Rim Weaving

This rim is on a large bowl made with paper clay, finished with oxide, no glaze. 

 I used #20 copper wire for the spokes. With a little twisting they are attached to the pot and they are flexible, making the weaving, or mostly twining in this case, quite easy.

 Clothes pegs may be difficult to find but they are a great help when weaving. Extra hands of course would be even better!

 Decisions .... include some beads between the rows of weaving or twining? I tried a few to see how I liked it but decided to just keep on twining and add some beads at the top.

 Finished! I decided to pulled the wires quite tight on the single bead spokes and then relax the tension a little on the others to create a wave-like movement around the rim.

 Lots of tiny beads and washers!

The Making of Music

Tangled Textiles has its reveal day today for 'Music'. I'm glad to have these challenges as it gets me into my sewing room and it also pushes me to work through problems with a project instead of just setting it aside and moving on. Below is how I arrived at my version of 'Music'.....

Sketches and more sketches ... dancing notes .....

  ... I considered making the theme "Every good boy deserves fudge"... did you learn that phrase along with 'face' to learn your music lines? 

 .... perhaps a winter scene?....

 Finally I settled on a version of above but with a treble clef as the center of interest.....

 I remembered doing a quilt for the challenge "Rhythm" and wanted something similar for the background. I was thrilled to find I already had a hand dyed pieced that said 'rhythm' to me and it was in the colors I wanted.

 I did need to dye the matching strips ..... and found Dyna Flows to quick and easy ...

I considered several options for the black lines of the notes and treble clef but finally decided to hand stitch cording onto the quilt ...

 ....it was lacking something. I wanted the treble clef to be dancing and singing with the backup of notes, but this wasn't it....

  ....so I added the dance trail of the treble clef as it had entered the stage .... seemed to tie the piece together and ground the treble clef......

  ....but those notes were too stiff so I ripped parts out and tried to make them a little more graceful.....and I added another cord next to the original cord of each of the white notes. I'm hoping the music show is ready to go!

Overall I'm happy with my final piece although those notes still aren't as graceful as I would like .... but there's always the next challenge ..... and this one was fun!

The Monarch

When I learned about the decline of monarch butterflies and their becoming endangered we bought a few more milkweed plants for the yard. Some time after seeing lots of caterpillars on the milkweed I finally spotted a butterfly who had just emerged.....

Here's an interesting read about the monarchs ..... http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/science-matters/2013/10/help-solve-an-orange-and-black-mystery/

New Work ...Finally!

 Back in October, shortly after returning from summer vacation, I got busy in my studio throwing and building with clay. I needed to fill up my kiln quickly so I get some promised work out. Above are some greenware pieces drying, waiting to go into the bisque firing.

 Above and below are some bisqued pieces awaiting their oxide treatment and/or glazing before going into the glaze load.

 I was anxious to get into the sewing room as well so I pierced holes in lots of pots so I'd have to add some stitching!

 Below is my latest pine needle piece. I'm pleased with how it turned out - just as I'd hoped! (often not the case especially with a first)

 Below is another stitched-on piece. I used Genya cord, a non-leather cord.

 And this one didn't get to the sewing room. I'd planned to add weaving above the top of the vase but my husband liked it just as it is so I asked the advice of my art buddies from Odd Tuesday and they agreed, it was finished just the way it is. Oh it was a lot of cleaning and wiping to make sure no glaze filled in those holes but I'm glad I went for it. I'd like to explore this form more with its multiple holes.

Some of the pieces from my last kiln load have made their way to my Etsy shop. Others are sitting about waiting for their fate...... 

Should I not post before Thanksgiving I want to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving if you are celebrating the American Thanksgiving Holiday next Thursday. If you are not, I wish a wonderful spring or fall, where ever you may be!

Fall Classes Begin Next Week!

If you have been wanting to get into some clay and you live in South Florida, classes begin next week in Boca Raton. I am teaching the Tuesday and Thursday classes and Marilyn teaches the Monday and Wednesday classes. Although the Mon/Wed classes are titled wheel classes and the Tues/Thurs classes are titled hand-building, we both teach wheel and hand-building so you can simply choose the day of the week that works for you.

Classes are in the mornings, 9:30 to 12:30 but you are welcome to stay for the rest of the afternoon and early evening if you wish. The studio is also available for you to use whenever the building is open as long as it is not during another class time.

We welcome all levels of experience from the total beginner to the very experienced. We have beginners to accomplished artists on our rosters. Because this is not for credit what you work on is up to you. If you want an assignment we'll offer you one, if you have your own projects in mind we'll help you accomplish them.

Come by for a visit and see the studio space and learn more about what we offer. Email me if you'd like more information before you drop by. ceramics classe, pottery classes, 

New Surface Design Group in South Florida!

An initial start-up meeting will be on Saturday, September 28th,     1 pm at Stitchcraft, 399 S. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. I'm hoping to get there for this meeting! If you live in the area I hope you'll attend.

Above are photos I played with in Photoshop some years back when I still had a working Photoshop program. At the very top is one of my fiber studies with petals and yarns,  stitched to a thin sheet of copper. Below is public art at the Palm Beach airport in Florida. From a distance I thought it was clay but when I blew up my photos I realized I was wrong. It is a beautiful installation.