Peppa Studio

Corners of Our Home

2008-10-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

These are teacups I end up keeping for home use because they have imperfections and cannot be sold.

Below is a corner of our dining room. I'm not much of a collector. Having said that, I do have a small collection of wine corks and coasters from pubs. The two vases are both Peppa Studio's. The plates are from Ikea. We use them for buffet dinners.

Crazing like Crazy

2008-08-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

In the haste of trying to fill my first couple of wholesale orders, I learned a valuable lesson and that is "There is no shortcut in pottery, something will suffer!"

I had a major problem of crazing in the last couple of kiln loads. The cracks didn't appear right away, but usually overnight or within 24 hours. Imagine my panic attacks when upon examining the pieces right out of the kiln, they all looked fine. I then notified the customers to tell them that their orders will be in the mail shortly. The next morning, I woke up early to do some serious packing to find most of the pieces have crazed overnight! For those of you who don't know what crazing is, it is a network of cracks in the glaze which occurs after firing.

What to do? It would take me at least another 2 to 3 weeks to remake everything. I went online to frantically learn as much as I can about crazing, and to understand what I did to cause the problem. Basically, crazing is caused by improper fit between the clay body and glaze. In other words, the glaze contracts or expands more than the clay body to which it was applied. Since the glaze is a thinner layer of the two, it will give and crack.

I've been using the same clay and glaze combination for over a year and have never had to deal with this issue until now. I know that glaze fit was not my issue. After further research and a test fire, I was able to figure out the problem. What was it? It had to do improper cooling after firing. I thought I could decrease the cooling period safely by unplugging the peep holes at about 600F, crack open the kiln lid around 350F - 375F, and start to unload at around 200F - 225F. I had to use thick gloves because the pieces, shelves, and columns were still too hot to touch with bare hands. I'm telling you this so that if you're thinking about doing what I did, DON'T, unless you intentionally want to craze your wares. Be patient, wait until the kiln is cool to the touch on the outside, then open the kiln. Don't unload the pieces until you can touch them with your own bare hands. They should feel warm but not hot.

Fortunately, I was able to recover most of the crazed pieces by re-firing them again and cooling them properly. You may find that by firing them the second time, a few will develop pin holes on the surface of the glaze. Well, that's another issue all together and will need a separate post of discussion. As for now, I can breathe a little easier and start packing boxes.

J'aime Paris

2008-07-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

I'm working on some new designs that incorporate more colors. White is elegant and simple but can be quite boring after a while, don't you think? That's not to say that I'll stop making white ware. Nothing looks better in a china cabinet than stacks and stacks of white plates and bowls. Below are my new Parisian plates. These will go in the kiln tomorrow, along with other pieces from custom orders.

If you haven't received your order in the mail yet or see them posted on Etsy, they will be there very soon. I've over estimated the amount of work I can put out (so sorry). Thank you for your patience. I'm working hard to get them out the door.

Good Home

2008-06-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

It warms my heart to know that Peppa Studio wares are going to a good home and that their owners like them as much as I do. Thank you Tim & Wen!

Busy Busy Busy

2008-06-19T12:00:00.001-07:00

I've been a little busy bee lately, trying to fill my biggest order to date. I'm sure this order would seem normal to seasoned potters, but since I'm a newbie, everything is a learning experience. Making a handful of cups at a time for your own pleasure is very different than making a few dozens of the exact size and shape. In order to make a dozen perfect cups, I end up making twenty, because chances are, something will go wrong with eight of them. Hopefully, with practice and time, eight will become five and maybe some day, even three? I'm an optimist, can you tell?

Etsy Shop

2008-05-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your encouragements. You gave me the courage to open a shop on Etsy. Please stop by for a visit when you get the chance.

Recent Kiln Load

2008-05-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pictures of a recent kiln load.

Finally

2008-05-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

We encountered a few problems while trying to install the electrical wiring for the new kiln. Alas! It's all done! I can't tell you how ecstatic I am. To top it all off, the first firing turned out better than I had hoped for. Here are some pictures of the new wares.

Colors

2008-04-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

Now that electrical wiring for the new kiln is in the works, I'm eager to experiment with colors again.

Work in Progress Today

2008-04-17T12:56:00.001-07:00

Cherry Blossoms Series

2008-04-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

I've been a devoted flickr user for a few years now. It's a great way to share random pictures of everyday life with like minded folks. Now that it is Spring, there have been many recent posts of amazing cherry blossoms photos from all over the world. My favorites are from magstultz and sarahdippity. Speaking of Maggie, you have to check out her beautiful and whimsical work here. I especially adore her lamp.

Below are a few pieces I made a couple of days ago. They're part of the "cherry blossoms series", inspired by photos from my flickr friends.

Back At It Again

2008-04-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

After much distractions in recent weeks, I'm back on the potter's wheel again and couldn't be happier. I was afraid my hands would forget how to throw pots but thank god they remembered! Here are pictures of a few vessels in the works.

Chartreuse

2008-04-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Spring and the color of Lisa's eggs (chartreuse). I took these photos from around the house:

1. Afternoon snacks served on peppa studio cup and saucer, would you care to join me?

2. This is one of my most favorite books on botanical illustrations.

3. Lisa's organic eggs are slowly replacing my white store bought ones.

Hopelessly Taken

2008-04-04T11:34:00.000-07:00

I am so taken by our new hen that I haven't been spending any time in the studio. Here's a video clip of her laying an egg this morning. Happy Friday everybody!

