Clay Playdays

Creating with Clay

Have you ever wanted to reconnect with your inner mudpie-making child or perhaps play with clay for the first time? I approach clay in a fun & creative way and love to share my passion for pottery with others. Individualized instruction, designed to meet your schedule and desires, is offered to groups of up to four people at a time in my well-equipped pottery studio.

On Family Day, a family came and had a great time making LOTS of pots. Here's the dad, a luthier, with his clay guitar.
The daughter went on a pendant making frenzy; the black object ... saddlebags her dad made (for his mini motorcycle).

Whether you want to spend only a few hours exploring make a mask, or two days a week making a variety of pots using many methods, a program can be designed to suit you. Handbuilt projects could include decorative masks, shields or utilitarian objects such as smudge pots, rattles, mugs, plates and bowls. A basic familiarity with the techniques used in handbuilding – pinch, coil and slab –is easily acquired. Your creativity, coupled with these skills, will allow you to discover the joys of creating with clay and explore the endless possibilities that clay offers. Handbuilding provides a strong foundation for wheel throwing.

Instruction is also available on the potter’s wheel. Beginners will be taught how to centre the clay and make cylinders such as drinking vessels vases as well as bowls. Decoration can include texture, carving, incising, coloured slips and underglazes and so on. All glazes used are non-toxic and food safe. Those with experience will have the opportunity to refine their skills and learn a variety of intermediate and advanced techniques such as altering, throwing with additions, etc.

Ruddell is situated on rolling prairie/agricultural land about a one-hour drive from Saskatoon and twenty-five minutes from North Battleford. It is peaceful place. The studio is equipped potters wheels, slab roller and lots of tools and has a great view of the North Saskatchewan River valley.

Fees are reasonable, exchanges possible. Accommodations are available. For more information call Teresa at 306-389-2040 or email tgpots@yahoo.ca

Art Auctions

Coming up May 2nd is an Art Auction and dance in support of the Jack Millikin Centre. http://www.jackmillikincentre.com/ Set in the boreal forest, the Centre will feature a dance hall with a horse hair dance floor, a centre for forest research and learning and a large work area for artists to develop a year-round artisan learning centre.

The auction and dance will be a lot of fun. Kudos to all the volunteers who make these events happen. I'll have two pieces up for auction, including Sister Water Snake (above), which celebrates all the incredible women born in the year of the snake in 53/54; we are now 55/56.

Art Auctions can be a win-win situation. Artists are frequently asked to donate their work. In my experience, it is wise to choose which ones to participate in...ones that benefit a cause you support, give you the opportunity to benefit financially and promote you and your art practice. Given the choice of setting a reserve bid and a choice of how much you want to donate of the winning bid is respectful of the artist and gives us an opportunity to participate in a number of auctions.

CARFAC has a number of "best practices". Here's the link for the Art Auctions information: www.bestpracticestandards.ca/docs/1_standardsdrafts/Best_Practice_Standards-Artists_Work___Fundraising_REV_2008-12-17.pdf

What's Going On

The spring Saskatoon Potters Guild Sale and Exhibition is coming up May 2, 9 - 9 and 3, 9 - 5, at the Albert Community Centre, 11th Street and Clarence Avenue. Pottery demonstrations, door prizes and a variety of pots by SPG members.

Here's a picture of my chattered blue bowl that received the Best Functional Award last year. The theme of this years exhibition is "Multiples" and I'm looking forward to seeing what people come up with.

Trying new things and having lots of fun. I'm excited about my recent work.

Designing My Life and Labyrinths

Back in December I joined the Clutter Busting Coaching Circle with coach Vicky White. It has been a great experience and I've benefited enormously. Lots of support, wisdom, ideas from the other members. Integrity Days, Creativity Days, phone forums and more. It is one of the best things I've ever done for myself. For more info on Life Design Strategies: http://www.profcs.com/app/?af=725280

In March I was thrilled to have a post about labyrinths on Vicky's blog. That's what sparked my interest in starting a blog. Here's the post: http://lifedesignstrategies.com/blog/?p=46 .

And here's the last post in Vicky's blog. www.LifeDesignStrategies.com/blog/
This past week we were challenged to do something we haven't done before. I decided it was high time to finally get this blog ready for the world. Now I'm off to do a few things I've never done before.

bright blessings,
Teresa

On a Lark

Last summer I submitted slides for Lark Books's 500 Plates and Chargers and Pile of Autumn Leaves was accepted.

These plates were made by draping slabs of stoneware clay over light fixtures which were used as molds. A little cornstarch helped release the clay from the glass. After bisque firing the plates where dipped in a high iron glaze. The leaf design was applied using liquid wax resist. When the wax was dry the plates were dipped into a rutile glaze and fired to cone 5 (1185 degrees Celsius) with a slow cool down.

It took an experienced art photographer quite a while to set up the shot of the pile in "Pile of Autumn Leaves". The bottom platter is about 20 inches long. I've included an image the single plate although it is not in the book. I was so pleased with the crystalization (love that rutile) on the edge of the single plate. For you potters, this is what can happen with a slow cool.

Here's a excerpt from Lark Book's website: 500 Plates & Chargers
Innovative Expressions of Function & Style:

"Plates and chargers can serve as more than just places to put your food: they can be glorious art to show off on a table, sideboard, or hutch. These 500 spectacular pieces chosen by esteemed juror Linda Arbuckle http://lindaarbuckle.com/range from the utilitarian yet beautifully glazed plate to dramatically decorated work, and they’re crafted from a remarkable variety of materials—including pristine porcelain and bold earthenware."

Lark Books publishes wonderful books. Check out their website www.larkbooks.com/ for titles and how to submit. Lots of beauty, creativity and fun in a wide variety of media. 500 Plates and Chargers is in stores now or ask your independent bookseller or library to order it.

all good things,
Teresa

learning with the labyrinth

Over the past months I've made a lot of labyrinths -- and a lot of them cracked or had other problems. This has been much more labour intensive than I imagined it would be. There were many technical challenges and I decided to leave it for now. All the labyrinths that survived intact have been spoken for. There a quite a few with small cracks that could be painted or covered with handmade paper. One or more could be yours for postage and handling.



This venture hasn't been a "success" but I did enjoy the adventure. I was looking forward to be of service and providing finger labyrinths. I really enjoyed the process and would like to do it all again, but without the setbacks. I will give it another go when the time is right.

There is a lot of info on the www on labyrinths. Here's a link to download a finger labyrinth:
http://www.sharehope.org/labyrinth-finger.htm

Here are a couple of images of a labyrinth surrounded by "soul stones" and others standing vertically along with some teapots ready to be bisqued. They were fired to about 1000 degrees Celsius to ready them to be glazed and fired again.

all good things,
Teresa

Bogged Down Blog. Late Labyrinths

Here I go, I'll try posting and image and a short message. There are lots of things I'd like to post but so far I've been challenged but at least I've come this far.

Now to make figure out some of the other features.

This is an image of a finger labyrinth made of stoneware clay about nine inches in diameter. I've been making larger labyrinths and they are waiting to be fired. It's been a learning experience complete with technical twists and turns.

all good things,
Teresa