New Year Inspiration

I think that I may have shared this great ceramic blog with you before, but it is time for a reminder. I don't really make New Year's resolutions because I'm a Pisces that tends to just swim in whatever direction suits me at the moment. My mind can never settle into one specific goal for a full year. It needs freedom to wander and get lost only to find something better along the way.

I have decided (but not resolved) to push my style into a little more creative path rather than the purely functional aesthetic that I have been producing lately. Don't worry, I'll still be making those great mugs and bowls and functional ware, but I want to throw in some more creative and possibly sculptural works too.

Before I ramble on too long, here is a great blog called (Mud)Bucket that I turn to for contemporary ceramic inspiration.

My newest obsession is this sculpture by Canadian Julie Moon!


I love the way the organic forms are held above the figures below. The repetition and grid of the layout contrasts with the variety and flow of organic shapes above and on the illustrations below. I love it!

So, anyways... though I could discuss the concept of moon's sculpture for pages, they reminded me of scent bottles. There goes my meandering Pisces train of thought again... So, I thought I may try making some scent bottles with stoppers in the near future. I plan on keeping my glaze aesthetic intact because for me, the form is most important so I do not want to distract from it with elaborate colored decoration. (Though I love it when other artists do). Scent bottles have always been on my list of things to eventually get to. So this year, maybe I will!

Google Yourself

OK, I know it sounds a bit vain, but I love googling myself. I type in Lurearts and suddenly I find a whole bunch of like minded people out there. After googling myself this afternoon, I was led to JellyBeans Art. Besides having a little blurb about my rings, I found JDWolfPottery was featured there, too. She is one of my favorites on the EMT (Etsy Mud Team) though I must say that all the mudders in that group are fabulous. I enjoy Jen's work mainly because of the colors she chooses. The earthy base glaze breaks around the rims of her bowls, leaving a speckled look that I find irresistible! Google yourself! You never know what you will find!

Tool Talk - Cutters

I have found a new obsession with a certain clay tool and have started to hunt them down. I actually plan on making them into a collection. I plan to start perusing ebay and craigslist with a newfound passion. I had forgotten that my Mom left me a few in her box of old ceramic tools but now I plan to search those out too! It is a tool that is scavenged from the kitchen (like most of my favorite clay tools). It is the humble cookie cutter!

Now I don't plan on just taking the cookie cutter and cutting away and that is that. I will use it as I do any other tool. I will manipulate, texture, score, attach and who knows what else will happen to the clay on its journey to a final piece that is fired. The difficulty of using the cutters is to find the right size. Clay shrinks up to 15% throughout the drying and firing process so I have to be able to consider the shrinkage when I am contemplating a new cutter. I know how to make my own stamps and textured tools but cutters are a different world to me. I love that they have a sharp edge that cuts cleanly into clay. It is a bit tricky to get the clay out of small cutters without distorting the image, especially since I texture them prior to cutting.

My favorite so far are the vintage animal cutters. I just love my little pig and am waiting to complete my first piggy ring. Hilarious!

I would love to be able to make my own cutters so if anyone out there knows anything about making them please let me know. Otherwise, keep your eyes open for any cool vintage animals. I am on the lookout for bunnies!