Our New Family Member

2008-03-30T11:48:00.000-07:00

This post is completely off topic but I couldn't contain myself from telling you about our most exciting news! We welcomed a new addition to our family last weekend, her name is Lisa. I have always loved chickens. Lisa was given to us by our dear friend, Winston. He has a beautiful chicken coop for eleven hens. The hens are all paired up by breed except for Lisa. Apparently, chickens are just like high school kids, if you are different, you are likely to be made fun of. The other chickens rejected her. They would peck her until she bled. Winston had to separate her from the flock by putting her in a cage, much smaller than the chicken coop (of course). This broke our hearts and Winston's. We live in a suburbia home, with a small garden in the back. We have frequent visits from possums and raccoons (not to mention Larry, a mean neighborhood cat). Despite these issues, we took her home anyway and things haven't been the same since. At night we put her in her cage and cover it with a tarp to protect her from prying eyes and sharp claws. In time, my boyfriend will build her a little cozy home. We just love her! She's doing great. Even Sami, our old and sweet cat, likes her too. They find each other very amusing to watch.

Within hours at her new home, she made a little nest for herself and laid an egg, not just any egg, a green egg!

Here she is, frolicking about our garden.

Dahlia Vase

2008-03-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

It is so nice to work with colors again. I was on this black and white mode for a little while but colors are back! Please stay tune for more.

9" height x 5.5" width (base)
ready for bisque firing...

Happy Accidents

2008-03-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

Do you remember these cups? Well here they are fresh out of the kiln. I was nervous the underglaze would bleed but they turned out okay, yay!

I especially like the shape of this creamer. Let me tell you how it came about. I was trying to make round decorative ornaments but could not for the life of me close the top of the vessel to make a ball. What I ended up with are a handful of these creamers. Sometimes accidents are even better than what you can imagine.

Lastly, My parents came for a visit recently. They took a look at my drying rack and asked me to make them a few sauce decanters. I gladly whipped up this trio on the pottery wheel. I hope to find the time to glaze them today and perhaps have them fired by the end of the week.

Simple Perfection

2008-03-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what it is about this cup that makes me giddy just looking at it. Perhaps it is the delicate thin walls, or the simple black and white bird decorations, or maybe, maybe it's the subtle imperfection in the shape.

I'm crossing my fingers that it'll look even better out of the kiln.

Lucky Girl I am

2008-03-14T10:08:00.001-07:00

Earlier this week, my boyfriend gave me a Skutt KM-1027 kiln and vent for my birthday. They were in boxes on his truck bed, complete with a bow and card. I couldn't believe my eyes or utter a word for at least 10 minutes. Needless to say, I am the luckiest girl in the entire world. The gift is amazing but I'm not talking about the gifts. I'm talking about the man himself. OK, enough with the mushy stuff, I thought you would like to see the new kiln. It is not in operation yet but soon, very soon!

More White Porcelain Mugs

2008-03-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, I made a few more porcelain mugs, ready for the kiln. These are greenware with black underglazed decorations. I hope you'll like them as much as I do.

Heart Broken

2008-03-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

This morning, I dropped a couple of my beloved pieces on the floor. I know this has happened to everyone. I need to learn to deal with it, but today, it was especially hard. My heart still shattered into a million pieces. Why? This is so lame! It's just clay after all. I can make them again. [At least, that was what I kept telling myself over and over again. Maybe after a hundered repeats, it'll sink in *sigh*]

Voila!

2008-02-26T09:29:00.000-08:00

We have a small kitchen and cabinet space is precious real estate. Here is a quick solution, a stainless steel shelf from Ikea. You'll like the price too, it was less than $15!

p.s. Do you recognize some cups from previous posts?

Insomnia

2008-02-23T12:17:00.000-08:00

Last night I woke up at the absurd hour of 1:34am and just couldn't get back to sleep. You know what I mean, you toss and turn, pull on the blanket, and fluff the pillows about a thousand times. Finally, I gave up and made way to the kitchen for a glass of milk. I spent the rest of the night glazing some mugs and creamers. It was fairly productive!

More China Blue Bowls

2008-02-15T16:08:00.000-08:00

Here are some new bowls, hot out of the kiln. I'm using the same blue underglaze for these bowls but they appear to be much better than the last batch. The only difference was that I painted on greenware instead of bisque. It seems to make a huge difference!

Farm Animals Series

2008-02-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

First of all, I would like to thank you for not giving up on this blog. It has been a crazy holiday season but I'm back again, full force, I might add. Here are some pictures of my latest work, porcelain bowls, with farm animals decor. I hope you like them. They were painted free hand using blue underglaze. I'm still in search for a blue underglaze that won't run at cone 10. If you know of any, please let me know.

What's in the Studio Today?

2007-11-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the items currently on the shelves:

These small scalloped plates, inspired by Whitney's plates, are ready for bisque fire.

"Got Chocolate?" I have a couple of these cup & saucer sets ready for the kiln as well.

The drawing on this large porcelain fruit bowl was done with an underglaze pencil.

These finished pieces are from recent kiln loads:

A little bit of fun... the kiwi and watermelon bowls

Simple birdie cups and pitcher set

My fun contemporary take on traditional blue china

Present to Self

2007-11-15T08:22:00.000-08:00

I am so excited! The Giffin Grip came in the mail yesterday. It's something I've been gnarling over for a year now. It's definitely a "luxury" tool and something I can do without. On the other hand, it would sure speed up productivity, especially during hectic periods in the studio like the upcoming holidays. Oftentimes, I'm too lazy to make a chuck out of clay to trim large vases or pitchers. During one of my weak moments last week, I finally caved in and bought one. When I saw the box outside the door yesterday, it felt like an early birthday present. I immediately unpacked it and put it to good use.

Note: In case you're wondering what a chuck is, here's a great post of one by Cynthia. Thank you Cynthia!

One out of Four

2007-11-12T16:47:00.000-08:00

Something always goes wrong with one out of four plates. For years now, I've been trying to break away from this pattern. It hasn't happened yet. Perhaps it is a sign from above?

