On the Wheel Again! Bird Jugs... and a misshap.

There is a lot that I could say about this week just past, but I will do most of this post with pictures!  I did spend one day early in the week throwing big half globe shapes on the wheel, a third of a 20 kg bag of clay per half globe.  The globe halves were thrown as bottomless cylinders, and then the top of the cylinder was progressively collared inwards until they were able to be sealed off as a half globe (another way of looking at it was that the process was like throwing a bowl upside down and working from the rim to the centre).  Working with a large amount of clay for a change gave me a bit more confidence in my throwing skills.  I had a sculptural project in mind, which did not progress quite as I hoped, but I did make two globes from the halves, and then turned one complete globe into the big, heavy, vase that is in the first photo.  The other half globes I will use as slump moulds after they have been bisque fired.

A little later in the week, these fellows started appearing in my studio.  Bird jugs.

A disaster got me started on the jugs, but it was good to be doing them again, and the big globe throwing at the beginning of the week significantly improved my abilities when it came to making the jugs.  Bird jugs are a moderately challenging shape, due to the wide belly and tall, narrow neck that is required.  Also they do need to be light enough in weight to be potentially useful for carrying liquids.  I spent quite a lot of time the day after throwing them, doing the detail work and attaching the handles.  It was funny really, but a friend had called part way through day one, and was rather surprised at how quickly pots were made on the wheel, but I think she would have been  surprised in opposite way if she had visited the next day and seen just how long some of the other processes can sometimes take!

I did mention a "disaster"...., here are two clues, "bird jugs" and the photo just below...

The nature of "disaster"?....

I am making a series of bird jugs so that I can offer a replacement to a client who bought one from me, left it here in my safe keeping and..... Nigella Stopit let herself into my studio one afternoon, and was stuck in there for a couple of hours without me knowing it.  It would appear that she entertained herself by climbing onto my highest shelves and knocking one rather important jug on the floor.

I understand that cats taste like rabbit or chicken!  At times like this I do wonder if we should be assessing little Miss Stopit in terms of her food value!

Whilst you ponder that, here is a wrap up of some of the rest of the week....
I can report that this week I have been making more tiles.
Laura and I managed to get to see a local wearable art show last night.
Today (Sunday) saw me racing into town with some pots that were destined to be included in a lunchtime exhibition at the Otago University.  Nancy Earth, a PHD student, had recently interviewed 4 Otago potters (Neil Grant, Marion Familton, Jo Howard, and myself), and gave a short lecture about us, and some of the ways Japanese pottery has influenced what we do here in New Zealand.