Arthur Halvorsen's Virtual Sketchbook

Week 43: The last week for this photo project

2012-02-05T15:37:00.000-05:00

Well I have to say that this was a really fun project to get myself into. I think its good as an artist to get out of your normal creative studio life and do something different for a change but still have you creative juices flowing. Back in college I almost majored in photo, but I decided against that because I didn't want to be photographing weddings for the rest of my life. I know there's more to photo then weddings but that seems to be the most consistent meaning of making a living with photo. I know some of my photo friend want to slap me for even saying that right now, which is fine I'm talking to you Lucie, Kerry and Allison. Any who... Next week I'll be posting my self portrait assignment to myself. I invite you if you can to download the app Instagram and follow me and my progress as I'm posting them there my user name is arthurhalvorsen. I have been thinking about what I want to do for this next assignment and already I can tell that its going to be a challenge.

week 42

2012-01-30T01:09:00.000-05:00

I just went back and I reread my first blog post about this photo a day project that I started last year, and to me it seems like this is my NYE and not the one that happened a few weeks ago... maybe that because I'm hoping for not another black eye but let's not get into that shall we?? Thanks... For me I feel like the first of Feb is my *NEW* New Years Eve in the fact that it's time for me to coming up with that I want to do a new photo project for the year. I still want to post on Instagram on a daily basis ((You can follow my @arthurhalvorsen)) about what is happening around me BUT I still want to continue with the photo a day project and I feel like I did the "photo a day in my life" sort of project. I'm thinking that I want to continue with a sort of self portrait project. I WILL NOT BE POSTING PHOTOS OF MYSELF NAKED so get that idea out of your HEADS!!! So next week is the last full week of the current project, and the post after next starts my and my new self portrait project. :-)

Week 41

2012-01-22T22:47:00.000-05:00

This week I had a lot of fun with the random adventures that my life leads me to. The other night I started at a Women's arm wrestling event and ended the night gay clubbing, where else could this be possible but in Boston?

Studio Life

2012-01-17T17:21:00.002-05:00

I am always really interested to what other people's routines are when they go about their day. Like who do you see regularly, what do you walk by every day and look at, what is that woman sitting next to me on the T stressing about at work today? I'm stressing about my glaze kiln and how it looks! I know I am a creature of habit and I tend to do the same thing over and over and over. I don't really like to change what I do from day to day because for me its a comfort level and routine for me is comforting. I don't know about you and maybe that sounds a little crazy but that's me. I say that and at the same time I'm one of the most spontaneous people I know, anyway I just wanted to give you a little insight into my day when I'm at the studio:

Typically I'm up and out the door by 8:30, taking the bus to the T and to the studio I am for the day. I tend to start off my day at the studio by dropping my bag off in my studio I then turn around and take a walk to Dunkin Donuts. I ALWAYS get a medium French Vanilla iced coffee with cream and sugar and an everything bagel toasted with plain cream cheese.

I inhale my breakfast and I'm off and running in my studio getting my work done! People that are ceramic artists generally work in series, meaning if you want to make a platter you don't make just one you would make 5 or 6, I would anyway. because for me and the way that I work by the time I'm finished with the 6th platter the first one is ready for me to flip off the mold and I just work my way down the line. I'm always trying to think of new things to be working on in the studio because I'm an artist first off, and second I get bored easily. (I say that and in the first paragraph I hit home how I'm a creature of habit... haha) Like today I said to myself ok on Friday your glaze kiln was successful, now is the perfect time to experiment and try something new. So I did. I was at the MFA on Saturday and I saw the most beautiful tulipiere and I determined at that moment that I wanted to make one in the studio when I had my next chance, and so I started it today!

This is the inspiration that I saw at the MFA, isn't it GORGEOUS?!?!?! Let's go back to what my day is like shall we, GREAT! By noon time I'm a fiend and starving like a banshee! So I can usually be seen frequenting the Mexican place directly across the street from the studio, the sub shop next to the Mexican place or down the street at the supermarket getting sushi. I generally eat for about an hour, and that includes a lot of talking with my friends at the studio. Believe me I am the king of procrastination at the studio. If I find a conversation that I find interesting or someone I haven't seen for a while for whatever reason not that I don't enjoy working in my studio because I love working in my studio but for whatever reason I love to talk! Get the hint?

So after lunch back to my studio I go where I continue making and creating and experimenting. It's important from time to time to break out of your "Normal" and as an artist I believe it's even more important. By about 4:30 I'm ready for a nap. I have been known from time to time to take and nap in the scenic over look at the studio in the poang chairs from Ikea.

I don't generally like to take naps while I'm in the studio only because it plays with my sleep cycle, especially when I'm unemployed and don't really have to be in the studio at a certain hour. What the point of going to bed at 12, 1 or 2 when you can stay up and watch tv until 3, 4 or even 5am! That's crazy! I have been really good about it this off season and I have kept myself on a regiment of waking up around 8 so that's great from me. Typically I like to stay at the studio till between 5:30 and 6. I get a full days work done and I have a lot of work to prove it. I hope you liked seeing what generally goes on during my day at the studio, and I want to hear about what goes on in your life through out the day as well!

Week 40

2012-01-16T21:49:00.001-05:00

Studio Play

2012-01-12T23:33:00.000-05:00

I have been crazy busy in the studio getting ready for the upcoming Yunomi show at AKAR in Iowa. I made 12 cups in the hopes that 5 of them come out ok enough for me to send to them! I have really stepped up my game, and I really wanted to put my best foot forward. I was honored and a little taken a back when they sent me the letter in the mail (I know a letter in the mail, how retro I thought too!) inviting me (ME of all people!!) into the show. I remember a few years ago I was up in Maine visiting with my friend Kari Radasch and she was busy in the studio making her cups for that same show that year, and I remember thinking I'm going to get myself to that level and get invited into that show. Well dreams do come true! I fell as though I'm going to be smitten for years to come when I get invited into shows.

I have to say though, in ceramics no one would eve fire a glaze kiln for just 5 cups, that would be NUTS! So I got down and busy in the studio and made enough work to fill the large electric by myself! This is my second glaze kiln in the new building and for the second time as well I was able to fill it myself! I love that I can do it! Tomorrow I get to unload the glaze kiln, I can't wait to see what everything looks like, it gonna be like Christmas in the studio tomorrow!!

Here I am praying to the kiln gods in the studio the other day after I finished loading the kiln.

Weeks 38 & 39

2012-01-09T23:42:00.001-05:00

Lots of photos this week because of all the holidays!

