jellyfish bottle carvings

Not quite done carving yet, got some detail cleaning up and adding more porcelain. Here's my progress so far, there are only 4 bottles but I have carving on both sides. Hope you aren't confused looking at the two images of either side. Now I'm not really sure what the contrast is going to be when they are fired but I'm hoping that the b-mix shown will be darker than the porcelain on top.

bottle bottle bottle..... vase?

Been working on some bottles I started making with b-mix. Some from last week, and some from this. The plan is to coat these in a layer of porcelain and carve in some images I've been drawing. These aren't thrown, I've been hand building recently. . . enjoy.

works in progress this week

Using B-mix. These are the blanks I made a post ago with some carving done.

B-mix and a lot of carving

    Started with a new clay, it's called B-mix. It is a lot less gritty than the clay I was using before, it has a lot more options in terms of glazes and carving should be somewhat more precise. These were some forms I had sitting around in my sketchbook, they will look completely different after I am done carving them. I like it so far, I plan on making some bottles out of it later this week. Spent the weekend working on surface designs in my sketchbook, they lean heavily in the Art Nouveau. Alphons Mucha was definitely a large influence.

even more bottles

     I made these forms before I went to michigan but did the carving when I came back. It's a little different than what I've been making previous, but it doesn't hurt to try something new. I spent a lot of time in the hospital room wishing I was making pottery, about all I could do was draw. So now my sketch book is filled with many designs and ideas for future projects. I'm still procrastinating doing glazing but I glazed and fired a bunch of test pieces in the electric kiln a while ago but I still have a ways to go in finding the right combination for my bigger pieces. The pictures of these aren't so great, I'll try to take better ones when they are bisqued.

more bottles

Here are some more bottles I was working on before I left for Michigan for most of July.

Bottles

Here are some bottles I've been working on while testing glazes. I like the simpler version better than the

more intricate. I made blank bottles on the wheel, manipulated them, then carved. Before they were fired I painted a black clay slip onto the recessed areas. So whatever glaze I put over the entire piece, it will react just a little differently.

Doctor Who fanart

Here is my second painting of The Pandorica Opens (fanart), done in oil, I'm pretty satisfied with it. I might do a little here and there, it is still drying. NFS(Oil painting 18 x 24 inches )

Here is the first painting, done in oil. I got it framed, and took a better picture. NFS (Oil painting 18 x 24 inches )

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 (old post) -So I haven't painted in a while. Watched the most recent Doctor Who episode on saturday night, The Pandorica Opens. The pretty much started working on this as soon as it was over. It's my interpretation of the painting by Vincent Van Gogh (really by someone who works for the tv program). So 12 hours later. . .

Show tonight

Lancaster Clay Studio is having a show opening for pouring vessels and serving platters Friday June 4th (today) at 5:30pm to 7ish or so. I'll be showing some pitchers and dishes, and you'll be able to see some of my works in progress and the rest of the studio. Wine and cheese and some other food will be availiable. 329 Main Street, Landisville, PA.

Roots

So here's what I've been working on the past few days. The first image is of two forms I started with, the piece on the left is 70% carved out, and the one on the right is at the point where I mark out the initial roots. The next images are of both pieces 90% completed. All I have left is to let dry, do some more detail cuts, then sand and sign.
I have several more applications drawn out in my sketch book, which I'll be working on once I complete these.
I really like where I'm going with these, the design is pretty time consuming but I think it's worth the effort.

Vase?

I had this idea in my sketchbook for a while, roots, growing into some sort of wood, then growing into wood planks. I really like how it turned out. I'll be using it as further inspiration to make other pieces. I took a pic of the pot upside down because I think it even looks good upside down.

Pitcher 2

Here is the second pitcher. The handle looks and feels a lot better than the first pitcher's. You can't really tell in these pictures but the sides are squashed inwards more so it takes on more of a shoebox shape. It has a classical shape to it I think. The cut out areas I made to go with the spout's curve.

I didn't try to do too much with the base, I wanted the whole form to be more simple looking compared to the last pitcher.

Pitcher 1

Here's the first pitcher I made. I haven't really done much with handles, but I think this turned out alright. The form has two different sides, one more wing-like, and the other some sort of grotesque muscle texture. The base is in the same style as some of my other carved out root pieces.

ART ON THE FARM

I am showing some pottery pieces at "Art On The Farm" this weekend. Sat 12-8pm, Sun 12-5pm. Admission is free, lots of other great local artists. (Chiques Creek Farm, 2995 Shenck rd., Manheim, PA. www.artonthefarmlancaster.com ) (my stuff is in the Lancaster Clay Studios area.)

First showing

I'm having a table show in the Borough building on 15 East High street in the Manheim Square on Saturday the 24th. It's next to the small park. I'll be there from 9am to 3pm.

facebook page and new photos of newly glazed pots

New Gas Firing done

Finally all of my pieces for this last gas firing are done. I am pretty pleased with the outcome, not what I expected on some from how I glazed them. I know what I did wrong, so next time I should be able to get more of what I want. I will take individual pictures very soon.

Almost done my last two pieces, now working on these sort of large (for me) pieces.

Couple new things I'm carving.

Here is a new piece I've been working on, basically the same style except for the base, more of a geometrical wood design. I plan on making more of this type and expanding on the idea and see where it takes me.

Working on stuff for gas fire

There is going to be a gas kiln cone 10 firing the first week of September that I will be putting a lot of pieces in. About 3 of my big pieces wont be going in due to that mineral chipping that happened a while back, so they are at risk for exploding. So I'm making some more things and gathering pots that have been in my basement collecting dust from not making it into the last gas firing. Mid September I should have many more pots in my inventory and be more comfortable selling at shows. There is going to be a show that my studio is taking part in called "Art on the Farm" in Manheim, which I will make a post about closer to the date, it is the first weekend in November. I will definitely have pieces in that. So here is a picture of some of the pieces that will be going into the gas firing coming up. I need to do a ton of glazing this week.

Threw more today, spent about 6 hours at the studio. I made one hollow ball thing and put spikes on it while i was waiting for some clay to set up. One pretty big vase type and two small vase dealies that are going to be similar to the pots in the next post that are already bisqued.

Trimmed these today and just waiting for them to dry more so I can sand and sign them.