Dramatic lighting // I finished this wee pot on the weekend and it’s drying under the watchful eyes of the surrounding faces. This is going to be another exercise in planning a date for bisque firing then delaying it so I can squeeze juuusssst one more head in. I can feel it. I’ve been occupied elsewhere for a couple of days so the heads are just staring and waiting for their numbers to increase. They nag that way when I see them because I want MORE. So many more. . I’ll be back to making yarn bowls shortly for those that like a good throwing video. Noses and bowls are what the future holds. 🏺 . . [Image description: A white clay pinch pot resting on a dusty charcoal gray board. On the pot is sculpted a realistic eyes nose and mouth. It is surrounded by similar pots of varying sizes. The lighting is very drastically shadowed by a bright light from the front right. ] . . #pinchpots #headpots #facesculpture #ceramicart #modernceramics #handemadeceramics #ceramicpots #ceramicplanter #ceramicstudio #ceramics #ceramicsculpture #claylife #pottery #handmadepottery #handbuiltpottery #potteryprocess #potterygram #pottersofinstagram #potterlife #canadianceramics #AlbertaPotters

November // this head had found its home so I’m now able to share photos. The matte surface worked out quite well on this one and I created a little matching dish for watering overflow. Pothos from @bigskyplantco [Image description: White clay pinch pot with a realistic eyes, nose, mouth sculpted on the front. Pot is perched on a matching white dish. Pot is surrounded by variegated pothos plant vines on a wooden slab.] . . #pinchpot #facepot #headpot #planter #pottery #ceramics #AlbertaArtist #CanadianCeramics #CanadianSculpture #Anatomy #SlowArt #handbuilding

Smooch // The second series of heads is coming together nicely. Working lips first on this one. Who will it be??? . . . [Image description: a white hand holds a rotund pinch pot made of grey / white clay at an angle. A pile of sculpting tools lies to the side. The pot has a sculpted pair of closed lips on the lower third of the pot.] . #ceramics #sculpture #headpot #facesculpture #pinchpot #keramik #plainsmanclay #potteryprocess #TheHeads

Yarn bowls // Bringing these shiny babies to the @albertapottersassociation sale on Saturday! They are bringing friends. . . #succulentlove #claycarving #yycyarn #yarnbowls #yycevents #ceramics

Halloween // working on some new friends near to the front door tonight while spooky scary skeletons are ringing the doorbell, hollering for treats. Toss some candy, work on a nose, adore a costume, put on an eyelid. This is a pretty fun way to spend a creative night! . Who knows if these will be dry and double fired by Saturday’s show I’m trying. Plus can’t stop won’t stop. . . [Image description: a white hand holding a white clay pot with a face sculpted. In the background is two smaller pots with hollow insides with faces also sculpted on the front.] #ceramics #potteryprocess #pinchpots #plantpots #plantsForHair #facesculpture #clayfaces #headpots #canadianceramicsstudio

Heads // Obsessed. Many of these are sold. More will be available on Nov 6 at the #APASale @albertapottersassociation . . . #MakeFriends #pinchpots #facesculpture #pottery #ceramics #keramic #ceramika #headpot

Glaze test results // I’m contemplating glazing half my head pots in a clear glaze with no dimension for a cold alien feel, and for the other half, I want a range of rich skin colours and “life”. I did several tests and well, lucky me that failure is part of the journey to success. These are my favourite results thus far. The right result, a thin tenmoku, has shine in the deeper crevices that I’m not sure if I’m a fan of yet. The matte RIO warm brown tones on the left is the only truly successful glaze test that seemed to capture the nuance of rich tones within the same face. I now know what doesn’t work in my glaze and underglazes “kitchen”: other tests came out quite green or jaundiced, or my wiping was far too aggressive leaving the colour to fade completely after firing. My clear glaze on top of the testers almost always turned my browns to greens, or even clear (as seen on the top of the left pot), a glaze chemistry fascination. I’ll keep working and practicing and testing but I’m quite excited about finding one that has such potential. 🥰 (Tagging @liz.larue.7 so she can see this process update!) . . . #sculpture #pinchpots #facesculpture #clay #ceramics #ceramicsculpture #potteryprocess #redironoxide

