Happiest Easter

I love Easter. It's not just for the Christians. . . it's for those who grow,  and all of the rest of us. Happy Rebirth. It's worth a try.
 

The Body Experiment

 

It all started with these two mugs. I made the smaller white one first. It is hand-built from a brown sculptural clay that has lots of bits in it. I think the speckles are iron, but don't hold me to it. Anyway, I like it for hand-building because it holds its shape well. And you'll notice that this simple design is a far cry from my usual thrown and embellished with botanicals MO. I really liked the feel of that first mug, but wanted it to hold a little more volume, so I made the slightly taller green mug, glazed with Coyote Matt Green. . . a new favorite. Nice. It's my mug-du-jour for now.

But it occurred to me that I don't really have a good handle on how different clay bodies react to the same treatment. So. A slightly controlled experiment. "Slightly" because there's no accounting for human error, especially mine. All three of these mugs were made from the same pattern. From left to right, Grollig porcelain, Liz's White Stoneware, and the brown sculptural clay used for the first two mugs. 

Honestly, I was a little surprised at how little difference the clay body made, expecially between the porcelain and the stoneware. The porcelain shrinks a little more, and both shrink more that the brown, but still. Not a huge difference in form. The porcelain also doesn't hold the round shape quite as well. From this bottom view, that's not so clear, but it is from the rim. 

You'll also be shouting that the glaze (Klaus Hard White) is really different on the brown clay, but surprising similar on the porcelain and the white stoneware. Well observed.

So along with this experiment, I hand-built two vases for the daughters for Easter. Don't worry. They never read this, so the surprise won't be spoiled. Mom never writes anything important. Smile.

The building went extremely well, and I'm proud of both of the forms. The Trillium (left) is porcelain and the Lily is Liz' white stoneware, and you really can't see much difference. . .even on the unglazed clay on the bottom.

I used a blue to green glaze, and I'm sorry for that. Maybe I just have white on the brain, but I think they would have been more stunning in the Klaus Hard White. . .a white satin finish would have let the applique forms stand out. Note that what appears to be gray areas. . .splotches, unfortunately. . .are not real. They're a result of the reflection of the shiny glaze. 

But. They re fine and useful gifts. If they aren't loved, they can go to the thrift store! If they are, YAY! I love nothing more than making an object for a person. Whoever it is, they are in my mind for the whole process, and feeling that connection is truly wonderful.

 

Early Spring in Mid-Maine. . .

French Mountain in the mist

I woke up with a sense of dread yesterday. That's not so unusual these days. What fresh hell would await in reading the newspaper? And how long would we have a newspaper to read?

So. You can see my mood. The dreary weather was not much of a help. I'd decided to go to French Mountain, about a 20 minute drive away, because I felt like Jasper and I needed a change. It was raining pretty hard for the drive over, and I almost stopped at another trailhead to do a very short walk, and run away back to the comfort of our indoor spaces.

Clearing. Early spring in Maine

I have no idea why I kept going. . .it was really raining, and even though I'm invincible in Wellies and an umbrella, I was just not looking forward to it. This is highly unusual for me. Jasper, of course, is always ready for a walk. By the time we parked and hiked to the top of the mountain, the rain had stopped, and we could see the lake through the mist. I realize that those of you who are experiencing true spring will not be impressed with these images, but it was so heartening for me.

You can never go wrong with treats. . .

 

 

 I pulled out the treats, and we celebrated. Then we headed down the mountain. The drive back was lovely, I came home feeling energized and like I might be able to Do Something to slow the onslaught. Then I took a chance, and opened the kiln to see what the kiln Gods, with whom I am never on the best of terms, might give me.

That's fodder for the next post. Be well. Keep trudging.

 

An early spring video

 3rd Bridge on the Messalonskee Stream Trail

Click on the link above.  I thought I'd share a little bit of this morning's hike. It is a quintessential early spring day in central Maine today. Overcast, but bright. Highs in the 40's lows around freezing. Mud season has clearly begun, but that's ok. Wellies and dog feet work just fine. 

Bravehearts

Daffodils giving it a go

Someone has to be first. These daffodils have emerged from under the snow. Testing the waters. Braving the wilds. Hoping for the possibility of spring. Warmer weather. Bravo.

The Cranesbill (some call it wild geranium) is also sailing forth. It's a little more tentative. Staying low. Ready to retreat at any moment. 

Cranesbill

Not really. The point is, Spring may actually come again this year. Jasper and I had a long walk today, and neither of us could have been happier. Sadly, the trail we were on may be closed in the next couple of months. Inland hospital, which owns some of the trail property, and has been a solid supporter of the trails, is being closed. Sold, and it is unclear whether the new owners will continue to support the trail. 

 This trail, like many others, is supported by many owners of the properties involved. Getting permissions for installing them, finding funding to do so. . .all of this was done by previous generations of outdoors enthusiasts. It's up to us, now, to try to keep the whole system going. I fear that our work is just beginning.

L to R: Porcelain, Stoneware, Sculptural

Regarding things I have a little more control over, I decided to conduct a clay body experiment. It sounds more interesting than you may find it. I want to determine exactly how the three different types of clays (the type is called a "body") compare when hand building. So. I've started with 3 mugs (of my new favorite style), one out of porcelain, one out of stoneware, and one out of a brown sculptural clay that is mixed with grog, a stabilizing ingredient. Here is the beginning. These are all green ware right now, meaning they are mostly dry, but completely unfired. They still need a bit of cleanup, but this image will document the basics.