Guido and sgraffito!

Guido poses and keeps me company while I dive into this coil-built bowl.
I like to use a Tombow watercolor pen... with a brush tip...to draw
guidelines on the underglazed surface.  And if I mess up?
Just grab a different color!  

Carving the design is great fun!
Although I have guidelines, I don't always follow them.
Spontaneously adding details is part of the joy,
as is watching the design appear bit by bit
The technique is also soothing and makes the time fly by.  Which is one of
the reasons I get to bed sooooo late.

After hours of carving it takes some time to
stretch out my ring finger (right hand.)  That's the one that had
trigger finger surgery in December.  I'm grateful that it doesn't hurt when I'm carving!

Can you find the 2 cats, 1 bug and 1 bird?

A side view as the bowl dries.
Here it sits on 2 boards so the bottom can dry more easily.
I also rotate it often, and turn it upside down on some foam.
These photos were all taken before the bisque (first) firing.  I'm thrilled to
report that it came through that firing just fine, and tomorrow I will glaze.

It's the little joys...

My new key holder and favorite Mike Quon illustration.

Bwahaha!

Here's my happy solution to having a loose key in the studio.  

No longer must I fumble around in a little bowl for

the key to the studio/patio door whenever 

Earl da dog wants in or out.

Bonus... the bird is also a whistle! 

This would be perfect for signaling Earl da dog 

to come in... if he weren't so deaf.

and now... back to work.

Color... lots of color!

I had a little hand surgery at the end of December.  

It was just a trigger finger release, 

but it kept me out of the studio for a while.

  

And what better way to get back into the swing of things than  

underglazing happy, colorful bowls?  

And not just any bowls, thank you very much...

but Bill Capshaw's lighter-than-air creations.

It was an honor and delight to play with these.  Play being the 

operative word.  No pressure.  Just fun.  LOTS of color.

This collaboration was for the Oak Ridge Art Center's
popular fundraiser, Souper Bowl.  

Custom designed mug

Here's a mug I made this past fall for a friend's husband's birthday.
It features their cats Oscar and Chloe.

Here's Oscar... complete with his dog bone name tag... chasing small animals,
one of his favorite activities.

Birthday mug in action.

The first time I made a mug like this the cat inside had longer arms.
This put his head well below the 'coffee line' which disturbed me to no end.
I couldn't bear to have his head submerged!
Now all cats have shorter arms... like Oscar above.

Chloe with her favorite toy... a catnip stuffed banana.

Kitchen Elf

Guido.  Kitchen elf extraordinaire.

It's 1:45 am Christmas eve, and I've just finished cleaning the kitchen.  We have our big turkey dinner the day before Christmas... a tradition I started about 23 years ago in order to share a relaxing day with the family opening presents and eating leftovers on Christmas day.  


Tonight I made the stuffing and a creamy crab soup. I used my favorite Karen Davis wooden spoons and a variety of lovely handmade ceramic bowls (ok, except for that blue plastic one in the photo.  It's the biggest bowl I have.)  These handmade items I use everyday... they're like friends.  I love that they don't match and that each one reminds me of where I bought it.  Maybe I was able to meet the potter.  Maybe the artist is a friend... someone I admire.  Maybe it's one of mine. They all make working in the kitchen pure joy!  


And then there's Guido.  Tonight he came in as I finished washing dishes, and he popped into the sink (he only likes a clean sink, thank you very much.)  There he kept me company... the picture of serenity.  Life is good.

Wishing you joy and peace

Having my daughter, Kelsey, at home makes it an especially
bright and colorful Christmas this year.  When Tyler, my son and his wife, JP,
arrive it will be even brighter!  (Thanks Kelsey, for the great photos!)

We decided the front door needed some light and holiday cheer.
I love it... especially that 'close encounters' look about it!

Fortunately the cats have no interest in the tree
other than playing hide n seek in the fabric underneath it.

It's a gorgeous day, and I'm surrounded by bright sunshine streaming in the windows, 3 sleeping cats, all the colors that I love... and Earl da dog snoring behind the couch.  I'm supposed to be wrapping gifts and doing some emergency on-line shopping... but it's soothing and sleepy sitting in the sun.  It's the first year I can remember where I'm not done shopping yet, but I'm not freaked out about it.  I'm sure it will get done.  very nice!   

Hoping you have a lovely holiday filled with love, joy and peace...

and less freaking out.

T'was the night before Foothills...

This small, lil' bitty kitty box waits at Foothills.


Well, it's been a wild week!  
One sale down and another starts tomorrow.  
I haven't even had a chance to download any pix!

The Terra Madre Holiday Sale was a great success
not to mention terrific fun, and I hope to get some photos up soon.
Thank you to all my friends and students for coming by!!

Tomorrow is the first day of the Foothills Craft Guild's Show.
Fabulous daughter, Kelsey, helped me to set up the booth.  Special thanks
to my dear friend, Judie Beck, for trusting me with her suburban for 
the weekend.  heh heh heh.
And now I'm off... time to rubber stamp more shopping bags...

If you're local... the show is at the Jacob's Building at Chilhowee Park next to the zoo.
Tomorrow and Saturday 10 am to 6 pm * Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.
Come by booth 11 and give me a hug.