Another Cleanup then Back to making

We had a slightly cooler couple of days so I've given the studio another clean before starting back on the wheel... 

I recycle my clay so I wash the bags out and reuse them to store the next batch of clay.  The plastic containers are used over and over for cleaning, water for throwing and when decorating or glazing.

When it is too hot to pot

Summer is mostly very hot in Sydney and the last fews days have been close to 40 degrees Celcius or around 100 degrees Fahrenheit for those in other countries...

My studio faces west and so gets quite hot... not very appealing to me to make pottery...

So instead I have pulled out my jewellery making equipment..

I have one bracelet done and hope to make some more brooches and earrings too...

Hand formed porcelain jewellery components

previously made porcelain brooch and earrings

Successful Commission delivered

I was asked to make a double handled mug for a lady with severe arthritis.

As my father had bad arthritis I could sympathise and took the commission.

I made two (as you do just in case) and they were both successful and the person was happy to take them both which was lovely of her.

I delivered them today and she was very pleased with them which is a relief.

Doubled Handled Mug - stoneware white clay - clear liner blue outer (2018)

Double handled mug - stoneware blue glaze (2018)

A bit of a look back

And I mean way back...

 this vase was made when I was living in Papua New Guinea and first started on the pottery wheel.
There were no formal classes but some very encouraging potters who got me hooked on clay.

I might have a rummage and see if I can find my notebook from back then... it was a stoneware clay and fired in a gas kiln.  As for the glaze, it obviously had cobalt in it for the blue but I've no idea of the recipe.  I wonder if any of those people are still potting.

The flora here is mostly Australian - the fruit in the foreground is from a Weeping Lilly Pilly shrub, the violet are the native Viola hederacea which is one of my favourite plants.

The yellow is aptly called Yellow Buttons and there is an exotic Duranta repens  Geisha Girl which gets orange berries, at the back.

A nice indoor decoration to start the year now that the Christmas decorations have been boxed up and put away.

Welcome to 2018 - I hope its a good one for you.