The Right Ingredients

Recipes are an instructional guideline mostly associated with cooking. You probably have some favorite recipes that you use over and over. A good recipe is cherished and often shared -- it may have been passed down through the generations.  But, I think that idea – a reference point filled with simple to follow steps – is applicable to many of life’s situations and activities. 

I just finished making this lap blanket. I followed the original instructions, but made my own choices with the color combinations. I also decided to add a ribbed edge to the blanket because I thought it would make this pattern look better. Because I am an experienced knitter, I knew I could add my own element to the instructions with good results. 

Potters who mix their own glazes follow recipes to concoct the right balance of chemicals to create specific colors and effects on their pots. It’s science and art mixed into one. Tweaking one ingredient can lead to success or failure of the end result. I mixed my own glazes for many years, but now use pre-mixed versions to achieve the colors I like on my pots. 

I'm creating a knit shawl pattern to give away with some of my yarn-related pottery. These new clay baskets are large enough to hold several skeins of yarn AND your project as you work! Knitting patterns are another example of a recipe people follow to produce a beautiful handmade item. Changes in yarn, color and even pattern add a personal touch and reflect the choices of the knitter. 

Figuring out the right recipe for living and working is an ongoing activity for me (and probably you too). Each blueprint of ingredients and instructions are a starting point for exploration. These guidelines can propel you to achieve good results -- and as your confidence builds, allow room for additions or subtractions that are meaningful to you. 

Congratulations Olga! I'll be in touch to arrange delivery!

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Hot Hot Hot - The Dog Days Of Summer Are Here !

Summertime is in full swing here in the Mid-Atlantic. The temperatures are hot and the air is hazy with humidity. It’s just how I like it! And while the tendency in this weather is to slow down a bit and laze around, the exact opposite seems to be happening in the studio. 

The kiln is fixed, up, and running. I ordered and replaced the three thermocouple temperature gauges myself which solved the problem I was having last week. You know that feeling when you accomplish a task you weren’t quite sure you could do? Repairing my kiln myself was satisfying and thrilling.

There are several new unique potstickers now gracing plants and yards in Maryland and Pennsylvania! Students chose a variety of clay shapes, painted them with blends of acrylic colors and created their own colorful mini-totem to take home. It was lots of fun. I’ll be teaching more classes through the Muse in the fall, so if you live nearby and would like a chance to play and create – keep your eye out for dates and times!

Some of the new shapes I’ve been working on are ready for their debut. What do you think? Your feedback is important. This basket shape will be useful for holding fruit or veggies on the kitchen counter. It could also be used to hold your latest in-process knitting project or mail by the front door. The baskets will be available for sale on my website soon. 

Even though it's hot outside, I'm making plans for the fall in the studio. I've been selected to participate in an exclusive Indie shopping opportunity kicking off the popular Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival in New York. If you're one of my 'knitting/fiber peeps' this event has your name written all over it. Tons and tons of specialty dyed yarns, unique tools and accessories  in one jam-packed weekend -- a knitter's nirvana!

Thank you for sharing your favorite recipes with me last week. It’s great to have some new ideas to create in the kitchen! If you haven't had a chance, click this link to send me a family favorite! Here’s a great recipe to snack on or serve to company, courtesy of my future daughter-in-law,  during these hot summer months. Enjoy!

Learning To Roll With The Punches -- The Big Six Oh !

I’m sure you’ve had one of those weeks – that time when it seems like everything is breaking down. My kiln malfunctioned this week. It’s been a faithful part of my studio for the last several years. I’ve taken it for granted that pressing a couple of programming buttons will yield the end results I plan and hope for. I loaded up shelves of glazed pots a few days ago, started the kiln, only to see a flashing "Err 1" message the following day. Bummer. 

After some exploration, phone calls to a local ‘kiln doctor’, instruction manual reading and testing, – I’ve determined which part has broken and affected the successful operation of the kiln- firing process. It’s a part called the thermocouple and gauges the correct temperature of the kiln as it fires up to almost 2000 degrees. 

I am capable of fixing the problem. Deep down I know this. I get nervous at first – trying to tackle a job I’ve never done before. I don’t want to screw it up. So I gather as much information as I can and double check the necessary tools and dive in. Usually, there is a positive outcome. If there isn’t, I know who to call. 

Have you ever caught a quick glimpse of yourself in a mirror or window reflection and thought -- "Oh my God, I look just like my mother/father ?!? I see so much of my mother and aunt in this recent photo of me. 

All of this relates to what is going on in my own life this week. Today I turn 60 years old. Words that come to mind: Amazing; What?; Time Flies; Gratitude; Breaking Down; Freedom; Happiness. Like my kiln (you know I had to go there!), with aging, I notice some of my body parts have begun to decline. This is natural. In my mind, I still feel young so sometimes I have to adjust the desired outcome to go around whatever isn’t quite working the way it used to. It may cause some trepidation at first, but as I move forward I learn to work around those faults and keep going. 

