Handbuilt Tumbler Video

Last Friday, my video on making Handbuilt Tumblers/Vases was featured on Ceramic Arts Daily and it was great to get the responses from so many potters and artists. Looking at google analytics, I got hits from all around the world, majority from the United States. I had hits from every State except from North Dakota. Wonder if there are no potters there? And you can see the most are from California.

I enjoy sharing my techniques and it is always fun to see another artist's take on the same technique. If you try this technique or do handbuilding feel free to share pictures of your work in the comments section.

I got more confidence in handbuilding with slabs after taking a workshop from Ginger Steele, a potter from Oregon. I also saw a few videos on Yixing teapots from which I picked up other techniques.

Here are the steps for the process and the video

Cut template for your tumbler or cylinder from a thin slab (1/8 inch) of compressed clay. The clay needs to be a little stiffer than fresh out of the bag.
Roll the top rim with a brayer to round it making it comfortable for drinking. Roll the side of the slab to bevel it later for joining. The brayer can be purchased at a clay supply store.
Roll patterns or use stamps to decorate. This is where you can let your creativity show through. I make some stamps and some I purchase at thrift stores.
Apply slip to the sides and roll over a rolling pin to form your tumbler. To true up the roundness, use a round object like a Styrofoam ball which won’t stick to the clay.
Score and slip to add the bottom. The bottom is finished by running a profile tool (made from a popsicle stick) along the edge.
My tumblers are embellished with buttons to capture the look of embroidered fabric wrapped around and held together with buttons.
These tumblers are further decorated with slip to give more texture.

Upcoming in 2010!

I have been busy from the start of the year making some new work for 2010.
Here are some pictures of them in their unfired stage.
I made some handbuilt tumblers and beer steins from slabs of clay which are really light weight and a delight to hold.

I also made a new extrusion die with which I can extrude walls for a container with a gallery inside for the lid. It is quite a versatile die as I can make containers of any shape and size with just this one die. You can see the first picture of the small ones that I made first and then some really big casseroles I made. I wanted to emmulate the look of fabric wrapped around and held together by buttons and that look really comes through.

Another challenging thing has been making oval lids from slabs to fit these pieces and these have comes out great.

These items will be available for purchase in April in my etsy shop.

Indian Wedding

They sure are a grand affair! Lots of food, lots of people, great clothes, tons of color and great source of inspiration like the henna pattern above. I am sure this pattern will make it to some of my pottery soon.I was going through some pictures of my brother's wedding which happened in Dec'2007. I had to do a double take on this picture of my cousins standing on stage next to my brother and his wife. The colors, patterns, designs looked so similar to a recent picture of butter dishes I had taken. Looks like my butter dishes are off to a wedding too. Do you see the resemblance?

Interview with Craft Nation

I recently got interviewed with Crafty Nation and they posted the interview on their blog.

http://craftynation.com/blogs/417

You can read it here as well.

Meet Crafty Nation Member CreativeWithClay: Interviewed by Christy Nelson

I conducted an email interview with Charan earlier this month as I was fascinated by his story and his work. Here you will find my questions with his responses in his own words. I've also included some pictures of his work found at his website and also his etsy shop. Please take a moment to go and look at the wonderful things he creates!

Crafty Nation: From reading on your website, I noticed that you had a passion for clay even before you had easy access to it. When you were first learning to throw and make pottery, was it your intention to turn it into a business?

CreativeWithClay: I had a passion for clay since I was a kid and I was always fascinated by three dimentional things and my ability to use what is made by hand. When I started learning how to throw and make pottery, it was almost as though I had been doing it for a long time. My instructor was sure that I had been throwing on the wheel before. It never occured to me that I would turn it into a business. It was something I was doing because my body was yearning to do it. I feel I have some clay in my veins and it just felt so right to be working in clay. I wasn't thinking that I am doing this so that I can start a business and make money from it. I am making pots because I am passionate about it and really enjoy it. I am very glad that I am following my passion and now selling pots and establishing a small business with it.

CN: What are some of your major design influences?

CWC: I was born in Kuwait and even though I was brought up there for a significant part of my life, we were very Indian at heart and visited India every year. We watched Indian movies (Bollywood movies) a lot at home especially with the harsh weather there. I moved back to India during the Gulf War, and I was always facinated by the colors, fabrics and designs I saw in India. My mom's family has a business in making beautiful Indian fabrics with gorgeous embroidery specailizing in Indian weddings. I believe that has a great influence on my work too. I strive to give life to clay, making it decorative with Indian influences keeping functionality in mind.

CN: I speak with a lot of artists and crafters and most have a hard time balancing making things they love and making things that other people love. How do you decide what to make and what to put into your etsy shop? Do you focus on your best sellers, continually make new pieces, or a combination?

CWC: I can understand the dilemma artists face regarding this. I have gone through those periods too, where I think I need to make what people like. The truth is that if you make something just because other people will buy it and not with real liking to make it, then you will find it very hard to sell. For artists I think it is very important to work from your heart. Make what your heart enjoys... make something that can give you goosebumps... make something that will make you jump with joy. If you create something with real passion, you will find it very easy to talk about it with your customers. People can tell you really enjoy what you made and are fascinated by your influences and ability to create. Selling becomes a lot easier, as you don't have to pretend any more.Like every artist, I do have best sellers. My Bollywood mugs, bowls and soap dishes sell very well online on etsy and in shows. I do focus on them, but I am always creating new work. Sometimes it is a design or glaze, sometimes a new decoration technique, sometimes it is a new form that I have never created before. Over the last year or so, I have started branching out and working towards sculptural work. I like the way my work transforms. I keep pictures of my work and it a great learning experience to see how work transforms,... still being my work and still being different.

CN: Thank you so much for your time and we wish you much success in the future! We'll be looking around Crafty Nation for future feature crafters. If you have something special to share with the community, let us know in the forums.

Techniques in action

A while back I had shared my technique of making a slip decorating tool which was featured on Ceramics Arts Daily. Thank you all for writing back and commenting on my technique and giving it a try.

I follow the blog of Grace Sheese who does beautiful work with slip trailing. I have shared her work on my blog before and she too had said such wonderful things about my slip decoration technique. In one of her recent blogs she showed the stages of her pots as they reached completion. I was thrilled to see the mylar cones in the background that she was using for decoration. She adapted well to the cones and says that are a lot better on her hands than using bottles. Considering that as a testiment... I encourage other slip decorating potters to use the cones for decoration.

Where is my bud vase?

It is hung on a wall in a massage office.
I got an email from Sharon Remagen who bought one of my wall bud vases in September last year at the Puyallup fair. It is always good to hear when my pieces are being used and bringing joy to my customers. I love how it looks against the wood and the flowers are a beautiful color choice.

I haven't posted these on my online shop yet, but eventually will come around to it.