Week 37

2011-12-26T23:23:00.002-05:00

I hope you all had a great holiday!

Week 36

2011-12-19T00:23:00.001-05:00

Week 36 and I took a lot to choose from a lot. I think I took my favorite photo I have taken since starting this project. I'm really in LOVE with the photo of the two canaries. I think its really cool and well done. Got a favorite yourself so far?

Week 35

2011-12-11T23:09:00.000-05:00

HAHA I'm on time this week! Great batch of pics this week as well! ENJOY!

New piece$ for $ale at the $tudio

2011-12-07T16:00:00.001-05:00

Things are really starting to pick up at the Holiday Open Studio and Sale happening here at Mudflat. I am having the best sale I have ever had and I think it has a lot to do with the new building drawing people from all around to come and check it out which then turns into $ALE$! Already for this sale as of yesterday we were at what we made at our best sale total at the old building! (Does that make sense?) Anyway I'm having the best sale ever and I totally attribute that to the new building. I see myself spending a lot of time in my studio coming up to get ready for the next sale in May! Enjoy the images!

Weeks 32, 33 & 34

2011-12-06T01:05:00.001-05:00

I need to get better at posting these weekly, I promise I will

Glazing...

2011-11-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

I made these pieces before I went on my trip because I thought it would be a good idea to get all my wet clay work out of the way an not worry about it for when I get home. I was totally right... I LOVE being right don't you? Anyway I have been a glazing FiNaTiC! I am doing a late night in the studio tonight after work and tomorrow as soon as I get in the studio I'm gonna be loading my first all to myself glaze kiln in the new building! I am really loving having my own space and I really feel like my work has come into my own and I don't have to worry any more about my work looking too much like anyone else's.
I have to say too that I have got a HUGH confidence boost from being able and honored to sell and be one of the artists showing and selling at the Schaller Gallery. I really feel like I have had to step up my game and I totally have and this kick in the ass has come at the right time. I really needed something like that to get my confidence up and I really am thinking VERY seriously about applying to grad school this time next fall. (someday I'm going to look back at this post and smile I know I will) We all need these little boosts from time to time no matter when life is throwing us and what we are dealing with personally outside of the studio. I can't wait to see the results when they come out on Friday! I'll be sure to do a post about that when it happens as well.

Week 31

2011-11-13T21:07:00.001-05:00

OK so I did a few more photos from when I was abroad that I put through Instagram. I still really like them and I think you can tell which ones I took in Europe. I really love the bottom picture with the Birthday party Surprises. What is you favorite photo from this batch?

Weeks 28 & 29 & 30!

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Europe

2011-11-06T18:08:00.001-05:00

I just got home from my trip to London and Paris this past Monday. I have now been to London 6 times and I still love that city, but this was my first time to Paris. I fell in love with the city right away!

It was amazing, and we say that America has history HA! Europe HAS history! I loved every second of it and I can't wait to go back... maybe someday I'll live in Paris! (Well if that wasn't a dream sequence from a movie then I don't know what is!) I just wanted to share a few of my favorite shots from my trip. I hope you enjoy them all!

Weeks 26 & 27

2011-10-01T20:55:00.001-04:00

Fun huh?!?!?! What photos do you like??

Inspiration

2011-09-29T00:32:00.002-04:00

"I'm not trying to do something different, I'm trying to do the same thing but in a different way."

- Vivienne Westwood

Studios EXCITMENT

2011-09-11T19:36:00.000-04:00

This was a HUGE weekend for the studio! This is what the studio looked like before all the guests came in and filled all the seats for the live auction. It really was a great night and I'm so glad I was apart of the fun and festivities! The staff at Mudflat did a TON of work in preparation for this weekend and it was totally worth every minute of it. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have moved bricks, if I have to move one more brick or pallet of bricks I'm going to thrown them all out the window in hopes that they land in a garbage truck... haha No I'm kidding of course. I just wanted to share a few photos of the night, it really was great and if you weren't there then your totally missed out.

Setting up the silent auction pieces. I love this one by Liz Howe, I love the flocking!

The residents of Mudflat had a Resident Showcase in the upstairs section of the studio and this was the work that I showed. The flowers for me worked AMAZING! I also bought sunflowers to fill my flower brick piece that was in the silent auction but I didn't get a photo of that WHOOPS!

These were the two pieces that I was gunning for The platter with dots by Kari Radasch and the Monkey Mug by Ayumi Horie, I was also gunning for the Lisa Orr platter as well (that was a silent auction piece) I last bid on the monkey mug at $260 and I couldn't go any higher I think it went for $300 which is amazing for Mudflat! But I did win the Kari platter! My first time winning something in a live auction and even better that it was benefiting Mudflat. Any who... it was great fun!

I finally got to meet my new best friend Kristen Kieffer and she came up to me and said Kathy and I decided that they need a Vanna up on the stage, how many beers have you had? I said 2... she was like GREAT your up! So I got up on the stage and worked it like the rent was due tomorrow, and the prices started to go up! It was awesome to be part of the live auction and feel like I was making a difference.

Kristen, Kathy King and I in my studio! They are an awesome duo of ladies and I feel so fortunate that I can call them friends, very giving and very generous with their time and knowledge not only to me but to the ceramics community in general. They are gems!

Instagram Week 25

2011-09-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

New Studio Shots

2011-09-07T23:49:00.000-04:00

Work is filling MY shelves!

*NEW* Mudflat Swag!

My shelves!

The start of a tureen!

I got over my fear of the power saw.

Installing tiles in the new entryway!

Studio Update

2011-09-01T22:22:00.000-04:00

So I finally moved into my studio and I had bought a shelving unit from IKEA and I bought the full shelves thinking I was gonna be able to buy the half shelves. Well they decided to discontinue my shelving unit and I found this out after 4 trips in a week and a half time span. ANYWAY So I had to buy more full shelves and then cut them down to the half shelves size.

I had to get over my fear of the power saw pretty quick, but yesterday I pried off the other brace and not damage it. I was hammering and prying that off and making a lot of noise, but I did want I had to do... I made it WORK!

These are the scraps of wood that I was cutting off to make the full shelves half shelves.

Here are the shelves all put back together and I can't believe that I was able to do it all myself!

And here is the finished product! Now I just have to make work and fill the shelves! I can't wait to start working in my studio and fill those shelves!

Instagram

2011-09-01T01:04:00.000-04:00

Follow me on Instagram! I'm posting photos on there almost hourly! @arthurhalvorsen Which are your favorite?

weeks ???

