Cracking The Kiln

"Cracking the kiln" means to open the kiln just a crack to help cool down the kiln before emptying it. There are different schools of thought as to when to do this. If cracked too early you can loose all your work to thermal shock. However, when in a rush to get the kiln unloaded, one some times takes risks...

The "Cracked Kiln"

 Luckily for me, this was no such circumstance. Phew!

When cracking the kiln there is a sense of thrill as well as dread, what will the kiln hold? A trove of treasures or cracked rubbish?

Today the kiln holds goodies for the up coming Perth Upmarket. Below are photos of said treasures - no cracks!!!

Herb Labels

Black Bowls and Tumblers

Canisters

Trinket Boxes

Work waiting to be sanded

Hope to see you at the Upmaket, this Sunday @ UWA 10am - 4pm

Out On A Limb Eco Design Store

This lovely store in Maylands opened earlier this year. It has a great mix of adults and children's hand made and Eco friendly products including jewellery, textiles and home wares. Perfect spot to pop in for a special gift, then wonder up (or down) the road for a coffee.

They have a very good selection of my work. Especially tumblers and large salad bowls as well as some Floralware and other bowls from my Eucalypt Range.

 

Debbie and Kiri are the owners and are completely gorgeous!

Out On A Limb Eco Design Store

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	"Our ethos is to sell predominantly Australian and New Zealand made ecoO friendly sustainable products and to support local artisan talents to create an interesting mix of gifts and homewares." 194 Whatley Cr, Perth, Australia 6051 · Get Directions 0893715351 Tues - Sat: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Sun: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Studio Ground Work

Today was a day of "studio ground work". Next term I am running a coil bowl clay class. So I spent some time today making a coil bowl using the coil bowl I made a couple of years ago as an armature.

 It is extremely therapeutic to roll coils. The goal is to roll them all the same thickness to create even walls of the bowl. They are joined on the inside, being careful not to squash each coil too much so as not to lose the definition on the exterior.

 This photo is of the (almost) finished bowl, upside down of course. Tomorrow it will be dry enough to turn over....

Oh, the other thing I did today (ie 90% of the day) was to re-make the prototypes of all my moulds. Here they are under wraps, as they will stay until ready to show in their finished form.....

Trinket Box Clay Classes

Over the last six weeks I have been running three Trinket Box Clay Classes.

 The first two weeks we made trinket boxes, some with stamped decoration and some smooth ready for tissue transfers.

 They following few weeks we constructed the canisters. They are a bit like trinket boxes, only bigger...and harder.

One of the canisters we decorated with wax, waited a week then washed back the clay to create a relief pattern.

 Week five, out came the tissue transfers and off we went!

This week is the last week. Every thing has been bisc fired ready for glazing.
next week is pick-up week. I'm looking forward to seeing all the trinket boxes finished!

Workshop for Teachers

Last term I ran a workshop for high school art teachers. We spent the day making moulds, casting bowls and experimenting with different decorating techniques.

Here are few photos that one of the participants emailed me, taken on her iphone.

They are mostly of me talking and people listening!

Oh, here's one of some work being done! Don't worry everyone worked very hard. I can't wait to see photos of the bowls their students make....

Mother's Day Studio Open

Twice a year I open my Eucalypt Homewares studio to the public for a sale on current pieces as well as some real bargains on seconds and discontinued lines.

One is held just before Christmas and the other the week before Mother's Day. Last Sunday was the annual pre Mother's Day sale. This year I invited some other local designers to join me resulting in a lovely market like atmosphere in my back garden.

Eucalypt Homewares table

Shoppers could wonder through the garden looking a tables set up with work from Eucalypt Homewares, Robin Wells Jewellery, Little Babushka and Old Grey House.

Robin Wells with some happy shoppers

It was a perfect sunny day with people arriving at leisure through out the afternoon. There was a nice mix of loyal supporters and new enthusiasts all enjoying an outing perusing local artist's wares. We even had a lovely local lady organise a luncheon for her friends with a stroll down to my studio after, a special thanks to Mia!

Looking through the garden at Little Babushka and Old Grey House

Talking of thanks, much appreciation to my friend, Kim and my husband, David for their help on the day!
I'm looking forward to the next Open Day in December....

Term One Clay Class Photos

These lovely bowls where made by the Monday night advanced slip-casting class. They designed and made prototype bowls then cast them using the paper pulp mould making method. Lots of Japanese tissue transfer was used to decorate the bowls, as well as wax resist and two tone colours.

Some interesting forms where designed by the Thursday night clay class group. Each bowl was decorated using a different technique; two tone colours, tissue transfer, wax resist and inlay. They also made a collection of ceramic drink coasters.

Next term we are making trinket boxes. I still have spots left on the Tuesday 10am class. Email me if you would like more information melanie@eucalypthomewares.com.au