The Sixteen Miserere Mei Deus

Heard this on MPBN this morning - what beautiful music for such a beautiful Spring day.

April Break Metal and Clayworks Camp at Firehouse Arts

Join Ann Thompson and me for a fun filled Spring Break Workshop Series at  Firehouse Arts in Yarmouth Maine April 15th - 18th.
Ann will be teaching various metal techniques and here's what I'll be covering in my classes:

Monday: Button and beads - participants will use various techniques and learn about texture and sculpting to create buttons and beads that they can later use to create their own unique jewelry. (NOTE-- students participating in this activity will also have to come on Thursday to glaze their work)

Tuesday: Animal Ornaments usding Slabs and Texture - Using fun foam to create templates and stamps and everyday objects to add  texture participants will create their own Animal Ornaments. Students are encouraged to bring drawings of the animals they would like to make to class. (NOTE-- students participating in this activity will also have to come on Thursday to glaze their work)

Wenesday: Learn how to use a slab roller and explore surface decoration using colored slips to create beautiful soft slab plates.  Each participant will make 3 to 4 dessert size plates using a paper plate “mold” .They then will learn about surface decoration by using colored slips to paint designs on  their plates and ceramic loop tools for carving.  

Thursday:  Glaze Day - Participants from Monday & Tuesday's class will return to glaze their bisqued creations.

The plates will then be fired off site and sealed with a clear glaze.  This makes the plates food and dishwasher safe……perfect for your favorite snack or  to use as a pet dish.

Visit the Firehouse Arts website for more information and to sign up!

Jumping into 2013 - Extruders

Monday Mud Musings

For those of you who don't know what an extruder is....think Play Doh Fun Factory on steroids.  This is a picture of the one I have mounted on a wall in my studio.

Just like the Play Doh Fun Factory you can use all sorts of dies that will give any number of really cool shapes.  Here's one of my favorites an octagon :)

I find the easiest way to use my extruder is with two people - one person to pull the handle down and another to guide the extrusion as it comes out of the extruder.  My husband, Dave, usually is the one who helps me.......anywho.......Dave & I spent part of our New Year's Day creating these quirky octagons.

Which I turned into Olive Oil Bottles, Syrup Pitchers and Funky Little Bud Vases (Gotta luv pottery with attitude)

(I'll post pics of the finished pcs in the near future)

This Week's Potter Who Inspires Me

 Hayne Bayless - Master of the Extruder!  You can see examples of his incredible work at Sideways Studio

Common Ground Country Fair Sept 21st - 23rd

It's that time of year again!  I'll be unloading the kiln latter today and packing up some new work to bring with us to Common Ground. 

For those of you who have never been to the fair, it is well worth the trip.  From delicious food, great music, wonderful crafts & demonstrations of all sorts - the fair has something to offer everybody.  

If you come, stop by and say hi to Dave & me.  We'll be in the big tent in the craft area.

Summer Shows and Such

A week to go and then off to the Berkshires for the Berkshires Art Festival This is my second year doing this one.  Hopefully the weather will be better this time around (last year it poured).   I have a couple of days to finish glazing and fire the kiln and tie all the rest of the loose ends together..........and so it starts.....eha.....show season.

Getting Ready

This time of year it seems like there are so many loose ends to tie together!  I'll be in the Berkshires the second week in July and I have a bunch of projects that need to be completed before that show.  Bisque, Glaze, Fire, Pit Fire, Raku Fire.................

I was mixing glazes yesterday and ran less than a 100 grams short of one of the ingredients I needed to complete a recipe.......dang!!! Luckily Dave was working near Portland Pottery and picked up what I needed on the way home (thank you honey!!!!!!).......soooo today I can finish mixing things up :)

I'm looking forward to tomorrow when I'll be doing a pit firing with friends and fellow potters from Southern Maine Clay Guild.  It will be nice to get out of the studio, share a meal and be social!!!

Maine Pottery Tour

Mother's Day Weekend is Pottery Weekend in Maine! Homeport Pottery Studio is pleased to be a part of this state wide event! Meet the artist, Cathie Cantara, see pottery making demos, tour the studio and shop for beautiful handmade pottery made in Maine.  We will be open to the public on May 12th & 13th from 10a.m. to 4p.m. with pottery making demos every hour on the hour.  


Other participants in Southern Maine include Elaine Fuller at Red Door Pottery Studio in Kittery and Kathleen King, Roger Dearborn & Ann Smith at The Gallery on the Green in Alfred.  Just click on the map pins below for more information.  


For a list of participants in the central Maine  area visit the Maine Pottery Tour Blog.