slowed down by carelessness

Well I had intended doing some trimming of my thrown bodies and lids today but a moment of carelessness while preparing dinner and a nasty cut thru my nailbed and no studio work for me :(

But not all lost - my bowls are already done and drying...

Keanes Ironstone clay, yellow slip and tissue transfers

all being well (2 firings to go) they will be my donation towards the Port Hacking Potters Empty Bowl Project in a few months time.

Next week the Port Hacking Potters are having a Mother's Day Stall in Cronulla Mall.  From 9am to 4pm and will be also raising funds for the local charity, Sylvanvale.

I won't be there this time as I will be meeting up with friends out at Gulgong at the world renowned event, started by the late Janet Mansfield many years ago.  This years event is called Clay Push.  Check out the website, the list of presenters is amazing and includes the very talented Diana Fayt from the USA whose work I have admired from afar for many years.  I am only able to attend one day so I very much hope to see her demonstrating.

Many of my friends from Mud Colony will be attending, they include the lovely Adriana Christianson, Kim Foale, Ellen Appleby plus some friends from my home town.  A shame that Marian is unable to attend now.
Should be a great time. Watch our blogs and Facebook pages for updates!

These are the bodies I had thrown to get started on my teapots for the Sydney Teapot Show...

They are all wrapped up now so once my finger has recovered I will be trimming and making handles and spouts!  Watch this space...

Oh and remember to check out Mud Colony and watch the blogs for reports of Clay Push!!

Bowls underway

More images to come later but here are my bowls for the Empty Bowl Project that the Port Hacking Potters Group are involved with this year...
I have used the new Keanes Ironstone.
Very nice stoneware clay to throw with and gets great colours in a reduction firing and Really good colour in a wood firing.

These were taken when first thrown  - I'll add images soon of the trimmed and decorated bowls...

Don't miss Mud Colony here

or drop by my Facebook pages... Anna's Ceramics or Anna's Aussie Ceramics (Group)

New tool

Today I used my newest tool

I've been collecting my turnings and slops and as they are of a few different high fire clays I wanted to be sure they were well mixed so I now have permission to use my husbands drill :^) but the mixer is my own..

my bucket of different clays

stirring

into an old plaster mold to dry out

the colour was a surprise until I remembered there is some paper clay in there - the impurities will fire out.  It will all need wedging as soon as it is dry enough to work.

Have you checked out Mud Colony yet - lots of happy potters over there :^)
You can also go to my Facebook page - Anna's Ceramics or my Facebook Group, Anna's Aussie Ceramics
Have a good weekend :^)

A few more bits

This little pot was a test

of  using this tool,

and black stain and water.





You have to keep the stain suspended (mix often) and even after bisque it can still be smudged.  I decided to go with the smudges and do some more before I glazed it.  To over come this the design could be sprayed with a cover coat as you would use on a painting or charcoal drawing before being loaded into the kiln for bisque firing and you would still need to be careful when taking it out of the kiln.  Still, a nice alternative with possibilities.

I then have gone over  to try a new stoneware clay by Keanes called Ironstone.  A lovely smooth clay for throwing but here I am using a slab and hump mold to make a plate. 

the texture comes from a textured wall paper being hand rolled into the slab.

Hope I make it over to Mud Colony before this week's posting closes - check us out: http://www.mudcolony.blogspot.com.au/

or come over to my Facebook page:  Anna's Ceramics or my Fb Group, Anna's Aussie Ceramics.

Thats nice

Welcome to my newest followers.  I hope you will leave a comment from time to time - I appreciate your feedback and get a thrill when someone is kind enough to leave a note.

This afternoon I started on my shellac Wash back design - I'll let them dry again and do some more later...

I am using Keanes Porcelain - drew the design on with pencil then coated with Shellac and left it to dry over night

Here you can see the difference between the washed one in front and the untouched one at the back

I also have a Facebook page: Anna's Ceramics and another blog for my more serious stuff:
Anna's Ceramic Portfolio
thanks for dropping by :^)