Branching Out

It's that time of year again, sort of. The medieval faire has been moved to June this year so we aren't stuck dealing with snow and really cold temperatures.

However, I wasn't sure I even wanted to do it this year. I didn't work much on my ocarinas after Thanksgiving. Instead I delved into some Stoneware for the first time, making a bowl, mug, bird ocarina and bird water whistle for a friend of mine who lives in Australia.

So when January struck, I knew I only had 5 months before the faire, but my heart just wasn't into the clay. I had made a slight mistake with the stoneware pieces (let some colored porcelain dust settle into the pots right before the glaze firing), and my first-ever porcelain tests proved that the porcelain I bought and was so exited to use was only translucent at 1/16 in. thick, and with NO color in it.

On top of this, I think I had a case of SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and was in a major slump in general until about March when the sun came out a few times and I finally broke out my tools again.

I decided to try for round sound holes this time, and I switched glazes (from Spectrum, which shivered horribly, to Amaco which still works beautifully!) I also bought a high-fire blue-brown glaze that looks awesome.

In addition, I was commissioned by my midwife to make some vase-like containers for an event they were holding. So I made these:

I will definitely try making some more sculptural pieces relating to birth and pregnancy in my store, as many people made kind comments about them.

As I contemplated the direction I want my work to go, I realized two things.

ONE - that I want to experiment more. Ocarinas take so much time and I know in the end that they aren't perfect and won't sell on-line. For a medieval faire they are okay, but I don't want to spend all my time making them.

TWO - I want to work on two major themes in the near future. One being porcelain and translucency, the other being nature and parenting. I have an idea I'm developing that I hope pans out, as I would have a blast working on it.

And finally, after my disappointment with the current porcelain I have, I discovered Laguna's Frost porcelain. Apparently it's the same formula as Southern Ice for the most part, but pugged in California, so it's cheaper than the stuff imported from Australia. It is EXTREMELY translucent and white, and most of the pieces I see and like are made with Southern Ice. So I'm really hoping this porcelain will be all that I'm wanting in a translucent body - because I have also had an idea for a piece for YEARS but haven't found a way of making it.

So I am VERY excited!

Lastly, I made seven of my "faux leather" mugs, but decided to try using stoneware clay with a low-fire glaze. I heard the "pings" as soon as I started unloading them, and they haven't stopped since. So they are ruined. I now have nine more drying to re-fire with the high-fire glaze, and I'm really hoping they'll sell well at the faire, and hopefully even on Etsy.

So here's to trying new things, and to learning!