Tag Archives: new work

Custom Dog Bowls (a tale of two tails)

waiting patiently for my new bowls, my person is GREAT!!

Peppa Jane waiting patiently for new bowls, my person is GREAT!!

I have always been open to making custom orders, I prefer them to be in my ballpark but if the idea intrigues me and I have the time, well I’m a sucker for a challenge, and it’s a perfect excuse to try something new.  Experimentation being the soul of creativity.

I recently received two commission orders for matching dog food and water bowls, so I documented the process for both.  Each order was unique, as is each dog.  As I put this post together I realize I didn’t take any pictures of the forming process.  I will update with pics of my next 3-D dog dish……. but meanwhile

One customer wanted an extreme slow food dish with the raised center to be an English Bulldog face and his name on the outside, “McKensington”.  I asked for pictures because if you’re doing a face you may as well be specific with the markings.  I thought he would be older…

 

I was completely smitten when I saw the pictures of little McKensington and I was determined to make him a bowl he could grow into.  My first task was to draw a face.  I did this by looking at clip art and photos of English Bulldogs and making a drawing that would fit into the proposed bowl.  After making my drawing in my sketchbook to size, I traced it onto another sheet of paper that I cut out and cut along some of the lines in the face.  I also needed a name for both the food and water bowl so I made a template with cutouts.

Photo on 6-15-16 at 1.44 PM

After throwing the bowl, I used the paper face to cut it out of the bottom of the bowl.  When cutting I always angle the cut so the piece will drop out of the bottom and sit inside overlapping along the edges.  I attached the cut out face onto the bottom of the bowl by scoring and slipping the two pieces together being careful to retain all of the detail.  I then used the paper to add the lines and markings on the face.  All of this was done on soft clay, after the bisque firing the lines were “set in stone”.

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glazing the face and looking at the drawing with markings

 

 

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At the last minute, I did a modicum of research, little pink noses usually turn into black noses.  A quick e-mail confirmed, “Yes please go black”.

That's right I made two, got a dog named McKensington?

That’s right I made two, got a dog named McKensington?

The glazing process included several “Stroke and Coat” glazes from Mayco.  When I  do my detail work, the lines that I carved into the face allow me to contain colors.  I then wax the glazed parts and dip into an overall glaze.  In this case the over all glaze was to be “Sea Green Pearl” from Columbus Clay Co.  http://www.columbusclay.com/

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the water bowl only had a name, solid green inside

the water bowl only had a name, solid green inside

The second custom dog food and water bowl order was for little Peppa Jane, she’s a little older than McKensington but just as cute!!

 

peppa jane

Oh so adorable Peppa Jane,  this is the bowl that inspired this custom order.  I was requested to add the name Peppa onto the pig in a food and water bowl.

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I made the bowls much like the ones before but the pig is only slightly raised, a medium slow feeder.  I made the pigs so they could face each other, or not.

bisque fired food and water

bisque fired food and water

I was halfway through the process when I realized that I didn’t have enough of the old brown glaze to cover two bowls.  I usually use brown glazes for accents on my Greenmen and Twig Teapots and don’t keep a large bucketful, so I bought more of the glaze and did some tests.  It didn’t go well as they had changed the formula.  After much fretting I asked the customer if she’d be happy with another background color.  She liked blue, blue is grand, I had more than one to choose from and we settled on the cobalt blue.  The pig is glazed with Stroke & Coat “Cheeky Pinky” the name Peppa was carved and filled in with Stroke & Coat “Bluebeard”.  This was covered with wax and the rest of the bowls were dipped into my big bucket of “Ultramarine” blue from Columbus Clay.

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The tail is a 3-D curl of clay with gobs of glaze to keep it easy to clean.  I hope to update this post with pictures of the bowls “in action”.  You can see where the two dips into the blue glaze overlapped to create a wide dark blue line.  I position my dip to make this overlap make sense in the overall design ie a horizon line.