2011-08-14T22:54:00.002-04:00

Woah it's been a few weeks!

I love this project, I may not be posting as I would regularly like to but none the less I am taking the photos and I'm having a lot of fun with it too. I'm taking way more then whats shown here and if your on Instagram then follow me! arthurhalvorsen is my user name there. I love that I get to choose what's in focus and tilt shift the photo, I think its makes it more of an arty thing then just taking a pretty photo. What are your thoughts?

My Favorite Mudflat Gala Auction Pieces

2011-07-27T15:00:00.000-04:00

So we are almost ready for the move down the street to the new building at Mudflat, and we are having a Gala that I want to invite you all to!

Inspirational Clay: A Gala Auction to benefit Mudflat Studio
Friday evening, September 9, 2011, 6:30 pm
You are invited to this premier clay event! Our gala auction celebrates 40 years of Mudflat Pottery School and Studio and supports us in our new state-of-the-art building. This exciting clay auction features the artwork of over 60 nationally known ceramic artists. Bid at live and silent auctions, while you enjoy music, light food and desserts, and a wine & beer cash bar.
Tickets: $100 per person ($85.00 if purchased before August 22nd)
For information or to purchase tickets:
617-628-0589 or lynn@mudflat.org

I wanted to share a few photos of the AWESOME work that is being donated to Mudflat for the new building and will be bid on at the event!

This was donated by Liz Howe and by far my favorite piece in the auction that I have seen so far!

Awesome plate made by Kirsten Kieffer, I would love to add this one to my collection!

A Nick Joerling jar another great piece that I know will be going for big bucks.

and finally a platter made by Lisa Orr, I want this one too, I's gonna be hard to decide on which piece I'm going to bid on. I even have a piece in the auction, you'll have to wait and see that piece of mine.
I hope to see many of you there I know it's gonna be a great time and something to remember for a long time too!

weeks 18 + 19

2011-07-25T21:53:00.002-04:00

What do you think?

Salad Days

2011-07-09T23:29:00.000-04:00

So today I ventured up to the Watershed Center of the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle Maine to attend whats called Salad Days. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and the drive was to die for! Salad Days is their big fund raising event where there is a "Salad Days Potter" and that artist is to make 500 plates for them to be sold at $30 each, its quite the event! There's this frenzy of people if you get there when they open right at 10am to find their plate, and many people (including myself) buy more then one plate. I actually bought 3 because friends of mine at the studio heard that I was going to it and they each gave me money for a plate too. People do that for this event, if they can't go they want a plate!

This is the plate that I chose for myself. This years Salad Days artist was Gratia Brown. Her work is very playful and very funny I think as well. I didn't make it to Watershed in time for the salad buffet that comes with the purchase of the plate but never the less I had a great time looking and sorting through the plates.

It was so much fun to pick through the plates. I have been once before where I took my sister up to Watershed and she had a great time too. She even got to pick a plate out, and then she gave it to me because she said that A. I paid for it and B. She wouldn't have the place to use it.

So at the same time Watershed has an invitational pottery sale going on where artists from around the country have been invited to sell their work. I have gotten plates and cups before and this year I decided on a tall tumbler made by Meredith Host. She's using over looked patterns found on napkins and paper towels to decorate her new body of work. I love my new cup and I'm actually drinking my beer tonight out of it!

I loved being able to walk around the grounds of Watershed, and had a much better time getting out of the car this year then last time I was there, I stepped right out of the car into Sheep Shit while wearing flip flops. Heather was laughing hard all day about that one... no no really it was great... NOT! Anyway I hope you like this post and I hope you all get the chance to get up to Watershed for Salad Days sometime, next years potter looks great!

Weeks 15, 16 &17

2011-07-08T19:58:00.002-04:00

I had a lot of photos to share this week because I got a little behind. What do you think of this group of photos?

Studio thinkings

2011-06-22T19:13:00.000-04:00

So I was working in the studio today doing my thing like I regularly do and I got to talking to one of the students in the studio about her opening an online shop. She said that she was interested in opening an etsy shop but didn't want to commit to shipping around the country and that's where I took a second and was a little take a back to be honest only because I fell like if your going to do something like that then you have to do what your gonna do to make it work for you and you alone. I don't care about packing and shipping I actually kind of like it to be honest. I don't mind the work that it takes to make yourself know in the ceramic world. I think and know that it is a lot of work and I think I'm doing a pretty good job about it, not the best but doing ok. As of right now I'm fine with that and I want my work to be recognized when it's in a show somewhere else in the country other then the Boston area. I want to eventually quit my day job and just focus on my work. That comes in time I know and right now in the studio life at Mudflat I am working really hard on developing my own style. I think I'm getting there and again I know that takes time too, its all about what I'm interested in and letting that show through in my work.

I feel like my flower bricks are totally me and no one else makes them like I do. I also think the silk screening that I'm now doing on my work is really helping me to differentiate and distinguish me as a ceramic artist and someone who's different from everyone else. I don't want my work out there in a gallery and have it be mistaken for someone else, that is the absolute last thing any artist wants. Sites like etsy where they have no jury process what so ever is in my opinion a bad thing and hurting the ceramic world in particular because there is so much out there yes but not all that is on etsy is good work. I realize while I'm saying this that I am sounding like a snob and yes I am the self proclaimed "ceramic snob" but I don't see that as a bad thing either. I know what good design and functionality is, and I just with more people in clay would get an education in the ceramic arts and do so research on their own work and where they fit in to the spectrum of ceramics. I'm just thinking out loud and at this point I may be rambling... sorry. But in any case I wish there was more of a trained eye for everyone out there and the clay world and the buyers of the clay world would both benefit from this.

Photo Walk

2011-06-19T20:56:00.000-04:00

So this is a special edition of my Hipstamatic prints. This past week, on Wednesday night me and a few members of Boston Handmade the artist group that I'm happily apart of walked around the North End section of Boston taking pictures. I took this as an opportunity to do a special edition of Hipstamatic prints. I really LOVE some of these photos and some of them are even my most favorite ones that I have taken!

What are some of you favorites from this sampler? I think I'll be doing more of these special edition prints, like while I'm at work, working in the studio, walking around the city, riding the T the possibilities are limitless! I have been hard at work in the studio too, making work to be sent out to Red Star Studios while is long over due because they need more work from me to stock up my inventory there. I'll be doing a hipstamatic blog post this week and a post about what's going on in the studio too! I have a glaze kiln being unloaded on Wednesday I can't wait my first silk screened flower brick will be coming out then. So till then...

