LOST

I really haven't had much to blog about recently, just the daily grind, nothing of much note... or work I can't yet post up here (which can be frustrating some times!) Anyway, I have been doing these for myself. Running through a whole set of ideas based on the idea of loss. Inspired by the cheap, photocopied Lost Pet flyers. I wanted to keep them super simple, so no colour or tone, just line. i drew them all tiny too, so i wouldn't get too fussy or precious over the drawings. Each character is drawn about 4 or 5 cm tall. I have about 30 or so worked up to A4 and i want to reach 40, before i decide what i can actually do with them. I want to play around a bit with the actual sheet of A4 too, maybe fold it and hide a character or tear a piece out etc It's my usual theme of mostly single character, given a stage for their response to the title. As much as i fight this limited format of mine, i keep coming back to it... it's what comes most naturally, I'm obviously doing it for some reason... i just don't understand it, so I'm trying not to over think it this time. This is what i do. It speaks without me having to over-dress it all.

Memory Jugs cont.

When I made that memory jug for Jakki, i received a kind comment from Laurie Beth Zuckerman (also asking for a bit more info on my use of the red under the gold, as in old-school gilding). It was a pleasant surprise as I instantly recognized Laurie's name from my initial discovery of these fantastic folk art objects. I'd even put together a little sheet of her jugs, which i printed out and it sits just above my mac. She makes beautiful memory jugs, do check them out. Anyway, it put Laurie back on my radar and i saw she had a cd book available to buy on her blog, $20, so i did..... and it's FANTASTIC!! I highly recommend buying a copy. Not only is there a great selection of images, jugs both historical and those made by Laurie herself, but there's also a wealth of information from the history of these jugs to how to make your very own (mine was a rather scattershot approach in comparison!!). Here are just a few examples of what you will find if you wisely buy a copy. Laurie kindly gave me permission to use some of her images on here. Beautiful aren't they. I'm looking forward to making my next one now!.... along with getting back to the pottery soon (have i promised that before???!). Also, Lorna, our studio owner, has also offered to teach me to throw on her electric wheel in our studio. Help is always appreciated!! I've found it hard on my kick wheel, as i forget the momentum when i'm concentrating on the clay and vice-versa!! To be honest though, I just haven't given it the time it requires of me, I've been all over the place this year, too many daily stresses and worries to feel I can just go and make pots. It's coming up for a year since I bought my first batch of clay, so I'm hoping that will give me a jolt to move it to the next level...... i did say 'hoping'!

Fracking Idiots Are Here!

Oh boy! Just discovered last week that the South East coast is prime for fracking and it seems our county, East Sussex, may just be one of the first to resist. I'd like to write more, but I've a lot on... so here's a great link to learn more about this crazy new gas source. Hoping that our fears over our dependency on oil from the Middle East will allow them to roll this out. It's just crazy... everything about it, from fracturing the earth, to the chemical cocktail they have to pump in and the little they actually end up cleaning up! This is mainly for the UK crowd, as you guys Stateside have had Tracey's blog to educate us!! Go Tracey!!
Anyway, it's coming to a town near us soon.Try and get to see the documentary, Gasland by Josh Fox, it'll be a real eye opener and you'll wonder how the hell you have never heard of this before.I will come back to this in the future, but now you've been warned and hopefully educated.. SAY NO TO FRACKING... it's just madness.

Make It Right

I do love Tim Buckley! I thought I'd share this groovy little track, off his criminally underrated 1972 album Greetings From LA. Tim had such a fantastic voice and just followed his artistic vision. If you're not familiar with his music then i think it's about time you started a journey!.. and don't anyone start on the whole Jeff (his son) was better thing!!! It's just a shame that both died too young. Anyway, back to the music...

It's Definitely Something!

Well, It's a jug, but i don't know what else to add! I just tried a variety of things on it and kept going... can you tell?! It has it's origins in a variety of different pots. It's part monkey jug/ face jug, medieval water cistern and a french medieval type pot i saw in ceramic review a few issues ago (but i can't seem to find other examples or pictures of it! they were very spherical with a short neck, three handles and a spout, along with the little decorative rope things... they were at Maison Patrimoniale de Barthète). Anyway, mainly face jug and this French style of pot. I wasn't even going to put it on here at all, It's such an odd beast... and probably quite a monstrosity to a lot of potters, but this is my path and I'm taking it where i want... just because I can... it's all for me!! Anyway, I'm bonding with it and if it takes the coating of slip ok then I'll be even happier. Oh yes, I'm going to add even more when i do a little sgraffito on it too!!.. not much though. I do wish the spout had been  a little more..... considered. I may just have time to sort that. One of the three handles was a little too 'beefy' at the top too... lazy pulling! Anyway, lets see how it finishes up. It's about 10 inches in all directions.

What Motivates Us?

I'm sure most people have had enough of watching these RSA Animate films, but I really enjoyed this one last night. I'd been having a good tour of Robin Wood's fantastic crafts blog and found it on there. I had no idea of the extent of his involvement in the crafts and the setting up of the Heritage Crafts Association. His philosophy section had really interesting pieces about traditional crafts and an equally interesting piece about last summers riots, i highly recommend a read.