Carving // my phone malfunctioned in the middle of today’s impromptu live however this is the end result. . . [Image description: White clay bowl with a cut out on the left and a carved floral / succulent motif across the front. The bowl is sitting on a large gold foam rest against a charcoal background.] . . #yarnbowl #wheelthrowing #wheelthrown #carvedclay #ceramics #pottery #potteryprocess #CanadianCeramics

Carving a leather hard ceramic yarn bowl, high speed version. After carving, it will sit and dry completely then visit the kiln for its first round of firing. We will then apply glaze and place in the kiln for the final firing. #ceramics #potteryvideo #ceramicvideo #potteryprocess #yarnbowl #wheelthrown #freehandcarving #CanadianCeramics #makerlife #studiolife #highspeedvideo

Trimming // Trimming yarn bowls. While the clay is flying, @itswilwheaton reads to me. It’s a perfect afternoon. . . . @giffingrip #ReadyPlayerTwo #Audiobook #giffingrip #trimming #wheelthrown #potteryprocess #ceramics #pottery #makerlife #studiolife

Garden // I planted some hardy hens and chicks into garden today, and the patterns carved on today’s yarn bowls reflect these new additions. MORE FLOWERS. I carved until my toes were too cold for the patio, then wrapped up the session with some hastily carved leaves, relocated to the drying rack in studio, and hustled myself to the warmth of the house. Fibre Shindig is coming soon October 23 @fibreshindig so mark your calendars! . . . #wheelthrown #handcarved #ceramics #pottery #AlbertaMade #makerlife #potteryprocess

I make heads so they can grow hair // I was in grade four or five when my teacher handed out raw chicken eggs, and we drew faces upon them. We then blew them out so they were hollow, and carefully peeled off the top bit of shell. We crafted the fanciest of toilet paper roll pedestals for our eggs, then propped them atop and added soil and grass seed. Adding a bit of water, they were set upon the classroom ledge and we were asked to dig into our wee selves and find patience. Within days, we had the start of grass shoots and within weeks, were able to trim and style our little egghead’s grass hairdo. 🥚 I can only assume this is remnant sweet memory and bliss from that project. You never know what will stay in a young artist’s heart, only to arise again over three decades later. 🥚 . . [image description: Two white plant pots with faces. The left contains a jade plant and the right contains a delicate circular vining plant with multiple strands down the pot’s “face”. They are perched on a white shelf in front of a bookshelf] . . #sculpture #pinchpots #houseplants #handbuilding #KeepArtInSchool #canadianceramics #pottery #ceramics #cone6oxidation

Hot Sunday // And when it is hot, we make empty heads in the shade on the deck. It’s 32 C here in Calgary, and I may now just pour myself a cocktail, and go lay in the shade with the hose misting me. Because WOW. ️ . . . #pinchpots #sculpture #facesculpture #facesculpting #CanadianCeramics #AlbertaPotters #plainsmanpottery #handbuilding #ceramics #pottery #studiolife

Big Faces Keep On Turning // The latest pot in progress from the very hot back patio. . . [Image description: a grey clay pot with a face with oversized features. ] . #sculpture #portraits #pinchpot #plantpot #ceramics #clay #pottery #CanadianCeramics #AlbertaPotters

Faces // The back patio and I have been making faces when the days are too hot to do much else. I’m keen on larger-than-life eyes, drawing them larger and wider on each pot. Huge eyelids upper and lower, nose and lips coming into reality as I work. The birds sing, and I sculpt until the kiln is eventually full (not yet) and the heatwaves that keep rolling over the city start to calm. These pots are not what I was planning but sometimes the heat takes us where it takes us. . [image descriptions for 4 images: Image 1: grey clay with middle hollowed in the start of a pinch pot. Image 2: two balls of grey clay with the middle hollowed out in a pinch pot, with the ball closest to the viewer smooth and sponged and the furthest rough. Image 3: top view of a grey clay pinch pot plant pot with a somber face. Image 4: front view of a grey clay pinch pot plant pot with a somber face, and the start of another pinch pot in the background. ] . #sculpture #portraits #pinchpot #plantpot #ceramics #clay #pottery #CanadianCeramics #AlbertaPotters