Week 14

2011-06-18T01:34:00.000-04:00

I'm gonna be posting my special prints from the Boston Handmade photo walk as well. I need to get on a schedule to be posting these regularly.

Flower Bricks

2011-06-10T17:35:00.000-04:00

I have been busy as a beaver in the studio making so really great flower bricks and I had an epiphany while making one of them. The first two were made in the kind of spirit like my old ones, which I'll still continue to make and enjoy making but I want to make more of them. Flower bricks as a form and a functional piece are my favorite forms to make. Here's a few pictures of them.

These two to me are not like cake, but read as a loaf of bread. Which is fine for me and that baked good still falls into my category of things people love but shouldn't have too much of... I mean unless your carb-o loading for a marathon or something too much of anything is not a good thing. The holes for the flowers are cut in a line of 5 holes. I see this form as more of a flower arranger then a vase form, I think it has a lot of potential in anyone's work. So the last flower brick I made in the studio today is one that I' really excited about... Ready to see?

This one is amazing to me! I love that is reads as a cuckoo clock cake. The two birds on the piece are what does it for me. The one coming out of the home is a cardinal and the other is my default bird. As you can see I cut windows in the sides as well and you can see right through them and I also added a piece of wire in each of them to give it more of a window feeling rather then just a square cut bow out of the walls of the flower brick. I cut the holes a little wider in this one too because I see it being displayed with allium's (which are the purple pom-pom flowers and are to die for!)
I think about that a lot when I'm making a flower brick, what flower is going to look best in this? I love all sorts of flowers but I really want the flower to compliment the form and let the piece sing and not have all the attention be put on the flowers themselves when it comes time to take a photograph of the pieces for my website.

Kiln Delivery!

2011-06-02T16:27:00.000-04:00

So it was a very exciting morning down at the New Building for Mudflat this morning, the three gas kilns got delivered today! It was so cool to see them get unloaded from the flat bed of the truck. There were a few mishaps that went along the way tho...
They were supposed to be delivered in MARCH.
Then they were supposed to be delivered TUESDAY at 9am which got pushed back to TODAY.
Then on the way to the studio the truck got a flat tire as they were pulling out of the yard.
Then when it was all said and done the smaller tow truck that carried the fork lift to the studio well their hydraulics blew out and they were stuck after the delivery was done.
Here are a few photos I took of the first kiln being unloaded.

Getting a new kiln is like getting a new car, you don't want to be the first one to put a scratch in it. It was really cool to see them all come in and get unloaded even though I just saw the first one get unloaded I had to go back to the old building and scrape shelves.

Weeks 12 & 13

2011-06-01T22:11:00.000-04:00

Crazy Weather

2011-06-01T21:17:00.000-04:00

So here in Massachusetts tonight was one hell of a storm! Mind you its nothing like the tornado's in Joplin Missouri but we NEVER get them here in Massachusetts here are some of the photos I got off Boston.com

Sophia

2011-06-01T16:22:00.000-04:00

So really quickly I wanted to share a photo of a drawing my friend's 6yr old did in art class that is now on display at the Brockton Public Library

The "Tree" is Sophia's and I love it! I think its very well done and very expressive for a 6yr old!
Congrats Sophia!

Week 11

2011-05-15T21:45:00.000-04:00

HIPSTAMATIC!!!

Dale Chihuly at the MFA Boston

2011-05-14T17:18:00.000-04:00

I had the opportunity of going to see the Dale Chihuly show at the MFA the other day and I wanted to share a few of the photos I took on my iPhone with you.

I loved the chandeliers and I have only seen one other while I was in London at the V&A but OMG it was amazing! It got me thinking that I would love to make a chandelier out of clay kind of like the Victorian porcelain one that are still sometimes seen today. I also LOVED the "Persian Ceiling" The colors were amazing!

It reminded me a little of going to NYC and seeing "The Gates" in Central Park, where everyone was walking around and smiling and in a good mood. People were exactly like that in the MFA. (Watch that video in the link to the MFA) But i have to say that as much as I liked seeing the glass, in the gift shop they are selling his drawings/painting that he has done and I loved that just as much if not more. I wasn't able to take pics of them b/c the people working in the shop wouldn't allow me to.

Studio update

2011-05-13T23:47:00.000-04:00

So I have been working hard lately getting ready for the sale at the studio which came and went, and then getting ready for the Schaller Gallery's show for the flowers. It got me thinking yesterday while I was in the studio that I need to make more flower bricks and that's what I did yesterday into today.

I made this beauty and made most if it today and finished it today... well not completely. I have it totally made in the clay state itself and then I'm gonna try silk screening on it. Its gonna be the first time that I attempt to screen onto something that is in the round and not flat like a platter or cake stand plate. I'm really excited for it and hope it comes out well, I'll be posting pics of the end result when I go into the studio.
The sale at the studio was a lot of fun too... which came and went. I sold 4 pieces which is better than last years May sale where I SOLD NOTHING! I just feel as though the reason why I don't sell well is because my work is a little weird, a little off and not for everyone. Here are some pics from the sale.

My sale set up.

Studio artist Zach Shaw's AWESOME set up!

Leah Guerin's beautiful work... she even has CARDINAL'S on her new work!

I had a great time at the sale at the studio and it was a lot of fun and it was great to have friend come and see what I have been up to in the studio. OH also I made a new mold that I'm sooooo excited for its psychotic!

Week 10

2011-05-08T17:13:00.000-04:00

So I have been havnig a lot of fun with this challenge that I set up for myself. I just got home from a trip to Ptown and I think all my photos this week will be from that trip, not all Ptown but the cape in general. It was great and I had a lot of fun! I hope you enjoy these photos, and please keep commenting on what are you favorites.

Week 9

2011-05-02T21:21:00.000-04:00

OK s I may have gone a little over board this week with the photos but I had so much fun taking pics at the garden store and at the grocery store. I had a lot of fun this week, I love the vibrancy of the colors on most of the photos (minus the ones in B&W) but I'm really loving the collection of textures that are coming through in the photos. Its amazing that this is coming from my iphone... awesome!

Weeks 7 & 8

2011-04-24T20:15:00.000-04:00

LOTS of photos to upload this week because I forgot to do a blog post last week... oops! I think it was b/c I was getting nervous about the marathon. Today is the first day in a week that I have had little to no pain in my feet and legs since completing the marathon. Which photos from this upload are you guys liking?

A lot has happened!

2011-04-21T00:14:00.000-04:00

So in the past week a lot has been going on. Let's start from the beginning shall we?
First I got a new tattoo...

