New and not-so-new additions

Oh, the excitement of receiving something for free!  Free is a good thing around my home.  I also have the privilege of producing my ceramic art for free.  All of these things I give thanks to a few gracious baby boomers. 

 

First, allow me to explain my in-laws.  They are wonderful people and very generous.  They are the classic baby boomers; approaching retirement, building their nest egg, their house is paid for…yada yada yada.  In 2002, they purchased a 52 inch Sony projection TV.  Now, my father in-law wanted the next best thing, the largest LCD screen he could buy.  He asked us if we wanted the Sony.  Who would not take a free 52 inch television?  Yes, it is ginormous, but they would have just donated it to Goodwill or somewhere.  We spent the weekend preparing for its arrival. 

Addition #1.

It isn’t new, but it is new for us.  You can see our sofa in the reflection.

Second, allow me to explain my ceramic art.  My degree is in ceramics.  I know, it was going to take me far.  I have only had a handful of opportunities that  have allowed me to use my degree.  Most of my art background has been used to teach art to children with the different homeschool co-ops I have been involved with.   It is not often that I make a ceramic piece, but it is one of the few things that I really enjoy.  Whether or not I am good is in the eye of the beholder.  I do get compliments; just don’t look at something I have made and ask, “What is it?”  GRRRR!! 

I have an aquaintance, another generous retired baby boomer, who has a ceramics studio.  He gave me a 50 pound bag of clay and said I could make things and he would fire them and I could use his glazes.  For now, my kitchen counter is my work space, but I will start my own ceramics studio when/if we ever move. (See Home for sale, part 1.)

I recently made two pieces.  Here is a photo in their bone dry stage.  Bone dry is when the clay is completely dry.  Next they are bisque fired.

These were very fragile and a couple things did not make it through the bisque firing.  A few weeks ago, I returned to the studio to apply the glazes not knowing the total outcome of what they would look like.  This is the down side to using someone’s studio.  I don’t have the time or liberty to experiment so I have to  make each piece of work count and hope for the best.  I think a couple of them turned out fairly well.

Addition #2.  

This is a brown glaze that when fired under the right conditions, it fires a completely golden color.  I think this was achieved in the glaze firing.  It is called Gilded Impressions.  

front view

left side view

right side view

Addition #3

 

The next piece has a softer look and is not as striking.  The two pieces were part of a triptych, but the other pieces broke.  I used these two pieces alone which seems to work.   The other disappointment was that the glaze didn’t “break” during firing.  The twig impressions were suppose to be outlined with a brown color that happens with this green glaze.  I don’t have a name for it yet.  Any suggestions? 

I am on day two of my summer break.  So far, I have managed to write a post in the afternoon in between doing my workout (at home).  I usually write my posts after midnight.

 

Not a bad way to start the summer.

About these ads