From Inspiration to Decoration

I get a lot of questions about how I get my ideas and develop my ceramic designs. While I get a lot of my source material for the illustrations from vintage quilts and textiles, I am always looking for bits and pieces of inspiration everywhere. I like to take little visual treasures that strike me and reinterpret to be fresh and new while still speaking to the original material. I thought I'd share my creative process on a new plate design from inspiration to final fired art piece. A while back I picked up an old coffee table book on trees at the thrift store and loved some of the illustrations showing the tree bare and with full leaves.

I spend some time sketching to come up with a design that I'm happy with and then draw a final sketch at the scale I need for the piece I'm planning to put it on.

Then I make a pattern using a piece of clear vinyl shower curtain liner. This way I can see through the pattern to place it on the piece and can reuse it over and over without it wearing out.

Once I've transferred the design, I "stitch" it onto the plate while the clay is still leatherhard and add slip dots for texture. Each stitch and dot is applied individually, by hand. I don't use any kind of roller or transfer or stamp like many people assume.

After drying, I then paint on underglazes, bisque fire, stain and wash, glaze and fire again. My process is time intensive and has MANY steps to achieve the result I want.

The final plate after firing in my electric kiln. I'm calling this design "Winter into Spring". I think I may apply it to some tile designs and it's also making me feel inspired to create a four seasons series in the future.

Hope this helps show the work that goes into making a piece of my handmade pottery. It is a lot of work, but it is a labor of love and it's worth it when the first fired pot comes out of the kiln.

You can find them for sale here in my etsy shop!

Or, visit my studio for First Thursday in the Northrup King Building, studio 394 this upcoming Thursday, June 2 from 5-9 pm. Check out the new sculpure garden outside the building and enjoy a Root Beer Float courtesy of the building. Then come in and enjoy looking at some great art.

A New Addition, Coming Soon!

I'm trying to wrap up all the loose ends both at home and in the studio in preparation for the arrival of my second child in early September. I can't believe the summer flew by without any new blog posts. I guess I found out it was much harder to make pots, do art fairs and basically hold everything together while pregnant and with a 3 year old at home. Somehow I did it, but a lot of stuff fell through the cracks. I'll be out of the studio for the next few months on maternity leave. In the interim, my studio in the Northrup King Building will be open for building events (First Thursdays and Art Attack) thanks to my great studiomates and you can find my work there! I will try to stop by as I can, hopefully showing off my new little man. I will also have new tile work at the Minnesota Tile Festival in Minneapolis on September 18 (thanks to my amazing studio assistant)! My etsy shop will be closed temporarily, but I plan to start posting again in a few months in time for holiday shopping, and I hope to be back in the studio making new work by the end of the year. I will not be taking any new custom orders until January 2011. Feel free to contact me, but know that I may be slow getting back to you as we adjust to our new addition.

Remembering why I do this...

Sometimes the universe gives us what we need. After my last post I was really feeling sorry for myself and was seriously questioning what I'm doing. Then I unloaded my last kiln which along with a bunch of regular orders and the first of the holiday ornaments held a couple of very special pieces. When I took these out it was a huge reminder of why I do this and what's really important in life. One was a set of "lovebird" mugs one of my good friends commissioned for her nine-year anniversary. We designed them so the birds are facing each other when the mugs are displayed and we picked a flower design and colors that she loves. The other is an urn that will hold the ashes of an infant. I was honored to make such an important piece for her family. This jar came out exactly how I wanted it to--sweet and quiet but with a sense of happiness and joy, celebrating that little soul.  These two examples embody why I make the work I do. To make special, unique handmade items that connect with the people who use them.  To honor personal connections and celebrate our daily lives and relationships. 

A Little Bird Told me...

that studios will be open in the Northrup King Building this Thursday, Dec. 4 from 5-9 p.m. as well as Saturday, Dec. 6 from 12-5 p.m. Stop by my studio (#394) to do some holiday shopping in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere away from the malls. I'll have a good selection of dishes, ornaments (including these sweet little birds) and some of my new tiles. Find lots of other great gift ideas throughout the building! We'll have snacks, cookies and hot tea.

New Tiles!

Just out of the kiln and I'm really excited about them! They'll be available at my open studio tomorrow.

Holiday Art Market at Northrup King Building

Tomorrow afternoon is the first day of the Holiday Art Market at the Northrup King Building. A number of studios throughout the building will be open for special holiday shopping hours on Saturdays in November & December. Find unique, locally-made items in all mediums and price ranges. Stop by our studio for great clay gift items. I will have a great selection of dishes, holiday ornaments and tiles. Claudia Poser will have terra cotta sculpture and jewelry. Lucy Grantz will have an assortment of her whimsical ocarinas.

Saturday, November 29th, 12 - 5 PM
Saturday, December 6th, 12- 5 PM

Saturday, December 13th, 12 - 5 PM

Saturday, December 20th, 12 -5 PM

Special: Saturday, November 29 only! Receive 10% off any purchase over $50, plus sign up for a drawing to win a gift certificate (no purchase necessary). Specials apply to purchase of my work only. I will be having some kind of one-day only special during each Saturday event. Watch for details on my website.

For a list of artists/studios that will be open during the Art Market, visit:

http://www.northrupkingbuilding.com/holiday-shopping-minneapolis.html

Hope you'll stop by!

"Made in Minnesota" Ornament Show

I am once again participating in Clay Squared's 6th Annual Made in Minnesota Ornament Show and Sale. The sale opened on October 18 and runs through December 23 so there is plenty of time to get over there to check out the multitude of great handmade ornaments. The show features unique interpretations of the ornament by more than 25 locally and nationally recognized artists from Minnesota working in ceramic, metal, fibers, mosaic, polymer, fused glass, paper and more. Every year I go home with a few ornaments by other artistst that I just can't live without! I have both my flat cutout ornaments and my larger ball ornaments in the show. There is an Artists' Reception on November 1st 11am-5pm during which customers will 10% off their ornament purchases! Eli and I will try to stop by although he is a terror around so much breakable art.