So my cardinal is looking great and today it has fully healed. I love my bird tattoos. This one to me represents my art career finally taking off because I am now starting to get invited into shows. Cardinal because its my dad's favorite bird, and the tree branch in an apple tree with an apple blossom that represents the apple tree we used to have in the front of our OLD summer house in Gloucester MA.
SO Last week I got invited into a show at the Schaller Gallery, and the show is called "For the Flowers" They have some MAJOR hitters in the ceramics world like Warren MacKenzie, Linda Arbuckle, Jeff Oestreich, Sam Chung and Julia Galloway! OMG! I am totally flabbergasted & Honored to be in such good company.
OK Next and I think BIGGEST event of the week was that on Monday April 18, 2011 I fulfilled a life long dream of mine and FINALLY attempted and completed The Boston Marathon! OMG what a RUSH! It was incredible! My legs are still sore and the blisters are something else but I did it! I can't believe I did it! It was out of this world! The weather was great and the crowd was a lot of fun to interact with when running. Thank GOD I put my name on the front of my tank top for people to see because they were yelling at me for encouragement and that's exactly what I needed when I was going by them.

I love this picture a friend of mine took as I was passing them in Newton. So yea I can now say that I have ran the Boston Marathon!

Week 6

2011-03-27T20:39:00.000-04:00

Week 6 and still going strong!

Trip to the MFA

2011-03-26T21:43:00.000-04:00

Today I finally got to visit the new Art of the Americas Wing at the Boston MFA. Friends of mine from college came from Connecticut and Maine and it was our day to hang out and see it together. I just wanted to show the photos I took in the new wing, and I hope you enjoy them!

It was really great but I do wish there was more modern art in the new wing. Seeing portrait after portrait gets a little redundant and they all begin to look alike. In any case it was a really great time and I want to go back soon for the Chihuly show (first photo is one of his pieces).

POLKA!!

2011-03-22T09:05:00.001-04:00

So based on my current body of neurotic work, I obviously have polka dots on the mind. I like to think of the dots as something that is almost a fabric, and the fabric is forced into the shape that the piece is... Kind of like decoupaging. I remember my aunt would decoupage the light switch covers, inside of cabinets, and anything else she could get her hands on with printed paper towels. This is sort of my homage to that when I was growing up.

I really feel like I'm getting to a place that my work is my work and it's not looking like anyone else work. For a long time I have been influenced by Kari Radasch (Her old work) but you know I think that's fine to be influenced by someone or something at first. I mean for me when I was jumping into function after college the first hands on functional workshop was with Kari. Her method of working really worked for me and I totally clicked with it. For me throwing isn't a fun activity for my own work but I do enjoy dry throwing, and that's how I make my cups. Everything else for me is made on bisque molds or coil built that's it. When I was taking Ayumi's workshop she said that she thought the most interesting pots had a combination of throwing and hand building in them. I tend to agree with that statement. Below I wanted to show a few polka dot inspiration photos...

So as you may know I work for Boston Duck Tours and last year there was a company wide competition to name 2 new ducks. I won one of them pictured above and I named her Dorchester Dottie and I suggested that she be painted polka dot as well. Very nice don't you think?

The two above images I can;t tell which one I like more, the consistent more pop arty image on top, or the random image. I'm leaning towards the blue image but I'm still on the fence and could be swayed either way. What do you think?

Week 5

2011-03-21T19:11:00.001-04:00

The studio, New Hampshire and Harvard Square were the locations for this weeks Hipstamatic shots.
Enjoy!

New Work

2011-03-13T10:50:00.000-04:00

By Arthur of Arthur Halvorsen

I love the look of all my work fresh out of the kiln together. I feel like I am finally making work with a consistent thread running through it. The week because I have become so enamored with these neurotic dots I ordered new commercial glaze colors. That will be a post for a later date. I think of the dots and damask pattern as sort of wallpaper that is falling down and revealing the layers underneath. I used to sketch out a grid pattern with pencil on my pieces before starting to do the grid but that felt too constricting to me and not as organic. The damask is ribbed on and where it goes it goes. After the bisque firing I then do the dotting before covering everything in the blue glaze. The dots to me looks like fabric that's been forced to fit a forn and what comes out of it is a very organic pattern that I love!

Photos week 4

2011-03-12T09:47:00.002-05:00

These are the photos for the week. I'm currently working on a blog post for tomorrow, and in depth look at my work and the red dots that are popping up in my work. I'm really looking forward to that post tomorrow!

Photos Week 3

2011-02-28T07:00:00.009-05:00

So I realize that some weeks I'll have 7 photos, one for each day of the week and so weeks I'll have less then 7 photos, or other weeks like this week I'll have more then 7 photos. I think that's ok to have less because I'll make up for it in later weeks when I have less. Also I think it's best to have less then 7 photos so week because not every photo will be great, and so there has to be some editing going on somewhere.

Action Shots

2011-02-27T11:44:00.001-05:00

This is the latest Arthur in Action Shot, thanks again Allison for sending it this morning. My question is do you my followers think its ok that I am posting these photos? I ask this becasue the "Action Shots" is not a new idea that I came up with. I feel like in ceramics, well functional ceramics excuse me, because we make function objects people, friends, customers and I want to see the object in use. This is the whole point of making functional art. Just because you buy a platter doesn't mean you have to use it for a chicken dinner or anything. Its yours now you can use it as you please and do anything you want with it! I don't care if its hanging on the wall, if your cat is eating out of it, using a cup to hold your goldfish as you clean the tank I don't care I just want to see those photos. I know I'm jumping around a lot and as followers of my blog you should all be used to this about my writing style by now. But I'm wondering since I haven't come up with this idea myself is it ok to be doing it myself? The people that already post photos of their work in use I don't want to rip them off but I do like showing those photos myself. Would it be ok for me to make another page on my website with these photos as well? I really don't want to step on any toes or anything and I hope the other people in ceramics that see this post will read it and know that is not my intention to rip them off but I want to showcase the pot in the surroundings, the way there were created and what they were meant to do.
I want to hear your thoughts on this, so please leave a comment or two.

Other pots in use shots can be found HERE and HERE thanks!

Great News!

