Soup

     I've been toying around with an idea that I plan to work on all summer... I created these little porcelain pieces last night while watching "The Soup" with Chris and laughing... a lot. Watching The Soup is a guilty pleasure and last night we were both in the mood for it, it's really quite ridiculous.

     But back to the art work. I plan to fire and mount these pieces onto wood panels so they will be seen vertically just as you see them in the photos. I'm not sure if I want them to be in color or just simply white... I have some time to play around with the idea and these are definitely the first batch of prototypes.  Now I've got to order some wood panels to try out some stain... I've been doing a little research and found a company or two that I can order from for a nominal amount of money. I've got to figure out the best method to attached porcelain to wood... epoxy? That's my first inclination, but their might be a better way...

New work and Nephew play

    I tend to take photos of my work right before it goes in the kiln to be fired for the first time... I love the way the clay looks before it's glazed. These vases are actually porcelain and I may not glaze the entire body, but I still love the true matte quality they have before they go in the kiln. They may be for the show in July for the Arts Council of Kern entitled, "Playful Minds".I finally took a some time after work to get some of my own pieces done.
     It's crunch time with the students... only a month until school let's out so things get very busy from here until May 31st. The photos below are of these pieces heading into the kiln, but I just took these pieces out of the bisque fire a few days ago and decided to simply glaze the rim with celedon and also around the "stars" a bit with celedon. They should be finished next week and I'll post finished photos when they come out... I can't wait to see.

My nephew Austin came over recently and played in my studio. He told me at Easter that he wanted to learn to throw pottery on the wheel (not in those exact words, but that's what he meant). ;-)   

So, he came over and played on the wheel for the first time a few weeks back. He was really good!! A talent from the start. I didn't even help him center this time! He made 3 little bowls on the wheel that day, a potter in the making for sure. 

Exhibits on the Horizon

     I received this invitaion recently to be a part of a ceramic show for the Arts Council of Kern (see below). What a gift to have a deadline to get some work made! I am definitely the type of artist that needs a deadline. I can scarcely get anything made while teaching full time unless I have a finite date looming. I am looking forward to this exhibit... after I return from NCECA I will get busy creating so all the pieces can be fired before school let's out for summer.

My neice and nephew were visiting recently and they dug right into my art supplies. My nephew Max created this incredible abstract piece of his name. I love it. Children's art always reminds me of "play"; I am going to try to channel that feeling when making work for this upcoming show.



2nd Annual Exhibition

Ceramic Artists of Kern County
“Playful Minds”

July 6 – September 4, 2012

Dear Yvonne,

On July 6, 2012, our 2nd annual exhibition Ceramic Artists of Kern County will open at the Younger gallery. As a participant of last year’s annual exhibition and as an artist who submitted works of high artistic quality, the Arts Council invites you to this year’s exhibition. We would like to build up on last year’s success and raise public interest in our community for this wonderful art form.

This year we would like to challenge you to be a “Playful Mind”. We would like you to play with ideas around games, toys, theatre plays, playing music, and anything else you associate with the word “Play” and incorporate it into your works. We hope that you can come up with 3 to 5 playful pieces of art for this exhibition.

Studio Time

 I made this piece recently. It's not yet fired, but I couldn't resist taking it's photo looking out the window... My little ghost and snail (the first pieces I made in clay in kindergarten) are in the background. 

  

Here's is  that same ghost hanging out with a little vase I made a year ago....

poor ghost lost his arms long ago.

 Here is a photo of my studio... the floor isn't so pretty but it will be eventually...   

The Latest

So remember this vase?  I made two for that particular exhibit and both were purchased. One is below; the new owner sent me a photo of it in his home. I love to see where my work ends up!  

I just finished making this vase for a friend. It hasn't gone through the kiln, but I couldn't resist taking a photo of it. I love they way the clay looks when it's leatherhard (not too wet, not too dry). It is such a pretty color at that stage and has a softness to it. I do like this particular clay called "black mountain" as it retains that quality after it's been high fired. I'll post a finished photo when it comes out of the kiln.

I'm heading to NCECA in a little over a week... so looking forward to it. I just shipped off my student's piece that was accepted into the K12 National Exhibit being held during NCECA in Seattle. I am so glad it's off and on its way...fingers are crossed that it arrives safely.

New Work Out of the Kiln

Paper Clay Teapot

I finally started to make some art work again... it's been some time... here is a little teapot I made out of paper clay from the workshop I took in July. It's not yet fired, but will be soon.