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:

  1. 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?

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  2. 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!

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

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

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

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