Friday, July 12, 2013

a little playtime

i was lucky enough to spend all of last week at the Metchosin International Summer School for the Arts, I took a one day class with Samantha Dickie, on making paper-plaster molds, and a 5 day class with Deborah Schwartzkopf experimenting with combining handbuilt pieces and thrown pieces.

The mold class was great because what i really needed was some time just making holds! this is really going to let me help students at Camosun better when they want to make molds... and i the paper adde to the outside layer plaster is a positive step forward for mold making - lighter & stronger!

Deb's class was challenging in a fun way. While i handbuild & throw in my studio, i rarely combine them; those kids of combinations don't come naturally - obvious from my level of frustration some days! i took the class really, to just find some ways to subtly alter a few of my forms and/or find ways to make some things i've been meaning to make but haven't quite envisioned yet. so i came away form the class with a few pots that i made, a long list of things to make & try, and less fear of cutting things up! today, after throwing mugs for a few hours, i even managed to make a little new something...we'll see how is comes out in the end.

of course another great thing about these classes is hanging out with other folks interested in the same things and all the chatter that goes on while everyone is working. met some great folks!

i did have my camera with me all week....but kept forgetting to take photos! i was on a pretty tight schedule & did feel more like working than photoing...i had to leave right on time each day in order to pick up N from the various friends and grandparents she was hanging out with everyday.

so these are few photos i took of a couple things that were made. perhaps they will reappear in later posts as finished, fired pieces ( i did make them with a clay that i could high-fire in the gas kiln).



i just unloaded the kiln to see i lost the bottom on the vase...wah.