Wiitch's brew teapot

I'm very bored of whatever I'm doing in ceramics, teapots at the moment, so I made a witch's brew teapot

Getting to grips with Design

Today was the first day i feel I could see what design is about. we were to do something to put our objects in context. Mine is a tea strainer. They are a bit old fashoned so i designed 1950's wallpaper and did some people having tea

Limerick school of Art and design, one year in /Gay flags Limerick

I took a a photo of my work space today to see if it looked as if there was evidence of a years development as an an artist. I think there is, I think this has the  look of someone a year nearer to being a professional artist. I was very discouraged in my first 3 weeks of ceramics but I'm beginning to see a point in the very exact briefs. My painting and drawing is already changing dramatically and this is what I said to myself that I wanted to happen when I chose ceramics . I felt I was more likely to develop as a painter by doing ceramics than doing painting and thats quite apart from my growing love for ceramics. Clay is such a wonderful material , the klin I have use of has a little window in the roof and I climb up on a tall rickety chair and risk having my hair burned off to peer down into the klin to look at the bits that started off as wet mud a dug from the bottom of the river in my diving gear glow red hot as they become fixed for all time in the shape and colours I have guided them into, its wonderfully exciting.
I also like my class and hope we all become good friends over the next 3 years

I also did a pencil drawing of gay flags flying from lampposts on the new bridge in Limerick ( I'm showing my age , the bridge must be 30 years old). The day was grim. I liked the contrast between the cheerful gay flags an the grim gray Limerick day. I'd say it was pretty grim to grow up gay in limerick when I was young 40 years ago, I'd say there were plenty who would have liked to hang gay people not flags from the lamp posts but that has all changed for the better. When I was young I never thought this change would happen , the world for young Irish people is a much freer. less inhibited place and much better for that

urn finished

Urn painted

Urn

Took the bisque fired urn out of the kiln this evening. I will paint it tomorro.

I also painted a watercolour

The Pelican in her Piety

There was a belief in medieval times that that the pelican plucked at her own breast to feed her chicks on the blood that flowed. For no particular reason I made a big Pelican in her Piety vase. Its a bit based on a big wedgewood vase I saw in a lecture yesterday

In gereral I'm not enjoying ceramics as much as I thought I would . The breif has to be followed very tightly, I feel very reigned in. No room so far for imagination or fun !! Anyway I think my paper swan looks like my drawing and I think my clay bird looks like my paper one and i think thats all there is to it

and if they dont, so what, I've had enough of the stupid bird.