vessels

Getting ready for a show at the gallery, coming up July 8, and preparing for this one has been more of a challenge than usual.  I had  many ideas, all going in different directions, and it took awhile just to pare down the possibilities. The one that stuck in my mind above all the others was to alter wheel thrown bowls with hand building techniques. I'm sure this is not new to many potters, but I have not tried it before. I find I am using hand building more often in the last few years.  The wheel work and hand building classes were separate when I was in school. It would have benefitted me to take a hand building class but I never did so I can only start a project with the attitude of O.K., let's see if this works.

This bowl is my favorite.  Lots of texture with layers of slip and engobes applied, then wiped or scraped off to reveal the lines.

I cut out crescent shapes from opposite sides of the bowl, then built the sides up with coils of clay.  The round bowl becomes oval and lots of variation is possible. 

 More texture obsession going on. I am also exposing my obsession with "interesting" pieces of wood.  There are many interesting sticks, planks, whatever in our garage.  Some were washed up from the Ohio River, and some found in the woods nearby.  Not saying where because it is not my property. If from the river, I have soaked them in a bleach solution.  I take the goose poop situation very seriously.

 I had not intended to veer from bowls to baskets but the idea of using some of that wood took hold of me.

A few vases, too- Although I wanted to continue with the bowls, I needed a little height to go with them.  Again, with the wood.

These are a bit of a departure.  I made a series of these flower bricks.  I'm not sure if that is the right description.  This is a jar with one hole in the lid for a flower.  Some of these have three holes and some have five.  I kept the surface pretty simple so as not to complete with the blossoms.

So, that's it for now.  There may be more pics later, as there are a few more things yet to be completed.  Back to work.