My tripod (an update)

In my last post I wrote about trying a tripod tutorial to overcome my lack of motivation... And I did! In the video  "How to Make a Textured Tripod Pot With Soft Slabs" at Ceramic Arts Daily, Sandi Pierantozzi made it look easy... And it was! I used gutter guard for texture as suggested and I REALLY like it. I forgot about all of the everyday things that can be used. 

I know this picture is a tease. Sorry about that. I've lost my camera cable and can't find it anywhere! Argh. In a few days all of my low-fire pieces will be dried and ready to bisque, so more updates will be coming soon (as long as I can find my dang cable!). 

If anybody has a tutorial that they'd recommend I'd love to hear about it.  

Tripod Tutorial

This week I've been feeling really blah and unmotivated. I haven't exercised. I haven't made anything. The most creative thing I've done is choose some new favorites on Etsy! Ugh.

It's time to get myself out of this rut... So I looked up some tutorials and found one that I really want to try:

In the video  "How to Make a Textured Tripod Pot With Soft Slabs" at Ceramic Arts Daily, Sandi Pierantozzi explains how to texture the slab (she used gutter guard), create an even tripod, bulge the sides out, and then add some finishing touches. It is inspiring and simple! Well, she makes it look easy. I'm going to spend some clay time in the studio on Sunday and will give you an update on how it actually goes! Find the video HERE.

PS- I thought some of the comments were really helpful too!

Glaze Test Dishes

I always prefer my handmade dishes over anything mass produced or store bought, but these dinner plates at Anthropologie are making me consider an exception...

DETAILS

An ode to happenstance, this collection of striped and splotched dinnerware was culled from a bin of discarded dishes that had been used to test glazes, which our buyer found in a factory in Portugal. We love the sea-hued marks and general irregularities as much as we appreciate their backstory.

Inspiration: Catherine Cleary

The first and second weekends in October Open Studios are happening in Boulder. It is a FABULOUS event that's been going on for 17 years. 135 artists open up their homes/studios to the general public and are there to answer questions and show people around. Every time I go I leave feeling so inspired!


Yesterday my boyfriend and I visited Catherine Cleary. I met her at the library's opening reception and just knew that I had to see more of her work! She had a clay sculpture of an iguana perched on a log holding an umbrella. It was amazing.  I was wearing a vintage polyester dress and she told me about her mother's bright pink polyester outfit. She promised that she'd show it to me if I visited her studio. Sure enough, as I walked in, she said, "Pink polyester!" (It was fabulous. I really wanted her to wear it!). 

Swine lake by Catherine Cleary

Catherine gets most of her inspiration from animals. Her pieces have an illustration quality ( Catherine's other love is drawing), are humorous, amazingly realistic and whimsical. Catherine creates her sculptures with low fire clay. Much of the form is made from slab construction. She adds all the details my hand with her "many many tools". After she bisque fires she achieves much of the color with underglazes. First she paints it with a black underglaze, then washes it off. Then she hand paints the colored underglazes, and puts a clear matte glaze over all of it. Catherine's studio was filled with pictures, toys, tools, creepy dolls with bad haircuts that she picked up at flea markets. I could feel the creative energy! I really just loved Catherine- her gregarious personality, her openness, and of course her art. 
Visit Catherine Cleary's website HERE to see all of her work.

Do these stripes make me look fat? by Catherine Cleary

This is my favorite:

Octopuppet by Catherine Cleary