Lots of Projects from Ceramics II—My Novel Freshman Experience

Lots going on in the studio this term.  Let's see...leaf plaques, a book bookend, made my own clay mix...

I made 39 quilt tiles...it took forever to glaze them all! 

And a chicken mug which was not a success.  I used a chicken rolling pin, but the birds got lost in the glaze.

Birds and tree mugs...I can't wait to see the mugs glazed!

 The first of the quilt tiles came out of the kiln...the rest are going in the gas kiln.

And my first glazed Santa.














 More birds and a Santa...and the start of the mug.

The top Fuhrmann plaque was made by my FIL.  I based some of my Santas on his as well.  I came close to recreating it in clay.







More birds.  I'm getting better.  And this Santa isn't based on my FIL's...he's my own design.  A lumberjack Santa.  I'm pretty pleased with his maul.  (I have my own, btw!)

The start of another bird and a very rough bunny.

A tree Stump Mug.

Tree branch spoons. I wrote a story inspired by them!  Spoons: A Love Story

 These were some of my first tries at faces...
They turned out odd, so I made them goddesses

 Here are the clay quilt tiles...and more spoons.

 Faces and hands were my goal this term.  Someone said these looked like Dementor hands.  Uh, yes they do.












The middle one is my FIL's Santa...the other two are my attempts to replicate it.

Another face.  Still odd.  So I made her a sun goddess.  Yes, in my mind gods and goddesses have inhuman faces.

 More spoons.

 More birds and Santa.  This one's my own design.

 A bit tree plaque.  And I loaded my first kiln!

Here's my first batch of greenware.



Acorn palooza...different scoops.

Lots more in the work.  My theme for this term was Folk Art.  I figure even my not quite human faces fit into folk art.  LOL

Thanks everyone who's been following my journey back to school!

Holly

These are my "Butt" Santas, based on ones my FIL made.  The kids all want one!

My Second Term—My Novel Freshman Experience

School started again last week.  I'm so excited to be back.  Ceramics II is a lot of independent work so I've spent the week thinking about what I hope to accomplish with the class.  What sort of work I want to produce.

It's not that much different from the questions I asked when I started writing.  I grew up reading science fiction and fantasy.  I jokingly say that Tolkien, Lewis, Heinlein and so many raised me.  Only it's really not much of a joke.  They did.  I grew up in Middle Earth, Narnia and on the spaceship Dora.  That's what I thought I'd write.  And yet, I was drawn to romance because it was about relationships.  I loved taking a man and a women, throwing a multitude of hurdles in their way, and watching love wins. 

So, now I'm starting my second term of college and asking myself, what do I want to accomplish in this class.  We were asked to propose seven projects for the term, but more than that I wanted to find a theme for the term.  I've mulled for a week and finally landed on Folk Art.  According to the Museum of International Folk Art, it's "the art of the everyday."  So I wrote my seven proposed projects with Folk Art in mind.  From Santas, to birds, to quilts, to...  Oh, this is going to be so much fun!

I'm hope this term sees my ceramic skills grow!

Holly

Here's My Novel Freshman Experience posts from the first term!

Part 20
Part 19, 
Part 18,  
Part 17, 
Part 16,  
Part 15, 
Part 14, 
Part 13, 
Part 12, 
Part 11, 
Part 10, 
Part 9, 
Part 8, 
Part 7 
Part 6, 
Part 5, 
Part 4, 
Part 3, 
Part 2, 
Part 1