Wedding, Family, and Happiness

2007-10-31T08:44:00.000-07:00

My family and I spent much of last week running around, preparing for my brother's wedding in Washington DC. We had so much fun hanging out together. My brother is generally a well organized person but this wedding challenged him to his limit. The schedule for the wedding weekend was as followed:

Friday:
basketball game with friends & family
family dinner
drinks with friends at a bar
Saturday:
hindu ceremony (the bride is indian)
vietnamese traditional ceremory (the groom is vietnamese)
civil ceremony
reception
Sunday:
brunch with family and friends

How many couples do you know have three ceremonies at their wedding? Three! There was delicious food everywhere, I ate so much that I nearly popped out of my dress. But now that the wedding is over, I can't seem to go back to daily routines of life, especially here, in California, where smoke still fills the air.

My sister, brother, and I ran errands during rush hour. The ipod kept us amused.

My brother, get this, bought his tux two days before his wedding! My sister and I helped him with the shopping. Luckily, the seamstress agreed to have his pants hemmed in one day.

Before and After

2007-10-18T20:13:00.001-07:00

It never fails. The successful rate for plates has always been 3 out of 4. I guess consistency is a good thing.

First Attempt at Mold Making

2007-10-18T07:50:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago my boyfriend and I tried to make a mold of this small bowl. The attempt was not a successful one but the process was fun nevertheless and I learned a thing or two from it.

The first step to mold making is to create a container for the plaster. Usually people use four boards to make a bottomless box. Greg wanted to be innovative and used a small UPS box instead. It worked well but we had to tear the box apart in order to free the mold once the plaster was set. Thus, the re-usability factor is clearly zilch. In hindsight, wooden board is a much better option. We then placed the bowl, face down, inside the box. Next, we mixed the plaster thoroughly using a mixer attached to an electric drill. We poured the plaster into the box until it completely covered the bowl. Here was when we made our second mistake. The plaster should have been a creamy, not pudding-like, consistency. If the plaster is too thick, it is more likely to trap air bubbles. That was exactly what happened to our mold. It had a couple of holes on the surface. Oh well, practice makes perfect, right? I'm looking forward to our second attempt.

New Twist on the Traditional

2007-10-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Inspired by traditional blue china, I threw a porcelain pitcher on the potters wheel and decorated it with whimsical sceneries. This project was a joy to work on but the process was somewhat tedious. It took me a couple of days just to glaze.

Notes: This piece is glazed but not yet fired.

Latest Batch of Mugs

2007-10-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

Do you remember these glazed mugs from last week (or was it the week before)? Here they are... done, finally.

Mold Making

2007-10-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

The holiday season is approaching at warping speed. This is the busiest time for us artists. I've been struggling with how I can make the same piece uniformly, repeatedly, and quickly. I have examined and refined every step of the process but still, production isn't fast enough. Wouldn't it be great if we can operate proficiently on a 4-hour daily sleep? Then there will be 4 extra hours in the studio every day. Don't laugh, but I've tried this, and of course it didn't work. I ended up making more mistakes and working slower. As a die-hard potter's wheel devotee, I couldn't fathom the thought of molds. But after weeks of struggle, I'm warming up to the idea nicely. So, one night, I went online to do some research and ran into a book by Andrew Martin, titled The Essential Guide to Mold Making and Slip Casting. For those of you who are interested in learning the process of mold making and slip casting, I highly recommend it.

This self-published book contains literally hundreds of color photographs to illustrate step-by-step instructions. Martin left no details unanswered. He started with an overview on tools and materials, continued on with plaster recipes, one-piece to multi-piece molds, slip formulation, slip casting, and finally troubleshooting.

After reading the book thoroughly from front to back, I bought a 100lb bag of plaster and some slip. This weekend, I will attempt to make a few molds.

Work In Progress

2007-09-24T21:54:00.001-07:00

glazed, ready to be fired

more mugs, glazed, ready to be fired

greenware cups

Racing and Eating

2007-09-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

We're packing our camping gears to head up the mountains for the weekend. The weather forecast predicts a major thunderstorm tonight which will continue on until tomorrow. This should make for a very interesting and adverturous weekend. My boyfriend has a race up there and I'm tagging along to make sure he'll eat. Yes, I kid you not. how can anyone forget to eat? It's one of life's greatest joy. Don't get me wrong. Greg does like to eat. He eats plenty as a matter of fact, just not when he's racing. He looses his appetite then. It is awful timing because that's when he needs the nourishment the most. Greg and his four teammates will take turns mountain biking continuously for twenty-four hours straight. The team with the most laps will win. This race sounds like a lot of fun until you find yourself riding at 3:25am, in total darkness except for the flickering light coming from your head lamp. It is freezing cold and as you are struggling to climb a hill, you can hear the coyotes howling in the distance. It's just another reminder to let you know that you are in the middle of nowwhere land. I don't know why these guys like to torture themselves. You know where to find me at 3:25am this Saturday, I'll be dry and toasty in my sleeping bag ;o)

Dream Life

2007-09-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

path to dream studio

dream studio
Where have my days gone? Lately, I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed. The studio remains clean and quiet. It beckons me to come in and I want to. I really want to but this has been my pattern as of late: I would come in, check the drying shelf, look at what is left to glaze, and then walk back out. I cannot muster up the energy to do anything in the studio. With a 9-5 job, home renovation, some traveling, gardening, and training for a couple of up coming races, I get tired by the end of the day, so much so that simple chores like doing the dishes have become a struggle. This is not how I had envisioned my life to be. I dream of living on a farm with a few chickens flocking around. A typical day would start off with a cup of coffee and a laptop (to check current events, emails, etc...), followed by a quick run around the neighborhood. I then take a short walk through the garden to my studio to work until lunch time. For lunch, I whip up a delicious meal on the fly using what is available in the garden at the time. Its fresh aroma would filled the kitchen and drives my cat crazy (and me too!). Afterwards, I head back into the studio and work until evening. Of course, in my perfect world, I would not have to clean the chicken coop, upkeep the house, make multiple stops to the post office to mail my work, or do the laundry. A girl can dream, can't she?

