Pillar / in progress, stack o’ heads. I have no idea if this will work, if they will be stable at completion, if they will work functionally or artistically. Yet I can only imagine what fun treasures each will eventually hold and what you will trust each to contain. I’ve been working with a different set of reference models for these three wee pots (they are VERY small) and I am loving the wide smiles and softer cheeks. . . . [image text: a set of three small white clay pinch pots, each stacked on top of each other although you can only see a small bit of the top pot as it is mostly out of frame. They sit on a dark charcoal work surface, littered with sculpting tools and surrounded with clear plastic in the background. Each of the bottom two pinch pots has a serene human face sculpted into it with open eyes, a nose, and lips.] . . #pinchpots #yyc #sculpture #facesculpture #humansculpture #facepot #headpot #pillar #ceramics #pottery #ceramik #ceramicprocess

Making // fine, make more of us but can we watch something OTHER than “90 Day Fiance” while you work??? No, no we may not. #TrashTv #PotteryProcess #Sculpture #ceramics #clay #pottery #keramika #pinchpottery #facesculpture #humansculpture #pinchpot

Breakfast with a friend // Adding final touches to this face pot this morning, created with guidance of @artgolban during his Sculpture Facial Elements class. This was an incredibly rewarding and challenging class through the University of Saskatchewan, and I highly recommend. 👁️🏼🏼 #LifelongLearning #ceramics #handbuilding #pinchpot #facialelements #facialsculpting #facesculpture #pottery #facepots #yyc . . [Image description: Large white clay pinch pot with realistic face sculpted onto the surface. Face is looking slightly up to the right with a neutral expression and sits on a dark brown table, with pottery tools scattered in the background ]

Learnin’ // I’m taking a sculpture course through the University of Saskatchewan and my first challenge was an ear. In class we have moved on to nose & mouth but I’m refining some details on this ear before allowing it to slowly dry for firing. 🏻 I’m enjoying learning something completely new to me as I’ve always worked on ceramic functional pieces. The new advent of video online learning has brought Adrian Golban’s instruction and direct critique into my kitchen! 🏻 [Image description: A large ear sculpted out of grey clay on a black and plywood surface, surrounded by thin plastic.] . . . #sculpture #ceramics #humansculpture #facesculpture #pottery #UofS #EarSculpt

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

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

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

Workin’ // It’s gonna be 34C (93F) again today and I’m heading out to lay in cold water after this pot is complete. How are you keeping cool, friends? ️ [Image description: Freshly created grey clay empty pot with a human face sculpted onto the front. A white clay covered hand holds it in front of a background that contains a hanging brightly coloured pink and turquoise beach towel.] . . #pinchpot #headpot #claylife #plantpot #handmade #canadianceramics #sculpture #facesculpting #facesculpture #facestudy #pottery #ceramic #ceramicpots #handbuilding

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

Learnin’ // I’m taking a sculpture course through the University of Saskatchewan and my first challenge was an ear. In class we have moved on to nose & mouth but I’m refining some details on this ear before allowing it to slowly dry for firing. 🏻 I’m enjoying learning something completely new to me as I’ve always worked on ceramic functional pieces. The new advent of video online learning has brought Adrian Golban’s instruction and direct critique into my kitchen! 🏻 [Image description: A large ear sculpted out of grey clay on a black and plywood surface, surrounded by thin plastic.] . . . #sculpture #ceramics #humansculpture #facesculpture #pottery #UofS #EarSculpt Learnin’ // I’m taking a sculpture course through the University of Saskatchewan and my first challenge was an ear. In class we have moved on to nose & mouth but I’m refining some details on this ear before allowing it to slowly dry for firing. 🏻 I’m enjoying learning something completely new to me as I’ve always worked on ceramic functional pieces. The new advent of video online learning has brought Adrian Golban’s instruction and direct critique into my kitchen! 🏻 [Image description: A large ear sculpted out of grey clay on a black and plywood surface, surrounded by thin plastic.] . . . #sculpture #ceramics #humansculpture #facesculpture #pottery #UofS #EarSculpt Learnin’ // I’m taking a sculpture course through the University of Saskatchewan and my first challenge was an ear. In class we have moved on to nose & mouth but I’m refining some details on this ear before allowing it to slowly dry for firing. 🏻 I’m enjoying learning something completely new to me as I’ve always worked on ceramic functional pieces. The new advent of video online learning has brought Adrian Golban’s instruction and direct critique into my kitchen! 🏻 [Image description: A large ear sculpted out of grey clay on a black and plywood surface, surrounded by thin plastic.] . . . #sculpture #ceramics #humansculpture #facesculpture #pottery #UofS #EarSculpt   Nec blandit eleifend congue orci phasellus tincidunt porttitor a ut aliquam, nisl maecenas metus enim purus sollicitudin laoreet at auctor ultrices habitant, convallis id dolor mauris congue dolor primis purus vehicula velit aliquam nostra rhoncus. Malesuada ullamcorper morbi vitae rutrum iaculis in congue urna est nostra, fermentum luctus nostra magna ut purus blandit pretium est mattis, amet feugiat netus ornare arcu elementum in fringilla ligula ante metus quisque mauris habitasse. Sollicitudin adipiscing mattis ad lacus dictumst curabitur nibh donec adipiscing lobortis, augue vivamus dictumst sollicitudin sapien blandit pellentesque habitasse dui vivamus, fermentum nostra gravida ut id a platea auctor curabitur. Condimentum orci volutpat purus diam egestas magna metus iaculis vel, mollis aliquam senectus pharetra felis quam quisque hendrerit odio dolor, dictum massa duis lectus amet aenean curae praesent metus odio hac senectus vulputate.