Trip away again! and Stokers Siding Pottery

I had a quick trip away again - one little boy has not been well but he still made a comical joint act with dad, sneaking up like any good little rabbit!
Kids provide endless joy so my week with them was wonderful.

Had a trip to Stokers Siding Pottery - so worth a visit - and had a chat to Bob Connery. He was renovating a kitchen so I really appreciated his time spent showing me his 'shed' - what a wonderful work area, little creek running by his workplace, its past life as a bakery long gone. Seems fitting there is still a version of cooking going on in that great space. I came away inspired so hopefully the rhythm of work will take hold. The kiln is loaded ready for tomorrow so that's a good start!

Radio Voice!

I am continually surprised with the cyber world - would you believe 'Etsy' led to a radio interview on my work. I still find it so hard to listen to myself but family all over think its wonderful, especially my mum and dad who are still trying to think of who to tell. Little grandson No. 1 thought it was so good to see himself eating an apple at the pool - that was the most important part of the whole post - now, he has his priorities in the right place. No wonder I love these little people in my life. I spent last night sieving through pottery photos and decided I really must get some sorting in order to make life a little easier on myself.

I love teapots and wonder why I don't make them more often - they take time I know but the results are beautiful and the best thing is they seem to find homes so that should push me to do them on a regular basis. Now that I am back into the clay with a vengence I think the teapot has to feature amongst the cups and bowls. Trouble is I like doing both functional and non-functional pieces so I am not at all disciplined in my work practice and will change on a whim. I can make a cup of coffee and walk back out to my little space and start on something new.

Easter is on my mind at the moment - rabbits on bowls.......they do look comical so hope mums and dads decide they will suit some little people as well - maybe if I entice them with an easter egg it might do the trick. I did think I should stay true to the Australian animal theme with a bilby but I decided the furry rabbit would sit on the first lot of bowls so maybe the little bilby can grace the next output. Then I have to think about the dinner sets I should be making - those dinner plates are such a pain and my little area is not conducive to big plates drying everywhere, but it has to be done - not anytime soon say they say - well that is not good for someone like me because I just put it in a place called 'later'.

Now these are my regular visitors - Midnight's friends and neighbours, the brown pair, Max and Gus and No. 2 son's new baby, Drama (Johnny Drama - who's an Entourage fan?). They all insist on eating clay on a regular basis and fight for places around my feet as I work - its a wonder I produce anything! There is the odd strange mark inflicted on drying work and I do a bit of quiet noises when the party gets rough. They do make great lawn ornaments when quietly eating bones don't you think?

March Madness

Finally some pots from the kiln. The load has been sitting for a few weeks - had some fixing to do before I could fire - fixing of kiln and firer! (Don't think she is fixed just yet, but that's another story). Felt good to see a few pots worth re-examining. Now I have some handles to weave on the porcelain dilly forms. Loved the unglazed bauxite finish and plan to play a little more with this later in the month.

Cups, beakers and goblets are slowly filling my little area - have decided the next load will consist of just these forms - bet I sneak in a few porcelain pieces......can't help myself and I have to try out
my new batch of porcelain - well that's my excuse.

Happy Wanderers

Back home after traversing from one end of the country to the other. Flying is wonderful - city in the morning and my remote abode in the afternoon! I think I will spend today digesting all I have seen and heard and trawling the websites of the speakers at the conference - their work and associations are amazing.
Barmah Lakes amongst the Red Gums .

My morning walk was a bit on the late side -the loss of so many paperbarks is more evident now with all the greenery gone, the high tides dragging their stumps into formation along the foreshore. Hopefully March rains don't add to the loss of this stately little stand.

I have been walking in a bit of a daze of late - the mind staring out to sea rather than reconnecting with the world in miniature at my feet. Images have been passing by so it felt good to glance at my feet and watch the incredible parade of nature's patternings. I need to get back to all that influences my creativity then the work will bob around in my head like the mangrove seed on high tide trying to make shore.

Myer Indigenous Award

I am off tripping again - this time to Shepparton with Thanakupi for the Myer Indigenous Awards. Thanakupi is patron of the award this year and I know both of us will have a great time down there and I will be able to meet those I link with by phone and email. Our bus trip from Melbourne will take on a sobering role as I am sure we will see evidence of the horrific fires experienced last weekend. Weipa locals had a lively auction yesterday at the shopping centre and raised a tidy sum with lots of us donating time and goods to help the cause.

I spent a few hours sitting at the shopping centre selling my wares after the auction and was happy with the response so now have to set my hands aworking. Cups and beakers? Sorry none available...... seems I will have to sit and fill that kiln up with the oft requested items.
Now this is my No. 1 grandson at his favourite spot peering for fish. Don't you just love the effort and complete non-caring way kids do their stuff - sometimes I wish we could throw caution to the wind and be just as carefree. Shame we grow up!!!
Back to pots - love this textural effect with the bauxite, shino and cobalt on the Weipa clay mix. Need pots like this to keep pulling me back to the wheel.

Not a lot of pots

Life takes twists and turns and we never quite know what is in store. Pots have been few - I like to think this will change as the mud in my veins nourishes the soul and I have missed it.
This was my morning beach scene - for those who have followed my ramblings there is a noticeable change to the paperbarks. We have had higher than normal tides and strong winds as a cyclone was lurking in the lower gulf. The waves are a powerful force on these beautiful trees with their entangled root systems so many suffered in the onslaught........

and this was the tide and wind in action on the first day and the paperbarks had to weather another full day of the forces of nature with a second huge tide.

For all those potters out there - the band of kaolin has been exposed during the monsoonal weather. Large chunks lie amongst the rocks so I think some of these pieces will find their way back with me. A shino with this kaolin is salt and iron laden so gives interesting hues.
Dusk often draws Midnight and I back down to catch the last glimmers of light across the ocean.
The cacophony created by hundreds of frogs is incredible and these pools are filled with tadpoles.
I have a few more dillies - these were thrown before life became tangled - weaving in another direction!
And this bowl is one of those gems from a firing - images don't do them justice and they are always hard to part with.
And finally I did make a little batch of porcelain using the local kaolin - didn't stir or age - but couldn't wait so threw these pieces after 2 weeks. Of course its not translucent but its a wonderful throwing body and I love the results so now I have a bin which is being stirred several times a day and will sit for at least 2 months. I plan a few more smaller test batches to see if I can get a translucent body - my usual fly by the seat of my pants changes. Its still great to have an affordable local workeable body.

Firing!

My little kiln stacked to go -
and this is now ready to glaze - it holds a lot for a small kiln so I know I will have two loads once I have thrown the glazes around. I am still deciding whether to keep throwing the porcelain while everything is clean and try and get another bisque load before I start the glaze process. That red bauxite gets onto everything so that lovely white porcelain will end up with the odd dot or two.

I love this Southern Ice porcelain and having two wheels allows me to throw and leave the form to dry a little while I play musical chairs and throw another chunk of clay before I return to stretch the form even further. Finally made a local porcelain body today so here's hoping it will work well. Threw a bowl out of local kaolin only and so far its holding together - worth a test in the kiln to see how it fares. Don't know why I haven't tried it out before???
Almost sunset time but just headed out my door and looked skyward as the clouds are building and the frigate birds are overhead. High above was an incredible line of birds - my brain of course saw the decorative conversion to a bowl - think they are pelicans but who knows, it was such a wonderful sight!