I got quite a few pots made on Monday and Tuesday but I had to put a hold on it all after I realized Tuesday afternoon that I only had about 2 quarts of slip left in the bucket. I don't have enough raw materials to mix up a new batch so it's off to the clay store tomorrow. That means boards of pots under plastic until Friday probably.
I worked on these small jars today adding the long necked birds, rabbit and dog.
I am going to try a bit of a new approach to these by slipping them and then scratching the features into the animals afterwords.
I've been thinking a lot about the kinds of pots I want to make. I don't really feel the need to be a cereal bowl and baker maker any more. While function has always been important to me I don't really want to spend time on making all the kitchenware that I once did.
I see more decorated plates, serving bowls, jars, and special pieces like the animal jars and even purely figurative pieces coming. I'm also really caught up in those slab boxes and other box shapes. I feel okay with this possible change. Really, I've been going that way for several years. And if you know me then this may or may not play out. I do like to mix it up and what I say today may change in a week or a month.
I constantly feel challenged to get the imagery on the pots in a creative and fulfilling way. I feel this is where I am growing in my work. Well, it's all growing together I guess, forms and imagery. Each time I sit down to make something I'm already thinking 3 or 4 steps ahead. I'm happy to still be engaged in my work this way.
Well, those are my thoughts this evening. I'm looking forward to my upcoming shows this spring and having some new and fun work out for everyone to see.