Brigid Grass Run
1994-2013
Falko von der Kessinger
2000-2013
We lost two members of the menagerie this past year. Gone but not forgotten.
2013 in Memorium
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Solstice Tradition
a line of spruce trees looking back toward the house
My husband and I have been tree huggers since before we met and one of our most enduring traditions is planting a solstice tree every year on or about New Years Day.
Planting a living being that will hopefully outlive you is a very positive way to start a new year/rotation of the sun. Even on those days when it was cold, muddy, windy etc. and all I wanted to do was stay inside, I warmed with the work and felt very satisfied with my small contribution to Mother.
all decked out 2013
This years tree is a Norway Spruce. We favor spruce out here over pine because pine is like chocolate to a deer, not that they can’t damage a spruce tree by rubbing antlers on the trunk. Weird fencing usually thwarts this, I have also used some of the spray repellents but beware they smell BAD and if it’s close to the house well, ……….yuck
That reminds me of a funny story, one year our tree was waiting outside for it’s big week (that’s right only ONE week indoors) and I was sprinkling kelp water on some outside shrubs when I had a brilliant idea, kelp is for stressed out plants and a newly dug tree was surely stressed, so I thoroughly doused said tree in fishy kelp.
Cali kitty keeps company
on the porch ready to go out to the field
After my ever patient spouse washed the offending tree three or four times and we tried to shake off most of the extra water, it still smelled. Not so much that we didn’t give it a week of glory with all the trimmings! And maybe a spritz of scent. I think I went thru an amazing amount of scented candles that year.
Where’s Jay? He’s pulling a Tree.
Once the week of glory is over and its time to plant the tree, a hole must be dug. We favor smaller trees. They are easier in all respects and more likely to survive. Some tips for the survival of a newly planted tree: Dig your hole wide, but only as deep as the original rootball.
Dig the hole wide but only as deep as the rootball
Fall and early winter are great times to plant trees as the roots will grow all winter. For the first year fertilize lightly and water heavily.
The last step when planting especially in winter is mulch. We do a whole bale of hay, laying out the flakes in layers around the trunk. This helps prevent heaving by insulating the rootball.
hauling hay under the watchful gaze of Xena
Throwin the clay
I don’t throw very often these days but I do enjoy it . I recently broke a little pitcher that Jay uses to brew tea and I also wanted to replace Xena’s food dish so I bought a fifty pound box of porcelain and got to work. I love porcelain for kitchen items because the small particle size makes a very dense finished product that is chip resistant especially if you give it a nice fat lip. The down side of fine particles is more shrinkage, a tendency to warp in the fire and slump on the wheel.
gettin artsy in the photo
Patience is a virtue that I don’t have much of, but to throw a successful pot, it must be exercised. First if the clay is not just right moisture-wise don’t even bother to try. Once the clay is ready, weighing out the lumps and wedging into a cone comes next. Wedging looks a lot like kneading bread. The purpose is to remove air bubbles and align the plate shaped particles of clay so they can slide past each other in the throwing process. This is the secret to clays ability to be stretched and shaped into any form.
Pale blue band on a serving bowl
mini tea pot
just because it’s small
dosen’t make it easier
Jay loves his new pitcher and I have some for sale, along with a new mini tea set and a few new single serving size cat food dishes (can’t have too many of these with eight recalcitrant cats to contend with!)
Women of Appalachia
Scarred Woman
This work was recently juried into the fifth Women of Appalachia Art Exhibit on display in the Multicultural Center Art Gallery, Baker Center, Ohio University. The exhibit runs through December 10 Then I believe it moves on to Chillicothe, OH.
There will be two events with spoken word and musical work performed on Nov 1 and Nov 7 details at www.womenofappalachia.com
“Scarred Woman” above epitomizes the Appalachian woman who has been through the fire and may be marked by life but not broken. The resilience and creativity that my friends and neighbors bring to every day life is truly inspiring. 
Paw Paw Green Man Sun
Paw Paw Green Man is also in the show hanging beside his sister.