Pictured above is my dream garden and studio. Isn't it perfect? Just looking at it makes me feel calm and inspiring at the same time.

Studio Time

2007-09-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those days when you just want to scrap all pre-made plans so you can throw pots until your shoulders and neck ache but you feel completely satisfied? That was exactly how I felt. At the very last minute, I opted out of a mountain biking and camping trip last weekend so I can spend a day in the studio. It turned out to be a good day. The clay felt just right and for a brief few hours, my hands seem to know what they were doing. I am working torward a personal goal and that is to slowly replace all of the commercial dishware in the kitchen cabinets with my own. Wouldn't that be neat? They don't have to all match. In fact, I think it would be fun to have the plates and bowls be of slightly different sizes and designs. The only thing that will make them somewhat uniform is the color white. White is the perfect background for food, similar to a blank white canvas for a colorful painting. I have the feeling this project will take a lot of time.

By the way, do you like the new blog layout? I was getting a bit bored with the old design and felt like a change. Let me know what you think.

Food

2007-09-06T22:11:00.001-07:00

It never fails, every time I step foot in east coast, the world would spin at extraordinary speed and before I know it, the trip has come to an end. On this particular visit over Labor Day weekend, family and friends were definitely the highlight, but close in second place was FOOD, yes, utterly delicious food. And boy did I eat shamelessly and without an ounce of guilt too! That is what so great about vacation, you give yourself carte blanche to do as you wish. We attended a cousin's wedding, an uncle's birthday, a BBQ and a scrumptious tapas dinner with friends. To top it all off, my mom made breakfast one morning that is to beat all breakfasts I've ever had. I realized then how much I've been missing her and her cooking. Inspired by all the delicious meals, I'm armed this evening with cook books, determine to come up with a menu for the weekend.

Porcelain bowls: Hand glazed using fine bristle brush

Finally

2007-08-29T18:55:00.001-07:00

It feels like years since my last post. The truth is, I have been quite disappointed with the recent firings and just couldn't bring myself to bore you with the details (yet again). Alas! Good news is right around the corner. I think I've finally figured out the solution to the many glazing problems and the last batch out of kiln was not too shabby. Aside from glazing, I've also been busy throwing lots of earthenware pots. So hang tight, you'll be seeing more brightly colored pieces soon!

On another note, a very gifted ceramic artist and painter, Cynthia, crowned me with the "Rockin' Girl Blogger" award. I'm blushing as we speak. Thank you thank you Cynthia! You made my week. I will now pass the honor on to five other rockin' girl bloggers and here they are... drumroll please...

- Mette from Mettes Potteri
- Denise from Denise's World
- Sarah from Life is Beautiful
- Whitney from This Artist's Life
- Linda from Orange Cookie and Ambrosia Studio

Now, you may applause :o)

Fruit Bowl

2007-08-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

It took three attempts for me to make the fruit bowl above. The first two times, I made huge dents while trying to get the batt off the pottery wheel. Does anyone else experience this problem? Needless to say, once I got the third bowl off the wheel, I immediately put it on the shelf and didn't dare touch it again. The vegetable designs were made from molds, which I bought off the internet. I then attached them to the bowl using a bit of slip.

Fruit bowl: Earthenware, 11" diameter

More Plump Birdies

2007-08-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

I spent most of this weekend glazing away like a mad woman. Above are the latest birdie designs on bisques.

top: 3 mugs, porcelain, 5" height x 3.5" diameter
bottom: a set of 6 dessert plates, porcelain, 6" diameter

Busy as a Bee

2007-08-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

It looks like my plate will be full for the next couple of months. We have three upcoming trips to the east coast, starting with NYC at the beginning of September. Later in October, we'll head over to Connecticut and then Washington DC. I really love these trips to New England in the Fall. Especially in late October when the leaves turn color and the air is so crisp. It provides the perfect opportunity to whisk out your favorite light jacket and be fashionable with a silk scarf. I also have a couple of 10K races, both of which have to do with running in the mud! They're called the "Mud Run" and the "Muddy Buddy". Have you heard of them? The first is a 10K run with hills, river crossings, various obstacles, and a final 30-foot mud pit! The second is very similar except you switch between mountain biking and running with a partner. These races are so much fun. At the finish line, every inch of your body will be covered with mud. People tend to wear their old running shoes for these events and then throw them away afterwards. Lastly, we've been doing a bit of home renovation, removing popcorn ceiling, repainting walls, and adding base boards to the bedrooms. All of these activities have been keeping me away from pottery. In fact, I am way behind in glazing. There are rows and rows of bisques collecting dust on the shelf. I better start glazing tonight.

Birdies

2007-08-09T16:53:00.001-07:00

Lately, I've been a bit crazy about these plump black birds. As you can see below. More to come, please stay tune...

small porcelain bowl, fired at cone 10
4.5" diameter x 1.75" height

birds on clothesline (bisque)

Straight out of the Kiln

2007-08-08T23:54:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the promegranate bowl I posted last week? Well, here it is, straight out of the kiln. I really like the smooth milky white quality of porcelain. That's why I just put on three coats of clear glaze and let the clay speaks for itself.

Bad, Worse, Disaster...

2007-08-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

I posted a little blurb about this pitcher last week. Some of you expressed interest in it so I thought maybe you would like to see how it turned out. At first, it wasn't too bad when I glanced at it from across the room. The glazes weren't as bright as I had hoped, but at least, they didn't crack or bleed.

