Thank you Royal Bison!!

I had a fabulous weekend at the Royal Bison - thank you to everyone who came out! It was lovely, and flattering and humbling to have people respond positively to my work, and I'm happy to say that the majority of my pots now have new homes!

A big thanks to the organizers of the Royal Bison, Jeanie, Josh and Vicki, for putting on such a great show and for supporting local artists. You guys are tops!

Royal Bison starts tomorrow!

I'll be spending today doing final preparations for the sale tomorrow... scouring the house in search of boxes to pack all those pots! Oh, and I'm super excited to hear that the weather is supposed to be gorgeous... it'll make for a great weekend!

I've been calling these little cups rum cups - because they're the perfect size for a cocktail. They would be great for rum and eggnog... if you want to get into the spirit of things. I also drink wine out of them... and in the summer if you chill them they'll keep your cocktail nice and cool.

Starburst! bowls for the Royal Bison

It's time to get your groove on! I've made Starburst! bowls in three different colour combos for the Royal Bison sale. These bowls are sized to be serving bowls... or, super big cereal bowls for those of you who can't get enough Cheerios in the morning!

Pretty pitchers

A friend gave me my first nice pitcher a few years ago. Before I had one I didn't realize how much I would use it... but it's always there, on the dinner table when we entertain guests... full of ice water, lemonade or even a lovely sangria. With that in mind I have made pretty pitchers. Some are tall and thin and some are short and wide, and they come in three fun colour combinations.

 

Screened mugs – ready for Royal Bison

I have always had a thing for patterns. I have files and files of patterns and I've dedicated entire sketchbooks to them. Once I finally learned how to transfer my patterns on to ceramics my world opened up.

I have created a series of mugs using three different patterns that go together... so you can create a set that's all the same, or you can create a set using more than one pattern. And just to make the possibilities endless, the mugs come in four different colours.

Mod Pots and the Soap Kitchen team up for the Royal Bison!

A few years ago I learned how to make natural soap. I search through my kitchen pantry for ingredients and inspiration and create soap that's almost good enough to eat.

For the Royal Bison I will be selling my "Soap Kitchen" soap. You'll be able to choose one of five flavours: Peppermint Patty, Apple Cinnamon, Milk and Honey, Orange Marmalade or Cranberry Balsam to pair with your choice of three funky soap dishes. I'll wrap them up for you in a take-out box and it'll be the perfect gift for under the Christmas tree!

One week until Royal Bison!

I'll have these available at the sale - they're my "monoprint" series. I did the original drawings earlier this year as part of the Arthouse Co-op sketchbook project and I immediately knew that I wanted to put the drawings on to pots. I've made mugs and vases...

If you want to check out my entire sketchbook project you can see it here:
my sketchbook

Pile of pots

Things are really starting to come together for the Royal Bison sale. I've now finished making all my pots and they're just waiting for their turn in the kiln for their glaze fire. I'm using our basement bar as my space to stack all of the finished pots and the pile keeps growing and growing. I'm so excited to bring them to the sale and find them loving homes!

What happened to October?

 My last post was on October 5, which seems like only yesterday! I've been working feverishly in the studio getting ready for the Royal Bison sale - my basement has become a miniature ceramics factory! I've expanded from my main studio area to also include our laundry/storage room, which I have turned in to my drying and glazing room. There was a point last week when there were so many pots at various points of completion and there was not enough space for them. But things are getting finished and fired and I should have lots and lots for the sale! Yay!

See you at the Royal Bison!

A happy email greeted me when I got home the other day - I found out that I've been selected to exhibit at the Royal Bison Craft and Art Fair in November! Yay!

There's no time to waste... the show is going to be here before I know it. I began production of new pots yesterday and got off to a great start - as long as I can keep up the momentum I should be able to fill my table with a lovely collection.

The show runs on Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and on Sunday from noon to 5 pm. It's located just north of the Farmer's Market, across from the Yardbird suite on Gateway Blvd.

