Shop Update

 I've finally taken a look at my shop and realized I haven't updated new work since the Clay Guild Sale. 

So I updated it.  All newest CuPu stuff is on there (that I've been able to photograph, that is...).

These are all teasers...you gotta go to my shop to see the whole thing.

Big Vase With Scallops

Icy Creamy Patterned Vase

Little Blue Scaly Vase

Toothy Planter

There are more!  Thanks for looking and spread it around.

Also: INSTAGRAM!  Check it out.

I have been making videos of my cats, so that's new.

KC Clay Guild Spring Sale

Last year at this time we were wondering if we'd be able to have a Spring Sale...like, it's a likely chance this whole Covid thing will blow through by that time, surely!?

HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAAAAA

Anyway, with proper safety precautions, widespread vaccinations, and careful planning, we ARE having a Spring Sale this year at the KC Clay Guild, and I am ready. for. it.  Even though I took six months off from producing ceramics, I have more than made up for it since we got access back to the Guild, and I'm excited to share my work with more than just my humble social media circle.

PREVIEW!

Drawn flowers on mugs and vases

Hand drawn with brush in underglaze on B-Mix

CuPu series

Hand built cut and pushed vases, bowls, and planters in B-Mix with heavy glaze

Cat planters

Hand built cat planters in various clay bodies

Nubby things

Hand built vessels pushed out with a nubby motif and experimental glaze combos

I got my vaccine over a week ago, so by the time the sale is here, I'll be basically as protected by science as I can be. We will all be abiding standard safety guidelines and the artists won't be hanging out at their displays as in years passed.  Small price to pay to be able to share!

You can browse and still purchase from my online store until Thursday, when I'll be blocking sales until after I can take inventory on Monday.  The Guild only receives 20% of each purchase price--a good deal if you've ever sold consignment anywhere and a way to support both the artist and the facility that makes our work possible.

When:

Friday, April 23, 5-9pm (this is when I'll be working the sale)

Saturday, April 24, 10-5

Sunday, April 25, 11-3

Where:

KC Clay Guild

200 W 74th Street, KCMO

Links:

Facebook Event Page

KC Clay Guild website

My Instagram

My Facebook

My Online store

Tell your friends!

CuPu Series

 I'm jumping all over the place, as is my way, and I jumped into a new technique a couple months ago and went crazy making...

CuPu vases and cups

The Cut and Push Series, aka CuPu, involves me handbuilding (by way of pinching and smoothing), cutting a design through the wall, and pushing it out to form a relief.  I wanted to explore glazes and how they perform on deep surface changes.  Some designs are free-form, some I measure out and try really hard to make even, and some start one way and end up being made another.  I get too excited to stop and take action shots, but below is a bit of an inside to stages of one particular piece.

First I make the vessel, let it set up a bit, and decide on a design--usually I go from one element of the design to the next and fill in along the way.  With this one I made a stencil and played around with spacing and layout for some time before committing. 

Planning stage.

I use an Xacto knife to cut through the wall and push from the inside out to create a relief.

Boy, that escalated quickly.

Smoothed out but still in the green stage.

After the bisque fire, I sanded the surface and glazed the hell out of it.  Due to the conditions in the kiln, glaze ran down and puddled around the bottom, but the kiln loader was able to salvage the piece in whole so at least all my hours of work weren't destroyed, just a little ragged along the bottom.

Glazed.
Planter with Reitz Blue and Yellow Salt

I will not have this particular piece available at the KC Clay Guild Spring Sale, but everything in the first photo will be there, and many are already available online in my ceramics shop.  I have a lot more of these in me, but I am making an effort to cool it for a minute until I can clear some work out from under me.

See my process on Instagram!  I love to share.

Shop Update

Saturday, March 20, at noon, I'm going to have a shop update--my first this year.  

I've been making a ton of new work.  Here's preview!

Hand drawn flower pieces...

Dogwood mug

Queen Anne's Lace vace

Some mug experiments...

Cinched-waist mugs

Always have to include cat heads!

Small and medium cat planters

Nubby planters for the upcoming plant season...

Nubby planters

And a new series, titled Cut and Push (CuPu for short) includes versatile vessels that can be used as vases, cups, or simply art pieces...I'll have a post about this process soon.

Turquoise CuPu vase

Large mouth CuPu vase

I will be sending out reminders all over social media, especially my Facebook and Instagram pages.  Let me know if you have questions about anything.  As always, thanks for your support.