 

Slow food dog dishes

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inspiration

Every dog is an individual with all the quirks and preferences that entails.  Some dogs like to savor their dry kibble, some can’t woof it down fast enough.     I was chatting with my Vet about making a dish that would slow down the eating so I would have a chance to exit the room before they finished, she suggested a raised area to make it impossible to take great big bites.

what's wrong with these tennis balls??

what’s wrong with these tennis balls??

 

My first thought was “What would a doggie like to see in his or her bowl?”

How about a tennis ball, or better yet three?

Bones are always appreciated.

an example of an extreme slow feeder

an example of an extreme slow feeder bowl

 

a less extreme bone bowl in a pretty speckle green glaze

a less extreme bone bowl in a pretty speckle green glaze

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve been throwing dog food and water bowls for years with pencil drawings of bones and fire hydrants in the bottom.  My first 3-d bowls had the bone, ball or squirrel pushed up from the bottom but this severely limited the depth.  I now cut the shape out of the bottom of a hand thrown bowl and reattach it inside.  For tennis and baseballs I use a press mold to make the ball and add it or them to the thrown bowl.

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brown squirrel in a large teal green bowl

a field of dreams

a field of dreams

a small bowl for that little dog that will leap into water for any reason

a small bowl for that little dog that will leap into water for any reason

 

 

 

 

 

 

These bowls and more are available for sale in my shop.  Some have sold out but I can always make another.

Don't forget the matching water bowl!

Don’t forget the matching water bowl!

Luna and Basil checking out their new bowls

Luna and Basil checking out their new bowls

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Basil lives in Australia, he’s got a big bowl to grow into

Women of Appalachia art exhibit 2015

This years Women of Appalachia Show has again gathered some very fine artwork made by women who live and work in the many counties of Appalachia.  I’m proud to be apart of this traveling exhibit and I hope you can get to see the show and go to one of the poetry and short story performances.

These are the sculptures that I have in the show.  There is a link to the website with more information at the end of this post.

OFF COURSE glass, clay, stone,shell

OFF COURSE
glass, clay, stone,shell

Below are three of my Fish from the Silica Based Life Form series

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http://www.womenofappalachia.com/

You can see this amazing show now at the Parkersburg Art Center, in the Multicultural Gallery in Baker Center, Athens Ohio from Jan 12 through April 30 2016 and at the Pump House Center for the Arts in Chillicothe from May 5 to ?

There is also a written word aspect to this show and three more readings will be held in December, March and May.  These are real women telling their own stories and sharing their poetry.

migrating fish

My Silica Based Life Form Fish have really been getting around.  This one just came home from the Zanesville Museum of Art’s 70th Ohio Exhibition.

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The Fish below just landed at the Dairy Barn in Athens Ohio and will travel to Athens West Virginia and Athens Georgia over the next year as part of the Athens Voices Show  Upcoming Exhibitions | Dairy Barn

Silica Based Life Form Fish

Silica Based Life Form
Fish

Five more of my slumped glass sculptures will be moving from Parkersburg West Virginia to Athens Ohio as part of the Women of Appalachia Show

Women of Appalachia | Their Stories & Their Art Exhibition

In the Eye of the Storm

In the Eye of the Storm

Silica Based Life Form Flower

Silica Based Life Form
Flower

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There’s an opening at the Dairy Barn January 16, 2015 from 5-7 pm and a reception for the Women of Appalachia Exhibit at the Multicultural Center in Athens Ohio March 13, 2015.

All of these sculptures are for sale if you live close enough we can negotiate the shipping charges.

 

 

Green Man a how-to-tutorial

I recently got a commission to make a Green man and I took the opportunity to document the process.

I make my green men and women using basic hand building techniques.  I start with a large lump of clay 5-6 pounds and I form a shallow bowl just like a large pinch pot, slowly pressing into the lump and squeezing until I have an oval shape that is 1/2 – 1″ thick, and the sides are 2-3″ tall.  The bowl shape is about the size of a large face.  I go large because fired clay shrinks with each firing and I want them to be on the monumental side.

