Half Wit, Half What....

Continuing with the "Fool" this week - guess I'm in a foolish mood! Last week, I re-viewed the Kurosawa film "Ran". There's a wonderful fool in that picture: he's always at the King's side and often makes cutting, witty remarks that warrant him needing to be quick to dodge the whacks. A loveable and yet painfully honest fellow. That's how I like to think of my own inner fool - but without the whacks.....

Fool's Paradise

I borrowed some imagery in this piece! If you couldn't tell, it's from Rousseau and his wonderful primitive gardens. For this mask and the series of pieces that followed, I sculpted and carved the original face, then made a mold to create others. Especially when there is intricate carving done, a mold can be quite useful and time saving! This particular mask was cast with earthenware slip, sculpted upon and then bisque fired. I used underglazes to color the different areas - then gave it a final firing. The finishing is with pencils.

There have been many fools created in my studio and perhaps I am the biggest fool of all. But, seriously, I enjoy making them for they are (for me) symbolic of everything lighthearted and of the kind of wisdom that exists in simplicity.....

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!

Which Came First?

Here's a mask from my "archives" - meaning it's another blast from the past! It marks a beginning of my egg pieces and nearly the end of my work with lowfire, earthenware clay. I'm still using the egg as a symbol but have abandoned the earthenware in favor of stoneware, sculpture and porcelain clays.

The eternal question that this mask asks is eternally puzzling to me: not so much because it's a question that can't be answered, but because I wonder why we ask it...

Carried Away

I just got "carried away" with this piece and had a bit of fun. No great message or deep meaning here, just a comment on how important it is to let oneself go sometimes. I'm guilty of being far too serious most of the time so, occasionally, I take off that mask and wear the more frivolous one. I grant myself permission because I know that balance is a good thing.....

Lightheaded

When I was a child, my mother was always telling me that I would "lose my head if it wasn't screwed on". I don't remember being especially prone to losing things.......perhaps she was warning me of what was to come! At this point in my life, losing and forgetting are daily tests - and I'm on my way to school naked and unprepared. Lightheaded is my version of keeping my head where it belongs, even if it is a bit emptier than it should be.....

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....