Then I walked over to the shelf for a closer look and turned the pitcher slightly. Well, bad turned into worse. One of the glazes I was testing melted right off the flower center. It was supposed to be marine blue in color, but now, more like a blend of burgundy and purple?

I then turned the pitcher some more. What I saw was a complete disaster! One of the balls literally slid down the body of the pitcher. Linda Aubry from Ambrosia Porcelain had wrote to me about this. Now I've experienced it first hand.

Oh well, what can I say, you win some, you loose some. This one will go in the trash bin. I can always make another...

Good Bye Dear Mugs

2007-07-26T11:13:00.001-07:00

I have a batch of about 12 mugs, which I made in May, that is lost in outer space somewhere. I don't know if I'll ever see them again. Back in April, I was told by an assistant at the pottery facility that they DO fire to cone 6. I verified this with her several times to make sure we were communicating. This was very exciting news because it opened the door to tons of new possibilities with glazes. She even pointed out the shelves where I was supposed to place cone 6 wares ready for firing. Needless to say, I skipped and danced all the way home to make a batch of 12 mugs. I spent over $150 on cone 5/6 glazes. My mind was racing with ideas after ideas on how to decorate with these new colorful glazes on my porcelain bisques. The dancing and skipping, however, was short lived. I brought the glazed mugs back to the pottery facility and placed them on the "cone 6" shelves. Three weeks passed by, no firing. Finally, I got a note taped onto one of my mugs. It said, quite frankly and matter of fact, "we don't fire in cone 6 here." You can imagine my surprise, not to mention major disappointment. I begged the facility manager to make an exception but they wouldn't budge, not even a millimeter. I offered to pay for this one time firing. The answer was still "NO". By now, it's June and I was quite depressed. I started to picture these potentially beautiful mugs in the trash bin, right next to the used napkins and half eaten dougnuts. As I was sulking next to the trash bin, unable to make myself throw away the mugs, the kiln angel walked by. Well, he was more like my pottery teacher. He offered to fire them for me in his kiln at home that weekend. I didn't think a miracle could happen, not on my luck. I must have thanked him at least a billion times and offered to pay for his time and the utility cost. He told me it wasn't necessary but I planned to pay him anyway. The next week rolled around, my teacher said he was busy so he didn't have a chance to fire them. Two weeks later, he mumbled the same answer. By the third week, I stopped asking. He was doing me a favor. I didn't want to nag. It will now be week 5 on Monday. I've pretty much accepted the fact that I will never see these mugs again. They are floating in space, somewhere between earth and maybe the sun? Hopefully, as they get closer to the sun, they'll finally get fired.

Promegranate Bowl

2007-07-26T05:52:00.001-07:00

I drew a pomegranate botanical design on a bowl last night, using an underglaze pencil. I've never noticed the squeal this pencil makes on bisque before until Cynthia Guajardo mentioned it. I had to turn up the TV volume so I could drown out the eeky sound. It was unbearable. I will drop the bowl off to be fired in a gas kiln today. Hopefully, if all goes well, I'll have it back soon.

I'm also waiting for the results of another glaze test, this time, Amaco Celebration glaze fired at cone 10 reduction. I painted it on the flower centers of the pitcher above, in the same fashion as this pencil holder. I'm really nervous about this piece for two reasons. One, I don't expect Celebration glazes to do well in cone 10. Maybe the flower centers will come out brown. Who knows. Worse yet, the glaze might just run off the beads and drip onto the vase body. Second, I woke up this morning with a minor panic attack when I realized that I was a bit messy in applying the clear glaze onto the pitcher and did not wipe off the bottom. With my luck, this pitcher is probably sticking onto the kiln shelf right about now.

Etsy Cups

2007-07-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

It's that time again, when I feel the urge to raid Etsy for beautiful handmade cups. If only I can find the cabinet space in my kitchen...

Emma Litten's duck egg expresso cup

Circa Ceramic's 12 oz las manos Cup

Kim Westad - Orange pebble cup

Courtney Murphy's blue green cup

Shoshona Snow's porcelain mug in red black and white

Meredith's green pop arty mug

Duncan Concepts Test Results

2007-07-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

The test results for Duncan Concept underglazes fired at cone 10 are in! The colors are brighter than Amaco Velvet underglazes. I'm pleased with that. However, they are a bit runny and less opaque. If you are looking for a watercolor effect, Duncan Concepts underglazes would be a good choice.

Colors from left to right:
row 1 - chartreuse, neon blue, and neon green
row 2 - neon orange, neon red, and neon yellow
Each sample also had three coats of Amaco Sahara Zinc-Free Clear (HF-9) glaze on top.

Amaco Velvet Test Results

2007-07-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

Above are the test results for Amaco Velvet underglazes fired at cone 10 on porcelain bisque. I did put 3 coats of Amaco Sahara Zinc-Free Clear (HF-9) glaze on top. "Real orange" came out to be brighter than "bright orange". "Intense yellow" was more like amber yellow. Chartreuse was a lovely green but it appeared a bit runny. If you choose to use this color, make sure you put on more than 3 coats. All other colors came out even and opaque. You may find this table from Amaco helpful too for firings at cone 10.

Colors from left to right:
row 1 - electric blue, bright orange, chartreuse, and red
row 2 - real orange, intense yellow, white, and hunter green

Botanical Inspiration

2007-07-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

These pieces came out of the kiln on Monday. They are very different from my usual happy and colorful designs. I hope you're not disappointed. I've been experimenting and trying to challenge myself to come up with a more mature and practical line. What I ended up with are these pieces. They are classical (inspired by botanical illustrations) and stronger too. All are microwave, oven, and dishwasher safe. The illustrations were drawn freehand using a black underglaze pencil.

