NEW WHEELS

This is one of my favorite "older" pieces. The surface lacks what I have been able to give my more recent work. So she's getting a face-lift. A new base to add stability and a complete re-firing to improve the surface. Hello, beautiful!

ASSEMBLING

I have been building skyward with the the body parts I created in my first torrent of activity. It's much slower now as I consider how each piece fits into the whole. It must balance and work from all sides. I work on a turn-table so I can keep it flowing. 

CLEAN STUDIO/FULL STUDIO

I have been feeling the need to make something big. Maybe several somethings big. I felt I was lacking in studio space, but by cleaning off the cluttered work surfaces and putting a new top on 2 of them, I have made space for myself to work to the scale I had imagined. What I didn't imagine is just how exhausted I would become moving that much clay (about 50 lbs.) in the space of a few hours. Tomorrow I can start putting pieces together and see if I'm as clever as I think I am.

VOICES

I am always amazed how things pop up for me in my sketchbook. I have a chorus from my early teens that tells me how worthless I am. My best efforts to quiet them has met with limited success over the years. Now, here they are in my sketchbook. Bwa-ha-ha! Your in my world now! I am making a representative piece and guess what....nobody gets to speak. A discrete little piece of tape over their mouths should do it.

MODESTY

I am aware that art in public places like museums and galleries suffers from political correctness. naked forms are not easily tolerated. I am at a disadvantage because I can't imagine my figures with clothes on. Nudity has an honesty that I cherish...you can't hide anything. 

I sometimes do male figures, but what about that pesky penis. My Dancer is beautiful, but will he ever be seen in polite company? As a joke to myself, I made a little a breechcloth for him to wear.

It can be easily removed....or lifted up for a quick peek.

CAN YOU RAKU

I have been toying with Raku firing on some small test pieces. The first firing was pretty uninspiring because I couldn't wait to see the results and I kept lifting the lid of the smoke container. Yesterday I walked away and let it cook. Wow! the results were amazing. I want to take the result of these tests and do more. The surface is so blindingly bright that I had trouble getting a shot, but I think you can see how I might be seduced.

dried out

Circumstances have kept me from my work and now that I have the freedom to return to my studio, I find that everything is dried out and cold. The muse is sulking and I will have to woo her back into my presence.