Creative Frenzy

A wild, wide-ranging mania of activity seems to enter my creative life this time of year. And I like it. Making pottery hits a fevered pitch as I balance each stage of the clay-making process with pushing for deadlines of custom orders, supplementing inventory, and shows. Ideas flow for new projects. The kiln is filled, fired, emptied, refilled and fired continually. 

Some of the custom projects where I've been creatively stuck have become clear and reached completion. In particular, I was asked to design a wall sculpture of a school of fish for a local customer. I knew how I would make the fish, but had not totally settled on the hanging element of the piece. A search through my stash of collected driftwood solved the dilemma, and now this one of a kind artwork hangs in its new home. 

I’ve been playing with different underglaze and glaze combinations. This blue/green is now one of my current favorites. When it is applied to a familiar shape I’ve made in the past, it gives the piece a whole new look. 

Packing pottery for shipment is an art unto itself. This group of 10 packages took several hours of attention. I want each package to survive the rigors of long-distance travel. A combination of bubble wrap, packing paper, shipping peanuts, protective cardboard, and the appropriate box help provide the protection that ensures the pottery arrives safe and sound. Still, I hold my breath each time I send my creations off to their new homes.

Would you like to join the frenzy? If you've been considering a special ClayByLaura piece as a gift for yourself or someone else, now is the time to let me know. Click on the photo above to send me a message and begin! I'd love to create a special piece just for you.

Hit and Miss -- All Part of the Process

I’ve been thinking about some clay shapes I’ve made in the past especially since I was commissioned to recreate a long oval tray I first made years ago. This time I made a coordinating bowl for the set. Revisiting a familiar form with a fresh eye is a way to revive an idea and perhaps improve its design. 

When we lived in Hilton Head, South Carolina for several years, fish and sea turtles were a prevalent theme in my creative output. Moving back to Maryland added a blue crab shape to that beach-inspired repertoire. Often, I’ll think about a specific subject as a catalyst to rev up my creative juices and figure out how to formulate that into clay.

Fish themes have returned as an inspirational subject this week. I’ve been asked to create a wall hanging using fish shapes for a local customer. In my head, I envision a school of these sea creatures dangling from a support that attaches to the wall. For me, the creative process usually starts with a mental picture. I might draw a rough sketch to test out some ideas, but my best way forward is to hit the studio and begin with a slab of clay. There I can test forms, dimensions, and proportions to transform the idea into a workable piece of clay art. Trial and error is always part of this process but usually, leads to a final success. 

One of the fish shapes I've made in the past is formed into a long tray. I thought of it as a sushi serving dish or platter for any other seafood delight. I liked the way different textures on the surface made each one unique. Since fish are currently on my mind,  I’d like to explore this theme again. I'm open to suggestions. Do you have any ideas on ways you might use a fish tray or dimensions that would be useful for you? I value your feedback! Click here or on the fish photo to let me know!