Large Reef Ball

Happy New Years everyone! 2011 marked my greatest creative success to date. I’ve learned a lot about clay, glazes and expectations in the craft world. I passed standards with the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador, proceeded through shop committee and sold products not only at the CCNL shop but also online through Etsy. Patience and self control is something I developed from the process of making ceramics.

On another note, I have another piece started for Julia. This is a large reef ball. (formally known as a deep sea sponge but not many people make the connection with the two so I’m officially changing it. Reef balls are man-made coral reefs made out of concrete used to replace coral reefs in damaged areas. Look very similar.) The ball was wheel thrown (thank you soo much Keith!) and the holes were carved out after it was leather hard. My favorite part about this piece is the inside. I carved sand ripples in the bottom to give it a tropical effect in the tank. Can’t wait till this one is glazed.

So Far So Good

Alright, large bridge update.

I was going to make the whole structure tonight but after some consulting with other potters, I decided to wait until tomorrow to piece them all together. This way they’ll be leather hard (or maybe slightly harder) and easier to construct. I’m really not expecting any trouble with the paper clay. That stuff is the bomb.

Tonight I rolled out slabs, cut out the arches (Which were in three pieces because it’s sooo big.) reconstruct them and added a little bit of surface decoration. I think I’ll turn the horizontal lines into bricks tomorrow. I’m not fond of how they look at the moment; however, they will serve as break lines for the glaze and I’m hoping it will keep it from dripping too far and pooling off the base of the bridge.

So yes! This is the start. The sharpie in the middle is for scale… and it’s not a mini, it’s a jumbo!

For now, I have them drying between canvas. Thursday I’ll post the full piece. Then it’s the drying game.

*finger’s crossed*

 

Two New Aquarium Pieces

Here are two pieces that came out of the kiln Saturday. (Thanks to Maaike for firing them!) I love how they turned out.

The first one is a mini bridge. I overlapped delft blue and textured kiwi and I love how both of them have the same amount of movement. The colors are soft and they totally compliment each other. Still not sure if I’m going bring this little one to the Craft Council Shop or stick it up on Etsy. I should just make a few more and have them in both places.

My second piece is a medium Newfoundland deep sea sponge. Again, I overlapped glazes but this time I used two tones of blue and the contrast is a little more subtle. It stands four inches tall which is a good size for most fish to swim through. That is, unless you have a massive tank, accompanied by massive fish.

A Prettier PVC Pipe

A customer from the craft fair asked me to design a piece for their aquarium. She already has a PVC pipe but wanted something similar in shape but made from clay.

Here’s the picture she sent me of her beautiful tank, full of live plants.

Wednesday night I made two cylindrical pieces. They’re still greenware but you get the idea. Glazes will be two toned, bright and asymetrical. This structure will be more aesthetically pleasing and will also provide more entrances for threatened fish.

Most of my posts have been of unfinished work. Tomorrow that will change! I’ll have a few pictures to share when some pieces come out of the glaze kiln early Saturday. Yay!