out with the old

new work, originally uploaded by lisatoni.

a new direction for the holidays (still with the dreaded moulds- am not done with them yet!)... am pretty excited, I think these are finally 'me'.
am feeling a bit sad for the old work. like poor neglected chickens marked down for a quick sale in scrawny sets of two (!)

creeping

many things are creeping closer, ends, beginings, christmas, departures and arrivals, good news and bad...
will see what unfolds soon
its the time for shopping, so I have put a couple of things on etsy (gasp!) it seems a great way to test the water in terms of selling, costing and seeing if there is love for these slip cast babies!
also the Carlton Arts Centre exhibition and sale is very very soon, friday the 28th november 6-9pm and saturday and sunday 11-6pm. Check it out, loads of lovingly crafted ceramics and i dont doubt a few bargains to be had also (we are so terribly modest).

cup mad

cup mad, originally uploaded by lisatoni.

haha, some of the fun stuff to do within the limitations of repeated shapes. what am i saying.. i love repeated shapes.

distraction

Rightfully, I should be quite bald by now (with the pulling of my own hair through absolute frustration of my own design). But luckily Im not one to focus my full efforts on the project at hand, procrastination and dreaming do have a few plus sides...
Am still yet to get the full go ahead on my tea and coffee commission (picky picky!) so I have been using the rejected moulds for playing around with colours and transfers. hoping to generate some sets for sale - cute pairs may make good pressies...??

can I stop pulling my hair out yet?

a bit bland for my liking but... the idea is set now, these are the shapes, this is the colour... its work until its done then I can play with my new tissue transfers and pretty colours.
(I couldn't help myself on these trial cups though, with some very subtle resist patterns in the clear glaze)












apologies for continued crappy photography x

dribs

http://www.kirstencoelho.com/

mmm, pretty....
still fascinated with stacking, wanting to explore a set of 'geometric' and a set of 'organic' forms. All (hopefully) functional, some wobbly and some sound. Jugs and cups mostly - still have tea and coffee service on the brain.
There are some things out of the kiln, I need to take photos, but they are coming out in dribs and drabs - im such a whore for the grouping, i cant stand to post pictures of them all alone!

helping hand...

trying to get things done (making time)












and at the same time attempting to get through this stupidly large bag of coffee with my new friends plunger and grinder!
now to make the cups and saucers to drink the beloved coffee from... more on that soon.

ah ha!

I thought I was close to gone for good too.
I havent been making time for the internet lately, really a bit of a shocker, because I enjoy it and find it rewarding - so.. I must take some photos of my new work - the slip casting is all happening. Trials have been completed and new moulds have been made - will take a bit of time to get them through the kiln so I can offer an absolute final REAL example and then start manufacturing. Have also been having concerns that the quality is shit (I break every second one, is this normal?) may have to make twice as many if that is going to be the case....
heres a sneak peak - I was trying to get a slate green thing happening, but its really blue grey. but anyway soon your coffee and tea service may be transformed! I hope!

appreciation

some amazing things I had to buy over the past few weeks...
Lisa Boyter cups
Laura Walker button
Bridget Bodenham ring
porcelain pleasures!!!
























sadly funds have now dried up entirely, and thus I will re-focus on solving my own ceramic puzzles... the stacking cups mock ups were quite successful, and I can actually see the potential in the idea (a fusion of tall things and tea cups - what could be better than a functional/non functional combo?). The casting of the cups has had some success, the hunt for red continues, I have now branched into tinting my own glaze (exciting - should see the samples out of the kiln on tuesday) so hoping for a breakthrough there. Also have had interest (from workmates mostly) in selling cups since I dished out the pink ones, apparently they are nice to drink tea out of and would make good gifts! so thats pretty exciting. Will be off to northcote next week to expand my colour palette and make up a range of slips and knock out some cup pairs.. wish me luck!

clearly pink

clearly pink, originally uploaded by lisatoni.

I'm over the disappointment now. it was a bit traumatic to see so very much pink when one is trying to achieve red.
luckily I visited the good people at northcote pottery this afternoon and was reassured that I should indeed let the whole silly idea go as frankly its not going to happen. Red could happen but not functional food safe red. it all makes sense now.
(to be honest my application of the pink wasnt exactly quality either, lots to work on still!)