Almost there

I have almost finished the school component of the Ardross Primary School tile mural. Just one more session next term to grab the last few kids who were away during their painting session.

Now is the task of drying and glazing the painted tiles.

The tiles I have fired look wonderful.


I can't wait to see it all finished. About 400 tiles in bright glossy colours.

Here are some of the tiles painted over the last few weeks.

The ones above are national sports and the ones below are national musical instruments and dance.

We have x-ray animals influenced by indigenous paintings.

This is the glazing table with flags, leaf prints and national costumes.

Inside the kiln...

All finished, looking pretty special!

Just have to glaze about 250 more...

Time, it flies!

How time flies. It is already a week since the last Perth Upmarket. All that build up and preparation and poof, it's all over and on to the next thing (which was Eve's 3rd birthday party, today and point in hand that is over too. Two and a half hours of kids, craft and cake with a BBQ lunch. The forecast shower happened 1/2 hour before the party and was sunny for the rest, phew)


The Perth Upmarket was great. So many people know about it now and it was crazy busy all day.

Here's a tour around my stall...

Hand print tiles displayed as people come in the room. I don't sell them from the stall but people take fliers book appointments later.

I have a row of small items like the herb labels, buttons and coasters.

Next a small selection of Christmas decorations, which were very popular. I will have lots and lots of these for the Christmas market.

I have the tableware set up in colours. Blues and greens first...

There is a cabinet of pinks, whites and yellows with the really big pink bowl. Lots of people are attracted to the stall because of this bowl.

The easel holds a selection of children's tiles frames in white.

People are often drawn to the stall by the pinks but then exclaim when they see the browns.

I like watching the people walk around and try to guess by their clothes what colours from my stall they would like in their home.

Well, three more months until the next Upmarket. I bet that flies too.

3 sleeps...

With only 3 sleeps until the Spring Perth Upmarket I have been working long hours in my studio to make the stock for my stall.Today I glazed and loaded my last kiln load. It was packed to the rafters, and even then I couldn't fit two bowls in. I think I repacked the last two shelves three times before I gave in to the spacial reality!
These photos are of my work in various stages of development. They show my (very dodgy) moulds, the pieces drying and waiting to be trimmed, cleaned up then glazed.
I can only use each mould once a day so it takes me a number of days to produce a kiln load even though I have many moulds.
The work is stored on shelves and tables around my already crowded studio (I have my clay class student's work as well as tiles from the Ardross mural all making claims on the space). When I am ready to load the kiln I start glazing. Or when I run out of space I start loading the kiln.

I get all methodical and production line in my work habits; sorting the bowls into sizes, making sure I glazed every bowl properly and cleaning up the external surface of each bowl.
This photo of the loaded kiln was from last week; you can see the vase for the CAAWA selective exhibition at the back.
It gets quite repetitive and so I like to listen to the radio while I work. I go through phases as to what I listen to. At the moment it is Triple J. The last couple of months it was Classical ABC (a little odd for me, but it created a nice space to concentrate in).

This last photo is of my latest experiment. I am planning on designing new moulds to create pieces I can decorate with my handmade tissue transfers. This bowl is unfired, so the test will be when I open my kiln on Saturday afternoon. Hopefully I will have a whole new line of work for the Christmas markets.

I do have a couple of new products at this coming market. Two new colours and some coasters.
The market is at the Perth Town Hall this Sunday 10an - 4pm. I am up-stairs, so pop up and say hi :)