Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
Congratulations to Gloria Allen
You have won a $20.00 gift certificate to spend at Humblebeads.com
Send Heather an email to claim your gift certificate.
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Glazing new work by Mary Harding
This week you are in the studio of Mary Harding. I have been busy these last weeks making new pieces for my Etsy shop and for auctions at the Ceramic Art Bead Market. As I write my kiln is cooling off. I will be sharing some pictures of what I find inside when I open it in a few hours. Always an exciting moment.
I have been using a new clay these last couple of weeks. It is not all that different from the clay I have used for the last years but it looks very different when it is wet. It is Gray. My usual clay is white. So it is a bit of an adjustment. Up North here where I live, it is not advisable to purchase clay during the winter months because it will freeze on the truck and the ice breaks up the structure of the clay. My closest clay distributor is 120 miles away. So when you run out, as I did you use what else you have on hand. Here is what it looks like wet.
New gray clay comes from Laguna Clay
This has been the warmest Spring I can remember. I have been so inspired by the dramatic change in the world from Winter to Spring this year that I thought I would share some photos of the emergence of new leaves and lots of the greenness and a few wild flowers that I love to use in my work.
These are emerging needles on our tamarack tree. It is deciduous even though it has needles and tiny pine cones just like the firs and pines. I love that red pink around the new needles.
Emerging grape leaves
Lilac leaves after a short shower
Ferns
Skunk Cabbage
Grass and Violets
Clover There is more clover growing everywhere this year than I have ever seen before. It makes our Woodchucks happy and hopefully will keep them out of my veggie garden.
Lilac Flowers
Maple Seed Wings in abundance. Just recently we had a very windy day and lots of baby seed wings were blown off another tree. I have those in my studio. They are so nice and small.
I just checked on my kiln and it is at 154 degrees F. I looked inside and took a picture looking down in
I am going to wait another hour to unload even though it is cool enough. They are a still a bit hot to handle. So far it looks promising to me.
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One hour later I unloaded the kiln and was so happy to see they came out well. Ceramics can be a bit of a hit or miss craft no matter how skilled you are. That is why I always put my kiln goddess on top of the kiln when I fire.
A group shot of some of the pieces in this kiln load. Please check out my Etsy shop later today and some of them will be there .
I hope you enjoyed my visual indulgence into the greenness and beauty of this very special Spring.
And now my Question: Are you inspired this Spring and if so what is making you feel so good and energetic?
Just answer this question in the comment section below and you will be entered to win a $20.00 gift certificate to spend in my Etsy shop. A winner will be randomly picked and announced next Friday.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Mary