Progress and slow drying

I have been working on my latest project for a few weeks now... starting with some sketches and then deciding on what clay to use all before getting started.

I now have the main piece constructed plus the added extras that I plan to go with it to make up a mini installation...

 The main structure is based on a 1.5kg bowl...

 lots of coils  

slurry and hand tools

These rubber ended tools are great for hand building...

I needed to keep it all moist during construction...

And I'll need some more work to fill up the kiln...

These are now all drying slowly before being bisque fired...

Native Violets - still flowering

The Australian Native Violet  (Viola hederacea) is a favourite of mine...

The weather has heated up again after a couple of days respite and they are still flowering...


Weather will be back up in the high 30s tomorrow... its 7pm at night and still 34 degrees Celsius outside...

A high of 32 forecast tomorrow and a bit cooler on Thursday so there must be a cool southerly on the way, hurrah!

Native Violet

a big surprise and a colourful visitor

While looking around Facebook this morning I discovered this blog has been listed on Feedspot as one of the top 40 Ceramic websites and blogs... how good is that!!

You can look the others up on Facebook...

and this morning this colourful fellow came to say hello.  He brought his girlfriend back this afternoon and she let me give her some seed while I held the container so that the cheeky Sulphur Crested Cockatoos couldn't take it from her.

a little progress - the story of an extruder

Getting started on my exhibition works has been quite challenging.

For one thing I am constructing a piece using thin coils and in this hot weather they are drying very quickly and some have already snapped..

In the hope of not losing too many pieces I have blended paperclay and a buff stoneware clay for colour.

blending clay - nearly there

home made extruder attached to studio wall

I have a home made extruder in my studio which I purchased from a retiring potter some years ago... I don't use it often as I prefer to throw pots on the wheel for my functional wares however, for this project it is priceless.

It came with a spare die and just as well...

top is spare die, bottom is existing die with small hole

I need two sizes of coil and so thought if I combined the sizes of hole in the one die it would save time... not quite right...

die showing new holes of two sizes



The new die worked well except for one thing.... the larger holes allowed the clay through at a faster rate so the smaller coils were not keeping up and came through much shorter... in comparison to the larger hole.

new die showing different size and lengths

Fortunately I still had the spare die... and a clever husband to drill new holes in the spare...
It has worked a treat... The old die is not lost either..  the small holes have been filled with small nuts and bolts and the larger holes can now be used on their own.

new die with small holes works well.

so we live and learn... always something new to learn when working with clay...

Thank you Clay Blog Review

A big thank you to the author of the Clay Blog Review over at "Pottery Making Info" for once again including me on the list of monthly reviews of clay blogs.  This blog is on the list for December 2016.

Here is the link: http://www.potterymakinginfo.com/news/clay-blog-review-december-2016/

2017 is off and running

Well goodbye to 2016... it was a challenging year for so many of us I do hope we can all enjoy 2017 with fewer stresses.

Having said that I have given myself a major challenge by accepting an invitation to do a duo exhibition with my friend Thea, who is a pastel artist supremeo...

Watch this space... the show isn't until August but I have a heap of work to get done ... so thankful I have my own kiln and making space. It does mean I will need to keep focused and work hard...

So I feel relieved to have been in the studio this morning to start...

I made heaps more plaster than I needed for two small moulds but by pouring the left over into an ice cream container I now have a small oblong plate hump mould which could be useful...

These will take several days if not a week to dry depending on the weather...

Have a great New Year everyone....

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Dear Friends, Followers and supporters all,

Thank you for all your lovely comments during the year, I do appreciate them.

I'm currently cooking my Christmas cake (gluten free).  A boiled one this year as I've left it so late.

May your festive celebrations be all you hope for...

Wishing you Peace and Joy and Hope for 2017

Anna

Pre Christmas Market tomorrow 17 December 2016

I've been writing my list and checking it twice...

all pots accounted for and ready for sale..

