Inspiration, new work

Often I percolate for quite awhile on a new idea and other times inspiration comes in a flash and I race out to the studio to capture the idea in clay. The Love Bunny came in the early morning hours and I remember going out to the studio in the rain in nightgown and slippers to make the prototype before the idea was lost in sleep.

Sometimes in my dreams I see hundreds of designs that flash before my mind in a rapid frame by frame flash. Usually it is jewelry that I see.

Lately I have been wanting to carve images on pottery like one carves a linoleum block. This process is called scraffito, it involves covering leather hard unfired pottery with a dark slip or glaze and carving through to a clay body that will be light (most likely white) when fired. After the carving is finished a clear coat of glaze is applied before firing.

I am thinking about a visual story of my niece's horse in rural Virgina that loves to share his grain with the chickens. The chickens of course think this is a wonderful relationship. My dear friend Jim will throw the pot and on the lidded top will be one of my workhorses.

I picture tall fir trees and split rail fences, the barnyard and barn...perhaps there is a tractor plowing a field....I'll work on this in early September when I will be in North Carolina working in Jim's studio for a few days.

In the mean time I can start doing some drawings or experiment with scratchboard.

Currently I am working on a new line of deep relief tiles. I will post examples after my appointment with my new photographer is done taking photos. More Ravens of course!!