In My Studio

I need to hang this in my studio, so when customers stop by I don't need to apologize for my mess!

Working from home means major multitasking to accomplish an endless list of chores. Best way I have found is a daily notebook with 2 lists; Studio & House.

My list always starts with exercise whether it is doing pilates, kickboxing, walking early with a friend or some other program on my exercise on demand channel, it is how I begin. On super busy days when I skip it...I notice that I am not as focused on projects, get bored and find I don't make good use of my time.

 

If the studio lists includes pouring molds, I find excuses to avoid this task. Sometimes my molds when filled with clay can weigh 100lbs, its a draining job for a 5' 1' gal but if its on a list I do it. I think there is something exhilarating about crossing off a chore that is complete.

 

My first tip on working from home is create a list...one that is possible.

And do the worst ones first!

 

Like this one!



Molds for urns, filled with clay these are the heavy ones, emptying into the slipmaster which holds my clay.





 

Or this one:

 

Getting a poem printed in a nice font that fits the piece I am putting this on. Pressing hard enough on my transfer paper and going very slowly to get as close to the exact print as possible. This kind of piece can take possibly 2 hours of planning,typing & prepping. The actual painting is 2 plus hours usually more for a custom order like this but the results were awesome!

 

 

This custom order was from a husband to his wife for her birthday, he chose her favorite poem for me to paint on a plate for her office desk.

This is not the best photo but here is the finished piece:

The poem was "sweet darkness" so I painted the wording in various shades of black & grey. The flowers & leaves are in 3 shades of grey & the flower centers & small buds on the vine border are in a pale lemon. So pleased with my design & color choice, after reading the words I planned my design & color selection appropriately.

 

My next tip is take your time & plan your piece, if you do so you won't be disappointed in the results.

 

 

Make it a great Day...write a list & be productive!

 

xo, Pamela









After the Christmas Rush

As much as I love Christmas I am always glad when its over! October, November, & December are always crazy busy...this year exceptional. I decided to partake in the Cincinnati Holiday Market which is 3 long days of wall to wall shoppers. So many unique fun shops sell at this show scheduled the week before Thanksgiving.

We had a great booth location, entrance row shared a 30 ft space with Chris from

Country Manor Mixes.  This worked perfect, my ceramics and her dip, oil & cheeseball mixes together made beautifully packaged gifts.

Putting away Christmas until the end of summer. Unfortunately, the time will fly by!

 

For now I am working on orders and preparing for the Home & Garden Market scheduled for

March 1st- March 15.

 

 

Doodle Art Cow

Still playing with doodle art techniques for my words. I think this tile is so fun & whimsical.

"Eat Pork..."

 

 

I used the same techniques as the pig in the previous blog post.

The writer bottle with the metal tip from Mayco or Michaels craft store sells one in the glass paint section. Then I scribbled lines & swirls around the basic letter. After line color ( I used Black) is dry drop fill color. Play with dots and whimsical touches like the pig face I drew in the letter P, small flower at the tip of the letter K and all the dots outside the letter. When color is dry add a touch of dimension with small dots using French dimensions by Duncan of any dimensional paint brand you like.

 

 

Finish the edging with a cute scallop border. Tiles are inexpensive and a good place to test your creativity before moving on to a plate, bowl etc.

Make it a Great Day... Be Whimsical!

 

Enjoy!

XOXO, Pamela

Doodle Art Tile

I love the look of doodle art journaling, so I thought why not play around with the technique on a tile.

I scribbled a pig face with my writer tip bottle and brushed whimsically with a little Mayco pink-a-dot. 

After I did the pig I came up with my words which I penciled in. With the basic letters there I just expanded, making sections of the letters wider using your writer bottle.  Fill those with a paint color. Add a few scallops to the long edges with the writer bottle, & fill with another color. I used Limelight. Make a fun border, checks & dots always an easy option. Play around with doodle art writing and give some fun to your piece. Be inspired but always make your work original!