It would be lovely to see you at the 
Ramsgate Organic Foodies and Farmers Market,
 tomorrow, Saturday 17 December 
at the Ramsgate Public School...

I'll be there with the Port Hacking Potters Group - a talented bunch of potters who make all types of pottery from the functional to the decorative ...

I'll have a few of my Cactus Kits for the non gardener,  some pretty Christmas tree hangers (could also be used as gift tags)  plus lots of other functional ware and jewellery..

Porcelain Christmas Tree Hanger

Mug with matching side plate.  Wheel thrown, tissue print design in blue, clear glaze fired to stoneware in electric kiln.

Meeting Online Potter Friends and Travels to the Land of the Long White Cloud

My husband and I were thankful to be able to still take our long awaited holiday after dealing with a death in the family.  We had such a nice time it has helped to soften my grief.

We had been to the North Island of New Zealand before but this was our first visit to the South Island.

We flew into Christchurch and were surprised to see just how much devastation the series of earthquakes just a few years ago (2011 being the main one) had on the city. More about that event here: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/christchurch-earthquake-kills-185 ).  Whole city blocks were flattened and buildings sunk.  We took a bus tour and got a much better idea than the small images you see on your TV screen.  The city is doing a marvellous job in rebuilding.

Anglican Cathedral November 2016 - parts were also demolished after the quake for safety.

One of the few high rise still standing November 2016

 Just a few days after we left town there was another earthquake further north which has cut roads and rail and one small town, Kaikoura, was completely isolated with the navy coming in to evacuate 1200 tourists who were caught there.  While the locals did a marvellous job in looking after them provisions were fast running out.

We were happy to be on the other side of the country when that one happened.

Just by chance the bus tour started from outside the museum so we had a look around and would you believe it, I found a local pottery exhibition!

The Canterbury Potters have an annual exhibition/competition for their members. Link to their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/CanterburyPottersAssociation/

I had a nice chat with Mary Lou Foate who made these leaping fish bowls:

Some of the other works I admired follow:

Entrance to the gallery room

Wall piece by Lynette Hartley

Textured bowls by Renata Galetzka

Lidded Vessels by the Guest Judge Brendan Adams

We then drove to the West side of the island to a place called Hokitika
The amount of driftwood and tree trunks on the beach was astounding...

Hokitika Beach NZ

Fox Glacier - New Zealand showing walking track

Fox Glacier - New Zealand showing the dark grey of the glacier wall

Being late Spring the weather was warming up and we had the warmest day yet for our walk.  They say an hour for the walk but we took longer but then we did stop often to admire the view.

From there it was onto the ski resort town of Queenstown which is on a beautiful lake.

the mountain peaks were often covered by cloud  - view across Lake Wakatipu

You can start to see why New Zealand is called the land of the long white cloud.

View from restaurant above the town

to keep the town active in the summer they have encouraged Mountain Bike Riding tours.

while we were eating our meal we could watch the gondolas bringing the mountain bikes to the top of the mountain.

We also did a lake cruise and farm visit, a jet boat trip and a nice walk around the botanic gardens.  

another of those long white clouds below the snow capped mountain as we headed across Lake Wakatipu

At the end of the week it was time to head for the East Coast again and to the town of Dunedin. Yes there is a strong Scottish tradition in this part of New Zealand. (see picture of memorial below)

It was great to meet up with Danny Moorwood who has his home studio just out of town.
Here is a link to his website: http://www.dannymoorwood.co.nz/

Danny and his wife, made my husband and I very welcome and I had the pleasure of seeing his collection of work, past and present.  The beautiful red and gold vessel on the second shelf down in the following picture was my birthday present from my husband and was carefully packed into my carry on luggage to get it home.

Collection of Danny's works, past and present

Danny's pots are very special and I feel as though this one should have a name...

