Wednesday, February 13, 2008

all you need is POT(s)

Tea bowl

Proud foot ( FEET!)

Noodle bowl

A vahze--a vase! A vahze.

I'm a mad bowl woman!


It's rather amazing this blending of earth and water with a human element to create a vessel that may not turn out once you subject it to the firey furnace!

Such a gamble...

You have to "quiet your soul" as Mom says. You're bending---laboring over the clay. Centering yourself and the muddy lump spinning infront of you.

Potters will sometimes tell you that they don't shape the clay--but that the clay tells them what to do. Sometimes it's a vase, other times it's a closed form raku, and still other times, it pinches, gets nasty air bubbles and laughs at what you thought you could make it do.

However, there are moments--after the pounding, and the wedging table---after the muscles in your arms are aching from the work--when you center in just moments, and open in a swift, fluid motion--when the clay is ready to move, and you are sitting in awe--trying not to break the spell.

Those moments are so precious.

5 comments:

Liz said...

those are gorgeous. You are an amazing artist, Kj! you'll have to give me a lesson on coolness some day. How is the snowy northwest? only 6 months until warmth... or is it 10?

Kaje said...

Thanks Liz!

But I don't think you need lessons in coolness--because honey, you ooze cool.

It's cold today--but bright! I don't mind so much when the sun is out. Those cloudy snowy days however---ugh.

I think we had about 30 inches of snow this January. BRR!

How's Bah-sten?

Happy Love day!

andi said...

Hint, hint. Andi loves the noodle bowl. Hint.

MandB said...

KJ, wanna come over and teach me how to do that??? My wheel is sadly hunched under a tarp. :( Come rescue it!
--Becca

andi said...

BTW - BYU-I is going to see that "all you need is POT" thing and it ain't gonna end good!