25 March 2009

Winter doesn’t seem to want to give up its hold this year… looking at a yard full of snow can be depressing, so, I’m choosing to concentrate on my cozy indoor friends and figures—odd as they may be, some of them have become quite dear to me…

1 February 2009

Here I am—avoiding stormy winter conditions… so many ideas, so little time (and only so much clay).

25 January 2009

My focus has been on sculptural work of late, with more larger pieces as well. This brings with it some unique challenges when it comes to bisque and glaze firings, and it’s a relief to open the kiln to find works that have not exploded or cracked. (Note to self: larger pieces need ‘tortoise treatment’ when firing: slow and steady wins the race).

Sculpture: Prime Candidate; a figurative slab-built piece in stoneware, finished with various stains and low-fire glazes, assemblage with wire-rim glasses; 380mm x 320mm x 200mm. “Be careful what you fill your head with… a fixation on numbers could crack a person up (particularly in stressful economic times like these).”

31 December 2008

Well, another wonderful year has come and gone… I hope it was a good one for you too. As I look forward to a creative, project-filled new year, many ideas are roaming around my head (and bumping into each other). It’s time to bring these into the studio and see what they look like in person. “We” hope to see you soon… and in the meantime, best wishes to all…

20 December 2008

Though the weather is somewhat frightful, a wee trip could be delightful… so, if you’re still looking for unique last-minute gifts and stocking-stuffers for that special someone, there’s a good stock of vessels, uncultured enigmas, pyxides, match-bowls, necklaces, pendents, buttons and such just awaiting your visit—What? greeting cards have also proved popular this season, and a number of larger sculptural pieces are nearing completion.

I’ll be in or around the studio for the next four days (the wood-stove keeps things toasty warm)… so please feel free to drop by for a visit, take a look at my wares (and enjoy a hot mug of tea or a seasonal libation if you like :-). If you’re making the trip from the city, please feel free to call in advance: 782 3077.

22 November 2008

I’ve just returned from two wonderful weeks in springtime New Zealand. Highlights included many gallery viewings and art openings in Wellington, W(h)anganui, and Auckland; private studio visits with very creative and giving artists (inspirational—thanks!); walks along beaches (black sand!); treasure-hunting in numerous Op Shops; and meeting several old (and many new) friends. Admittedly, it’s a bit weird going from spring back to winter over the course of a single day… see more photos on Rob’s blog here, here, and here.

Images: “Pushing the art” on Wellington’s waterfront; the view from Te Papa; the amazing black sands of the Tasman Sea.

19 October 2008

A selection of What? Clay Art & Curios’ greeting cards are now available at The Painted Sheep Boutique (on scenic lakefront 1st Avenue South) in the Lake of the Woods resort town of Kenora, a great day-trip destination.

23 September 2008

I have recently had some fun with a small series of wood-fired pyxides (singular pyxis, from Greek and Roman antiquity—“a box for storage of personal items, usually cylindrical in shape and having a lid with a knob in the center…”), all 80mm to 90mm tall. My boyfriend jokingly refers to them as “budgie urns,” a name that seems to have stuck with Cheryl, owner of the Fishfly Gallery here in Winnipeg Beach (where my pyxides are now demurely on display). 

14 September 2008

Over the past month I’ve created numerous pieces (in collaboration with my boyfriend) that combine thrown stoneware vessels with beach findings (coral and/or pebbles). A selection of works from this series—which we’ve called “Zenish” (approaching “zen,” but perhaps more “wabi-sabi”)—is now available at the Fishfly Gallery in Winnipeg Beach. These pieces were an exercise in contemplation—combining natural findings with man-made form… the tactile end-results were surprisingly rewarding to mind and spirit… 

Above: Zenish; generous thrown stoneware basins (200mm to 250mm Ø ) fused with merged beach findings; some low-fired to Cone 04 with burnished steel glaze, others wood-fired to Cone 12+ (unglazed, but flame-kissed with warm blushes and ash). 

31 August 2008

It’s been another sunny, enjoyable (and busy) weekend here at What? Clay Art & Curios, with nearly 130 visitors dropping in over the course of two days, the second and final round of the 7th Wave Artist’s Studio Tour. People seemed to be in a buying mood… and talkative as well. It’s encouraging to get direct feedback from visitors, and gratifying to be able to share some of my creative approach and process. In addition to a new body of work I created over the summer (see the “Zennish” series here), we also introduced a line of multi-occasion greeting cards, (designed by my boyfriend Rob and his company, Circle).

Images: Some of the 25 unique What? greeting cards launched this weekend—the series includes nostalgic souvenir-style greetings, pithy sayings, and humorous quotables (suitable for many occasions and gift-giving). All cards are blank inside, easily framable (5″ x 7″ in size with imagery sized to fit standard 5″ x 7″ and 4″ x 6″ frames), and come with accompanying white envelopes. A sampling of these new What? cards are now also available at the Fishfly Gallery in Winnipeg Beach (you can see more card samples on Rob’s website here).