The process for making my green men and women are basic hand building techniques. I start with a large lump of clay and form a shallow oval bowl shape about the size of a face. This is pretty thick and the sides are 2-3 inches tall. When the clay is ready, and this is crucial, it’s time to start pushing, pressing, shaving and adding clay to form a face. The clay needs to be pretty pliable for the first roughing in but not so soft as to collapse.
I use some photos of faces and my own face to get the proportions and I usually go large as the clay shrinks in the fire. I only need to do eyes, nose and mouth because the edges of the face are covered with leaves.
It takes a few days of a few hours each to finish the face. The clay is kept in a plastic bag so it will dry slowly. This allows for finer finishing at the end.
The leaves are cut from slabs of clay, using real leaves. A large Green Man can take up to 36 leaves.
The assembly has to be done on the kiln shelf as the bone dry piece is very fragile. After the piece is completely dry it is bisque fired, if it survives I either spray on stains for a soft finish or dip into glaze for a shiny finish. It is then fired again to a much higher temperature.
Glass & Clay Sculpture in Starbrick’s Window
All the sculptures awaiting transport
It seemed like I had forever when I made the commitment to put a display of my new glass work in the window of Starbrick Gallery. I kept making more thinking I’d never fill up that huge space, but as I grew the collection of silica based life forms the window space miraculously got smaller and it all came to a very nice intersection if I do say so myself.
I’ve never mounted a show before so I was pretty wigged out for a few weeks in advance, Jay got a lot of work done in his shop. I knew it would take a few trips to transport the sculptures because they are not packing friendly so I started on a Wednesday morning. Naturally, when I arrived the old window display was still in place. It didn’t take me to long to empty it out as the coffee and adrenaline were kicking in. After picking out the pedestals and wrestling them into the space I decided they needed a coat of paint. Two trips later my painting, arranging, signage and lighting were done. The work is on display!
Fish Silica Based Life Forms
Fish Silica Based Life Form
Tree Silica Based Life Forms
Fish Silica Based Life Forms
Flower & Tree Silica Based Life Forms
The show was supposed to be up for a month but the Starbrick Gallery needs two weeks to paint the rest of their pedestals and place tea cups upon them.
I will find another venue and post an update. I am also posting all the pieces in the store one at a time. Free delivery in a 100 mi radius of Rutland, OH. If you are farther afield we can negotiate.
Where to find my work
My pottery and photo note cards are currently sold in 3 shops and 2 online shops. If you see something online and want to know what other colors or sizes are available contact me.
The three physical shops are as follows
The Dairy Barn; 8000 Dairy Lane; Athens, OH 45701 website<The Dairy Barn Arts Center>
Hyacinth Bean Florist; 540 W Union St; Athens, OH 45701 website<Athens Florist | Athens OH Flower Shop | HYACINTH BEAN FLORIST>
Nelsonville Emporium; 31 Public Square; Nelsonville, OH 45764 website<Nelsonville Pottery & Arts>
My two online shops are through this website and on etsy at < Hand made clay for home & garden. Photos/note by CMcDonoughDesigns>
and of course you can always take a ride in the country and visit the studio where you will get the best price, a beverage, lots of stories and more!
I also enter juried art shows and currently two of my slumped glass pieces are on display in Athens, WV as part of the Athens Voices traveling exhibit. Photos below.
In the Eye of the Storm
Silica Based Life Form
Flower
Puppies, Puppies, Puppies!!!
Xena as a Black Eyed Susan
We thought the Boston Terrier in a Tutu would be our biggest competition.
There was a puppy parade at the August Final Friday in Nelsonville and I dressed Xena up as a Black Eyed Susan. She was very well behaved maybe because we spent about a week reviewing obedience school. Only one little yapping dog got her attention and no doubt she would just have wanted to play but some people are suspicious of Rottweillers so Jay nipped it in the bud.
Jay and Xena
She didn’t win the costume contest that went to a beagle in a hot dog bun.
second place winner in costume contest
Good fun was had by all especially doggies that got to out for a change!!!
