Stoneware And Glass

Another Day Exploring

   It may be a grey dull start to the day here in the flat lands but it doesn't stop my enthusiasm and excitement of trying some stoneware ceramic pendants this afternoon. The few pendants made last night look great this morning and after they have been cleaned up and sanded down I'm sure they will look even better with some rustic look glaze, I'm finding it all very addictive working out what shapes work with what colours, it's very different to my lampwork beads, with glass I love to let the glass and flame work out which way they want to go, but with the ceramics it's all down to me and the kiln, I'm guessing there must be thousands of combinations that I can play with, do I stick to organic more natural colours and forms or do I try the brighter more sharp textures and colours, I'll see but I think you all know which road I'll end up taking.
   When I try out something new be it bead ideas or any other craft I always think back to my school days in Ashwell, a small Victorian style primary school with the most amazing friendly caring teachers like Mrs Taylor and Mrs Bath. The classrooms had these amazing high ceilings with timber beams and walls of white paint, around the walls there were shelves that help rows of large glass jars filled with paint brushes and pots of crayons and pencils, in one corner there was an old Belfast sink with large wooden draining boards where we used to wash the paint from our hands and clean off the brushes before replacing them into their jar.
   I remember looking forward to those afternoons when we could draw and paint and would enjoy every second, the only class in which I would never dream of messing about, for me it was head down and pictures to produce. Some weeks were would do other crafts such has making seashell pots to take home for our mums to use as flower holders or vanish small pebbles that we picked from the local stream and make them into jewellery, I guess this was all the start of my love for art and crafts and what a wonderful start it was too.
   Well this morning I'm working at my torch producing focal beads ready to list in my ebay shop, some with the more brighter summer colours, I think the warm weather has given me a good kick up the backside and I know it's those cheerful colours that people are looking for this time of year, yes they never were my favourite of colours but I guess they will grow on me and to be honest at the moment I feel to get through this bad patch we are all suffering then I need to make what people want as well as what I love making, I'm sure there is a solution to be found where I can keep my rustic look yet using these summer type colours.
   Ok, cuppa time over and time to return to my torch and those bright rods of glass, fingers crossed the sun will return later in the day and I get an hour working in the garden this evening.