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

Make new friends // I’m attending the virtual #CeramicsCongress this weekend and making as I watch/participate. This friend isn’t keen on being photographed as it dries, the lighting is bouncing strange no matter what I try so this will be the only “before” photo until completion. Some pieces are more shy, I suppose. It recovered from a smooshing incident and I’ll post a video with some of the steps that I took to fix the poor bruising. There, there, little friend. You’re ok now. 🤕 . . . [Image description: a white clay pot with a realistic face with eyes, nose, and mouth sculpted on it. The background has several unsculpted pots waiting. All are sitting in a dusty charcoal-black coloured surface. ] . . #pinchpots #headpots #facesculpture #ceramicart #modernceramics #handemadeceramics #ceramicpots #ceramicplanter #ceramicstudio #ceramicsculpture #claylife #pottery #handmadepottery #handbuiltpottery #functionalpottery #potteryprocess #potterygram #pottersofinstagram #potterslife

Heads // And continuing our quest to populate the world with ceramic best friends with potted hair, I have another itsy plant pot drying on the table tonight. Solemnly calm creature, this one. . . . [Image description: A white hand, arm clad in a rust orange sleeve, holds a small grey clay pinch pot in the palm of its hand. The pot has a realistic human face with eyes, nose and mouth. In the background, several other similar larger pots can be seen.] . . #ceramicart #ceramicarts #ceramicartist #ceramicplanter #ceramicsculpture #claylife #ceramicsculpture #potteryartist #pinchpots #handmadepottery #handbuiltpottery #potterymaking #potteryprocess #potterystudio #potterygram #pottersofinstagram #yycart #MadeInAlberta

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

Heading into bisque // I keep meaning to run a bisque kiln but then I make more heads that need to dry first, which extends the wait. I’m learning patience. And how to make duck lip poses in sculpture. Both give me mixed emotions. 🦆 [Image description: three different sizes of white clay pinch pot with humanoid faces sculpted onto the front.] . . #ceramicartist #handemadeceramics #ceramicpots #ceramicplanter #ceramicstudio #ceramicsculpture #claylife #pottery #potteryart #handmadepottery #handbuiltpottery #sculpture #functionalpottery #potterymaker #potterymakers #potterymaking #potteryprocess #pottersofinstagram #potterslife #AlbertaPotters #canadianceramicsstudio