Friday, October 22, 2010

Fresh bisqued work and new glazed work



And so the drive to make a better mug handle continues. My very first were too small to fit even the average pinky finger, my next weak and timid on the bottom, the next were plagued with cracks when layered with terra sig, and after a brief stint working with Kristen Kieffer's two-piece handles, these are so much better.

They are pulled from a lump of clay attached to the cup (soon to be a mug). I wet my hand, form it into a mold for the clay to move through, and I shape it into a handle. My friend told me once that holding a well made handle is like holding the hand of the person who made it. To a point I believe it. Every potter I know has their own unique handle, from each of their unique two hands. Still, if you don't want to imagine holding someone's hand you're not intimately involved with the entire time you're sipping your coffee, I'd understand that, too. Just remember it's a handmade object that another human being put time, thought, and character into. It's a beautiful thing.



Cups with Kristen Kieffer glazes pirated from our summer Penland workshop together. She is awesome.


Root Beer Float mugs with shop glazes. They are tall enough to account for the delectable dessert spoon you will be enjoying your root beet float with, or for your jumbo straw. They would certainly work for bubble tea or shakes, too! Anything you want a massive serving of.


My brother taught me that the way you remember to spell "dessert" with two "s"s is because it's so good you want two servings of it. So true...

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Root Beer Float Mugs 2.0


They're back! By popular demand (and because I like them so much), I am making a second series of Root Beer Float Mugs. They have my trademark bellybutton and waist, with a variation on Kristen Kieffer's two-piece handle. The original series was for my senior show at Syracuse where I had root beer, vanilla ice cream, and desserts galore for visitors to gorge themselves on. The best variation I've ever had on a Root Beer Float is green tea ice cream and ginger ale (thanks for the idea, Alex)!

The longest tandem ever (goes around the whole cup):


And of course, we have bicycle tumblers and playful cups. They were all glazed this afternoon and should be done by next week. Stay tuned for the results of the first glaze firing of my work in the new studio!