The Truants

There's a great new Triple J Unearthed band from Townsville - The Truants -it just happens to have my nephew Steven on guitar. You go STEVO!!!!! Just love 'Perhaps its Time' - and heard it played on J yesterday so I was pretty excited and proud.

What a week!

Its been a week of constant work - can't believe what has been accomplished but it proves when the brain is in a good space hard work seems effortless - although I must admit running with countless whellbarrow loads of dirt did have the aches and pains coming to the fore.
Still the pottery area is now almost doubled and the pending slabs for a new awning over the kiln look all that closer to being achieved.
Now to some of the pottery - this little bowl was thrown out of the local kaolin - dried too quickly as I was impatient but I still decided to fire even though it cracked in the bisque. I love the striated marks on the clay and the shino has taken on an unusual hue. It was thin so I now wished I had thought more about what I was doing and added some extra layers. Still it has me intrigued as I now want to work out what I should add to lose the cracking but retain the wonderful imperfections - and I really want it to be a local component. I realize I need to pick some more knowledgeable potters' brains for some suggestions. I have made up a porcelain body using the local kaolin with all the additions but after this bowl I would love to pare down to the bare essentials. In all of this I have to try and pay for my experimenting so have to put the time into the necessity work as well, but my brain is a little in overdrive!
Oh that shino - it just has to be my favourite glaze and over the bauxite I am transported to my source of inspiration - that beach I walk nearly every day - although there is a crocodile alert so its walk at low tide only until he is caught.

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.