Oil Vinegar Bottles ready to hit the Dance Floor

Oh yes they are ready! I am thankful to the customer who put this idea in my head. She said, I have your butter dish, I have your salt pepper shakers, I have your mugs and bowls and I need some thing more for the kitchen.

I decided to make Oil/Vinegar bottles but wasn't sure what shape/design or how would I incorporate my style to them. Sometimes you just have to try out things to see how they transform.

I made a new die for my extruder and manipulated the clay as it came out. And just like that I knew where this was going.

I tapered the tops to give them a more elegant look and the decoration just empahized the curves and flow of the shape emulating the look of embroidered fabric wrapped around a body.

And I just couldn't decorate one side... they have a different pattern on both sides. The textured slip pattern also helps in getting a good grip on the bottle while cooking.

I like how they came out and would like to read your comments. Getting input on new work is really appreciated. Thanks

Learning from Ginger Steele

I can't even begin to describe how generous potters are in sharing ideas, techniques, glaze recipes etc... Since making pottery is so entirely handmade, every artist will have something different in their piece even if they are making similar items.

I have met several potters online and in workshop and all have added so much to my skill set but Ginger Steele truely takes the cake. I have always been struggling with lids. I managed somewhat but was never entirely happy. I spent last weekend at Ginger's studio learning how to make thrown lids for small/big jars, teapots, casseroles. It was all hands on and I gained so much. We also exchanged some patterns and stamps and I am very excited to see how we incorporate it in our work. We made casseroles, jars, pitchers, bowls... etc.. Attached is a picture of some of the work I did and later carved. I did it in her clay so I can get then fired in her kiln. I really like the way the lidded pieces turned out and I have never had such good fitting lids.

One key thing I realized was that I was working with very soft clay, which wasn't letting me manipulate the clay enough for lids seats. The most important thing was to make the lid seat before pulling up the wall. It might be second nature to everyone, but I had not realized this.

One big take away was that I really need to let go and experiment more... not worry about wasted clay, or waste my time thinking about how to use my scraps of clay etc.. etc.. So I am very convinced to purchase a pugmill and I will getting one very soon. I think it will change the way I work, evolving my work in different ways.

I am looking forward to working with her again on her handbuilt work.

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.