Pottery Video

One of my favorites to watch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3RX7JOlUmk

The show at The Mary Windspeed center was a success, Fantastic crowd, Amazing venue and much appreciation for the invite. If you are ever on the island make sure, you check out the royal museum as well as the have fantastic indigenous art.

I was also excited to find books written on how to create your own indigenous styled art. I am excited to see these at the show. I have done other shows, but this is my first show taking part as a Metis Artist. I am honoured and proud to be a part of such an amazing show at the Mary Winspear Centre in Sydney Vancouver Island.

You will find many artists like to use acrylics for their paintings, some do produce prints, but I have a special attraction to the carving as I love to carve a motif into my work as well. This is known as sgraffito.

Boy Vs JELLO

My son loves Jello.

He loves the texture and creates fantastic interactions with ideas of how to eat it. To date he has tried the trusty spoon, fork, Chopsticksand his hands.

He also has simply dumped it on the table and attacking it with his face. Sometimes he wins the Jello eating battle and sometimes the Jellomakes the great escape onto the floor.

Today he has attempted the almighty straw.

I could not stop giggling at the end of the video.

Fantastic Blackfish Pottery Day

I had a great time at the studio today. My family was on the road so i had all the time in the world to get lost in the clay. The best part? The studio was ready to go by 8 a.m and i didn't have to share the studio for three whole hours.

I have many works to complete for the next firing. I have included a glimpse below.

Blackfish Pottery - Out of the Water

Love the way these turned out, Very happy with the colors chosen.

It's always exciting to see a finished piece and it is always sad when that piece gets chipped.

I am happy with the result and can't wait to see how the others are going to turn out. For now I hope you enjoy. I know I do :-)

Blackfish Pottery - Almost Home

Working on these pieces have been a delight and I am almost at the stage of glazing but have been thwarted by the new studio and there glaze supplies. I have 53 test tiles coming out of the kiln next week and i'll finally be able to figure how to glaze these majestic Blackfish pottery pieces for the show at the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney, Vancouver Island.

Blackfish Pottery - We have been set free

Killer Whale - Killer Pottery

I have been away from a working studio for over a year. Sad but true. My studies at university, full time husband and father took precedence over a passion which I have greatly missed. I have been able to find a new studio which will better fit my lifestyle which has offered me a feeling of freedom. Being held captive with so much responsibility I was driving myself crazy and I needed to get to a studio to be with the clay again.

Here is the start of what I have created in my new series. They have yet to be glazed but I will post another picture as soon as they come out of the kiln.

What Vegetable are You?

I Created this game for a project in my Psychology of Motivation class.

What vegetable are you?

Feel free to tell us what vegetable you are in the comments.

Glaze Recipe - Rutile Green

Here is a fantastic glaze recipe for a wonderful Rutile Green. This recipe is VERY easy to make, easy to work with and highlights any other glaze you use it with.

Rutile Green

Cone 6

Custer Feldspar 22

Whiting 4

Talc 5

EPK 17

Silica 26

Frit 3134 26

Additives

Bentonite 2

Rutile 6

Copper Carbonate 4

You will want to see my video on the outcome of these glazes.

Click here to see more

Riusuke Fukahori Three-Dimensional Goldfish

Its not clay, pottery or porcelain but I had to share what I consider to be an amazing technique using resin.

Riusuke Fukahori Paints Three-Dimensional Goldfish Embedded in Layers of Resin

Clay Pottery Bear Totem

Animal totems can play huge roles in our lives. They aid in self-discovery and capture our imagination, giving us incredible avenues of self-expression and awareness.

Additionally, they assist in understanding our past, and if we are attentive, our animal totems can reveal glimpses of our future.

Webster's Dictionary defines a totem as: "A natural object, usually an animal that serves as a distinctive, often venerated emblem or symbol? Usually a means of personal or spiritual identity."

Native American animal totems most commonly come to mind when discussing this topic. However, animal signs are found throughout all cultures spanning the globe.

Embracing my indigenous heritage I spent time in meditation and prayer to discover my personal totem animal this summer. Not saying that you can’t have more than one, I wanted to share my fist Totem animal with you.

Meaning of the Bear

Protection

Childbearing

Motherhood

Freedom

Discernment

Courage

Power

Unpredictable

Because the bear is cautious, it encourages discernment to human kind

Because of a fierce spirit the bear signals bravery to those who require it

Because of its mass and physical power, the bear stands for confidence and victory Because it prefers peace and tranquility (in spite of size), bear calls for harmony and balance.

Pottery Market in Bastion Square

Victoria BC has a market down at Bastion Square with gorgeous views and wonderful people touring around from all over the world. Truly, a dream come true, when you get to be apart of something so exciting.

Four years ago I walked into Clayworks Pottery studio in Edmonton Alberta with a business plan and a goal. What was the plan you ask? Well have a seat and let me tell you.

The plan was that in five years I was going to be on Vancouver Island selling pottery in one of the local markets. Now working out of a studio called Hands onPottery; little did I know, it was going to be an EPIC adventure of clay, with a side of University and a new community surrounded by my ancestral history, Swampy Cree.

The new or modified plan is to finish a graduate degree, continue to develop my art around my ancestral learning and never stop making Pottery!

All the amazement and wondrous beauty of the island you see in photos and hear stories about I can vouch, IT IS REAL. The trees are huge, the ocean is vast and the creativity flows like honey from an overstuffed beehive.

