Last week I started working on a heron wall sculpture, but just got the shape and a bit of the large details in, before wrapping it up for the long weekend. The clay was quite wet when I started last week so I had wrapped it loosely in plastic so it could dry a bit and allow me to do the detail work and hollow out the body. I was a little concerned it would get too dry over the week, but while the head and feet were closer to bone dry, the body and wings were still leather hard. This is the perfect consistency to be able to carve in the fine details and to scoop out the clay from the body. Before it goes into the bisque fire it needs to be completely dry, otherwise any trapped moisture will turn to steam and cause the piece to ‘explode’ in the kiln. Hollowing it out allows it to dry faster and more evenly. I made sure to take lots of pictures today, as with the delicate neck and legs, it may not survive the firing. When I started pottery years ago, I was afraid to do anything that might not make it through the process, but now I embrace the process. It’s a risk, but the reward when it works is worth taking. And I love the process, so I don’t think of it as wasted time when I work for hours on something that just goes into the bin. But I do love seeing my pieces make it through the process.

I had a few pieces ready to come home today, including my experimental pear and a succulent. I like the glazing on both of these. I might enter the pear into an upcoming show.

Tomorrow is the kickoff for the Art Takeover in Grosse Pointe Village. I’ll be at Posterity Gallery starting at 5:00 for the opening event. There will be entertainment and a scavenger hunt. If you are local to SE Michigan, you should come on down. There is art from 80+ Artists including yours truly. You can also vote for your favorite artist and the winner will get a solo show.

What exciting things do you have upcoming that you’d like to share?