New commissions craft fairs, and exhibitions!
I've been working on a new website for a while now, and feel that my previous website was dated, not being compatible with ipads, and smart phones. It will also be easier to add news about exhibitions and new stockists.
It's a great addition that I'm able to add to my blog and I'm hoping that I will be able to blog once a month now that this is up and running.
So, what has happened in the last six months or so? Well, first of all I've been working on a new commission piece. I wanted to create a new style of work, with more pronounced facets and angles. The idea was to create a piece that would compliment my current work, but would also introduce a new style into the Minimus Maximus Collection. Here's one of the initial sketches that inspired the making and designing process.
Once I had designed the initial shape, I started working on the top bottle part. This was made from an old medicine bottle. Here's the piece after slip-casting, waiting to dry before the bisque firing.
And here's the final piece below! I wanted to add colour to the piece, and had the idea of using a rich blue tone to accentuate the way the under glaze naturally pools into the facets in the piece.
Any new ceramic work has been on the back-burner for a while, as I have been helping my sister and her husband to decorate their wedding. My parents had been working tirelessly re-building the hay barn so that my sister could get married at our family home in Machynlleth.
Since January I had been creating origami lanterns to hang in the barn as decorations. I hadn't realised as I was doing a bit at a time that in the end there were over 200 lanterns all together!I think there was a combination of it taking so long to take them down, and my father liking their design that they've been left there as decoration!
I'm hoping to work with this same paper design and make them into porcelain lanterns in the next 6 months.
I'm currently preparing for my fifth year of exhibiting at Made by Hand, Cardiff. I'm hoping to show some new works including these cute little earthenware cups, that make great little gifts for Christmas.
I have a few new designs to show, including this espresso cup with a teapot handle addition and the espresso cups with vintage key attached below. It will be great to see people's opinions of the new designs.
The opening has been for the 'Cup' exhibition at Unit Twelve, Stafford. I'm exhibiting a set of three espresso cups, and two cups and saucers as part of this exhibition. All items can be found on the Unit Twelve facebook page below:
https://www.facebook.com/unittwelve/photos/pcb.1613765381988048/1613765068654746/?type=3&theater
In the run up to Made by Hand craft fair in the next month, I found out last week that I made the front cover of Cardiff Life magazine. Inside it describes the making process of all Cardiff artist's work that are taking part in Made by Hand this year. Such great news to hear that I made the front cover!
I will be exhibiting upstairs this year, near the Pottery Show Down space. Come and have a look at the amazing variety of handmade gifts available at City Hall that weekend!