I started doing dog sculptures a couple of years ago in order to donate one to the local fund raising effort of the Animal Shelter.
This now has continued and I make lots of dog sculptures! This time I Raku’d them and they turned out great! So I wanted to show them to you!
My sculptures are not anatomically correct and I like to give them a bit of “funny” and personality.
My work for this years Sculpture Fest in Marble Falls, Texas was centered around my main figurative sculpture, Lake Girl. I sculpted her with the intention that she appeared to have just come up out of the water. Dragonflies surround her – as that is what happens here when you’re swimming! Lake Girl was Raku’d in a fiber homemade kiln and the reduction bin was placed over her as she would be to heavy to lift.
Ceramics Monthly is the best publication on Ceramics in the USA. It’s been the go to resource for all things ceramics for many years.
I feel honored and excited to be asked to write articles for the Tips & Topics Section of the Ceramics Monthly magazine.
In the September issue, my article is “Wheel Table”.
To read the whole article, click HERE.
The second article was on “How To Select A Spray Gun”. To read the article, click HERE.
What a thrill! I’ve always wanted to be in Ceramics Monthly!
Happy Potting to you all!
Marian
I just learned today that Gary Huntoon has passed away. It is such a shock! No one of that calibre should ever leave the earth….but he has.
I shall always remember Gary for his great humor, his skills as a potter, but foremost, his love of people and his ability to bring out the best in all of those around him.
I’ll miss him greatly, but he gave us a legacy as potters – to hold each other up, to keep in contact with each other, and to encourage each other in the pursuit of our art.
Here is the link to another post I wrote about Gary and his work. Click here
Valle sweet Gary!
With Love,
Marian
There is nothing better than a great Pottery Apron! It can make your life so much easier…and cleaner!
Here’s another post about pottery aprons. Check out that previous post here: Click Here
My fabric is way too cute. It’s from Spoon Flower – they have tons of cute pottery themed fabrics for any of your sewing needs. See more Here.
I had not sewn in a very long time, so this adventure was super frustrating! My machine needs a tune up (hadn’t been out of the closet for a long time!) and my sewing supplies are super old and out of date.
In addition, my sewing skills basically suck! I’m a home economics major for gosh sakes! Taught sewing! but time has been cruel! I couldn’t thread the needle. The needle broke. The bobbin ran out of thread. I had to rethread the machine countless times due to my lack of skills. The thread broke a million times, probably because the thread was so old – it was on a wooden spool. On and on. However, I finally finished the apron!
It’s super cute and this design is so user-friendly!
Here’s a video of the process:
The best part of this apron is the straps – there is no tying! It slips over your head and stays in place. You’ll love it!
I like to work in series and my latest endeavor is FISH!
I start out by making a newspaper form.
I roll a slab – 3/8″ to 1/2″ and smooth it with an old vinyl record – the best tool ever!
I then form the clay around the newspaper form, add eyes, fins and other texture for the features.
These fish are not anatomically correct – they are supposed to be comical and funny.
This will be part of a display for my next Sculpture – Lake Girl.
She is yet to appear!
I can’t seem to get my creativity flowing right now! Is it summer? or the fact that I’m still recovering from a HUGE spinal fusion surgery? or the looming knee replacement surgery in August? or the ridiculous 100+ degree heat? Or all of the above? How about you?
Here’s what I am currently doing: feeding hummingbirds, feeding geese and ducks, feeding catfish….listening to Samantha Scout bark, swimming, lazing and enjoying life.. Not a bad deal.
I’ll get back to making soon!
Have fun this summer!
Marian
Summer is flying by and I just realized that I didn’t give you an update on the San Angelo National Ceramic Competition and how my sculpture fared.
San Angelo is about a 3 hour drive from where I live in Texas – pretty much everything in Texas is a drive – 2,3,5, ie 8 hours – anyway, we got there!
It’s a lovely town with lots of murals on the sides of many of the buildings.
The San Angelo Fine Arts Museum is a lovely building in the heart of downtown San Angelo.
My sculpture didn’t win any prizes, but it was placed in the biggest room on the back wall and had great visual impact! I was very pleased. And the best news is that it SOLD!!
Here’s a little video showing the exhibition.
It was a great honor and experience to be included in this competition and exhibition!
Happy potting!
Marian
Sometimes I just want to give up on a piece. It’s well thrown, but it just looks horrible!
That happened recently – I, evidently, didn’t mix my standard white glaze thoroughly (I hadn’t used it in about a year) and when applied and fired it looked so amateurish and U.G.L.Y.
So I applied more glaze by brushing on gobby coats of about 5 different glazes. Second time, still U.G.L.Y.
But I remembered that old saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try try again.
I once again applied more glaze by brushing on thick, gobby coats of glaze.
Third times a charm! These little bowls look great and are perfect for hand-held salad, cereal or dessert!
Never give up if it’s still a good pot….until it isn’t! Then take a hammer to it!
Here are some photos of my work shown and sold at the Sculpture on Main, Marble Falls, Texas.
It’s a great event! Well planned and well attended. My exhibit consisted of raku, barrel-fired, and electric glaze work.