Small pear platter "Poire Josephine de Binche" (6" diameter x 1.5" height)
Small poppy plate "Papaver Orientale" (5.25" diameter)
Poppy creamer (3.25" diameter x 4" height)

Perfect Weekend

2007-07-16T08:37:00.001-07:00

After the Tahoe trip, I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home to do a bit of cleaning, gardening, and working in the studio. I spent most of Saturday cleaning like a mad woman, from the living room to the bedroom. Afterwards, I made time for the studio and glazed several bowls mainly to test Amaco Velvet and Duncan Concepts underglazes at cone 10. If you are interested in the results, let me know. I will post them. On Sunday morning, Greg and I hopped on the scooter and made a quick run to our favorite breakfast place, Plums Cafe. The food was scrumptious as usual. Blessed with a full stomach, we headed back home to tend the garden. Boy did it need some tending! We spent hours dead heading, trimming, cutting, and sweeping. By evening, I sat on the swing with a cool beer in hand, enjoying our little Eden in the middle of the California suburban. We then went for a little run and had healthy smoothie for dinner. As the sun was setting, I went back into the studio to throw a few plates and a couple of mugs. What a perfect weekend! It was just what I needed to rejuvenate.

The Art of Patience

2007-07-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

Working at a community ceramic studio has taught me again and again, the art of patience. Below are some lessons I've learned to adopt over the years.

1. If a large platter you made (as pictured above) disappears from the drying rack, don't fret over it, just make another.

2. Do not have any expectation when your piece will be fired. This way, you'll be pleasantly surprised when you get it back from the kiln. It's like winning the lottery.

3. When you are working on the wheel, be prepare to move and dodge as people try to get behind you to their lockers.

4. If your pitcher never made it back from the kiln because it was unfortunately stuck to another bowl that melted on the shelf during firing, don't cry, just make another.

5. Watch for the flying stools. OK, this one needs a little explaining. The cleaning crew unplug all machines and place the stools on top of the pottery wheels so they can mop the floors once a week. If you or your neighbor absent-mindedly plugs in the pottery wheel before removing the stool and the pedal is down, well, you can imagine what happens next.

Please feel free to add more lessons in the comments section. I would love to read yours.

Back to the Daily Grind

2007-07-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

We arrived home last night after five days of mountain biking at Lake Tahoe. It was truly a fun filled vacation with like minded friends. Fourteen of us rented a house at Incline Village and rode everyday. The weather was hot but bearable. Except for some cuts, bruises, and 5 stitches, we managed to escape the weekend adventure with no serious injuries, thank god! It was exactly what I needed to get back to the daily grind again.

Above is a picture of me from last week, taken by my friend, Natalie. I was frantically trying to finish off the mugs so they would make it in the next kiln load. We'll see how they turn out tonight. "Kiln god, please be kind to me." I'll bring the camera to capture some pictures for tomorrow post.

Underglaze Pencils

2007-07-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

I've been trying out something new in the studio recently. Using a black underglaze pencil, I drew botanical illustrations on a few bisque fired pieces. These pencils are pretty neat. They work like a regular pencil, in that, if you make mistakes, you can use an eraser to rub them off. Careful not to smudge the drawings, I then paint three coats of clear glaze on top. I'll post some pictures soon to let you see how these turn out after they've been glaze fired.

Lastly, I'm gearing up to go to lake Tahoe (the north side) for a few days of outdoor activities. As you know, there was a huge forest fire on the south side of the lake. Nearly five square miles were consumed by the fire and at least 254 homes were destroyed. Thanks to our 450 hard working fire fighters, it is finally 100 percent contained as of July 2nd. Lake Tahoe is HUGE, to say the least. I don't expect to even smell the smoke on the north side.

Have a great 4th of July everyone! Be safe and have lots of fun!

the Chicken or the Egg?

2007-06-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

This post is a long one because I have three confessions to make.

First on the list, I don't have a kiln. There, it is out (*sigh*). I'm embarassed to admit this. Yes, yes, I know what you are thinking. "How can you be serious about ceramics and not own a kiln?" I have a personal rule and that is, I have to "earn" my kiln. Until I truly and honestly believe in my work, I will not pony up the bucks to buy one, period. The fact that I don't have a kiln speaks volume about how I feel about my own work so far (thus, my second confession). This has been my thought pattern for quite a while now. Does an artist ever get to a point when he feels confident in his art? He must, right? He has to believe in his work before he can even fathom that others will too.

Now onto my third confession, I have been having endless problems with glazes for years. Because of my "kiln situation", I fire my pieces at two local pottery facilities . Each facility is impressive in its own right. You can see photos of one here. We're talking about a combine inventory of 4 gas and at least 8 to 10 electric kilns (I have lost count). There is ample room to dry, glaze, throw, carve, etch, and do whatever else you can imagine to your clay. I am very lucky to have such resources where I live. All of this goodness, comes with one catch, both facilities fire in cone 10 (reduction) or cone 06 (oxidation) ONLY, and nothing in between. This fact presents a big problem in my process. I happen to love working with porcelain and I prefer to paint designs using bright colorful glazes (no dipping). That type of glaze don't exist in cone 10, at least in my experience with commercial ones. They do come in cone 06, but they consistently craze (crack) on porcelain (i.e. not food safe). I've tried all sorts of work arounds but to date, I am still nowhere closer to where I want to be. If only I can fire at whatever range of temperature I need, all my glaze troubles would be solved.

I guess you're seeing my dilemma now, right? It's the age-old question. What comes first? the chicken or the egg? Or in my case, the kiln or my art? I need a show of hands please. Which way should I sway?

The picture above is that of a raku kiln taken by my friend, Natalie, earlier this week at our pottery facility.

