Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Last Call, Homage

Blink them lights, it's last call baby!
Okay, not really.
Well it is, for this batch of stuff anyways.
I got a few more loads of stuff to fire, then it's done for now.
I'm just finishing up the last few thingys and doing some touch ups to refire:



I gotta say, it's been sort of cool to be back making stuff folks can actually use.
Not being one to make utilitarian pots, this has been a trip back in time, back to when I had to learn to make all these forms.
Bowls were the eyeball opener as it took me a while to get back to Jedi level. Making a perfect bowl is an elusive thing and I'm still trying.
The thing about making stuff folks are going to use is that you really have to be aware of well, the end use.
There was a time when I'd scan the Crate and Barrel catalogs to see how many ounces this kind of bowl should hold as opposed to that kind.
Then I'd measure out the clay and try to crank out six or twelve bowls that were of the same height and depth.
I'd make U shaped bowls and V shaped bowls and big bowls and small bowls and all sorts of bowls.
Practice in this case, does make perfect.
For me, making bowls was something I just couldn't jump right back into, unlike riding a bicycle, there was a whole new learning curve.
The platters were cool
Working with a flat surface was different as far as the glazing part went.
You are a bit more free with ideas as you have more of a presentable area.
Not that I got creative with this batch, I'm beginning to see some possibilities.
Then there was the big Sell Out.
I mean putting some landscape on my stuff was like death before disco, but hey! you gotta do what you gotta do.
I'm already looking for some other recognizable land mass to incorporate into my designs.
No, not Diamond Head!
I haven't sold out all the way.
Yet.
I got to try some different things with the glazes and I'm more familiar with how they work.
I'm getting sort of tired and bored with these low fire glazes, but there are few more things I'd like to try.
There's actually a few things I'd like to keep for myself, like them Mondrian bowls.
They take a while to get out, but look pretty nice.
I did steal one more thing.
Okay, not really stealing, but more of a homage.
Just for you JRA:


2 comments:

John Romeo Alpha said...

Thank you sir. The plate looks as worried as the original, which is a good thing. Maybe.

limom said...

I wonder if Klee did any sketches of that first.
It was really easy to change the mood of the composition by fooling with the lines.
Maybe there exists somewhere a happy one and a sad one.

Next: homage to Michelangelo!
Okay, not really.