Make it a Great Day...Be Inspired, Be Original,& Create Doodle Art!

 

Enjoy!

XOXO, Pamela

Be Inspired!

Be Inspired!

Last week I was wrapping a birthday gift for my Mom and thought this is cute paper, bright, fun, lots of designs...I think I'll paint this on a tile!

Love the bright colors.

 

 



Here is my tile...bummer cracked in the kiln and I rushed my glaze smeared the black...learn from my mistakes!

 

 

 

 

 

Directions:

 

These are my colors and my basic ideas, I will never be totally exact because I fly by the seat of my pants as should you when creating your own work.

 

6 inch bisque tile

Mayco foundations; white

Duncan colors:

CN 142 Bright Aqua

CN 022 Bright Saffron

CN 509 Paprika Red

CN 504 Neon Orange

Mayco Colors:

SC 70 Pink A Dot

SC 78 Limelight

Black ( any brand)

 

1. Brush 2 coats of Mayco Foundations White. Dry

2. Make a 1.5 inch line down the left side & a 1 inch on the right.

3. Top left;  with a sumi brush, pounce aqua, pink & green as shown; 2 coats.

4. Bottom left brush 3 coats each pink & red blending each coat.

5. Brush 3 coats pink to the right side.

6. Draw random flowers & leaves in center space. With a #5 round brush paint half moon strokes to achieve fun added design.

7. Add writing in your own whimsical form. ( make it your own)

8. When all is dry Sgraffito your own design into the the borders to create a sgraffito look on bisque.

 

*Sgraffito ( Italian: "to scratch") is a decorating pottery technique produced by applying layers of color or colors (underglazes or colored slips) to leather hard pottery and then scratching off parts of the layer(s) to create contrasting images, patterns and texture to reveal the color underneath.

 

9. Brush 1 coat clear glaze. Fire cone 06.

 

 



Make it a Great Day...Create something Bright!

 

Enjoy!

Pamela



Playing with Glaze

I have been working as a ceramic artist for almost 17 years! Through the years I have attended many shows, classes etc. where I was flooded with new products, new techniques & many new ideas to incorporate. With that said I have accumulated glazes, products, equipment, books, technique charts, glazes and paints from every company out there. Not to mention the clay, molds, cookie cutters...you know stuff to make me more creative; to enhance my work! But so many just sat there untouched.

Last week I decided to start making one new tile each week using the glazes & products on my shelves. Which if they turn out can be made into a plate, platter, bowl, vase or something useful if not better luck next week. I will show you what works, what doesn't and what I will do to change it. Here is my first tile where I am using my most recent glaze purchase combined with an old tried up crunchy jar!

CRYSTAL LEAF ART

Supply List:

6 inch tile or Bisque of your choice
sponge
fan brush
1 fern leaf
Duncan AG 405 Smokestack
Duncan AG 402 Turquoise Haze
Duncan 20026 Monterey Jade ( or any dried up crystal glaze)
Clear glaze

1. Wipe bisque piece with sponge to remove dust.

2. With the fan brush apply 2 coats of AG 405 smoke stack.

3 While second coat is still wet, press leaf face down into glaze; pressing out from center make sure all leaf tips are firmly into glaze.

Apply 2 coats of  smokestack

 

 

 

press leaf into glaze

 

4. When second coat is dry and leaf firmly adhered; add 2 coats of AG 402 Turquoise Haze. Always brush from the center of the leaf out to the edges to avoid pulling it up.

 

5. Mix 1 Tbls. Monterey Jade ( smash up dried glaze with the back of a spoon) with 1 Tbls. clear glaze and apply to the edge of tile in a wavy pattern.

 

6. When shine is gone but still damp slowly pull the leaf off. If some parts stick...no worries it will burn off during the kiln firing.

 

7. Fire piece to 06. 

 

Give this technique a try and send a photo of your art.

 

Make it a Great Day and Be Creative!

 

Enjoy...

Pamela