2011-02-27T00:59:00.001-05:00

So a while back Mudflat (where I make my work) put out a call for applications to the new studio. (seen above) We have totally out grown the current studio building and we are now nearing the completion of converting the old Somerville Theater into studios. Well I am THRILLED to announce that my application was accepted and I will be sharing a studio with 3 other women. I am sooooo excited! I have had this big Tupperware bin stored in the basement of my dads house since college FILLED with studio goodies just waiting for a studio to fill and be part of. I am so excited for a space that today I went with my cousin to IKEA to look at & measure shelving units, like so:

I love that I can totally customize it that way I want it to be, it's already made so I won't have to whip out my imaginary circular saw and pretend I know what I'm doing with it because I have absolutely no idea what so ever, and then I'll manage to cut my hand off or something. I'm thinking about lighting, storage, tall vs small work, wall of inspiration, and what I think is most important at the very beginning... what color to paint to walls?? I think and my new studio mates agree that the all white walls is too stark, and too institutionalized making it look like an insane asylum. Which at times it will be an insane asylum especially near the two annual shows a year that happen. But I'm excited and I'll be sharing the studio progress as it goes. Anyone out there have any advise? Have you been through this yourself? THANKS!

Studio Happenings!

2011-02-24T21:59:00.000-05:00

So first I wanted to shared a really INCREDIBLE piece that I made and it came out of the glaze kiln the other day.

I have totally been on this tureen kick lately and LOVE making them! I say that I love them because I have been admiring them for quite some time now and believe me after making two of them I understand the amount of work that goes into them, but I have never actually seen one in use. Have you ever seen one in use or do you use one yourself to server your soup in?
Also another exciting part of yesterday is that I was offered and accepted a new studio for Mudflat down at the new building! I am beyond thrilled for this and I was just down there today for a tour with Lynn and some other students/studio artists. I wanted to share a few new photos of my new studio, mind you it's not a private studio but I'm sharing it with 3 other women! Again I am beyond thrilled!

One of my new studio mates, Lisa Graff is in the first photo just to show scale. I know it doesn't look like much right now but in two months when we are all moved and settled in it's going to be amazing! As of right now while I'm writing this I also have a tab open on my laptop for craigslist in the free section looking for shelving units for free! I also need a sturdy work table that I can cover with canvas and somewhere to keep all my clay, tools, books, and a place to tack up postcards and my wall of inspiration! I am most thrilled about having a place to put up what I find inspiring, what I am drawn to and what I pull from for my own work. I can't wait to do it all! AHHHHH!!!

Color Inspiration

2011-02-22T22:24:00.000-05:00

In my own work I am always evolving my color palette and looking to be adding and dropping new colors based on what I like, not based on what's in or hot as of right now because down the line they will go out of style. I know that that is a weird statement to be making since all colors go through a cycle and they come and go and come back again but what I like is what I like and I can't help it. As of right now in my studio work I have become OBSESSED once again with my ice blue color and seem to be glazing everything and their mother that color.

This is the color that I'm talking about. I have also been doing a ton of dotting on my work with the commercial red and yellow that I have been using for quite sometime now as well. So I just wanted to share a few photos at what I look at for color inspiration. It could be as simple as the color inself or the color combination in the photo themselves.

Do you see a common theme here? I'm starting to as well.

Prints

2011-02-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

So these are the photos from the past week. I'm really stating to like this project and it's starting to show I think. It's really funny because I'll be somewhere and think ahhh I should take a picture here, and then forget to do so. So I have to get better at doing stuff like that. Also I want to show you all this week what I have been up to in the studio. I have been working with porcelain... OH MY GOD!!! I know its really crazy and I want to show you all what I made in porcelain, it's totally different from what I normally make. I think I'm going to take the left over clay and dry throw something because I love that process and I love, I posted the video that shows the dry throwing techniques that I'm talking about. Hope you all have a great week!

Photo A Day

2011-02-14T18:07:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the Hipstamatic photos I have taken since I have taken on the photo a day challenge that I posed to myself last week on my blog. I'm really liking the photos that I have been taking with my iPhone, although I do have a question... does anyone out there think that using this app or similar apps is cheating? I want to know your thoughts.

Photo a day... some day

2011-02-03T00:33:00.001-05:00

So I have decided to embark on a new project on the side of my ceramics. In addition to my studio happenings, and day to day inspirations I'm going to be taking a photo a day with my iPhone using the app that I LOVE Hipstamatic. I love this app. I love that you have a little not all control over what the end result is going to be. I almost don't want to say it but anyone can be a good photographer with this app. I doubt I'll be uploading a photo a day, I might be doing batch uploads at the end of the week. I want to be training my eye again to get back into photo. I think its really important to have another creative outlet from the medium that your in. Just to keep your creative juices flowing and training your eye to look where it wouldn't normally look. I have other interests too, I want to learn knitting or crocheting, but that'll come down the road. I'm going to upload all the photo's I took so far aside from the other ones that I have posted on here already. I encourage you all to comment on the ones you love and the ones you love to hate, and what it just plain BAD!

Weather

2011-01-30T11:22:00.000-05:00

With all this snow that has been falling in and around Boston, I'm starting to get a little sick of it. But on top of this I'm more sick of people on facebook bitching and moaning about how cold it is or how much snow there is. Yea I get it, it's starting to be a little absurd as to where we are going to put the snow when we get the next snow storm, but it's not the end of the world... right?? In general anyway I don't like to complain. I'll do whatever needs to be done and then bitch and moan till the cows come home but during I'm fine. I just think that we should all take a note from the snow monkeys in Japan and just sit in a hot spring... sounds good right? Ok now I'm off to find that hot spring around Boston, there has to be one when I'm not breakin into anyone's backyard and then hauled off to jail for trespassing. Simple right?

Hipstamatic

2011-01-22T18:27:00.000-05:00

So I have this app on my iPhone that I wanted to share with you. Its a photo enhancing app called hipstamatic and it takes photos for you and gives them a vintage look. I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you. I really like to do photography and I almost majored in it in college, but then decided that I would rather make the cake stand then take the photos at a wedding. Lately I have been on a tureen and tiered server kick in the studio, and the first photo is of a tureen that I just finished making and decorating in the clay state yesterday.

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-05T21:42:00.000-05:00

I for one am not too keen on the whole New Year's Resolutions but I decided that I have to make a change somewhere and took a look at a few aspects of my life and wanted to change a few things around me that I had control of.

I have decided that I need to get better at listing new pieces and do it more frequently. This piece didn't make it to my etsy shop because it was part of the iron transfer decal disaster that I experienced this past summer. I had high hopes for that process but I moved on to silk screening. So all in all it made me find my new process, that I absolutely LOVE!!!

I have also come to the conclusion that in order for me to become a better writer I need to write more, so I want to blog at least once a week for myself. I need to get better at writing for those upcoming grad school applications that I can't wait to fill out, just a little bit of sarcasm there.

