New Cone 10 Soda Fired Work

I have been busy in the studio - making mugs, bowls, jewelry, and a few sculptures.  

A friend snapped this picture of my while she was explaining how to use her camera.  She was kind enough to let me borrow her camera so that I could document my most recent pieces.  Here are a few of the many new finished mugs and bowls that now sit boxed up on my self at The Clay Studio of Missoula.   These pieces are all soda fired to cone 10 and the exterior surfaces are primarily left unglazed. The surfaces are decorated with layered flashing slips and carved designs.  The mugs hold approximately 12 ounces of liquid.  

Dandilion Mugs 

Germinating Bean Seed Handle-less Mug

Maple Leaves and Samaras Handle-less Mug

Mushroom Handle-less Mugs 

Roots Handle-less Mug

Small Stacking Bowls 

There are many more exciting images and event details to come!  Stay tuned with the happenings at Sticks and Stones Workshop!

Wood and Ceramic Jewelry - In Progress

These small (1.25" x 1.25" and 2" x .75") tiles are a return to some of my favorite subject matter. 

The structures of algae, diatoms and plants. 

The designs are carved into Cone 10 Stoneware through a layer of Titanium Yellow Flashing Slip.
I can not wait to see how they turn out after being fired in a Soda Kiln.

A Surface to be Touched

I run my hands over the satiny surfaces of the cups I am unwrapping.  They need to be touched.  The water etched images are lifting through the surface of the glaze.  Last night I brought back a box of still warm to the touch cups and I am just now taking a moment to soak them in.  They are beautiful. 

 The leather hard surface with shellac designs.                                       The final glazed result.

The surfaces are subtle and satiny.  The cups nestle into palms of my hands.
Soon I will box these up, and Sunday I will drive them downtown to MADE fair where they will passed from hand to hand and touched.

Tumblers in Progress

As my brush touches travels across the surface of the cold leather hard tumblers images of my summer loves appear. 

Puffy dandelions.

Lush green leaves. 

Peonies.

Poppies. 

Tall trees. 

Bunches of Beets. 

Little houses under big shady trees. 

As the plants and flowers grow along my garden and the neighborhood blossoms the images on the tumblers grow and change and reflect the changes of the season.