One step at a time

Mud Whimsy Studio before painting

I've settled on a color for the exterior of my studio... It's a lovely green called Pesto (I'll have to make some delicious pesto when I'm done to celebrate!). The trim is going to be a cream color. The paint is all purchased and ready to be applied! I'm still working on finishing up the priming but as long as the weather cooperates my studio should be finished by the end of next week. In addition, the little garden area outside the studio is planted with as many veggies as we could fit in the small patch. Little baby spinach plants are starting to poke out! 

Things have been in transition for so long- it's been too cold to paint the exterior, I still don't have my own kiln or a wheel.... But I feel like getting the outside painted is one step towards realizing my dream of having a fully functional ceramic studio. And I'm so excited for the color! I just love green.

Artist of the Week: Pamela Sunday

A few days ago, feeling rather burnt out and uninspired, I wandered into one of my favorite shops in Boulder- Two Hands Paperie. Two Hands always has something that helps me get out of my rut... They have a fabulous selection of paper, journals, cards, and books. Flipping through one of those said books an artist leaped out at me: Pamela Sunday. Pamela is based in Brooklyn, NY. Something that I love about her is that she started ceramics as just a hobby, then it turned into a full-time career. Her forms are inspired by nature, then hand built.

Hive

Oculus

More information can be found at www.pamelasunday.com

Owl Bank

This owl just went up for sale in my shop. He's special to me because he was one of those creations that I didn't expect. I had been making mugs mugs mugs, and decided that I'd try something else.... And this is what came out! I loved him so much that now I'm making more banks. He's been an experiment from the beginning and through those experiments I've learned how to make owl banks a little more refined. Because of this it is super discounted. Normally these guys are $45, but this one is $25. If you love it, get it NOW because it is one-of-a-kind!

You can view it in my Etsy shop HERE (or click on any of the photos). 

Artist of the Week: Ayumi Horie

Raccoon Dessert Plate (click on photo to see in Etsy shop)

Love Bird Teapot (click on photo to see in Etsy shop)

Ayumi Horie is a studio potter in the Hudson Valley of New York. She makes functional pots, many with animals on them. I'm a sucker for monkeys, and some of her mugs have some great ones! She definitely has her own style. Something that really astounded me was her invention of a dry throwing technique.... She makes it look easy, but I can't even conceive throwing a bowl without water. 

Ayumi and friends are hosting a fundraising auction to help raise money for relief in Japan. The auction will go live on Friday, March 18th and continue through to Sunday, March 20th at 9 pm EST. Many Japanese artists and artists with ties to Japan are donating work for the cause, with 100% of the proceeds going to charity relief for Japan. The facebook page is HERE. 

Even if you are unable to participate in the auction please help spread the word!  

More information on Ayumi Horie:

Her website HERE.

 Etsy shop HERE

A great interview with American Craft Magazine HERE

Whimsy Inspiration

A whimsical installation by coe&waito. (their website can be found at www.coeandwaito.com)

Goodbye Little Lotus Mug

Goodbye, Little Lotus Mug. I hope you are happy in your new home! 

(This mug will become a gift for my friend's aunt!) 

Peek Inside My Cupboards

 I visited an artist's home in the OpenArts Fall Open Studios Tour and she had all of her cupboard doors open. She had a hodge podge of dishes, just like my cupboards. This is something that I LOVE about my home and I love that I made many of my own dishes (the artist I visited had made many of her dishes too)! I know some people prefer to have all matching plates and bowls stacked neatly together but I don't think I'll ever fit into that category.
This photo is of my cupboard- all of these bowls were made by me! For my thesis project during college I made about 50 thrown, then carved and slip-trailed bowls. Each was-one-of-a-kind, the glazes were painted onto the surface, and many had luster or further embellishing. Over the years I've given a few away but many still remain in my cupboards, stacked precariously of course!

*For those of you that are interested, all of my bowls were glaze fired at cone 6. The glazes were all made by me, most were created by adding mason stains to a base glaze.