Danny was generous enough to show me his workshop and I came away with a useful tip... I do use chucks to trim the bases on my bottle shapes however Danny bisque fires his and then paints them, to avoid the vessel being trimmed, from sticking to the chuck. I'm going to have to try that idea.  WHOOPS! EDIT NEEDED: Danny tells me I got it the wrong way around:  "the thing with the chuck is that you paint it so that leather hard pot and the support ring of clay you apply, grip on to the chuck. They won’t if it is porous"  Thanks for setting me straight Danny.

bisque fired chuck for turning narrow necked forms

While in Dunedin we visited the Albatross Sanctuary, the early settlers memorial and the steepest street!

Seagulls nesting in the grass near the walkway at the Albatross Sanctuary 

Impressive Memorial on Signal Hill above the town  commemorates the early settlers and the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi is an agreement, written in both Māori and English, between the British Crown and Māori chiefs in 1840.)

one of the many beautiful Rhododendron trees around the island

This flowering Rhododendron was on the steepest street in Dunedin. Where ever we went there seemed to be a flowering Rhododendron in colours from white to red and even a yellow.

The next day we visited the second potter on my must meet list.

Peter Gregory publishes the blog called Peter's Pottery - here is the link: http://opopots.blogspot.com.au/

We have been following each others blogs for a few years now and it was so good to be able to meet in Real Life as they say ...

Peter and his wife Laura run the gallery at the Old Post Office building in Waikouaiti not far north of Dunedin.  They made us very welcome and even had some homemade scones ready for us.  Then Laura made me some special gluten free pikelets... so very generous of her.

Peter showed me around his workshop and I was very taken with his wheel which has been modified to be able to use it while standing (much easier on a potter's back).

great adjustable shelving in Peter's workshop

Peter's wheel is raised so it can be used while standing

the platform has been made from a motor cycle lift stand

I was also shown the wood fire kiln in the backyard which Peter has rejigged a number times... the surrounding garden is amazing.. I've never seen so many aquilegia in so many colours...

I was running out of room in my luggage by now but brought home one of Peter's pretty tiles and one of Laura's attractive cards plus Peter gave me one of his test vessels... I'll let him tell you how he makes those.. very clever.

The time just flew by with the men finding plenty to talk about while Laura and I checked out the kilns and garden... thank you Peter and Laura for a lovely time and your friendly hospitality.

Outside the gallery, left to right, Peter, Laura and my husband, Mike.

we didn't get inside as we were late arriving but love the gadgets hanging off this old engine

Our next stop was at Oamaru, the steam punk capital - see link here: http://steampunkoamaru.co.nz/

The old part of the town has been taken over to show off all sorts of steam engines and steam punk fashion and other creations... the local playground is a great example of what can be done with the support of creative souls

the swing set is also a sculpture - Oamaru NZ

Akaroa harbour from dolphin watching boat.

We did a few more touristy things before heading back to Christchurch and home... I can recommend a trip to the small town of Akaroa where we did a dolphin watch trip which goes just outside the harbour into the Pacific Ocean.  The town was originally settled by the French by a party of settlers who arrived too late to claim the land for the French government as the English had already claimed it.  This was before they signed the Treaty of Waitangi.

We saw dolphins plus fur seals and nesting birds on the cliffs. 

All in all a great holiday with thanks to some great potters.

Back again.. and in the studio

Well here I am back again and in the studio after a few family happenings and then a long awaited holiday.

I'll post more about the holiday soon...

however in the meantime I have an order for a Christmas bird hanger.  The client asked for one larger than I usually make so I needed to work out shrinkage rates...

the formula I used is one I was given while in college:

Shrinkage Percentage of clay = 100 - shrinkage % = X/100 = Y

Finished size required divided by shrinkage allowance = size to make

example:  if the clay has 8% shrinkage then 100 minus 8 = 92
92 divided by 100 = .92

if finished size required is 12cm then the size to make now is 12 divided by .92 = 13.04

So I drew up a new template to the new size and they are now drying!

Thanks for stopping by... more posts soon I promise :^)
Anna