The Call Of Ceramics

Looking Forward To The Weekend

   Well it's nearly here, the weekend of ceramics is soon to start and to be honest I can;t wait !. Its been over three weeks since I made a pot of any kind and I really have missed that feeling of wet clay between my fingers, there is something very primitive about working clay that gives you a real sense of history, yes you also get it when working with glass but it's not the same. When I work with clay my mind is full of those early ancient potters making simple beakers or cooking pots furnished with plain finger decoration, not decorative pieces but just every day wear that was so new and important to them.
   With beads I think more of them being just a symbol of wealth, a way for those ancient peoples to show off their position in life, a bit like today, still jewellery is worn for show and always will be, those who can afford diamonds will wear them and those who can't will wear less precious metals or glass, just like those of centuries passed.
   On the ceramic side of things, well yes we can do just the same, we can buy stunning ceramic pieces with ornate designs and we can collect very beautiful pots or vases but I would guess 90% of ceramics we own are those we need and use in every day life be it in cooking, eating, drinking or storage.
   I'm not really sure which road I will take on my journey in ceramics but for now I just love trying to find a road I feel comfortably walking, one with interest in every hedgerow would be nice allowing me freedom in design like that wonderful country lane I've walked with my beads these past years, no motorway of money making boredom for me, no crowed roads where everyone goes in the same direction, just small lanes and footpaths that wonder through history, those tiny roads that can teach me so much and cost me only time.

   Now for the garden news, yesterday I managed yet another hour setting up bed number eight so now the kitchen garden is starting to take shape, as you can see from the picture there is still so much work to do but enjoyable work, nothing is hard when you know there is a special gem waiting at the end and mine will be somewhere that will share those summer evenings not to mention the wonderful produce that will I hope fill out plates, healthier food plus a calm peaceful place to relax, what more could one need.
   There are still more beds to lay and strewberry benches to build as well as runner bean frames and trenches not to mention sorting out the paths between beds and a huge tidy up, the list seems to go on for miles but hey, it's fun and keeps me well out of trouble.
   I started listing beads in the etsy shop last evening and there are focals to list in the ebay shop tonight so it looks like yet another long busy day ahead. Well cuppa time is over and it's back to my flame, I'm hoping my oxygen lasts the day then with the ceramic weekend planned I won't need to replace the tanks until Monday, but we'll see.