Shoe in for biggest dog
Contenders for smallest dog; won by a tiny Chihuahua
SNEAK PEEK AT NEW WORK
slumped glass in a clay base
“Silica Based Life Form” Flower
Here are a few pictures of my new work. I started experimenting with slumped glass a little over a year ago. It all came about because Meigs county OH no longer recycles glass of any kind and the powers that be will not even entertain the thought of a bottle bill. Being an avid recycler since the early 70’s I literally could not throw out something so easily recyclable.
After viewing an online how to video I realized I could create my own clay molds to slump the glass. I grabbed all the bisque ware I had, broke up a bunch of bottles filled my “molds” and started firing.
Naturally nothing worked out the way I planned (if that ever happens I will be pretty sure I’m dead) but the results were very interesting and spurred me on to continue the experimentation. I quickly learned that the edges are razor sharp, invested in a variety of gloves, and carried on. A few people have suggested that I should soften the edges but quite frankly that is my favorite part.
detail photo of sharp edges from
“In the Eye of the Storm”
Eventually I decided to mount the slumped glass in clay bases. I use either a white stoneware or a beautiful dark red/brown clay with black specks called Nelsonville Pottery clay by Columbus Clay Co to recreate the starbrick clay used to make bricks that are still in use today in Nelsonville’s streets and sidewalks. The work quickly took on the look of trees, flowers and fish. I plan to exhibit my “Silica based Life Forms” in the window of Starbrick Clay Art Studio at the September Final Friday in Nelsonville on September 27. It will remain up for a month, if you’re in the area check it out, if you’re not it’s worth the trip
Silica Based Life Form
Trees
Silica Based Life Form
Fish
New Raku work
pulling a hot pot out of the kiln (1800-2000 degreesF)
Raku fired vase B&W
Raku fired vase
Round Raku bowl
square bowl Raku fired
Raku pottery is all about the glaze fire and pushing the limits of the clays ability to withstand some serious heat shock. Usually a clay body formulated to take the strain of being pulled out of the kiln while still red hot ( in the 2000 Deg F range ) is used to minimize breakage. Large clay particles are the rule as this allows the heat and moisture an easy path in and out of the pot.
And why would anyone do this? Because we can! And the results of putting the piece into a smoking chamber with combustible materials-instant flames-will warm the cockles of any pyro’s heart. Last but certainly not least are the results! The smoke can enter the molten glaze and red hot clay body to produce beautiful black and white crackle with flat black unglazed sections, and spectacular lustre colors.
Of course as with most things, in order to get one thing you must give up something else and in the case of Raku pottery that is sturdiness and the ability to hold water. But who cares! I mean look at these results. Dried arrangements look great in Raku and because they are less prone to heat shock you can use them for smudge pots, incense burners, candles and even ash trays.
They should NEVER be used for food not even dried food but their best use is Art.
Raku Firing Demonstration
looking into a hot Raku Kiln
My first blog entry, ever. No pressure, what should I cover first.
How about Raku pottery and my Demo firing at the July Final Friday in Nelsonville Ohio. If you were there thanks for checking out my web site and I hope you won the raffle!!! I’m writing this the day before as I fire some of the pieces I made, today. There won’t be time Friday evening to do all the pots I made from the 50 lb box of Raku clay that I got from the Nelsonville Emporium last month. So far I have only broken one piece probably because it was too tall for the smoking chamber and I hit it with the lid when it was molten hot and in a fragile state. Well time has flown, the Raku firing was a great success! The weather was perfect, I had a great spot right next to the fountain. I didn’t blow up any pots and people were properly amazed to see a glowing orange pot being lifted out of the kiln & placed in sawdust where flames ensued. The Raku Raffle was won by Mike. He chose a blank pot, applied glaze by dipping into a 5 gallon bucket then shaking off the excess. He also loaded the pot into the kiln, then lifted out the hot pot and placed it in the smoke chamber. The results were fabulous with beautiful lustre colors.
Raku Kiln set up by the fountain
pulling out a red hot piece of pottery
washing off the ashes
things get really dramatic when the sun goes down
Here are some of the ware that was fired that evening.