MORE CERAMICS

I am on a roll here, working with ceramics. Jamming to get a kiln load ready to bisque before Jackie's kiln & studio gets put into storage for awhile. (It's a long story) These pieces are drying & will be ready to fire soon. They are all slab constructions--you can see a few of the molds stacked up on the table behind. These are hump molds that I made myself using bowls and platters that I liked the shapes of. I am getting back into the swing of things--remembering things I learned a long time ago--as well as learning new stuff. (Like making molds) It's FUN & I am jazzed to be doing it again. And I love this dark clay--I have been going back & forth between Navajo Wheel clay and Hawaiian Red clay. They are very similar in look, but have a different feel to them. I can't decide.
After they come off of the molds, they need to be trimmed & shaped a bit--then when they are more dry, I go over each piece thoroughly--scraping a bit and smoothing with a wet sponge. It's a labor of love. And I find tremendous satisfaction in seeing each piece develop--plus there is a sensuous aspect to working with clay that is irresistable.
The smaller pieces here are all shaped by hand--no molds.
I was planning to show some of the other pieces I did last year that I had at the Thanksgiving Open Studios--will save that for my next post.