Linda Bloomfield

2007-06-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

While home bound by a 24 hour flu last weekend, I came up with a fabulous idea! Each month, I am going to write about a ceramic artist, whose work has inspired me and challenged me to re-examine certain aspects of my own designs.

First on the list is one of my all time favorite ceramic artists, Linda Bloomfield, from London, UK.

Her ceramics are thoughtfully and perfectly hand thrown. Each piece is made to be handled and used everyday. Its beauty lies in its simplicity, purity, form, and elegance. Linda creates utilitarian ware at its best. Her colaboration with Ruth Cross to add the crocheted cosies is unique, ingenious, and oh so functional all at the same time!

Linda's work inspires me to spend more time on the pottery wheel, to really think about the shape of my pieces. She reminds me that less is more and that I should design pieces with strength and good form to encourage daily use. After all, what are tableware for? but to be enjoyed and used everyday.

The photos are from Linda Bloomfield's website.

Colorful Tassels

2007-06-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

As you know, I have a love for all things "rooster". Last year, I wanted to buy this tassel from charleskeath.com. It was priced at $29.99, but after shipping costs and tax, was closer to $40! Being a cheapo and a creative sort of person, I decided to make one myself. First, I needed wooden tassel heads. I surfed online and found a store in Berkley, California that sold some in a variety of sizes. I then went to a local craft store and bought an assortment of bright colorful threads meant for embroidery. Armed also with permanent magic markers, I set out to make some tassels and had a lot of fun. Below are pictures of a few. They turned out quite popular and I ended up giving many to friends as Christmas presents. These tassels were about 7 inches in length.

Bubbles

2007-06-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

I'm sure anyone who has worked with clay will agree, the moment you open the kiln to get the first peek of the finished pieces is always filled with nervousness and anticipation. No matter how long you've been doing ceramics, that feeling never goes away. It is such a long process to have a piece made and there is no guarantee that your hard work will pay off. A simple bowl like the one pictured above usually takes me about two weeks.

Here's the process in a nutshell. I start with a ball of clay and throw it into a bowl on a pottery wheel. Next, I wrap it up in plastic and let it slowly dry to a leather hardness. This may take up a few days. Once it is leather hard, I bring it back on the pottery wheel so I can trim the bottom of the bowl and add signature stamp. After the piece is completely dry it is ready to be bisque fired for hours up to approximately 2012 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, I glaze the bowl using one of the designs from my sketch book. This step may take up several hours depending on the detail of the design. Once the piece is glazed, is is placed in the kiln for another firing to about 2228 degrees Fahrenheit for several more hours. The bowl is then allowed to slowly cool over the next 24 hours before the kiln is opened. It is after this second firing that I often find myself with my heart in my throat praying to the kiln god.

This time around, my heart sank to my feet. The glaze bubbled for some yet unknown reason. What happened? I don't remember doing anything different with this batch. I'll need to do research on the web (*sigh*).

Giant Trees

2007-06-18T09:25:00.000-07:00

We made it back from a weekend in the Sequoia National Forest late last night. After a much needed shower to wash off two days worth of dirt, sunscreen, and sweat, I finally made it to bed at 2:30am. These late nights are starting to be the norm instead of exception (note to self, NOT good!). My dear friend, David, was the leader of this trip. As usual, he was as thorough as can be, but most notably, had more energy than the Eveready Energizer Bunny. If left unchecked, he would try to fit a 13 mile hike with ridiculous elevation, then cave exploration, then rock climbing, then another 6 mile hike, and if we all brought headlights, a moonlight hike, all in one day! Luckily, we out numbered him and was able to force him down to only 3 activities per day and enough time to eat meals in between. Nevertheless, I was exhausted when I finally made it into my tent on Saturday night. I pulled out a book on mold making and slip casting but my eyes failed me. I must have dozed off after the first paragraph.

The Sequoia National Forest is an unbelievably beautiful and magical place. It houses the biggest trees, in terms of volume, on earth. To hike through the giant sequoia grove is like a scene straight out of Alice in Wonderland. The trees are over a thousand years old, 200 feet tall, and have a base circumference of about 100 feet. Most have visible black scars from withstanding hundreds of forest fires. I was also in awe by the many species of colorful and delicate flowers everywhere. They seem to thrive in the filtered lights coming through the trees. If you happen to be on the west coast and have some time, please consider visiting the Sequoia Forest. You won't regret it, I promise.

Weekend Awaits

2007-06-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

It's Friday and the weekend is almost here. Yay! I'm leaving work early to head out of town for some camping and hiking in the Sequoia forest. It'll be some place far far away from my beloved pottery wheel. Ideas will have to wait to be realized. That's ok for now. Some fresh air and beautiful sceneries will spark even more ideas. I'm leaving you with a picture of a pencil holder I made recently. This piece was greatly enfluenced by my admiration for Ambrosia Porcelain. Their work is so adorable. You can't help but want to pick one up and touch it with your bare hands. Have a great weekend!

More to Come...

2007-06-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

I've decided 2007 will be a year of discovery, to test new glazes, new techniques, and new designs. Everything is an inspiration of sorts, especially our garden. It's quite small but full of plants and a few trees. We've had this garden for almost three years now and I constantly discover something new and amazing. Life evolves in a garden, no matter how big or small. It attracts all kinds of creatures. I once stayed up late into the night to watch a family of six raccoons, a mother and her five babies, playing on the grass. We have a couple of dove nests, but unoccupied at the momment. The hummingbirds, white butterflies, and bumblebees love the salvia shrubs and visit them often. So without question, you will soon find butterflies and hummingbirds on my ware, as well as many of the plants and flowers. I have a lot of work in progress but nothing finished to show you yet. Please stay tuned.

