of "sythesis" of what I learned and the opportunity to make it real!
I like the simplicity but also the detail and the way it messes with the glaze in a nice way. That is one of a million options for surface decoration. I went to a one day class on surface decoration and it was 9am to 5pm with a 1/2 hour brake for lunch and my head was spinning long before 5pm. So many options and so little time. Suffice to say I am exploring some of the possibilities and yes, enjoying the process. You may or may not incorporate the options you try into your work but by learning them and working with them you will know for sure.
As a reference for the talented artists I took workshops or classes with this winter, just click on the name and you will be taken on a magic carpet ride to see lots of beautiful work.
Also, if you get a chance, the DVD on surface decoration from Kristen Kieffer, it is great, as is her work!
For the last few years, I have done the "craft night" at TEIA, an organization on Peaks Island. We have "painted" bisqueware for the last few years and the crafters wanted something new this year so I have stepped out into the world of enamel painting on glass to see what it is all about. I have wanted to try it for some time and am pleased with the results and the possibilities are many. First I took glassware that I had to experiment on and tried to start with simple designs.
It has been fun and hopefully will please the crafters desire for something new. Then I started painting and splatting with great results and now, I am afraid I have created a monster - me! So many possibilities to personalize gifts and capture moments in time on a plate or glass or bowl.
As I have mentioned before, sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Good for the soul. Also make sure, at some point, that you take the time to sythesize what you have learned into your life, your soul and even sometimes your work. It takes time and it is all part of the process.
Namaste!
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