For more info and to see all the vendors visit their website: Royal Bison

Slab series... cups

These cups are hand-built using thin slabs of clay. I used underglaze for the colours, then created the texture by cutting and poking into the clay. Since these pieces are hand-built I was able to make them very thin (and lightweight) by allowing the slabs to set up a little before assembling them. They're the perfect cups for a cool drink on a hot summer day.

Stripe series... vases

I think these vases look great when grouped together with three or more because the colours on each vase play off of each other to create a lively display. They vary in height from about 9" tall to 5" tall.

Stripe series... bowls

Bowls are the first item in this series. Vases are soon to follow - I have just applied glaze to the vases and am hoping to fire them on Sunday. It's all about colour, colour, colour!

Cone vases... the monoprint series

More from the monoprint series. I've just scanned a new batch of drawings to work with so I'll be making more of these soon... and possibly some cups this time.

Silkscreening on to mugs

I spent this morning silkscreening images on to mugs!

It was a bit of a learning experience getting the Yudu machine to work. My first attempt at making a screen was a failure... the emulsion did not adhere the way it was supposed to. My nice friend Sarah (an experienced Yudu user) came over last night and helped me make another screen, and this time it worked!

This morning I cleaned up my mugs in preparation for the transfers. Once I made a batch of ink I  successfully transferred images on to a set of 6 mugs. I'm excited that I'm able to, more and more, blend my experience as a graphic designer with my life as a potter! Thanks again to Cathy Terepocki - this is her technique and it works beautifully!

Pottery ink - flint, mason stain and glycerine.

My first screened print on tissue paper.

My first transfers. I ended up redoing the one at the end.

My used transfers.

The finished transfers! Now they'll have to dry, then into the kiln they go.

Colour block series... vases

More new pots! I created these designs by layering underglazes in random block patterns. I've got a set of cups in the same style waiting to go in to the kiln...

Starburst!

These groovy bowls are from the latest batch out of the kiln. I created the pattern using a paper stencil and different colours of underglaze. I love these bowls. I love that they speak to an era gone by, and I love that they look completely at home in both my 1971 Boler holiday trailer and my dining room.

Fresh pots

This set of pots is fresh from the kiln. I made these to function as vases, and I like them so much I'm planning to make some cups in the same style. I just got my new Yudu silkscreen machine and I reckon the solid white exterior of these pots will be a perfect canvas for some silkscreened drawings. Stay tuned!

The Granny series

Lacy doilies are so much fun! I'm not the kind of girl who has doilies all over my house (unlike my dear sweet Grandma) - but I do enjoy using them on pottery. They create such pretty patterns. I am planning to make more pieces in this series soon - maybe some tea cups and saucers.

Mugs with lids

These mugs are for people who like their beverages to stay warm. Just put the lid on and keep your morning coffee (or tea) nice and toasty.

An ode to Grandma

My brother and I call our maternal Grandma "Little Blue Hair." We call her that because years ago she used a wash in her hair that would give it a slight blue hue instead of its natural yellowish white colour. At 84 years old, our Little Blue Hair is still prolific in the threaded arts - knitting, embroidery and crochet. Her little house is full of lacy doilies - each carefully placed under a much-loved knick-knack or potted plant. This series of pots remind me of my Little Blue Hair and her lacy doilies.

A spring thing

I've been making a lot of vases lately - I guess it has something to do with my subconscious desire for spring. The desire to bring in flowers from the garden and let the outside in. After the winter we just had I think we are more than overdue for a little spring cheer!

Defining direction

Lately I've been focusing a lot on defining my direction - my voice in pottery. Defining what makes my style unique, and... special. Since I am a graphic designer by trade and an artist by heart I have, for a long time, yearned to combine graphic imagery and pottery. How could I get my sketches on to my pots, and do it in such a way that would be simple enough to repeat? After taking an image transfer workshop by (my new hero) Cathy Terepocki the answers have become much more clear.

The drawings on these pots were transferred using Cathy's monoprint image transfer technique. I did the drawings over the winter for the Art House Co-op Sketchbook Project - currently on tour in the States and making its next stop in Seattle in June.