The Carrot or the Stick

And so, you may ask (as I do): why must we choose? And is the stick always the poorer choice?....

This small ceramic sculpture measures 3" high by 2 3/4" wide.  It is available for sale in my Etsy shop.... http://www.etsy.com/listing/87362182/the-carrot-or-the-stick-ceramic-face

Hold Onto Your Hat

Life can be a wild ride and I find it a good idea to hold on to those small, but important, details. This little mask is doing just that....

The size of this piece is 3" high by 3 1/4" wide.

Swiss Cheese Memory

I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like I have a giant head full of memories that elude me. Oh yes, they're all still there somewhere - but retrieving them is another matter all together.....

The size of this small raku mask is 3 1/2" high by 1 5//8" wide

Cupid's Evil Twin

Hey, what is this little guy up to - and do we really want to know? When I think of all the failed relationships in the world, I imagine that the evil twin has been busy indeed...

The size of this small raku mask is 2 1/2" high by 1 5/8" wide.

Misbehaving

This is for all of you who might, like me, possess an inner imp. You know the one: it's a whisper in the ear to just "go for it".....

The size of this small raku mask is 3 3/8" high by 1 1/2" wide.

Curtain Call

Sometimes it seems as if all of life is a curtain call - and, just like this little mask, we may be called upon to appear in yet another drama. If so, we must be ever ready to participate....

This is an older glaze test that I recently finished (#5!). Its size is 2 1/2" high by 1 7/8" wide.

Identity Crisis

These little peas resent the assumption that they're alike! After all, who would like being told that they are not unique? I believe we all have the capacity to defy comparison.....

The size of the pod is 3" high by 3/4" wide and has been multi fired with a final raku glaze firing.

The Hybrid

Do you ever feel "different"? I often do and, when I do, it's usually accompanied by a need to fit in somewhere. Here is a wistful solution: hybridize! Sometimes it only requires a slight mental adjustment to blend right in - at least for a little while.....

The "Hybrid" is multi fired, 2 3/4" high x 2 1/4" wide.

A Little Night Owl

The little owl works through the night - just like so many artists we know! It's a good time to get things done, whether it be capturing those pesky mice or creating a work of art. The only interruptions are the voices calling quietly in the night....

This is a multi fired raku piece and the size is 2 3/4" high by 2 3/8" wide.

Traveling Companions

It's always nice to have a friend to travel with - even on a short journey. These two will always be together no matter where they touch down....

The size of this small mask is 3 1/4" high x 2 1/2" wide and there are tubes affixed to the backs of each leaf to facilitate hanging. This piece is a bit unusual since it's a bit deeper than most of my glaze tests. The sides of each face "butterfly" upwards.

See No Evil

Don't you wish it was so easy not to see some things? I made this small mask with the idea in mind of a sort of mental blindfold: one that would screen out the unpleasantries. I've got mine near at hand just in case....

Karma

Whether you choose to believe in a force such as Karma or not, doing good turns and being a good person is its own reward. I like the idea of Karma being circular and part of a continuing story that we all have roles in. Some say that what goes around comes around and I believe it.....

Free Falling - a visual journey....

I've got Autumnal changes on my mind! Thought I'd share the transformational journey of just one leaf.....

Outside the Box

Thinking outside the box can lead to many things! I believe that most creative sorts use this kind of thinking to great benefit, but there can be dangers - as evidenced by this little piece. Is there such a thing as TOO creative???

Yet another glaze test from my Etsy shop: I've been a bit lazy with posting some of the bigger masks, but I promise that there will be more to come (and soon). The size of this raku mask is 2 3/4" high x 2" wide and there is a tube affixed to the back for hanging as a pendant or anywhere a creative reminder is needed.....

Offering

My little Birdgirl would like to offer a twig for your nest. We all need building material and whether it's for a nest or something more substantial, it's the thought that counts (or so she tells me anyway)! This is another recent addition to my Etsy shop and for lack of another bigger piece to show, I've decided to share some of my glaze tests with you.

The size of the mask is 2 3/4" high by 2 3/8" wide and there is a tube affixed to the back for hanging as a pendant.

Flights of Fancy

Often I feel that there is not enough whimsy in my life. It is then that I create a piece such as this: pure fantasy - or fancy and for a moment, I can rise above some of the mundane. I consider myself lucky to have this ability and it pleases me to share it......

The size of this small mask is 2 5/8" high by 1 7/8" wide and there is a tube affixed to the back for hanging. I just finished the piece this week and it was added to my etsy shop.
http://unmasked.etsy.com

Glaze test Friday - 3

And so, it's Friday again and I thought I'd post a couple of tests from this week. Tests are about all I've been doing lately, but next week I must get serious about starting some full size pieces.

Glaze test Friday - 2

Here are two more recent glaze tests. In a way, they cancel each other out, but I can't ever seem to show (or make) a devilish piece without some sort of balance. The sweeter mask is named "A Watchful Eye" and its task is to keep an eye on "In Sheep's Clothing"......

I find myself somewhere in between the two!

Glaze test Friday

I thought I'd show some of my glaze tests today. I use these to test my engobes and glazes and to try out different ideas. I don't always make bigger pieces based on these, but often I get new directions from the results. These little guys are some of the latest out of the studio and I'm thinking of making this a regular Friday feature. Yes, I've got a lot in the works!

They do have names also:

top - A Rosy Outlook

middle - Bewitched and Bewildered

bottom - Simon Says...

Till Monday, adieu....

Triptych

Before I started my "leaf as metaphor" series, I did an extensive amount of testing and experimentation with glazes, colors and techniques. Shown here are three of these glaze tests. If you've visited my blog before, you may have noticed the "glaze test" slide show at the right. I'm mentioning it now as a shameless promotion of my Etsy site: http://unmasked.etsy.com . Ya know, in between shows, I still need to eat and pay my bills!

Speaking of shows, I'll be at Fort Mason in San Francisco this weekend for the Contemporary Crafts show. So, if you're in the neighborhood, please stop by and see my work up close and personal!