Promise and knolling

You might remember a post back in November (see here)  where I was experimenting with throwing heart shaped bowls... I picked them up recently and am quite pleased with them so far.  I will need to hone my technique and if I'm firing in my own kiln they will be glazed differently as these were fired in a gas kiln and I have an electric kiln...

The red ones are glazed with copper red, the green is a celedon with some cutout prints that didn't work very well.  Remember that lesson Anna!  The white one is a clear glaze that was too thick.

Have you heard of Knolling?  I hadn't until recently.  It is  "the process of arranging like objects in parallel or 90 degree angles as a method of organisation."

I've been having a dabble and quite like it, what do you think?

Bisque fired porcelain pendants and buttons

a combined collection of fresh plant (Hibbertia scandens) and the molded and saggar fired porcelain leaves

 Hope to see you over on Facebook - Anna's Ceramics

2015 is here and the reno has started!

The New Year has started and I'm hoping for great things...

starting with the renovation of my studio by my extra clever husband.  He is doing a light render on the walls and filling all the cracks where the lizards get in and poop on my stored equipment...  It will be lighter and brighter and ORGANISED and just a wonderful space in which to Create.

It started with this hole in the wall for the extractor fan for my new kiln..

Then I had to move everything so that the back walls could be accessed...

Next the fan was installed...

Then the walls were started...  it will have to be left to dry for a couple of weeks before the walls can be painted...

So in the mean time I am sorting through all my bits and bobs and trying to be ruthless about discarding those "just in case" pieces of junk that most potters seem to collect.  You know, the ones that will make terrific texture "one day" or those test tiles that you are no longer sure what the code on the underside relates too!!

Happy New Year and here is to a great 2015

All the best to all my followers, hope your 2015 is all you might hope for, Good health, lots of love and wonderful clay creations.

Merry Christmas

Dear Blogger Friends

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year

Thanks for your support  this year and I look forward to bigger and better clay play in 2015

Love positive feedback

I have some of my pieces in the Limelight Gallery which was set up to promote the work of graduating art and design students of the Sydney Institute of TAFE and was delighted when told my Christmas Tree Hangers sold (all but three).

similar decorations to this sold at the Limelight Gallery - hand cut fine porcelain slabs decorated with tissue prints and high fired in an electric kiln.

Apparently they were used as corporate gifts and I was thrilled to receive emails from two of the recipients to say how much they loved them.  It is so nice of them to take the time to contact me.

Recently we have had visitors from Germany and they gave us some sweet little decorations made of straw, a traditional craft.
Here are a couple on this little ornamental Christmas Tree which I set up for my Dad.

I hope your preparations for Christmas are going well.  I haven't started my cards yet so best get going ...

A Facebook gift and some sales

Recently my Facebook Group, Anna's Aussie Ceramics reached 500 Likers, not huge by Facebook standards but a milestone non the less.

When I mentioned this milestone was coming up a supplier in South Australia, by the name of Interdec Australia,  offered to have a give away for the 500th Liker.

Not only that but also sent me some glaze colourant!  Yay!
It arrived in the post and so now I just have to get my kiln up and running and I can start testing it.

It looks like a fabulous red.

Then to add to my happy week, the Gallery which is stocking some of my work, Limelight Gallery in the city sold all but 3 of my Christmas Tree Hangers and asked for more.

I took along the few I had left plus some button sets and a thrown condiment set.

Condiment set consists of two bowls and a platter.  All wheel thrown, underglaze decoration with Blue Chun glaze

I'm hoping for good weather for the stall in Cronulla Mall tomorrow, Sunday 7 December, 9am to 3pm.  Call by and say hello if you are in the area.

Stormy weather please hold off on Sunday

We are having lots of storms of an evening this week. Another one rolling around as I type...

I have my fingers crossed that we have some nice weather on Sunday as I'll be taking part in a stall at Cronulla Mall with others from the Port Hacking Potters Group.

Today I put together a couple of new bracelets and a pendant on a leather necklace with matching earrings to replace those I sold at the last one..

Call on by and say "Hi" on Sunday 7 December from 9am to 3pm..

bracelets on stretch nylon cord - ceramic beads with glass beads

Porcelain butterfly pendant with matching earrings

big things afoot

big things are happening in my studio...

1.  a small kiln is sitting there waiting to be connected

isn't it great, all shiny and new!

2. a big hole has been made for the exhaust fan, not an easy job but my son is a tradesman and has the right tools for the job

3.  The walls are going to be rendered and painted so Everything has to be moved!

this is a bit fuzzy sorry but you get the idea

so it could be a while before the kiln is connected but it will sit patiently while the space around it is done up to match its shiny new look.  In the mean time I can go to the local art centre, Hazelhurst and do some work there.

I threw these bowls there this week and they should be in a firing on Monday I hope. (bisque).

Some of you will know I run a Facebook Group called Anna's Aussie Ceramics and while not a big group people who do belong seem to like it.  We just reached our 500 th Liker and a ceramic company called Interdec Australia donated a prize - wasn't that great.  AND they are going to send me a prize too, so watch this space for more details.

I'll be at Cronulla again next Sunday 7 December with the Port Hacking Potters so do drop by and bring your friends and family and buy a Christmas gift that is unique and made locally.  We will be in the mall near the flag pole. Hope to see you there.

A Stall and a student exhibition

Yesterday I took part in the PHPG stall at Cronulla.  We were so lucky with the weather.  Very hot off the coast, getting up to 38 degrees Celsius while it was perhaps 5 degrees less on the beach and we had a nice sea breeze.

Not a lot of sales of our work however we did sell quite a few raffle tickets to raise funds for the group which is part of the purpose of this event.

During the week I made some new jewellery pieces and hope to make some more before the next stall on the 7 December. That one will be in the mall at Cronulla.

On Saturday my husband and I attended the Kurranulla celebrations in Jannali.  We purchased an artwork as a gift and was able to listen to Col Hardy and his band with some impromptu clap stick players joining in.  Great to see people having a good time.

Then we visited the local hardware store to check out their shelving for my studio... more to come about that as things progress

During the week I also attended the Opening of the graduate exhibition at the Gymea Ceramic Design Studios - some wonderful creative works on show including this one by Natalie Burn..

and here is something pretty I saw during my wanderings last week:

Have a good week and perhaps I'll see you on Facebook?

Market stall with Port Hacking Potters

This Sunday I expect to be with other members of the Port Hacking Potters Group at a community event at Cronulla.

The event is to allow a venue for community groups such as ours to promote ourselves, sell our wares and also sell raffle tickets for a great selection of prizes.

It is called the Cooks Community Classic and includes an ocean swim event!

Here is a link: http://cookcommunityclassic.com.au/

The forecast is for a very hot day so I'll be taking some frozen drinks with me!

If you come by do make yourself known to me.  I will have a few new pieces you might like too.