Scenes from the studio

A few ideas in the works.  I've made some time this month for some new work and ideas- it doesn't quite feel right to start the year off without some 'experiments'.  Today I hope to try to make a 1 piece plaster mold to get back into mold-making processes.  This video was the inspiration.  I'm also hoping to make a little mold-stamp out of the bottom of this vintage bottle I found- 'Made in Canada' which I only recently actually turned over and 'discovered'.  And a few vase form ideas inspired in part by Lucy Rie and also a 'bulb vase' concept. 

Lucie Rie

As far as historical ceramics goes, I've always been enamored with Lucie Rie's pottery.  In love, actually. If I ever came close to a piece of hers, I think my heart would skip a few beats!  My good friend Lise Kuhr actually 'dared' (her work sells upwards of $40 000 for a bowl) to hold a piece that was up for auction at an auction house in London.  She got all dressed up, walked right in, and asked to see the bowl that was being auctioned off. Picked it up and held it.  I was jealous when she told me.

Lucie Rie's work bears a style that is truly her own.  When I first saw the grouping of her pots in the first photo on the blog 'an ambitious project collapsing' I knew instantly that they were hers.  The beauty about someone's style being so distinct is that everyone who tries to 'copy' it can't really compete with the real deal. 

That's something that I wanted to do when I started my ceramics career.  I wanted to make pots that didn't leave an ounce of doubt in someone's mind that they were mine. I didn't even want someone to have to flip the piece over to check the stamp/signature out to have to confirm who made it. And that's how I measure a good pot these days- by someone's signature style that is so distinct from the firs time you lay eyes on their work. 
There is one more week to vote for the Poppies Ceramics category on the Poppytalk blog.  There are some really amazing other contemporary potters (with distinct signature styles) to vote for along with myself.  Please vote (I'm not at all impressed with who's in the lead, hoping someone who really deserves the award will actually win it!)

Wedgewood History on Design Sponge!

OK- just had to quickly link you all to this amazing post on the history of Wedgewood (actually about the founder of Wedgewood China: Jasper Wedgewood) and a DIY project inspired by some Wedgwood motifs written by Amy Azzarito! This image of test-tiles is so classic to the working potter and I just loved the hues and shades of clay- don't you?
Now I'm off to peruse the Wedgewood Museum site to see more!