If you make it out to the island make sure you check out the markets and take in a drive up highway 14 to stop in to China and French beach. You won’t be sorry you did.

For more works by me please see Pottery Cove

Pottery and Coffee

It's warm days and lazy strolls through the farmers market that make finds like this worth living.

I urge you to head out to the Red Deer Farmers Market this summer to taste a cup of the Papua New Guinea 100% Arabica coffee for only a dollar. Their stall is one van, many varieties of 1Kg packages of coffee and wonderful slip cast, hand made, pottery coffee mugs.

Being a potter, I normally shy away from slip cast products as they tend to easily break, but these mugs seem to have the elegance and strength of porcelain and are a GREAT buy!

If you are looking for something to do on your summer break make sure you head down to the Red Deer Farmers Market and sample a bit of paradise

Beginner Pottery Class

What a great time I had with my first set of classes in Victoria B.C.! The class is a basic beginner’s class. we can currently accommodate four to seven students at a time. The studio, Hands on Pottery, offers a beginner pottery class where you learn to wedge, centre, create a cylinder and a bowl plus handles and lids and finishing glazing techniques.

The class members were GREAT students; everyone seemed to have a great time and caught on quickly. They all had great results as you can see from the photos. YES I needed to brag a little as they were so awesome. What an amazing pottery studio and community.

To the left is a student’s piece mirroring one of my favourites to watch on YouTube And when you are in Edmonton Don't forget to check out Clayworks for classes and Gifts!

New Pottery Studio

I everyone, I wanted to take a moment to show you around the new pottery studio I am currently hanging out at.

Pottery, Porcelain, and People

A New Monday evening Pottery class! Great class of beginners tonight, they all did very well so much fun to be teaching a class again. Meeting new people has been a lot of fun since moving here! The studio time was such a treat and reprieve from my studies at the University. I wasn't aware of how difficult it was going to be juggling family, university and pottery but so far so good and I have to say pottery will always be a reprieve for me. and currently a welcome one as my first mid term is in the A.M.

If any of you are interested and will be in the area, feel free to drop by the studio for a look see. Hands on Pottery.

If you can't take the time to stay for a few classes, no problem! Feel free to brows the the pots for sale and there is a FANTASTIC coffee shop across the way. Buy a mug then take it for a test spin! I recommend the triple americano, and really how can you go wrong when a coffee shop is named Caffe' Fantasico!

Pottery from University of Free State

Re-posted from the Ceramics Solutions Face Book Page I belong to.

What an amazing piece of work and collaboration. The working piece resounds of community spirit, pride and displays a great traditional feel to the boundary of the borders. I hope you enjoy - Kelly

Dina Grobler

All possible through lotto money and the Spier contemporary art project, in co-operation with Jaco Spies (lecturer in Fine Arts at the UFS) and the help of Itumeleng, Loki and Tsegofatso,we have finished a mosaic on the UFS campus.It took us 10 months to finish.We used natural materials like stone and glass and made all our own clay tiles . The tiles depicted the Free state's map, towns as shining lights, Letema paterns and the Free State as part of the cosmos. Long hours of hard work through a very cold winter, and lots of rainy days, but in the end, all worthwhile.

Thank you

Dina Grobler for Sharing a Great Passion towards the arts and sharing this truly amazing Piece.

Pottery is moving!

It seems like months have passed since I last posted anything about pottery.

I know for me, it feels that it has almost been a year that I have been in the studio. Although work has been produced and sold under the 30kellys name my pottery has taken on a more defined brand under Potterycove leaving 30kellys open to a greater number of ideas.

Potterycove has moved to a new format on line and for the most part is up and running. It now needs to be tweaked and it still needs a better gallery plug in to being you a greater gallery experience so please feel free to poke around as it will only grow from here.

What will happen to 30kellys you ask?

The path 30kellys seems to be running down is promoting others work along side with Potterycove work and connecting people who are looking to learn more about creative arts. If you are looking for a new book, a photographer, a painting or simply to discover something new in the art world then this will be a great place to subscribe!

People have asked, “Why the change”? I tell them, “To live a life long dream”! Ever since we can remember my wife and I have wanted to live in Victoria B.C. To date we have sold our home, found a wonderful B&B to rent for 6 months while we get settled and I found a great pottery studio to rent space in.

The new Potterycove fan page is almost ready for launch. Here you will find locations I will be selling my wares and great articles on glazes and more.

Thank you for all the support everyone has given I am truly blessed.

"We must look for ways to be an active force in our own lives. We must take charge of our own destinies, design a life of substance and truly begin to live our dreams." Les Brown

Common questions about clay, pottery wheels, and kilns - Part 3

Are electric kilns better for beginners than gas kilns?

It depends on what type of pottery you want to create. The most commonly mentioned distinction between electric pottery kilns and gas pottery kilns is that electric kilns can't be used for reduction firing (a reduced oxygen atmosphere that creates unique color variations and more textured glazes). If you're eager to use many different types of glazes and colors, then a gas kiln might be worth considering. Raku kilns are also great for those interested in uniquely decorative pottery.)

However, electric kilns are generally easier to use, and many of them have features such as an automatic shut down cycle that prevents overfiring. An electric kiln of comparable size will generally be cheaper to operate than a gas kiln, at least with small kilns.