Terra Cotta on My Mind

I woke from a dream where I’d just found a close-by group ceramics and glass studio. I was exploring the place, thinking about joining. One of the glass artists was making brilliant, large, abstract sculptural pieces. They blew me clean away and brought back memories of some of the large clay sculptures I’d enjoyed the hell outta making.

As I emerged from Deep Sleepville, images and ideas exploded all over my bean. Yes, I wanna go big and sculptural again (porch dragons, warrior women and gryphons!) but first...

I want to make plates and bowls. Why? These are way relaxing forms to throw – beyond calming. When I’m throwing plates and bowls I’m focused – completely. It’s mesmerizing, hypnotic – meditative! I so need that.

Plate possibility

Swimming, walking and just sitting on the beach, watching the sun rise and play on the water have been my usual ways of going all no-mind. Between the eyeball surgery (can’t get in the pool for another couple weeks) and the blasted stormy, frozen weather, I’ve been missing my Mushin, my mind-like-water time. NEED that.

As long as I'm restarting the terra cotta action, I’d like to glaze and fire the dust collecting bisque-ware that's living in my basement. These are tiles and cups that I’ve been meaning to finish in that ancient kiln which a friend gave me eons back. Why haven’t I? Though I had an electrician come in and wire it up, I’m nervous. I don’t wanna burn the house down…of, bleedin’, course! I bet it's fine BUT I don't want to spark it up without an experienced hand here to help.

Now then, I’ve got a lovely potter’s wheel in my basement. I can set it up – make my plates and bowls here at home. In summer’s past, I've brought the wheel up to the front porch – worked in the open air and sun. I believe I’ll have to make that happen once more. I'll start small – cake plates and soup bowls. Hey, those are two of my fave foods too!

What about firing? There must be joints here on the South Shore where I can glaze and fire. I’m researching. Ya know, now that I think on it, maybe it'd be nice to be in a group, a crowd – a room full of folk all throwing, meditating together. Could be cozy.