Ikebana Containers in Use

I made the arrangement above to showcase two of my pottery Ikebanas. The flowers for the arrangement only cost $4.00 at my local grocery and I already had the stones.


I love flowers and one day came across an Ikebana arrangement. It was love at first sight. It’s such an artistic way of arranging flowers that I was drawn like a magnet. Ikebana is the Japanese Art of Floral Arrangement where you use very few flowers arranged in an asymmetrical way.  It is now becoming popular all over the world.  Greenery and other materials such as branches are incorporated in the arrangement. Ikebana not only showcases the flower's bloom but also celebrates other parts of the plants like the stems and leaves. It is a minimalistic form and usually only consists of a few blooms in the arrangement. The materials in the arrangement are placed so that they are balanced which can be easily done once with little practice. The design is often made using a  triangular pattern. A triangular pattern is achieved by taking three flowers or foliage branches and arranging them so that when you draw an invisible line to each tip end it will form a triangle.

I enjoy the concept and I use the basic idea to make my own arrangements. I find it easy and inexpensive to pick a few flowers and some greenery from my yard, stick them in pin frog and I have a beautiful display. A small bunch of flowers at my local floral department can make a nice arrangement that is also very beautiful while still very inexpensive.
There are many types of containers and I offer some on my Ikebana page on my website, but you can also use many of the items on my "Open Vessels" page. All you need is a Kenzan (pin frog) which holds the stems in place. I send one along with pots listed on the Ikebana page. Please note that Ikebana containers that are tall and cylindrical do not use a Kenzan.

For more information go to this informative link: All About Ikebana

Thursday is Painting Day

Today is going to be deemed my “Painting Day”. I was invited to paint with some artist friends on Thursdays at Downtown Art Gallery 630 so I jumped at the chance. How can I pass that up? It’s so cold that I don’t feel like working with clay and this will be a nice break. So this morning I threw together my supplies, grabbed the first good subject I could find and ran out the door. I arrived at 10:00 AM…. perfect.

I couldn’t imagine a better time. The company was enjoyable and inspirational as was expected and I can’t wait to do it again. Once a week on Thursdays is what I’m going to strive for. Hopefully I’ll be able to work that in every week. I’m happy with my work. Here is the completed painting. It’s a 9 x 12 oil painting on gesso coated board which is what I usually work with. I will add it to my website at a later date. http://www.cnbpottery.com/ 




Lonely Apple
9 x 12

 

Rooster Mug and Child’s Rabbit Bowl–Quick Sgraffito

To Purchase Bowls, Plates, Cups or Mugs click here.

I made this Rooster mug in an attempt to offer some easily affordable sgraffito pottery. This design was not as time consuming as my other more detailed work, therefore the average person can afford these. It was also fun work so I know I’ll be making a lot more with different designs. This mug was thrown and altered. I manipulated the body after throwing on the potter’s wheel to give it a sort of crumpled look. This one holds a little over 1 1/4 cups.

This children’s bowl with a cute little bunny and sun design is another example of a quick sgraffito design.

Stoneware Pottery–Curved Trays with Slip Trailed Fish Design

These curved tray type dishes have a free form slip trailed fish. This whimsical design would look great in a bathroom, bedroom or kitchen for placing bars of soap, sponges or for placing jewelry or keys. They can also merely be viewed as a decorative piece in the living room. The two above measure about 7 1/2” x 6.

To purchase Medium Curved Fish Tray click here 

The tray below is listed as a platter due to it’s size.
It measures about 10.5" x 5.75.

To purchase Curved Platter click here.

Mixed Stoneware Oil Bottles or Bud Vases

        To purchase these bottles click here.

Here are some new stoneware bottles made using satin glazes. The tall bottles I call "cylinder bottles" since they are tall and straight sided. They are versitile and can be fitted with a spout to be used as an oil bottle. (I include the spout upon request.) They can also be used as a vase and look great holding either a single flower or a few.


The bottle on the far right is an oil bottle that is made with several thrown parts. The cylinder bottles are hand built and made from several parts which are extruded, slabbed and thrown. After I complete each part they are carefully joined together to form the bottle that you see.

I also have a wide assortment of Sgraffito and Botanical Imprinted bottles available on the "Bottles" page of my website that can be fitted with a spout. Included is a swamp scene with egret and two abstract florals. See the link below.

To Purchase Sgraffito & Botanical imprinted bottles click here.
http://www.cnbpottery.com/

White Sgraffito Design on Dark Clay - Example of side view.

I started making sgraffito pottery using white over dark clay. I only show one frontal view on my website of each piece to save time and space but each piece really has a diminsion that can't be reveiled in one photo. Therefore I am showcasing one of my pots and giving two side views to give an idea of the artwork that can wrap around the side of the piece. I do offer to send more photos of any pottery to whoever is interested in purchasing a certain piece from my website. You only need to email a request with the item number.

After testing several glazes I came upon this one and I'm very pleased with the results. I have several new pieces listed on my website now. This glaze gives a nice toasty appearance across the whole piece and really brings out the darker clay with sort of a reddish tint. I also have listed some that have a clear glossy glaze and those are more of a pure white.

To Purchase click here.

Two Pottery Angels Now Available

These are two pottery angels that I recently completed. One is a Powder Blue glaze with a patina and the other is made with a dark clay and glaze also with a patina. The process in which I make them is described on my website.

To Purchase Angels Click Here.