Although this year isn't off to the best start for me (See the photo above. I came out of the studio yesterday and found this!) I am actually looking forward to the year ahead. It is a very exciting time for the studio that I'm working at: Mudflat Studios. We are moving down the street to the new building in the coming months and I can't wait! You can trake the progress going on at the new Mudflat Building HERE. I hope I stick to these new avenues in my life and really I am looking forward to the year ahead.

Handmade in Use

2010-12-23T01:05:00.000-05:00

Since I make functional ceramics I think it is very important for me to use handmade objects in my home. I think the best way to learn if your making function is to use your work yourself and you'll find out for yourself if the handle is working, if the wall of the bowl is high enough, is the rim steep enough, etc.. I love getting photos of my work in use and I wanted to share a few photos of people that have bough my work and took the time to share a photo of my work in use, I call them "Arthur in Action" Ayumi Horie has a great pots in action section on her website, and yours truly is featured in 3 of the photos.If you have any of my pieces in your collection I would LOVE for you to send me an image of the piece in use, your dog eating out of the bowl, about to be washed, you holding it in front of the Christmas tree or what ever other kooky photo you can come up with! I wanna see em all!

Swedish Models??

2010-12-16T01:30:00.000-05:00

I have recently become OBSESSED with Swedish horses as a spring board for inspiration. Ever since I was little we have had a wooden Swedish horse here in my Dad's house for as long as I can remember. I have found the answer to my obsession, I found a cake pan in the shape of the Swedish horse that I'm going to be making molds of, and then making platters out of them. I can't wait I'm really excited!
Here's two photos of the Swedish Horses we have in our home. Home you enjoy!

This is the one that we had had since the beginning of time, I think my Grandfather got it on one of his many trips to Norway but it clearly came from Sweden since they are native to Sweden.

This tiny one is mine. My cousin got it for me a few years ago when I was still in high school I think and I think she got it at a handmade craft fair in Boston, that was selling Scandinavian handmade crafts. Since the horses are handmade and hand painted no two are exactly a like, or so they say...

Operation C.U.P.

2010-11-06T15:53:00.000-04:00

I wanted to tell all the followers of my blog about the movement I got off the ground starting last year, as many of you know! The movement is called Operation C.U.P. (Citizens Using Pottery) and the point of it is to get handmade cups into the hands of people that normally wouldn't buy handmade. So it works like this, you and I buy a handmade cup the point is to then gift it to our best friend. Who else do you know better then your best friend? On my fan site Arthur Halvorsen Ceramics I am posting a daily link to a cup up until Christmas, that I find online through etsy, online galleries and directly through the artist as well. This has been a labor of love and I'm really excited to be doing it for a second year in a row. So please become a fan on facebook so you too can be part of the Operation C.U.P. movement.
*If you do partake in this I would love for people to post a photo of their cup in use, best friend opening the cup or whatever. I would love to see those photos!
**Also if you have a blog that you wouldn't mind doing a post about it I can do a write up for you if you like to help me get the word out.

SoWa = Success!!!

2010-10-13T22:34:00.000-04:00

So the votes are all in and it's official I was totally right that it would be, SOWA was a great success! I had a feeling that the people that shop at sowa were going to be my people and boy was I right! I had such a good time that I'm totally going to be doing it more next summer. This show this past Sunday was a trial run for me, I wanted to see if I was right in thinking that it was my target audience, and I was right. It was a total confidence booster to get all the compliments and to get people that would buy my work was awesome too! I must say it was a lot of fun as well to have others around me that I knew too. Being part of Boston Handmade has been great so far and I love the comradery between all of us and that we all support each other as well. I love it and don't wanna leave the group until it comes time for me to go to Grad School. Anyway I wanted to share a few photos from our great day at SoWa! ENJOY!

Kerry (etsy shop here), Lucie (etsy shop here) and I hanging around!

Lucie and I standing outside of my tent. In the sun I was HOT! I think it may have had something to do with the black shirt I was wearing...

Finally my setup! I'm very happy with it and the work all looked great together!

SOWA Sunday

2010-10-06T20:51:00.000-04:00

I hope to see many of you out and about on Sunday when BOSTON HANDMADE returns to SOWA this coming Sunday from 10-4. I'll have on hand a TON of work! (I haven't weighed out the work literally but I bet its close!) I'll have plates, cups, bowls, platters, flower bricks, vases, boats, dishes and more! Also the other members of Boston Handmade will be there as well. 15 members of Boston Handmade will be showing and selling handmade jewelry, clothing, accessories, ceramics, art, photography, handspun yarn, and more. I can't wait I hope it'll be a great day!

Painting?

2010-09-14T23:00:00.000-04:00

So recently I have felt the urge to do some paintings. I have all these great idea in my head about what they would look like and I want to do something like what I saw on the CB2 website a few weeks ago.

This is a Marimekko print that's for sale on their site. I don't know if they would be paintings but more of a drawing with painted accents. I see them as straight color just like the print but with more me in it. I was over my friend Emma's house and she wants me to do one for her, then our friend Mari jumped on the bandwagon and wants one too, then Emma's sister said she wants one as well. So with that in mind I took a photo of Emma's bed spread because I wanted to draw some inspiration from it.

I love the colors in this and the shapes are amazing as well! I think when I do the drawing I want it to be mostly white with a little pop of color, saturated color, straight from the tube. The drawing is going to be done in sharpie on panel. After I saw the original print I did a drawing in my sketchbook and now use it as the background for my iPhone.

I love it, but I do wish the pink highlighter didn't run out on me and be all streaky. I wanna hear your thoughts and comments! ENJOY!

I need your votes!

2010-09-11T22:17:00.000-04:00

Normally I'm opposed to lobbying for votes, but since I have seen many blogs doing so I have decided to enter the ring. Ayumi Horie is having a pots in action photo contest, and my entry (seen above) is in the running! I need your votes! I don't want to get first place, but I do want to place. Hey trucking the bowl across the ocean and onto the London Eye should mean something... NO?!?!?! Please vote for me! THANKS!!!

I'm getting excited!!!

2010-09-02T16:27:00.000-04:00

This is the latest projected map of Hurricane Earl that's heading my way! I'm actually getting really excited for it because the last time we had a hurricane around here was in '91 (?) Hurricane Bob... excuse me the last major one and I can't wait for it to hit and I really hope we get a hit but not a damaging hit. I love thunder storms and I especially love hurricanes because they are so rare to have in New England. It's more thrilling this way to have something that doesn't come around too often.

