Garden Flower Sculpture

Had a short break from pottery over the Christmas holidays but back in full swing again and working on a few different things. I have made a few pieces which I intend to Raku Fire in a short while. I have always loved plants and gardening. I particularty love Australian native plants and the diverse flowers and seed pods mother nature provides for our visual pleasure.  I have at differant times, made pots and sculptural pieces that are in some way a reflection of things like seed pods from nature. Working on another Banksia Seed sculptural piece at the moment which I plan to pit fire to reflect the way a bush fire might affect a tree in the bush. Other seed pods in mind too, so keep posted for more updates and photos. Plan to make a series and call it "Seed Pods from Nature'. Also, my love old oil cans has inspired me to make a series of 'Oil Can Relics'. Love the many different forms, spouts, handles which help create each personality. Just love how they look. As well as these, I am continuely looking at extending my Cone 6 glazes so have been mixing up a few more glazes to test, mostly for sculptural pieces. Looking at making some more funtional pieces too incorporating the wonderful textures available in my box of treasures that include handmade stamps, found objects from nature, old cogs, wheels and other man made objects and relics.

Here is the glazed result of one of the flower sculptures shown in an earlier post (unglazed). This particular piece was single fired and I am pretty happy with the result.

If you would like the recipe for the glaze used here, drop me an email and I would be happy to send it to you. 

Picton Creative Traders Markets This Sunday

I will be at 'Picton Creative Traders Market' this Sunday, 6th November 2011 from 9am to 2pm. Come along and enjoy what the markets have to offer. There are supposed to be over 50 stalls this month. With home grown and home made produce, arts and craft, food and entertainment. Christmas is only weeks away, so it is a great opportunity to find some wonderful unique, handmade gifts for the special people in your life. The markets are located at the Shire Hall, Menangle Street, Picton NSW. I look forward to seeing you there.

Here is some of my handmade work that will be available on Sunday. My prices start from $10 so there is something for everyones budget.

Flowers in our Garden...

We have alot of flowering plants in our garden at this time of year, which really cheer up the place and make the garden look so pretty. It led me to think... why not have some all year round. So, I have been experimenting the last few days with making some in clay.  In the pics below, you will see I have made one on a pedestral which can be a fruit bowl, candle holder etc for indoors or have outside as a water dish for the birds. The others I have made to sit on a steel rod/pole and they will also have a leaf made from clay which can be glued to the pole. I will glaze them colourfully and group together for a better impact. I will post the glazed results when they are completely finished.

Standing Sculptural Flower

Sculptural Flower for steel rod

My daughter 19 months old - Budding artist at work

Sculptural piece with impressed patterns using old cogs,
wheels, bolts etc. Rusty steel rods, barbed wire
and an old fence post used for a base.

'Tree of Life' Candleholder

I have not posted in a while as my husband and I have been putting alot of our spare time into building a new pottery studio in our garden. I have been doing my pottery in our garage but we desperately need our garage back for other things. I am very excited as it's nearly finished. Just have to add internal shelving and benches and a few cosmetic things to finish on the outside. Stay tuned, as I will post photos of the completed studio within the next week.

Here is a piece that I made recently. I love nature, so this is often reflected in my work. It was bisque fired then Raku fired. I used a white crackle glaze for the main glaze and a copper matt glaze was used for the leaves. For additional highlights I also used a red enamel paint for the centre of the flowers. This piece was made from a slab of clay folded around a pvc cylinder then I added additional elements from there. I enjoy making sculptural pieces but since I like to sell my work at markets, there is more demand for pieces that are also funtional. I plan to make others like this and want to experiment with making some that will hold more than two candles and that can accomodate tea light candles in some way. This piece will be for sale at next Picton Creative Traders Market on Sunday 2 October. Come along and have a look at his and other new work for sale.

Successful Raku Firing Weekend

I have been wanting to do a Raku firing for some weeks but just did not get a chance due to the awful, rainy weather we have been having or to other commitments. This weekend, I finally had the opportunity to do two. On Saturday as it was still raining, I decided to use my little electric kiln to fire several tall sculptural pieces and some pendants. I used sawdust alone as my reduction material this time as I wanted to try to achieve the best possible reduction on the feature 'copper matt' area on the pieces. I did get a better reduction, but this also meant that the 'white crackle' glaze did not turn out as white as I like, but saying that, I am very happy with the results. I am still trying to perfect the timing thing with 'copper matt' and I must say it is a challenge. Each time I try, I seem to learn a little more. Sunday's work I am yet to photograph, but I was pretty happy with the results of that which I fired in my ceramic fibre/wire outdoor kiln.  Planning to make some more of these sculptural pieces to take to local craft markets to sell once our weather gets a little better.



Raku Sculpture - White Crackle & Copper Matt Glaze






Raku Sculpture - White Crackle and Ancient Amethyst Glaze



Raku Sculpture - White Crackle & Copper Matt Glaze

Raku Sculpture - White Crackle & Copper Matt Glaze



 Detail of Raku Sculpture - White Crackle & Copper Matt Glaze



Detail of Raku Sculpture - White Crackle,  Copper Matt & Amethyst Glaze