The Dutch girl

All good art is given a title. This plate is called the Dutch girl.

An earlier Christmas gift from my friend.

She is going to have an exhibition of her work next year.

Three ladies

Trish keeps making things that I admire and then they come to live at my house. Like these three ladies. The one she embroidered, probably last year (maybe earlier this year) and was inspired by Frida, or inspired by a picture of Frida. In her pottery class she has made a range of oval plates with faces. She made some really gorgeous ones, and is making many more, although she is now using a round mould.

The last pots

So, yes, I am defeated and have given up pottery. My failure rate was too demotivating to continue. We're looking at 25/75% imbalance. I do wish I could have conquered it. There was this vision of all these awesome things I wanted to accomplish but my hands and technique could not give it shape. Sadly. Trish had to glaze my last few pots that I left behind, thanks Trish.

Plates and misfits

After 4 months of pottery class, once a week, this seems all I have to show. The rest I was really disappointed with. I have to ask myself: am I just not passionate enough about it to get it right or am I just not good at this? It seems likely that I will not continue with this 'hobby'.

Adapt

When your pottery project doesn't quite turn out the way you envisaged it becomes a lovely pot for a plant.

Limpopo

Limpopo is the name of the glaze I used. These are the first glazed bowls I have since I started the course a month ago. I'm so excited and rather happy.

I like the personality you find in the handmade ones and just when I thought I would stick to handmade my teacher says I am leaning nothing if I use the moulds.

He's right and I will take it to heart and conquer the wheel. Apparently I just have to make one perfect pot on the wheel and then I can do whatever I like.

Pottery classes

Started pottery classes with Digby this year. Having a lot of fun. Hand work at the moment, and Digby is teaching me the wheel. I have made 2 lopsided bowls on the wheel and 5 lopsided bowls by hand and will do glazing next week. Everything is unknown and doesn't turn out as per my vision. That what makes it exciting.

July snapshots

In order of appearance, from left to right.

For Mandela day 27 PrettyUglys volunteered at the Johannesburg Children's Home. Hope it makes the children happy. Love the swirly, twirly design of this creeper, at Nirox. Revisited the Mosque in Midrand. I really wanted a meal at the Turkish restaurant but one look at the menu made me think I would be disappointed. The food didn't look anything like the food I had in Turkey. Such sadness about all the happenings there lately. Goose, flowers and child bought at the Field and study market. I love the attention to detail, that they put as much effort into the price tag as in the hanging of the artwork. Got these flowers and they never opened for a week and a half because they thought they were still in cold storage. I had to move them close to the fire to get them to open. A fire almost every night, we have burnt most of our split tree we chopped down earlier this year. At Wits Art Museum they asked the group visiting to comment on the African Art display. This card asks you to speak to the security guard to speak about his favourite piece. inspiring. A new quilt that I have started, African in every way. Yippee, yay, the sun is travelling south again. Our the earth is turning, I think the sun is still in the same spot. A moment in the garden before work. It's aloe season, love it. And then it got really cold, rained and hailed. And ice on my windscreen. Pretty table display at the Irene market. Ceramic display at Irene market. Wire cactus at the Irene market. inside the Clay Oven Cafe. Would like to go back there when it is not a market day to explore it properly. the stone elephant at the Big Red Barn. Made these twins for a baby shower, Saami and Salma. Yes, the lady is having twins, a boy and a girl. the party is almost over, the kitchen at the Artists Studio. A nice display at the Studio Collab exhibition.

Surely not still a novice

Trish made this range of bowls to go with my eclectic dinner service. Thanks so much, love it.

Novice - second exhibition

A range of small bowls

Gifts from Kamers

Gifts I bought for myself at Kamers.