A Study in Horses...

I learned to ride when I was 6.  I won't tell you how long ago that was, but let's just say that Neil Armstrong hadn't walked on the moon yet!  I loved my time with horses.  My summers were spent in the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia.  As the summers past, and I became a little more accomplished with my riding skills, I started to care for the horses, and barns.  I remember walking out early on summer mornings in thick mist, and wet grass to call in the horses for the day's activities.  I would walk and call, and walk and call, and couldn't see much of anything.  And then, all of a sudden, I could hear them cantering and galloping thru the rich green fields and heading straight for ME!  I would stand still and spread my arms straight out to either the side and when they were a little too close for comfort sometimes, they would see me, and come to a very quick stop.  Snorting, and stomping, and breathing heavy from their morning run.  Then they would fall in line and follow me back to the barns to be groomed, fed and saddled for the day.

Having about 20 horses running full bast toward you in a thick mist, is something not to be forgotten.  I loved those experiences and I have been looking for a way to reconnect to my time with horses.  I did a study in horse heads over the summer, and created this piece trying to capture the essence of movement, particularly in the mane.  I am very pleased with the results, and thrilled with some of my glazing results.

Here are the study photos of a horse I met in western North Carolina a few years ago, and then the raw clay piece and then the final glazed piece.

Back to the Studio

Back to the Studio as the official first days of Fall approach.  I have lists of things I want to try, new materials, new textures, new glazes.  I was awake early this morning and preparing some special orders for firing.  After a brief delay due to some strong storms headed our way, these lovely pieces should be packed and ready for their "forever homes" by late Thursday.

In the meantime, more custom orders have arrived.  Some from my new ETSY shop, some from local customers who are beginning to make their own holiday lists and are checking them twice to make sure they are not naughty, but NICE!

Exciting to have several new BIG DOGS to add to the "exclusive" Big Dog Pots club.  I LOVE it when I am sent a picture of a dog who has received their new bowl.  It almost reminds me of how I felt years ago when I had 7 puppies to find good and loving homes.  Each time one of the new owners sent me a picture of the puppy all settled in, I knew I could take a deep breath because that soul had found its loving home.

Although finding a dog bowl a new home, or a set of pendants, is certainly not on par with the responsibility of finding a new puppy a home, my reaction is very similar.  When I get a picture, I know the piece has arrived safe and sound and that it will be well cared for, and enjoyed!

So, thank you to all my new BIG DOGs out there, and enjoy your new pots.  Long, healthy and happy lives!

Back to the studio for some late night glazing.

She's a BIG DOG now! Coco and her Spaniel Bowl from Big Dog Pots

What can I say, she is JUST ADORABLE! This is Coco and she lives in Canada. Her mommy decided that she just had to do "something about those ears" and found one of my Spaniel bowls in my ETSY store. The rest, as they say is history. The bowl arrived safe and sound, and apparently, Miss Coco is enjoying her new addition to everyday puppy life. I wish Coco a long, happy, and healthy life!

The Creative Process

It is always surprising to me how I come up with a new idea. Sometimes, I just see a color and my mind starts to wander and the next thing I know I am working on something that seems to capture the essence of the color I was originally thinking about. That is sort of how this piece came to me. I have been very interested in working with soft blue/cream/white glaze recently, and I thought that the texture in this piece would really be interesting with a soft blue behind it...so...into the studio I went, and this is what I came out with today..... This is a "prototype" and I made this one for me, but I am going to be making another one for my nephew who is getting married in September (shhhhh! don't tell him ;)). So this is what I have so far, I will be offering these as a custom item on my ETSY store. They are quite versatile and can be customized to match just about any need, or any theme! FUN! Here is the link to my ETSY listing for this piece: https://www.etsy.com/listing/107940786/customized-engraved-ceramic-pottery-wall

ETSY

After taking a break of several years from ETSY, I decided to go back and try again. I will admit, I am computer and internet challenged. ETSY, does make certain aspects of running a store very easy for the novice, but I still find it daunting and challenging. I am a child of the '60s and '70s and not a computer whiz kid. So, I have done my best. Please have a look around my ETSY store, and let me know what you think. You can comment thru a "convo", send me an email, or even go to my new Facebook page and make a comment there. See www.facebook.com/bigdogpots.

Summer....Selling Shells by the Seashore...

It has been a busy Spring here at Big Dog Pots. We are almost finished with the construction of an additional building next to our studio. The new building is almost the same size as the studio, but will not have electricity. We have outgrown our studio over the past few years and need the new space for storage, believe it or not! In the meantime, I have been very interested in sea creatures lately. My pieces are now being sold at Old Town Hardware in Old Town Alexandria. Look for Big Dog Pots in their Home Decor section. The good citizens of Old Town live right on the Potomac and have a proud maritime history. To this end, I have been searching for just the right pieces to create life like molds for all sorts of sea creatures. The pictures in this post are showing a couple of my latest finds incorporated into functional pieces. As I have said before, I LOVE texture. Realistic texture with creatures from the sea seemed a logical extension. Also new at Big Dog Pots is a move toward dipped glazing. I have always hand painted my pieces, but I find with the increase in demand, I am finding dipped glazes to be more economical with my time....and energy :). Once these pieces are glazed I will post follow up photos. Enjoy the changing of the seasons as we turn toward Summer. I will be at the Delaplane Strawberry Festival www.delaplanestrawberryfestival.com/ over Memorial Day weekend. Come by and say hello! Hope to see you there.

New Projects, New Glazes, Lots of FUN!!

Well, as I take a big stride into 2012, I have brought a few new project ideas along with me. The first are new yarn bowls! I first saw these on another potter's website and thought I would have my own go at these interesting forms. I have had some successes, but am still trying to figure out how to control warping once the bowls are cut. I am working on creating my own system, to see if I can get more uniform results after the cutting is complete.

The second new kid on the block are my new "Jewelry Keepers". They are meant to hold your everyday pieces which come off at night and they go right back on the next morning. I figure there is a reason why we wear certain pieces on most days, it must be because they are a favorite! So instead of tucking them away inside a larger jewelry box, only to have to fish them out the next morning, I thought these new "Jewelry Keepers" would come in handy. I know I love mine!

So after completing my first show of the season in Leesburg, Virginia. I am settling down to teaching some classes, working on some special orders, and restocking a few specialty stores who so graciously carry my pieces.

Thanks for stopping by, check back again soon!