In progress// First draft for nose, lips, cheeks and ready to move onto those eyes. The finicky work of moving and building up clay is bananas (this is 5x speed!!) but oh so rewarding. These eyes are on the sculpting table first thing tomorrow. 👁️👁️ . . #humansculpture #pinchpot #sculpture #potteryprocess #ceramics #potteryvideo #sculpting #facepot #facesculpting

No Easy Button // My head said “this clay isn’t made for this bashy work, WHAT ARE YOU DOING” and my heart said “PFFFT” and some quote about getting to success faster if you steam through the failures. Or something. My head wasn’t really listening. Pinch pots from super soft porcelain, this could be really cool. Or a learning experience. . We’ll find out later which was right: ️ or 🧠 once these firm up a bit for sculpting faces. . Happy 2023! May your heart’s desires guide you (isn’t the journey the most important part anyway?) . . #pinchpots #headpots #handbuiltpottery #potteryprocess

Throwing a yarn bowl. Note the technique using a piece of scrap paper to seal the opening, creating a vacuum to keep the pot stable as I take it off the wheel. Don’t have bats? No problem! . #yarnbowl #ceramicart #ceramicarts #ceramicartist #modernceramics #ceramica #keramik #wheelthrownceramics #pottery #handthrown #potterybowl #potteryprocess #pottersofinstagram #potteryvideo #potteryvideos #claylife #pottery #functionalpottery #potteryprocess #pottersofinstagram #potterytip #oddlysatisfying

Planning patterns isn’t something I often do. I usually set up a pot in front of me and then carve my garden into the surface. But today I had an idea so I’m sketching it out. STARS STARS STARS. . Do you like the top or bottom illustration better? . # #potteryprocess #drawing #illustration #artisttok #claycarving #ideas #art #yyc #Alberta #pencildrawing #carving

Glaze day // Today is finally the day to sit back and add colour to the little pot heads, head pots. The finished friends will be available at the Friday September 16 Inglewood Night Market where I will be with the lovely Alberta Potters Association tent 🥰 See @inglewoodnightmarketyyc for event details! . . . #headpots #bisque #potteryprocess #glazing #ceramics #pottery #sculpture #faceplanters #pinchpot

Kiln loading day! // Here are the first two layers in the kiln of greenware, sometimes starring my hair because it’s VERY deep and I have to reach far inside with my short arms. Hoping to fire this batch later this week . . #kilnvideo #kiln #ceramics #potteryprocess #pottery #keramik #kilnloading #potteryvideos #ceramicvideos #makerlife #artprocess

Pillar progress // I finally completed the asymmetrical finishing touches on these faces and I am letting the pillar pots dry. They will join the other waiting heads in the kiln through first bisque firing then a second glaze firing sometime this summer. Working out on the deck with a temporary sculpting studio was a refreshing change of pace although the clay dried quickly, giving my timeline a shortening. The birds singing, sounds of children playing, and the sweet scent of lilacs on the wind? What a lovely day to make pots. . . . #notskunks #pinchpots #facepots #headpots #ceramics #ceramik #clay #pottery #potteryprocess . . [Image description: Three rounded white clay pinch pots stacked upon each other, each with a different neutral peaceful face sculpted upon it. Each of the faces have eyes with pupils, a nose, and lips with fleshed cheeks. They are positioned on the right of the photo on a faded wooded table.]

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

Stages // New gamer steins in progress! Far left are handled, medallioned, and drying. Middle are just trimmed, waiting for handles and medallions. Far right are in line for trimming as I wait for the clay to reach perfect balance of consistency. Next when bone dry, they will be into the first kiln firing, then glazed and into their final firing. All the while, hoping these new experiments work out after all the stages come to pass. The process cycles on and on. Do you have a project that keeps you humble? . . . #ceramics #potteryprocess #wheelthrown #pottery #artpractice #d20mug #calgaryexpo

And again // Working back on the wheel after a long three months working through shoulder injuries! Centering clay on the wheel is normally quick but I’m savouring hands on clay before opening for a mug bottom. 🌶️ Some great successes, some really funny fails, and I did work too long because these shoulders were hot and SPICY when I finally called it for the night. But it felt GOOD to be back out. 🌶️ And now back to sorting kiln accessories while these shoulders chill. The New Baby arrives next week and we are selling our tried and true 7 cu foot Duncan Kiln and I want to send lots of goodies with the new owner (details with link in stories until it sells). 🌶️ Are you back to something you love as the Ides of March approach? . . . . [Accessibility text: white woman’s hands on a metal pottery wheelhead filmed from overhead, centering grey clay. At the end of the clip, she uses her fingers and then a sponge to push down into the center and then pull the clay outwards to create the bottom of the future mug.] . . #potteryvideo #centeringvideo #throwingvideo #mugthrowing #ceramics #pottery #wheelthrown #ceramicvideo #potteryprocess #yyckiln #yyc @albertapottersassociation

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

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