Decorated Gingers 2022

 

The kids are 13 and 16 now, but still allow me to have the smile of them making the jumbo gingers. This is year 12 or so.  Plenty of candy to choose from, but they went for a different look. Growing up, or a just ascetics choice for this year?  :) 

Rainy Day : Bunny in a Pipe, Color on a Tree, and a Mole

 

Beach Elephant Seals, Elk, and more

Started pretty, and ended with a fire (legal!) under the starry sky, silhouetted with redwood trees. 

 

Birds in a tree

 A fine vista. Birds and the Marin Civic Center. 

Wrapping Day 2022

 

One of my absolute favorite events -- lots of toys, organized, with list of kids and what they want. 

Elf Cards: Holiday S-ELFie

 

Working on some elements for holiday cards this year. Not the fastest, but, almost finished. Ended up hand stitching many elements because more gentle on the eye. Yes, they are supposed to look goofy.

Finally back at it

 

Out for about 10 days, but back now. 

Ceramic Sculpture

Part of it fell in the kiln. Worked on fixing it, and added some leather for a different texture. I was practicing making doughnuts (out of clay on the wheel). So nice for people to make YouTubes to help people see and learn. 

Ceramic Sculpture - all thrown

Bottom was test for placement for the middle section, but I like it better than what I ended up doing. All thrown on the wheel (except the test parts). Hopefully I will make the above one more interesting during glaze phase. 

 

Ceramic twist and bud

 

All thrown. Pug. St John's black.

Two ceramic pieces

Small vase. Below, candle holder. Ceramic. Not a love, but a learn. Going to have to install shelves outside for the cast-offs. :)

 

San Francisco - an exploring day

Exploring day in San Francisco with niece. Our arrival saw thousands of people protesting Islamic rule of Iran.  Throughout the day, social issues with each step. City still not back to pre-pandemic robustness, but that in itself is part of the observation on other social issues - work, life, choices, circumstances, luck, etc.  All with spectrum of life on the street to beautiful vistas. 

 

Ceramics in work - Flower like

 

Clay flower in work. All thrown on the wheel. Pug.

Gulf Fritillary: Agraulis vanillae

 

Found this gorgeous butterfly (dead) on the ground yesterday-- at first I thought it wasn't real. Silver metallic on the wings.  Then I started thinking it was too well done to be fake. It is real -- Fritillary...think "Gulf Fritillary" -- this one in south part of North Bay of Northern California. 

Soda fire, B-mix, Kaolin slip - Entity/Creature

Bottom, center in kiln...b-mix with kaolin rich slip. 

 

Ceramic Sculpture - doughnut thrown on wheel

I don't think it is crooked in real life, but maybe!  Learned to make doughnuts on the potter's wheel, and put my first four attempts  together for a sculpture. I want to add another material for texture -- ideally metal, but perhaps something else.  Will see how it looks post firing, glazing, etc. The meaning behind this piece has something to do with the cycle (Dad, me...before and beyond), as well as building on learning. Also figure there was some humorous intervention somehow -- the circles/doughnuts fit together easily with themselves and the base....I tried a bit, but not that technically to have it work as it did. 

 

60th Anniversary: Marin Civic Center

  

Celebration today for the 60th Anniversary of the opening of the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Civic Center in Marin County.  An insightful and engaging talk by a panel of four about how it is to work inside the building; music by a band of county employees; photography; vintage cars from the era; docent tours -- and a cake inspired (should I point out my spire humor?) by the building. 

  

Door stops below were designed by an artist who appreciates Frank Lloyd Wright designs -- he had visited the building some time ago, and noticed the doorstops being used were fairly crude wood (plywood scraps??), and took it upon him self to create some beautiful wood with inlay doorstops in harmony with the building -- and he is donating many doorstops to the building.  I purchased one for home!

 

Silk Scarf Skirts

 

Used two silk scarves per skirt -- front and back, different. To wear with tee shirts more than "dressy" stuff. Turquoise with Navy dots goes about to knee, black with purple butterflies goes about to the ground. No, I don't need any more skirts (or dresses), but.....

Glazed Green Sculpture -- all off wheel, assembled

 

Open at bottom for light that glows through openings. New glaze try for me, like the green. B-Mix, all pieces thrown on wheel, then assembled.