My Maiden Blog

I have been exploring a number of creative outlets over the years ... and now I am going to start sharing them and perhaps inspire others to "get creative".  I find making or creating things to be meditative, good for the soul ... and I need to ensure I keep this side of me satisfied. By having a blog, I hope to keep having to find new projects to report on - have other people add suggestions or even comment on my works.

Part of this has come out of recovering from a disc problem in my neck.  Idle time and hands were driving me crazy.  I desperately needed a distraction from the pain.  A friend wanted to play with clay ... has access to a kiln ... and the first project began.

I haven't actually made anything with clay since high school art classes ... in fact I still have one of the pieces I made ... a sculpture.  Anyway, it took some "refreshes" with books, the internet and practice to get back into the hang of it.  I don't have access to a wheel, so it all been hand built piece, but I do enjoy getting my hands dirty.

Various unfired greenware pieces

Can't wait to fire these!


I've also been playing with some porcelain clay ... for finer pieces.  At this stage I'm making pendants.  Eventually I will try something more sculptural but at the moment I'm enjoying re-exploring the medium of clay!

Porcelain pendants - unfired, no glaze

The thing about a new medium, or in this case one I haven't used for a long long time - there's things you learn as you use it.  Like the fact that clay shrinks as it dries ... or that as it dries it can warp.  I started this whole process making tiles ... and quickly learn that drying tiles slowing, between flat items will ensure they stay flat.  Not that I mind some of my earlier ones ... they feel more organic!

Early tile experiments

More tiles in various states of drying.

All items need at least two weeks proper drying before their first firing, and I'm still making pieces (I made about 17 pendants just earlier this evening!) ... so I'll keep sharing these as I go through the various processes of firing and glazing and any new items.

But my next post will be about urban exploring and photography ... another passion of mine.