Blog Update

This week I finished up my family project. I really like the shapes of my forms but they just seem a little plain.... I was thinking about experimenting with a little slip but I really like the smoothness of them. I probably am contradicting myself. I'm going to woodfire them, that I know for sure. On the topic of the woodfire I am planning on throwing a bunch tomorrow afternoon and this weekend then firing the stuff next week in preparation for the woodfire. I want to make a couple of sets of teabowls.

< woodfire from last year. It's a really cool experience and you should definitely go.

Assemblage/This and that

The assemblage project was kind of outside my comfort zone, something I've never really done before. I was trying to brainstorm ideas for it before I started and I thought about showing time, but then our guest artist, Diane Lou, said to just look for objects you want to use and not to make a set plan beforehand. I tried just finding objects I liked. I ended up using a lot of the stuff I brought because I already liked them when I picked them out.  I really liked how my project turned out but I still think something is missing in the bottom portion....

I was looking up the work of Jeff Oestreich, the guy doing the workshop Amy was talking about in class and I found this big list of potters and I accidentally clicked and this guy named Simon Levin came up. Here's a link to a bunch of his pots: http://www.redlodgeclaycenter.com/lists.php?aid=42&type=artist
I really like this teabowl especially it is the same shape that I really like throwing

He has some really nice looking bowls and I also really like this bottle

Family Project Update

So basically the last week I have gone about half-finishing 3 different projects before deciding I didn't like them and starting on new ones. I think I've maybe got an idea I am sticking to though. I threw some tubes that I amd going to paddle into ovals and attach a bottom too. There are four of them all in different sizes. I really wanna be able to wood fire them but that sounds like it might not be possible.....
Anyway I've been thinking about a concentration and I want to center my projects around tea.... except for the fact that I really don't like making teapots but maybe that's just because I think they are hard but maybe I'll have a chance to improve upon making them....
anyway this is a soda-fired teapot by Emily Murphy that I really liked the form of

Family

For representing my family I am going to throw a series of pots that correspond to and describe a family member. I'm having to experiment with some different forms for this that I have never really tried throwing before so its been interesting. For my brother and mom I am going to have slender vases and my brother's I'm going to do something with texture or slip. For my dad I am going to have something stouter but I'm not sure what yet.
On sort of a side note i really like this piece by Chris Greenwood, who I stumbled upon while looking at more tea-bowls. I think he has a lot of really cool pots. Here's a link http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChrisGreenwood

Teabowls!

So lately I have been throwing a lot of teabowls. I love making them but I am trying to find one that I really like to make, then I want to make a bunch of them. I have been searching the internet trying to find ideas. I'm really drawn to the rounded forms that are smooth with bulges or indents that keep a smooth feel to the pot. I also experimented over the summer using shells to alter some plates and bowls I made and I think that is what i want to try next with my teabowls.
These porcelain teabowls are made by David Holden and fired in an anagama kiln. I really like the one on the right with all the ash. I want to make some teabowls the same shape as these but then give them some sort of subtle alteration.

Shocking Art

http://www.nativebluespirit.de/html/body_news.html

Our next project is supposed to be a piece of shocking artwork. I've been thinking about it and there is so many possible issues that I could address. I'm mainly thinking about doing something with world peace and how we fight wars in the name of peace. For this I'm going to find an image symbolizing world peace(like the one to the left) and recreate it with hands in the shape of guns.
I also had another idea about beauty and body image in the media and how it places pressure on women. For this I was thinking of have a head and torso of a girl who is reading a celebrity magazine and make up, hair dye, diet pills, etc. are coming out of it and drowning her.