A painting, 3 Lauras, fine clothes, crystal glazes, Mugged by Doug, and Thankyou!

Laura finished a lovely large painting this week, the painting measures 4 feet high (1200mm). It has been so good seeing her back to working on something as challenging as this, and she is really happy to have completed it.

Laura is not a very common name, or we didn't think so, but we accumulated 3 under our roof two Sundays ago. It was such an unusual event that I recorded it for posterity!

Laura on the left has recently begun coming here for potting lessons. Fortunately she looks different enough from my Laura (in the middle) for me not to get them confused (my inability to remember names and faces is very well developed!). The Laura on the right happened to visit our little gallery here when she was passing by.

We had a visit from Mike and Chantel from Oamaru, they came bearing wonderful clothes that they had made for us, and also kindly bringing with them my mum and dad who had ordered the clothes for us as a Christmas present (dad took this photo). Mike and Chantel make made to measure Heritage clothing, and have a beautiful shop in Oamaru called Tiger Lily's. The woollen tweed fabric that Mike used for making my waistcoat and plus 4s was hand woven at Tiger Lily's. Chantel made Laura's lovely apron.

I have unloaded another small collection of finished crystal glazed pots and lots more glaze tests. My first successful crystal glazes were using recipes that Lasse Östman kindly posted on his web site (I wrote Lasse a thank you Email, and received a very nice one back). I am trying different oxides with his glaze bases as a starting point, and am also substituting some of the materials, such as replacing Rutile with titanium, and so on. I am also making careful adjustments to the firing cycle to learn the effects that this has on crystal shape, size, quantity, and growth.

As a result of my tests I have a really good copper green crystal glaze that is reliable enough to use, one that has nice pale blue crystals and an almost white background that needs some more work before it is usable (it currently crazes rather badly), several more that may be promising with further playing with the firing schedule, and I also have some of Lasse's that work well straight away.

I have also found a dolomite matt glaze that does well with the slow cooling schedule I am playing with, and have found that Bouverie Tessha glaze works splendidly as a dark liner glaze for the inside of pots. So I'm happy with developments.

Yesterday I was glazing more crystal glazed pots to go in the kiln. Towards the end of our working day, Laura noticed a car pull up outside our place, and, after some earnest discussion with his passenger, a man got out, and approached our front door. Laura bravely flung the door wide and...

Behold there were charming, wonderful people bearing gifts!

The mysterious strangers turned out to be friends of Doug Fitch, and they came complete with a mug that Doug sent as a present and something nice on CD. To receive such a thing is just pure pleasure. So thoughtful, and such an encouragement. I have admired Doug's work for as long as I have been blogging, and to have something from him here is really very special. The mug is lovely, it is from the land where I was born, and was made by kind hands, and what can be nicer than that!

The other bonus with this has been to meet Doug's friends Jeff and Stella. We had a shared meal with them last night, and I have had such a nice day with them today, we walked together down through the wildlife lagoon to the beach. The sun was out, and it was beautiful. Jeff and Stella had looked rather tired after their travels the day before, but were greatly rejuvenated by the sea air and warmth.


It was one of those splendid days when nature pulled out all the stops to make it enjoyable. There were wild flowers to lift the spirits (like these poppies that must have escaped from someone's garden), and the birds put on a fine show too.

Mr black swan seemed to be grooming, but was really quietly on guard. Not far from him was Mrs black swan and their fine family of 6 cygnets.



The grey heron was in sociable mood. Instead of hiding, he/she posed for the camera, allowing me to take a great many photographs.




Sadly it is now late and I have to finish (maybe just as well!!). Huge thank yous to all the people mentioned on this post for making life good, enjoyable, and full of surprises! I'll be having a nice cup of cocoa soon in Doug's mug!

Comments

cookingwithgas said…
Some days are just given to you like a gift.
What a great day.
I love Laura's painting it is wonderful!
Warm. I am green to see your flowers and warm weather.
Soon I hope we have the same.
Pots look great by the way!
Cheers to you when drinking from your mug.
ang design said…
what lovely stuff pete...gorgeous crystal glazes,lovely sunshine yey!!! and a lovely doug mug....
Linda Starr said…
Laura's painting is wonderful, so full of happiness and 4 feet tall what a nice size for a wall. Sounds like you are progressing by leaps and bounds with your crystal glazes. three Laura's, then a Doug mug and visitors from afar, a heron and black swan family, it doesn't get any better than that Peter. I am feeling sprightly just reading your post. thx
Ron said…
Wonderful post Peter. Thanks for sharing it all.
doug Fitch said…
I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face Peter! Glad you like the mug, funny how the virtual world suddenly becomes real - I'm drinking a cup of tea from a Ron mug as I type. Thank you for looking after my friends, it looks like they're having a lovely time, I look forward to hearing about it when they get back, thrilled you got to meet up.

Stunning clothes, pots, painting and nature.

Very best wishes
Doug
Arkansas Patti said…
I just love Laura's painting. Strikingly beautiful.
You really had some lovely visitors and I really liked your new garb. Perfect fit.
Love the stoutness of those volunteer plants. Planted by bird I suppose.
Armelle said…
It's very nice to see all that you show, Peter. Painting by Laura, the three Laura, wonderful clothes and the mug by Doug. I like yours glazes and your country. And everybody is happy !!!
Bonsoir
Hannah said…
Crikey that got out there fast! Blimey that Jeff gets everywhere, you have to watch him, popping up all over the place! I am so jealous of them I must say, a walk down to a warm sea, oh I could just do that.
Good story.
Peter said…
Bless you Meredith, it is true, some days are "given just like a gift", and we are so lucky this week to have a string of them and friends to share them with.

Hi Ang, we are lucky here that when the sun comes out we don't seem to venture above the mid 20s, except on rare occasions, so that blue stuff and the glittery round bright thing is welcome!

Hi Linda, it is nice to be able to share some sunshine and joy, glad it makes you "feel sprightly"! That heron was amazing, by-the-way, it just kept on posing for the camera and let us get quite close.

Hi Ron, glad you enjoyed it.

Hello Doug,
That lovely little mug of yours has brought such happy times with it. So nice to spend time with your friends and to hear more from them about you and other potters of whom I am fond, and to discover more. It is blogging in 3 dimensions, and I am just so thrilled and thankful for all that your kindness has brought us.

Lovely to hear from you Patti,
Laura's painting is beautiful and has a colourful but calm presence, a bit like a church stained glass window. I'm looking forward to seeing it framed. In our experience, it is often the "self sown" plants that do best, maybe the birds have "green fingers"!

Nice to hear from you Armelle,
I hope the good news and nice sunshine here brings you winter warmth on your Island!, Best Wishes!

Hannah..., you knew!?! Jeff and Stella are lovely..., next time they are over, you'll have to see if you can smuggle yourself in their luggage. You'd always be welcome to turn up on our doorstep and see the sea!

Best Wishes to you all, P.
cindy shake said…
What a wonderful day! The photos are great -I enjoy seeing all of the warmth, sunshine and friendships :o) Your wife's painting is WONDERFUL!! I'm so happy you showed the length of it because the legs and shoes really make it!
Peter said…
Thanks Cindy. I've made sure that Laura has seen your comment (and the rest that celebrate her lovely painting), in fact I think I will print them out and put them on her wall, it will help a lot on those "grey days" that do arrive sometimes.
Best Wishes, P :)

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