More Images of Recent Work

Here are some more images of the work that is still up in the S.P.A.C.E. show. Starting from top left: "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (front)"; "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (back)"; "Flower Vase"; "Sweet Tea Pitcher Set". I haven't yet edited all the images of the work, so my "Hare and the Tortoise" plate isn't shown. I am going to try to take images of the full show before it comes down. Everyone's work looks so great in the space (pun intended) :D!

S.P.A.C.E. show and Virginia break

Whew! Well the S.P.A.C.E. show is up and was a success! There was such a good turnout the night of the opening and I sold a piece! Now I need to focus on developing an itinerary for the collaborative workshop I am doing with another artist in the show (Mary Cale Anderegg). I was so stressed out right before setting up because an element in our kiln was out and it wouldn't reach temperature. Needless to say we were not stocked on those elements (because the kiln is only a year old), but we got the element in time and finished our firings. I was left with a final 05, 08, and 017 firing less than a week before the show deadline, and my boss needed to do an 03 and 05 firing too. Craziness! :)

I was able to shoot some images of the work before putting those pieces into the show. Above is my "Picnic Teapot Set." I was also able to drop off a decent amount of work to The Gallery and make the owner very happy. I learned that they were closed for the month of February due to flooding damage. My work was obviously not effected.

Now it's time for a short vacation. My husband and I are going to Virginia to visit some friends and enjoy some well deserved time together. Happy Spring Break to me!

Play Days

I always carry around a feeling of guilt anytime I don't spend my extra time in the studio. Yesterday was a GORGEOUS Savannah day in January. The skies were bright and blue, it was a warm and spring-like 62 degrees, and there was no possible way to spend my time in a room with no windows. It's not yet warm enough to move back into my studio space at home, so I left SCAD and caught up on a few errands. I got groceries, cooked lunch, developed my sour dough bread recipe (hope this one works!), and my sister and I FINALLY took down the Christmas decorations/tree. I also just sat in front of my large bay window in the sun and read a book. It was so delightful and a much needed day of rest.
However, today I am struggling to leave my house again. Sometime this happens to me. I've been on such a great creative streak, spending most of my time in the studio. I realize that I need a break every now and then, but I also know that I have a show coming up in March. I want to have my best work on display. I have pots to glaze here, but I also know that I need to finish working on some greenware on my shelf. I can't get my mind in the right place to get up and go. I have pieces in a glaze and bisque kiln, so I'm hoping those will spur me to create more. Yet I can always do that tomorrow. Hmm...it's only 10:30am, so perhaps I will find it in me to go and at least finish one piece before the day is gone. :)

Before leaving here are some of the pieces that are currently in the bisque kiln:












The vase is a late, very late Christmas gift for me sister. I made the teacups earlier, and they were in the kiln when I made the saucers, so hopefully that will all work out. :) The forms with lids are going to be jars, and I'm going to made beaded handles for them.

Terra Sig and S.P.A.C.E. show

In undergrad, all of my work was high fire. Since being at SCAD, I have transitioned to using terra cotta/white earthenware. Recently, I have been admiring work from Amy Sanders and Elise Pincu, and decided that I should try my hand at making a terra sigillata. Terra sig is a mixture of the finest particles of clay and water. When you add it to greenware, burnish it slightly, and fire the clay, you have a satiny shine. I like the softness that terra sig gives a piece over the high intensity shine of a clear glaze. So I did some digging and found a fascinating article by Vince Pitelka detailing the ins and outs of terra sig, so I set about to work.

I found that I was very impatient regarding the setting time, but I left it alone for approximately 4 days. I will soon test the result in a kiln firing coming up to see if all my hard work paid off.

I have been at SCAD using the ceramics facilities because my studio has been freezing. I can't wait to move back in during the Spring, but for now SCAD works. I have found that I am very prolific when I come in and focus on the weekends. I've been investing about 25 hours each week, while maintaining the 40 hr job at SCAD. I've been trying to prepare for a show at Savannah's Place for Art, Culture, and Education (S.P.A.C.E.) Gallery in March that is rapidly approaching. Meanwhile, my work that is in The Gallery has been selling, so I need to restock. :-O!

Anagama Firing

I just came back from a fantastic vacation. I had a great bonding experience with other potters from all over the world. I attended a coil building workshop at Piedmont College in Demorest, GA. The demonstrators were two Japanese potters, Fujita and Izumi, from Echizen, (Fukui Prefecture) Japan. I lived with these two potters and another potter, Danny Crocco a USC graduate student, for almost a week at Piedmont's Walter House. (pictured starting left: Izumi, Brent, Danny, Fujita)


The workshop lasted for two days and we learned a Japanese coil building method that is indigenous to Echizen. It was intimidating to see Fujita construct these huge storage jars that have walls the thickness of a pencil. In spite of being intimidated, I think I got a rather nice piece from the workshop (note the house logo)!

After the workshop, we started loading and firing Piedmont's anagama kiln. Using only electric kilns at SCAD, I had forgotten how natural and basic (think organic, because this method is very complex) a wood firing is. It's been a little over two years since I had participated with one, and I wasn't very fond of it then, but it's amazing what a few years can do to someone's perspective.

Of course, I don't recommend the taking two 12am-6am shifts in a row, and then driving 4 hours to see your family on Thanksgiving, but I do recommend participating. It's cold, killer hours, and lots of hard work, but when you form covalent bonds (for all you chemistry nerds out there!) with the clay community and see your finished result, it is all worth it. Pictures of the finished result coming soon.

Oh and before I forget, I was so excited to post about this vacation, because it makes me so happy to see a respectful Japanese elder who travels to America to teach ceramics students about the legacy of his culture...wait for it...wearing toe socks. Not just any toe socks either, but pink and gray striped ones (you know he got them out of the girls department). :D

Over and out.

~Mitzi

First entry!

Hello all!

I'm starting up a new blog to record my happenings and wanderings in the wonderful world of Ceramics. So I will jump right in and start by saying that everyone in or visiting Savannah should visit the SCAD Small Works 2010. My husband, sister, and I went last night, and the show looks really amazing. Happily, I sold all of my mason jars, and people are wanting more. Hopefully, my plates will sell as well. :)

Other than that, I'm finishing a Computer Arts class at SCAD this quarter, so I'm working hard to finish my website. This week is the ending of the quarter and I'm very excited about it. I get to take a 2 week vacation (the longest I've taken since being at SCAD)! During that time, I plan to visit an old professor in Demorest, GA, at Piedmont College. He is hosting an Anagama firing, and I have some tiles that will be going into it that are currently undergoing a bisque.

Until next time...