Home Base

I’ve been making images and shapes of houses in my creations for a long time. It’s a familiar, friendly representation of a place I love. Since my husband and I have moved several times in our years together, I have come to realize that home is where you make it. It does not have to be a particular building or structure. It’s more ephemeral than that. For me, home is where my heart lives in the moment.

I made this mixing bowl using a potter's wheel in 1997. The thumb rest also acts as a pour spout for the bowl's contents. I always liked this shape; it's fantastically functional, so I'm working on recreating the form in a hand-built version. Click on the photo if you'd like me to make one for you!

Home images are cropping up in my plans for some renewed shapes I’d like to create. I think it’s a universal symbol of comfort for many of us. It can evoke memories of childhood, fill our planning for future goals and establish our sense of community when we take root.

So what to make? I like to create functional items – something that is attractive and can be used. What’s your suggestion? Are there particular pieces you’d suggest? Sometimes it’s hard for me to gauge what you’d like to use in your own home. Tell me. It’s helpful!

Got Heart?

Valentine's Day is less than a week away. I like this particular holiday because it gives me an opportunity to remind people in my life how much I care about them. I may not remember every anniversary or birthday, so Valentine's Day is my chance to reach out to friends and family with a message of love. Plus it often includes chocolate. What could be better??? Hearts have been an ongoing theme in my clay creations. So here's my Valentine gift to you: receive FREE SHIPPING when you purchase a ClayByLaura item with a heart this week for your Special Someone. Flowers eventually wilt and chocolate gets eaten, so consider a gift that lasts far beyond February 14 as a continual reminder of your love. 

I've been working on some new promotional print materials in the studio this past week. I combined my signature logo and the family typewriter where I first learned the keyboard to create the type that will be used on new printed recipe cards and product hang tags.

A week in the studio often involves more than making items out of clay. My computer, phone and camera have also become integral tools for my creative routine. I enjoy the clay time the most, and I’m learning as I go to hone the other important skills utilizing electronics and social media as best I can. It’s a required balance of making and promoting a clay/creative business these days. I learned some new tricks with Photoshop thanks to the patient guidance of fellow clay artist Lyndsay Meiklem and shot numerous product photos in my studio light box to get just the right photo for my new print designs. 

I fired a glaze kiln this week containing some tray and bowl sets and several new items like tumblers.

I've been experimenting with the use of a single color on my pieces. I apply an underglaze to the clay before it is fired and use a wet sponge to wipe some away. After it is fired once, I apply a clear glaze with either a shiny or matte finish. I like how the color pools in the stamped areas as well as showing the marks of the canvas I use to flatten the clay in the slab roller. I feel this portrays the making process in every finished piece.

Of course I've been working on my own Valentine's Day gifts too! I'm using colorful paper clips to create the kickstand for the heart photo frames I made. They'll be in the mail later this week.

There's a piece of my heart in every ClayByLaura creation I make. Over the years, I think my clay creations have revealed this passion more and more as I've found and developed my artistic voice. My goal is to share this enthusiasm with you!