Thursday, February 3, 2011

Ceramic ambitions

I have class with Rachel at the clay studio this evening. After nearly a week of not touching mud, I'm looking forward to it. I have two unpainted doll jar forms, a tile, and 10 greenware mugs waiting to be attended to, and I might get a little throwing in if there's time. I'd like to finish the most recent doll jar, the one with two faces, so that I can submit it for Clay Fest 2011 at U of I. Deadline is less than 2 weeks away! Ideally, I'd like to finish one more jar, and submit 3 pieces if I can.

Tomorrow is the art show at the studio as well. I can't wait to see more of the instructor's work! I've seen sneak peaks of new work by Cathy Schlebecker, and a couple of finished sculptures by Andrew Perry Davis and Rachel Bleil, and it all looks fantastic! I'm not just saying that either - I really love all of their work. Plus, I'm always excited to see artwork from instructors or professors of mine. I love being able to see their process and studio practices in finished form. I'm also feeling pretty honored that my peep sculpture with be on display alongside Rachel and Andrews at the show. I hope you stop by on First Friday, have a little wine and food, and check out the show. I'll be demoing on the wheel all night again, too!

Andrew Perry Davis
Catherine Schlebecker
Rachel Bleil
I have not been in the habit of sketching much lately, or keeping any kind of journal, which is a bit unusual for me. I used to journal obsessively, but I haven't written a thing in ages. I actually intended to keep one throughout my pregnancy, but I started off in such a funk, I just couldn't seem to make myself. This week I worked on finishing designs for Kentuckiana Pug Rescue's 2011 fundraiser t-shirt, which I worked out in my giant black sketchbook, and I realized that I've only got a few pages left in it. I started it in December of 2009 with the intent of drawing in it daily (anyone remember that ambition? I think I made it 3 months...) I think today I will go out and buy a new sketchbook and try again. If not daily, then at least making it a point to work out ideas on paper so that I don't forget them. I miss drawing and writing a lot, and I think the surface design work I've been doing recently shows it. I also think I'd like to try planning out my ceramic forms more, so that I have some vague goals for what I'd like to make when I sit down at the wheel. I'm not great at throwing exact shapes and forms I have in mind, but it's something I'd like to work towards.

2 comments:

Heedless said...

When I was pregnant I was in such a creative funk...maybe all the creative energy was going into the baby...I had no ideas (outside of baby stuff)....so I made buttons...to sew on the baby clothes I was making. Making buttons eventually led to a whole new way of working in clay for me..

I hope the sketchbook idea works, will you share the drawings?

Unknown said...

I don't know! Whenever I plan to share my drawings, it seems to dry up my creativity. I guess I just worry too much about what it looks like to really let loose with my sketches. I'm sure I will share something once in a while, though.

I was in a bit of a creative funk for a while, but having this kid has made me think about girls and women and my own family, which has been inspiring my doll jars quite a bit. So I guess it's actually helping being pregnant!