I don’t exactly feel old. 60 years has passed in a whoosh. The good news of the week has been plentiful as well.

 I’m thrilled that my clay art is now available at The Cooley Gallery in Leesburg, Virigina.  Chris Cooley is a potter and former NFL football player who owns this gallery/studio. The historic town is filled with shops, galleries and restaurants. Let me know if you visit, I think you'll have a great time!

I demonstrated making my yarn bowls at the "Urbn Market" this past Friday. I really enjoy showing how I create my art and engaging with attendees. I always ask people (especially the kids) to show me the bottoms of their shoes. If there is any kind of pattern there, I use a piece of clay to make a new stamp. Go look at the soles of your shoes in your closet. You’ll be amazed at some of the patterns you’ll find there!

In the studio, I thought of a new design for a recipe box. I’ve made one before but wanted to simplify the design. I’m happy with the results. The little heart on the front will hold a select recipe card when it is in use.

So I have a favor to ask. I love collecting recipes. Could you send me one of your favorites to share? My goal is to receive at least 60 new ones to add to my kitchen. You could just snap a photo if that makes it easy, or type it out in an email (claybylaura@gmail.com). Or even send me a link to a tried and true you like to make. Click here to begin. Thank you!

Getting In Shape

Shape is an important aspect of pottery. Achieving a pleasant-looking form takes practice, a critical eye and willingness to experiment. I’ve been playing with the configuration of simple drinking vessels over the last couple of months.

This is a standard mug shape. It mimics the shape I used to throw on the potters wheel. After it is assembled, I use my fingers to bulge out the middle belly of the mug.

I begin by thinking of the useful purpose of each cup or mug. Will it mostly hold a hot beverage? Could it be used for a cold drink also? Where and when will someone choose to use this item?  Will it be used for the first cup of coffee in the morning?  Will it hold a mid-day beverage sipped while working? Maybe it will be used at the end of the day to wind down and relax. 

This is a new mug form for me. I chose to have a wider base and narrow top. This helps the functionality of the mug by keeping a hot beverage hot. 

Because I use hand-building methods to create my clay forms, subtle changes in the pattern alter the end result of the shape. Is the cup widest at the top or bottom?  Should it have a handle? 

I've been wanting to make a travel mug. So I started by ordering the lids to guide me in the overall design. Here's my first attempt. I'm playing with a one finger handle. I will fire and glaze this test piece to see how it works before I go into production.

Sometimes I create a shape just because it is pleasant to my own eye. Other times, I work to create a piece that must fit into specific calculations. Will it fit in the car cup holder would be one of those determining factors. 

These are some of the patterns I've created to make my drinking vessels. The top one is used for the standard mug I make. The middle pattern was used to create the wide-bottomed mug. the last pattern is the template for the travel mug. Subtle differences in the height, width and side angles all contribute to the overall shape of each piece. 

Speaking of shapes, I've created some new ones that will be used in the upcoming Potsticker Craft Party, July 20 sponsored by The Muse in Frederick, Md. If you'd like to have a fun evening creating a special garden or plant decoration -- this is the class for you. Click here to sign up! Class space is limited. 

ClayByLaura Club members received a special discount offer for the month of July. It's just one of the benefits of joining. Are you a member yet? No?!? What are you waiting for? It's easy to sign up. Click on the image above to join. Check and respond to the email you receive. That's it. You're in!

Cut It Out !

I’ve noticed lots of potters using cut-outs in their pieces as part of their overall design recently. It adds (and subtracts) an interesting and appealing look to a pot's surface. I’ve used this cut-away technique from time to time in my own clay art. And seeing some of the beautiful examples on Instagram and Facebook have sparked my own return to this technique.
    

The holes in this cake platter I made in 2003 are meant for threading colorful ribbon depending on the occasion. July is a big birthday month in our household, so this plate will get lots of use in the coming weeks!

I've collected several tools throughout the years to cut away clay. Various knives and blades can be used for cutting; small cookie cutters remove the clay in assorted shapes and special piercing tools in a variety of diameters make a clean round hole. 

Sometimes the holes I make have an added purpose. The heart opening of these vessels provides an opening to slip a small note inside this heart shape. I have a collection of small heart cutters I use to accomplish this shape. 

I decided to experiment with a basket form this week. I like the oval shape which is also mimicked in the strap handle. I knew I would cut away some of the wall to add to the basket functionality and design. 

It took a couple of tries to get the size, shape and seam of this basket to work. I start with a paper pattern and then start adjusting the design with each clay rendition until I'm happy. 

And here's the final result. I decided to use the holes as part of the design. Instead of spreading them all over the piece, I like how the cut-outs reveal themselves on just part of the front and back of the basket. I can see this being used to hold fruit or veggies on the counter or even mail collected by the front door. Do you have any other ideas of how this could be used? Click on the photo to let me know!

