This is a strange way to begin the year but I thought Bruce with his machine a good way to herald 2007 - give some idea of the colours which provide constant inspiration to my pottery. It is easy to see the iron reds which dominate Weipa's landscape. The contrasting green will only survive the monsoon rains and all too soon the landscape will be the variations of red. The heat is still very oppressive - rain being a mixed blessing as its so steamy after the cooling downpours.
March already. The year is 'marching' on - I want to slow it down so I can get more in my days but perhaps my time management needs working on. I am supposed to be working for our local Mother's Day Exhibition but am always drawn to the non-functional and then get myself bogged down and dont do anything. Still have managed a firing for Thanakupi - that is always inspirational and just hearing her relate her stories adds wonderful dimensions to her pots. I am privileged having this association and love having her in my street so I can just run up and say hello. We both try to keep each other working - I think its the guilt thing -if I am being lazy I just have to visit and refocus again. She is 70 this Friday and still loves her pottery so I figure I have plenty of years left as well!
Sunset on my favourite walking beach - this view is never tiring and forever changing so I spend hours entranced often snapping away until the light fades and then I am rewarded with photos like this!
As for the pottery from my last firing. A little more experimentation with my favourite green and black combination - I think its worth the effort and
of course I have to include my bauxite and shino pieces. This platter sits at Jeffery's so he has some of Mum on his shelf! I don't think I will ever get sick of playing with the shino and just love the process of dipping my hands in the thick creamy glaze and building up the layers over the bauxite and kaolin. My landscape forever captured by the flames.
The bottle form - still a favourite in all its shapes - this time handbuilt slab form instead of my usual thrown and altered pieces.
And finally the first birthday of the year - mine. Christopher provided the wonderful wrapping paper again..... not quite the Xmas shocker! Nicholas then helped his Nona to unwrap - paper the best toy ever! The birthday weekend was great - think I am just the luckiest mum in the world with all the family living close by so I made the most of it all - two days of birthday celebration. Somewhere in all of this the pottey does get to feature - here's proof!
Tania with Max, Gus - the neighbours and Midnight (yes the perfect name as he hides in the right of the frame) all waiting for a scrap - they do appreciate my work, ignoring my mess, and stop often to give a loving lick as I am throwing and then proceed to eat the local clay from the buckets!