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Then I wait,,,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 but not so soft as to collapse.  The thickness of the bowl helps by giving without ripping.  How long to wait? That depends on the humidity and can be slowed by wrapping tight or loosely in plastic.  Resist the temptation to hurry the drying as this will probably just form a stiff skin on the out side making it hard to push.DSC_5402

I use photos of faces, my own face and my fingers as a ruler to rough out the proportions. I concentrate on eyes, nose and mouth since the rest will be covered by leaves.  It takes several days working a few hours each day to finish the face.  The clay is kept moist by sponging with water and wrapping in plastic during the forming phase.  This is important so the leaves will adhere properly.  It also allows for fine work at the end of the process.DSC_5418 DSC_5420

 

The leaves are cut from slabs of clay about 1/4″ thick.  I use real leaves collected in the fall, green leaves rot quickly but some have to be used green for example grape and paw paw because they don’t store well.  A large green man can take up to 36 leaves.

The assembly must be done on the kiln shelf because the piece can’t be moved once it is dry.  I add a coil of clay in a circle around the face to attach the leaves and give a little space for fingers to pick it up.DSC_5443 DSC_5445

After the piece is completely dry, it is bisque fired to cone 04.  The item featured here took over a week to dry because mother nature brought on the rain that week and even with fans I had to do a two day slow dry in the kiln to be sure.  Be careful drying in the kiln, you can dry out the skin and leave a bit of moisture inside leading to a spectacular explosion and a pile of shards.

drying...

drying…

still drying....

still drying….

After the bisque firing the piece can be handled, the dust washed off, and glaze or stains applied. One more firing to a higher temperature, cone 4, and then we wait,,,,,, for everything to cool off!

all fired up in the kiln

all fired up in the kiln

 

after the first firing

after the first firing

 

Who Who Who? Owls that’s who!!

The owls have arrived in a variety of sizes and colors.

who's on first?

who’s on first?

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Still working on a poem, these things take their own time.

who are you?

who are you?

 

 

 

They are a HOOT to make so more will hatch…………

Here’s the poem!!

 

 

poems are included with each owl printed on bright card stock and tucked inside.

  Owl

Who sits silently in the trees

Who takes flight on the midnight breeze

Scourge of rodents near and far

Sage of the woods Who sees all

Who’ll keep watch all through the night

Counting stars while you sleep tight

Bacchus /Dionysus Greenman

A new Greenman has made it through the fires.  It’s been awhile since I’ve made one and I started this guy in September when I picked a variety of grape leaves.  They must be used fresh unlike oak leaves that last for years.

Detail of Bacchus

Detail of Bacchus

Bacchus is the Roman god of wine and Dionysus is the Greek god of wine.  I like wine too.  So I combined the Greenman  with a couple of gods and voila!!

The addition of grapes & curlicues completes the references to the fruit of the vine.  I finished this piece with a spray of various green stains that are fired on at stoneware temperatures.  Ready to hang indoors or outside.

To read more about the process of building a green man see the Women of Appalachia post.

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

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

Pale blue band on a serving bowl

mini tea pot just because it's small dosen't make it easier

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!)

 

 

Glass & Clay Sculpture in Starbrick’s Window

 

 

All the sculptures awaiting transport

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 Forms

Fish Silica Based Life Form

Fish Silica Based Life Form

Tree Silica Based Life Forms

Tree Silica Based Life Forms

Fish Silica Based Life Forms

Fish Silica Based Life Forms

Flower & Tree Silica Based Life FormsFlower & 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.

SNEAK PEEK AT NEW WORK

slumped glass "silica -based Life Forms; Flower"

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"

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
Trees

 

 

Silica Based Life Form Fish

Silica Based Life Form
Fish