ClayByLaura Club members received a special discount offer for the month of July. It's just one of the benefits of joining. Are you a member yet? No?!? What are you waiting for? It's easy to sign up. Click on the image above to join. Check and respond to the email you receive. That's it. You're in!

It's All About The Style

I’ve been thinking about the style of my clay art recently. One of the biggest compliments I receive is when someone sees one of my pieces and immediately recognizes that it was made by me. It has taken me years of practice to get to this stage and find my own creative voice in clay. 

This past week, a pottery group I belong to has been discussing how social media has impacted copying and whether that is a good or bad thing. Some of the questions that have arisen include: "Does an artist want their work to be copied from Internet postings and then sold?"  "Is it okay for an artist to copy another’s work and sell it?"  This discussion has been another way to look at the origins of my own clay art and the creativity behind it. 

When I was first introduced to the Pinterest App, I was obsessed. I love looking at pottery postings and felt I was introduced to new work that I never would have been exposed to before. It upgraded the inspirational hard copy scrapbooks with magazine tear-outs I had previously created to an on-line version. 

In order to make art, it's necessary to gain certain skills. Copying those techniques and universal shapes over and over is necessary and allows a serious artist the opportunity to begin to experiment and tweak and develop their own voice. Confidence builds with each success and every failure. 

When I’ve taught a workshop or class, I’ve noticed that even when every student copies what I’ve demonstrated, none of them looks exactly like mine. They can’t. They may look similar, but not exactly the same. Each person brings their own touch to the clay. 

I like looking at social media to see what other potters are making. It does spark ideas for my own interpretation. Is that a form of copying? I think the answer is probably yes -- in a way. For me, social media is one of the tools I use to promote my own ideas and seek out what other artists are creating. It has opened up an entire world of discovery and I think that is a good thing. I don't like or want to have my own clay art copied exactly and then sold by someone else. That does not seem right, but if I can influence another artist to think outside of their own creative box, it's a good thing. That's how we all grow.

I look at originality as a building block. My creativity is shaped by all I have learned and seen in classes and on-line. I’m turning those ideas into something someone else can look at, recognize and say – “That’s ClayByLaura.”

Have you joined the club yet? Sign up now to get in on the special discount club members will receive for the month of July! It's easy. Click on the photo above. Fill in the information. Check your email. Respond to the email. That's it! You're in!!!

Hold The Pickles, Hold The Lettuce . . .

How many of you know the next line to this 1970’s Burger King commercial? It’s been one of those weeks in the studio where I’ve been finishing and starting some special orders. These collaborative efforts between me and my customer occur on a regular basis. Creating a piece ‘your way’ often starts with the question, “could you make…?”

It can be as simple as making something from my inventory in a different color glaze. I was asked to create this medium sized baking dish in my red/white glaze combination. Done!

Some times, I’m asked to revive a shape I’ve made in the past. I forgot how much I enjoy making these sea turtle photo/recipe holders. They were a regular item in my inventory when we lived in Hilton Head,  South Carolina. These have been requested as a give-away at an upcoming fall wedding.

Other times, I’m asked to create a totally new item. This chalice and paten set are in progress for a nearby church. The design has progressed successfully with creative input from the customers.  

If you'd like a turn at some creative fun, I'll be teaching another craft party through The Muse in July. I provide all the materials you need to make a colorful potsticker for your garden or indoor plant. Check out the details and sign up here.

It’s fun to go in the studio and create a custom piece. It’s one of the ways I am able to enhance my imaginative juices, tweak a design to fit a custom request and gain satisfaction from the clay art I produce. Do you have a special request you'd like me to create? Click here to let me know!

Have you joined the ClayByLaura Club yet? Don't miss out! If you're a member, look for a special discount for on-line purchases made in the month of July! It's easy to sign up.  Click on photo above. Then, check your email to complete the registration! You're in.

If you're of a certain age (like me), it’s stuck in your head now, isn’t it?!  Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce, special orders don’t upset us…. 

Let The Benefits Begin!

A few weeks ago I started The ClayByLaura Club. Membership is easy and the perks are pretty sweet! One of the rewards is a chance to win a free pottery giveaway. This month, the lucky winner will receive one of my handmade mugs. I’ve heard from many of my customers it’s the go-to choice for a hot morning beverage or afternoon pick-me-up. 

There are other advantages to membership in the ClayByLaura Club. In addition to free ceramics, Members enjoy a standard 10 % discount on all on-line purchases. They also receive exclusive discount offers for ClayByLaura creations throughout the year. Sneak previews of the latest studio creations and regular studio updates like the Monday morning blog round out the benefits.

So how does it work? Easy. Just enter your name and email address on the club membership page here. Look for a confirmation email and click on the link provided. That’s it. You’re a member and you could have a chance to win a ClayByLaura creation too!

I've been working on a new series of tiny bowls with words. Got any suggestions for me? I'd love to hear them!

Oh, I guess you’d like to know who won the mug! 

Be sure and add your name to 'the bowl' for the next giveaway!