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Monday, April 4, 2011

Are There Really 24 hours in a Day???

The last couple of days have been a whirlwind, and I don't think its gonna slow down anytime soon.....

(I'm sorry about the poor quality of these pictures, DROID.)

Saturday and Sunday I spent the day at Piedmont Valley Community College for a clay workshop with Allan Nairn.  He's an Englishman, who now lives in Cinncinati Ohio, and works for Rookwood Pottery.  But the skills that lead him there are amazing.  We learned about mold making,



 (the human press.....)


and the idea to "use the mold, the mold does not use you."  I had always thought of molds as the easy way out....but his work shows how to use molds to form tiles, then to embellish each one to make them individual.  This is definitely percolating in my head....





He also threw pots, transferred them to molds and pushed and pulled them into hanging planters....








His take on sgraffito was inspired by a book on African fabric.  Again, my brain is contemplating....The biggest tip I got from this was the idea of spraying on the initial underglaze.  The thinner coat is so much easier to mark through, especially with a groggier clay (terracotta in Allan's case).






After two days of clay, (followed by yummy Mellow Mushroom Pizza), I spent this morning at my first book binding class.  Something I have ALWAYS wanted to try.

Tonight, my pottery class at PVCC.  Followed by firing my first glaze!!!



TOMORROW.  A quick visit to Juniper Moon Farm.....and soon an amazing opportunity announcement....

Stay tuned!

7 comments:

cookingwithgas said...

WOW Anna you are having too much fun.
LOVE his work!
What a great opportunity for you.
I need to study what he is doing- very interesting.
I do like the human mold.

Linda Starr said...

I like the relief on those tile molds, cool workshop.

Anna M. Branner said...

It was a great workshop. And since I am taking a ceramics class at the school it was FREE. Can't beat that for sure. In two weeks I go to Fredericksburg for the English Potters workshop at LibertyTown!

Elizabeth said...

Good Gracious Girl, you have been Zooming about!!! I love it when our preconcieved idea's fall by the wayside when we open up to the wonderful possibilities!!! What a fabulous class and I love his Scrafitto work!!!!
I can't wait to see what you do with the book class! Classes are alos a wonderful way to meet peeps who ahve the same interests as you!!!!
Art ON Girl!!!!

Anna M. Branner said...

Thanks for visiting Elizabeth! I know you have been busy too. This book binding thing....I REALLY like it!

Elizabeth Seaver said...

You are moving so fast you are a blur! When are you coming back to the burg? I miss you!

Anonymous said...

Holy cow lady...your creative juices must be really flowing these days with all this awesomeness!

I'm gonna need to commission you to make me some goaty tiles one day :)