Precious Studio Time

2007-06-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

The weather has been especially lovely these past few days in Southern California. Beni, Natalie, and I met up at the community studio on Monday evening just as the sun was setting. We left the door wide open to let some cool breezes in and immediately got our hands soaked in mud and glazes. As usual, we chatted away as we trimmed, throwed, and glazed pieces after pieces. Before we know it, the clock ticked 9:30pm and we had to clean up. The hours seem like seconds when you are with dear friends doing what you love.

All of these greenware are lining up for the kiln.

A staff member was loading the gas kiln. We have 3 gas and 4 electric kilns at the facility.

Natalie was busy throwing a bowl.

Beni delicately glazed the top of her bowl.

Window Shopping

2007-06-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

Window shopping for handmade items on Etsy is so much fun! The theme for today is mug or cup. Here are some of my favorite finds:

Cynthia Vardhan's white tea set $70

Deb Babcock's cup on leaf saucer $29

Jeanette Zeis's vegan cup $16

Cynthia Guajardo's celadon porcelain mug $16

ngdesigns porcelain cup with black dots $35

Please note, the photos from this post are not of my own. I gathered them from Etsy.com by their rightful owners.

Handles and All

2007-06-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

Last night I stayed up pass midnight to trim and put handles on four mugs and a pitcher. This is what happens when you have a full time job making websites all day, come home to tend the garden, feed the cat, eat dinner, clean the kitchen, hang out a bit with your honey, and then do some pottery. Needless to say, it took all of my will power to get out of bed this morning at 5:30am. In fact, after the alarm went off, I must have dozed off again because I dreamt that I was in the shower only to be awaken thirty minutes later and found myself still in bed! I rushed through the morning rituals, but skipped the breakfast, and jumped into the car with my hair completely wet (*sigh*). I'll tell you what makes all of this madness worth it, the sight of those milky white porcelain greenware on the kitchen counter where I left them last night to dry. I don't know what it is about ceramics but it makes me crazy, crazy happy that is.

The "peppa studio" stamp you see on the base of these pieces was hand-carved by a kid in Vietnam. I bumped into him at a street corner in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) this past January. He was no older than fifteen. He occupied the entire corner with a display of all sorts of wooden stamps he had carved by hand. I asked him if he could custom make a stamp for me. I then attempted to draw this chili logo on a napkin. He gladly took on the job for a mere $4 (U.S.) and told me to come back that evening. True to his word, the stamp was an exact replica of my drawing. I wish he had a business card. I would post it here to share with you. To this day, I don't know how he carved those tiny little letters. Maybe he had some automated tools in a shop somewhere?

Cranking Them Out

2007-06-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

To my surprise, I've been fairly productive despite a hectic week. Over the weekend Greg and I jumped on a red-eye flight to the east coast for my brother's engagement party (yahoo!). It was a non-stop celebration all day Saturday. Early Sunday morning (6:30am to be exact), we were back at the airport to catch another 6 hour flight to L.A. What did I do as soon as I reached home? Yep, you guessed it, I got on to the pottery wheel and made a few things. Lined up on the rack to be fired are 2 pitchers, 6 mugs, and a large platter. I'll try to post pictures of them when they're completely fisnished.

Glazing Night

2007-06-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

Once a week, my friends and I get together for a few hours to glaze. It's a good way for us to catch up on each other's lives. Over time, I find myself looking forward to these sessions. Nothing is off topic. We discuss glazes, designs, ceramics, boyfriends (or exes), mountain biking (we do quite a bit of this during our spare time), and upcoming trips/vacations. We also surf the web or look at books for design inspirations and talk about ceramic artists that we admire. I, for one, hope these sessions will continue for years to come.

Cockle-Doodle-Doo!

2007-05-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is about chickens but I absolutely adore them. Perhaps it is the feeling of comfort that they bring or the delicate eggs that they lay. For whatever reason, it appears that I'm not the only one who loves these little creatures. According to USA Today, roosters are ranked among the best-selling designs in all of Horchow catalogs. Recently, I've incorporated them on a few of my ceramics pieces. Let me know what you think of them.

Happiness

2007-05-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend is going to be great. With friday off and Monday a holiday, there will be four sweet days to do whatever whenever. We're hosting a bbq for twenty-five friends on Sunday. It has become somewhat of a tradition. On the grocery list, I noted nine racks of ribs, 2 chickens, ingredients for side dishes and desserts. And of course, we can't have a Memorial bbq without pitchers of sangria, mojito, and margarita. Despite this big event, the highlight of my weekend will be a full day I plan to spend with the pottery wheel. Aahh, just the thought of it makes me so happy.

btw, the bowls above were inspired by jacobean floral fabric designs. I made a set of four in red, yellow, blue, and green interior.

Have a great weekend!

Daydream

2007-05-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

This morning, like many others, I came into work feeling completely blah (lack of better word). Don't get me wrong, the office is not a bad place. People are nice. I have control over my projects and they are semi creative. My boss is easy to work for. The pay is great, no complaint there. But over the last couple of years, I've lost my drive to do a perfect job. That drive, that passion, is so very important. I would stare at the monitor, trying very hard to solve a problem, but my mind is elsewhere. All I can see are designs for a new mug, bowl or whatever. I make a mental list of glazes I need to test and clay I need to buy. I daydream of having a tiny studio, line with shelves full of white bisque wares, a kiln, and my pottery wheel. Blogs such as Diana Fayt's or Whitney Smith's inspire me to no end. “Some day, some day soon”, I told my boyfriend, "I will make a living as a ceramic artist. You mark my word Greg. What is the date of today? Mark my word." Being a fabulous boyfriend that he is, he nodded and said a few encouraging words.

The picture above was taken of my sketch book that I often keep next to my computer at work and a tumbler that has been glazed but not yet fired.