September 3rd

Off to the bisque for these platters, bowls and cups

The white slab with the thin gray material is a plaster slab with a thinly pulled sheet of colored clay. Though it appears grey, it will be lavender when fired. This sheet of color clay can be cut and applied to the surface of the work. Its been a long journey filled with technical failure, but I've figured it out and the process if finally working for me. 

 Paper stencil-ing: Cut the positive or negative of a shape out of printer paper, stick it to the surface of the clay with water, apply slip, peel away to reveal a crisp shape. 

Last Year of Grad School Has Begun

Hi Everyone! I haven't wrote in over a year. I just started my 2nd and last year as a grad student at Alfred University in NY. Going back to school has been such an incredible experience for me and I am at a place where I want to start sharing what I am working on.

Throughout the year, I hoping to share studio shots of works in progress or working environment - unveiling some of the hidden aspects of what I do.

Typically, artists show and send images of their completed works. I find that the studio environment and entire process of making - everything from mixing my own clays (brown, white, blue, gray, groggy, smooth, hi-temp, mid-range, low-fire), testing glazes, mixing up slips, using wax resist, paper stencils, latex, plaster molds, hand building, wheel throwing, firing all types of kilns (reductions, oxidation, salt, soda), etc. etc. - all of this research, experimentation, possibilities...is what keeps me in the studio.

The end result of all of this questioning is a ceramic object, which, in and of itself, gives purpose to this studio endeavor. The end result propels me back into the studio to begin the cycle again.

Paper Collage and Cup from the Spring

New Images on Website

Hi All, I just updated my website with the work from "Red, Yellow, Blue", my exit show at St. Pete Clay. Click here to check them out!

Scalloping a Dessert Bowl

Pouring On Slip

Today's video is short, sweet and nothing fancy - pouring white slip on a brown pot. White slip is liquified white clay. I do this because colored glaze is most vibrant on a white background. Enjoy!

Dinner Plates

Scalloped Lunch Plates

Plate Detail

The Herringbone Pattern

Decorating A Plate

It has come to my attention that the videos I've been posting aren't viewable from an iPhone. I saved this video in a different format, so I hope this resolves the issue! If it does, I'll reload the previous videos in this format as well. 

Here is a quick video on how I create raised surface texture on my work. I use a technique called "slip trailing". Enjoy!

Red, Yellow, Blue

My resident exit show, Red, Yellow, Blue, opens tomorrow evening at the Morean Arts Center for Clay. I wanted to share a few pictures from the show. I'll post some remaining work on Etsy after my move in August. 

Trimming a Plate

Here's today video - Trimming a Plate. 

After I throw plates, I let them sit out for day, flip them over, cover and let the clay moisture equalize during the next day.  Its easy to get wonky plates - they must dry slowly and evenly. At minimum, I wait two days until trimming. The consistency of the clay is of hard cheese. 

I don't use my splash pan to catch the trimmings because it fills up so quickly. So I let myself become buried in chocolate shavings and sweep them up at the end. Enjoy!!

Throwing A Bowl

Throwing a Bowl

 Tomorrow's video…Trimming plates.

Throwing a Plate

Recently, a lovely couple contacted me through my etsy about creating their tableware. Ellen and Vinnie will be getting married in late fall and I will be working on finishing this exciting project for them within the next month. I thought it would be an *extra* special project for all parties involved, if I documented the process of creating all of the work. 

Usually, it is very difficult for me to force myself to take pictures while I am working because I like to stay focused. However, I think this is the perfect opportunity to be more intentional with documenting and sharing what I do. 

After kids camp today, I threw the first 12 dinner plates. Please Enjoy the video :)

*New Look*

Hi! 

My work has changed directions. It's very refreshing. About a month ago, I spent a day doing my favorite activity ever: testing glazes. No really, I love it. 

Anyhow,  I got some pretty spectacular results from this test. I couldn't believe it. Really though, I have never been so thrilled by a batch of tests before. I just had to use them. I had to showcase them. 

I brought those tiles home with me every evening and back to the studio in the a.m. for 2 weeks straight. #nerd 

I made 1000g batches of 16 glazes.  (paired down from 24) Yep thats right, I am now working with 16 beautiful lush, soft, matte, inviting colors. Every color of the rainbow. Here is a sneak peek at the new look.

 I am using terra cotta, dipped in off white slip and fired to cone 4/5. Smooth, matte, exteriors paired with glossy white interior. This shift has freed myself from some of the frustrations I was having with my abstract, colorful surface I have been developing over the last year or so. More to follow at the end of the week. 

This pic below shows the nice glossy interiors. 

Terra Cotta

I had a great week in the studio this week. Recently, I've been working in "Speckled Brownstone" which is a mid range light brown clay. I fired an entire kiln of work made in this clay a few weeks ago, but it didn't work great with my surface on many of the pieces. It has manganese in it, which gives it a highly speckled surface and looks just like iron spots. 

So this week, I switched over to a low-fire terra-cotta that can be fired up to cone 5 (maybe 6) and turns a deep, creamy brown color at that temperature. 

Working in a new clay body & color has given me new ideas and an entirely fresh look at what I making. Although, as I am making these new ideas, I've been finding myself thinking "that looks so much like ________'s work". So that is a struggle, but I am working through it. 

I think these cups and saucers are going to have lots of beautiful, runny, colorful glazes layered on top. 

Jars, Pitchers, Platters

The last two weeks I committed to making things other than mugs and I  am going to carry that momentum through April as well. This week I worked on jars, pitchers, and oval platters. My surface lately reveals floral elements which I am enjoying, however my next batch of work I am going try to combine my past abstract, lyrical surface and this more stylized floral imagery.  

The group of SPC artists in residence are off to Milwaukee tomorrow for NCECA. I'll be sure to share when I get back!

Some New Surface Work

These tests are on porcelain and came out of slightly reduced cone 10 firing

Stay Tuned: A Grown Up Lemonade Stand!

Work for Sale

Hi All!

So, I just shipped off a bunch of work to Northern Clay Center and should be online for purchase in the beginning of January. 

Also just added a few things to my etsy store. Check it out.

Some new juice cups/party cups in the works. I am thinking stacks and stacks and stacks for my exit show in July. 

Holiday this Weekend

A short post for today because I have a lot a lot a lot of glazing to do today/this week. Pictures to follow next week.

St. Pete Clay is having their 

18th Annual Holiday Sale 

THIS weekend

Saturday, 10am-5pm & Sunday Noon-5pm

See you there! :)

Love these beautiful colors

A sneak peek at new juice cups/highball tumblers. I've introduced pastel colors into the mix here. 

Bowl forms are looking better and could get some nice surprises with these jars.

Mug-a-thon

With the Holiday season approaching, I have been working on getting together a few shipments of mugs out to various places. Here is the latest batch. By Wednesday this week I'll post new pitchers and plates on my website. Looking forward to slowing down after the holidays and experimenting on some new forms and large platters, but for now I got to keep cranking out work. 

I started flipping the cups upside down when applying slip. I think it increases the energy of each piece. 

Over a month ago I switched to a mid range white stoneware and am still working on getting the right color combinations.I think these are getting there. 

Trying out some squat forms. Needs some tweaking. 

Lining rims with color

New Colors

Working on some new slip color palettes. In undergrad, I did a series of prints with essentially the same colors as the last color group and was told it was a "weird color combination". Here I am, three years later, coming back to the same weird combination. I like it. 

Starting to line the rims with color