Progress and commissions!

Photos: "Animal jar" for friend's birthday; plates and bowls with new clear - NO CRAZING!

So much good news to share! I've been going bananas (in a good way) with studio work and life. Here's the news:

1.  Just completed a commission to do vases for all the cottage rooms at the Blue Dolphin. I've never been much good at doing multiples of the same thing. But this was fun, challenging and I am excited to have my work there. I'll post pics before they are delivered in March. 

2. I sold an older piece to a friend who wanted to treat a special buddy for a significant birthday. She knew her friend had admired this piece and I actually sold it out of my display at home. It's such a great stroke for me since I really liked making these "animal sculpture jars" but it didn't seem like there was much of an audience/market for them. Maybe I'll start working on a new variation...

3. And, FINALLY got my crazing problem solved with the clear glaze! This had been a long-standing problem and pretty much halted some of my work. I called Laguna and worked with their glaze expert guy to get a low-expansion clear. They sent me a test batch to mix up and it worked so well. I bit the bullet and special ordered a big batch of dry. So worth it not to struggle with this any more. 

LAST - We are going to Brazil on Saturday! We were invited to stay with a friend and thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opp... Then we went to buy our plane fare. Ouch. That's a lot of pots! But we're going!

My first customers return!

My very first customers in the Cambria studio-gallery returned this weekend. John and Halle have visited several times and it's always so nice to talk with them! (I have John's dollar framed on my gallery wall, along with my business license.)

They are so interested in everything - not only art and craft, but the people and places around them. We always have these great conversations and I learn something new every time I talk with them. 

One of the gifts of being a potter is meeting the wonderful people who will be using the things I make.

Thank you to all my customers!

Making room for the slab roller

My slab roller has been transported from my old studio, and is now sitting pretty at the Cambria digs. Soon, we'll move in the second wheel and I'll be able to whip around the place going crazy with projects (when I'm not bumping into things). The creativity will be amazing. :)

New pots

Above photos are the results of the recent firing... The first round of glazing on the new mugs are a little too shiny for my tastes. I'm going to try some matte combos for the next round. The second photo is a large platter that came out much better than I was expecting. (And that's an unusual turn of events!) Last shot includes a cake stand and some soap dishes with a shell motif, along with fabric/quilt art from my sister. Her portrait piece is cool!