Cuke Water

2010-08-29T19:56:00.000-04:00

I know this is going to sound bizarre if you have never had it before but if you slice a cucumber really thin and put the slices in a pitcher of water and let the cuke slices steep in the water. Then drink it! Ahhhh refreshing!

Pitcher credit: Deborah Schwartzkopf
Cup credit: Molly Hatch

Trip back to England and Norway

2010-08-21T12:20:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share more photos from my trip earlier in the year to England and Norway. I want to go back to Norway sooooo bad! I loved it there and I can only imagine what it's like there during this time of year!

New Photos

2010-08-14T22:27:00.000-04:00

So last week I hired my friend Monica Ripley to take new photos for me, my website and upcoming grad school applications and I have to say that they came out amazing! I'm so happy with all of them! I don't know about you guys but I have become very choosy about what I get photos taken of. I felt as though I had been making a lot of flat objects and grad school applications don't like that! Well that had to change and immediately! I think that's where my flower brick form came out of. I had one piece that we could not photograph because it was too tippy and I just didn't want to waste the time on trying to get it to stand up straight. Monica has a veryunique way of getting platters and plates to stand up on their edge, I don't want to give away her secrets but think "Canned Food" already I have said too much. If you want to see what I'm talking about then you'll have to hire Monica for yourself.

So see all of the new images please be sure to check out my website HERE. OH I almost forgot to tell you all, JUST YESTERDAY I got the email that an image of mine is going to be included in the Upfront Section of Ceramics Monthly! I am beyond thrilled about this! I really feel like I have been working my ass off and I am now starting to reap the benefits of all the late nights in the studio, the late nights sitting on the couch with the laptop on my lap TV humming in the background and me doing a ton of research into whatever has peaked my interest for the time being. I feel so privileged and lucky to be where I am in this junction of my life and what I'm doing. With Mudflat, Boston Handmade, studio time, Duck Tours, teaching, being a tech for the studio and all the other thing that will take too long for me to list I just feel like I have had so many great things just fall into place for me, that is not without a TON of leg work on my behalf and it's really paying off.

Lightning Show!

2010-07-19T23:20:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to share this photo I took tonight from my roof with my iPhone.

I loved watching the lightning show that was going on tonight.

I hope you like the photo too!

Flowers on the mind...

2010-07-11T23:50:00.000-04:00

SO I just got back from a marathon trip ((Literally! 24 Hours EXACTLY, from Ferry to Ferry!)) And while walking down Commercial street I was so taken by the lushness of the flowers in full bloom in all the gardens and window boxes... I just had to take some photos of them to share with all of you!
I hope you enjoy them and the video as well!

Also did you get what order the photos are in? haha that you Ptown!

More from my Boston photo walk...

2010-07-03T23:10:00.000-04:00

So I realized that most of the pictures I posted from the photo walk I went on a last week were basically the same photos... So I'm going to post more. I hope you enjoy both sets of photos!

UPDATE

2010-06-25T18:29:00.000-04:00

So I wanted to share VERY frustrating news on the studio front with the iron transfer decals... READY to be disappointed? Cause I totally was...

So these pieces look great at first glance... then you see the real story

This glaze that I got from Kari Radasch does not like to be refired to such a low temperature because the glaze when it is in the kiln does release gas and is the kiln is hot enough it will self heal. Well in my case the glaze released gas but didn't heal back up. I was totally disappointed because I had such high hopes for this process and I thought it was going to look great with my work, but I guess not. Wah-wah! I guess I'll have to reconsider the decal process. I may have to go back to old faithful and start using the vintage decals seen here:

I really enjoy taking these decals that I got off ebay, and putting them together with something that
the other image should not be put together with. That I think is my strong point where I can combine images that nothing to do with each other and create a story out of the scene wrapping around the cup or on the surface of the platter.

*Note to self do not fire grog-less clay to cone 018 because it tends to crack up the ying yang. The clay I use with grog can go to cone 018 because of the grog making the clay not as tight and it just can't handle the low firing temp.

Inspiration from Boston...

2010-06-24T00:02:00.000-04:00

So as some of you may or may not know, I am a proud member of Boston Handmade. Tonight I met up with a few of the ladies and had a walking photo workshop of the city, mainly Beacon Hill. As you all probably know as well I am recently OBSESSED with tiered pieces, and so I took this as an opportunity to do a little research into fountains, bird baths, finials on fences and bird feeders. Hope you enjoy the photos!

I've got DESSERT on the mind!

2010-06-16T22:39:00.000-04:00

OK so for the past two weeks in the studio I have been OBSESSED with finally making a tiered piece. I have been wanting to make one since I got to Mudflat. I have been waiting to make sometime like this because I couldn't engineer a way to make the center pillar because I didn't want to make a coil of clay into the pillar. To me that would be a little too artsy crafty if you know what I mean. But a few weeks ago I was working and talking about this with my friend Moriah and she had some of that kanthal wire that can be fired in clay and go through the firing process with out melting. So I made a pillar using the wire and its made using 8 rods and having it taper into the foot ring of the bottom of the top dish. I didn't attach the whole thing together because I was afraid that during one of the firings the weight wouldn't be displaced evenly so I made it in two pieces and after the glaze firing I'll epoxy the top dish into place. I can not wait to show you all the finished piece!
Now I want to share some vintage tiered pieces... enjoy!

I know, I know...

2010-06-10T01:23:00.000-04:00

I have totally neglected this baby since May 8, a little over a month ago. I just wanted to give you guys a little heads up on what is coming up for me.
First I did a photo shoot today for an upcoming surprise that I don't want to give anything away yet, but I will later... like December. I have said too much already!
Also the last posting I did, I talked about the iron transfer decals... well that was all but a flop. I have 11 pieces in the kiln, and one survived. AWESOME! NOT... So I have another kiln scheduled for Friday, and I have to decal everything tomorrow night after my last teaching class. That's me last minute Arthur, haha. So I am going to revisit this idea and I really want it to work for me.
Also I have just watched the premiere episode of the new reality tv show on Bravo, called Work Of Art: The search for the next great artist, and one of the women in her crit said that she "is not responsable for your reaction to my piece." I have to disagree with that piece, when creating you have to think of the context in which your work is being viewed, and YES you are responsable! I had to rant for a second, thanks for bearing with me.
Also I'll be taking, as in I'll be hiring my friend Monica to take new photos for my site in a few weeks! I'm very excited about the work that I have been making lately.
And lastly I wanted to share this awesome image I found on etsy... ENJOY!