On the way to acrylic painting class last night, I took a detour to go by the ceramics lab.  At the same time as my painting class they have a raku workshop that I'd LOVE to be in - the instructor (who had taught ceramics in the LAUSD system for almost 30 years) was about to start firing and doing the final reductions on some wares!  I came back with a friend later and we witnessed the process - absolutely magical!  the wares (ceramics) are heated to around 1800 degrees for a few minutes... then the kiln is opened, and they remove the red hot wares and put them in metal trash cans full of paper, leaves... anything flammable... a big flame erupts and it burns for a while.  they put the lid on the can and let it smolder for a while... then, pull the piece from the ashes, clean it up and voila - a gorgeous unpredictable piece of pottery! 

While I looked around I checked out the shelves to see if I had anything done... and I did!  one of the extruded bowls I had made was out and I LOVE it! - ceramics is a process in experimentation for me - not knowing a lot about the glazes sometimes produces happy accidents - and this one I am very pleased with!

I had a lot of fun last night at ceramica working on my sheep and baby lamb - they're supposed to look "primitive" - giving a nod to the style of pre-columbian pottery... they are not finished yet (as I hope you can tell!) but wanted to share and show them off... stay tuned :)

...and just because it's Friday, here's a little fun scene from Sesame Street... I remember this one from my childhood!  yip yip yip! :)

So I must admit that I am loving ceramics class.  Yesterday I was able to set this cup on the shelf for its first firing.  Once it's bisque fired I'll be able to glaze it and then it'll be "high fired" and ready for enjoyment!

I talked with our instructor for a while about glazes also.  I expressed interest in glazes that crackle or look "dry" - and she showed me some pieces she has done with some amazing glazes!  I asked if we had those glazes and she replied quite quickly - "no, but you can make them!" - I attended her lecture a few minutes later about how to make glazes... the ingredients and their toxicity, percentages not to exceed for certain elements, good and bad combinations, and a demonstration of the process.  It all appears pretty simple, really - just messy - as she put it, "like making a toxic cake"... we are ordering one element we need to make a glaze I fell in love with, and when it arrives, chances are I'll be dunking everything I can find in it!

I also continued to prep my giant head sculpture - it's in the kiln room ready to be fired as well - I had painted white then light blue and pea soup green on the clay - after it dried I scrubbed it all off (almost) -

it's a "buddah" head that somehow changed to a very calm looking Jewish guy... I have been into the whole Judiasm imagery in my artwork lately... ceramics is helping me to slow down and be patient - the process takes a while... (this giant head will probably be done in late November or December!)

Happy Halloween everyone... stay safe and be good! :)

I'm working on another yarn bowl - and I like this one - I used little letter stamps on it - on the sides (outside) it says knit knit knit knit ... and inside it says tink tink tink tink (knitting backwards) - simple and cute!  It's being fired this week :) - I have made a few other pieces as well - they're all being fired this week -- I like how these handbuilt bowls are not "perfect" - I do look forward to getting to play on the wheel at some point though - I bet I can make some neat bowls on there as well!  And for those of you who have asked - YES I do intend to sell yarn bowls - if you have requests, please let me know and I'll try to accomodate...  

We worked on slab cylinders on Saturday - I made a few of them and I like the way they turned out as well - once they're all glazed, etc. I'll probably post them again :)

Painting class is moving forward - with 2 paintings in progress now.  (nothing to see yet) - I hope to work more on that this weekend -- which leaves [you guessed it!] very little time for knitting! 

Have a great weekend!!