To Absent Friends...

I miss you, my friend. Hope you're well. 

More Hallowe'en goodness from Pumpkinrot here.

Gratitude!

This week has been beyond great, and everything seems to be coming up ShellHawk!

Last weekend, I made a few tumblers and cups to decorate, and got the initial underglaze laid down. The tumblers were for a girlfriend of mine, and we had a play date while both of us worked on our projects or prepping everything for some inlay work. God, it was nice to see her face in person!

So, since I've finally finished the whole Supernatural series and like many others have become a fan, I decided to make a few Supernatural-themed tankards. I posted my WIP to a Supernatural fan page and HOLY COW! The response has been unbelievable!

I really hadn't been doing self-promotion, more just a, "Hey, I, too, like this series, and I made a thing!" But now? I've got a bunch of orders and everyone knows they have to wait for a while until I can start filling them. They can get mass-produced merch, but nothing like what I make, and they seem to be smart enough to wait for quality.

The rough part is that I'm behind on Hallowe'en stuff, but I'll catch up. I've been accustomed to working long hours in the studio, so there's no reason I can't!

I have a number of other great things going on which I can't share with you, although I'm really itching to!

 Stay tuned...

Chugging Along!

So remember the last post I did about the large pot I made? Well, things are moving along a little bit at a time!

I took some time to make some slip from the red version of the clay I use. Slip is essentially somewhat runny, creamy mud. I put a few layers on the pot and let it solidify.

And the angst began.

"What am I going to carve into this? What if I screw it up?"

I always do this. Start a big project and then psych myself out. It's not one of my better features. But I have learned to step in and just start. It helps to just do the first thing, the first line, whatever. Just taking the first step is empowering! Then I can get into my creative zone and just keep rolling with the momentum of one step after another. I know how to do this part!

So I made a decision and dove in!

I'll keep carving around the pot, continuing with the California desert theme. If this turns out well, I hope to be able to submit it to one or two of the more prestigious art shows. It's been a few years since I got juried into an international art show, and longer since I had a piece in a museum show. That's going to change, really soon!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Spring is in full swing, and has been racing by so fast that we're almost to the Summer Equinox! Where did the time go?

I took a break from my usual clay-obsessed Saturday mornings to go on a hike with a friend and took my Grace along. It was a perfect day to harvest some white sage for smudge sticks, since it's still pretty cool in the mornings, and the 80 degree 9:00 AMs are still about a month away. I was really proud of what a good girl she was! It was her first time wearing a backpack, but she adapted like an old pro!

After we got back an my friend headed out to do her errands, I got back to my clay. Unfortunately, the first big pot I had made was simply not right. If I know something I make isn't up to my standards, I'll destroy it rather than take it all the way to completion. My work goes out into the world and speaks about me when I'm not there, and I won't allow inferior things to represent me!

So back to the beginning I went.

Piece by piece, a new pot was grown! And of course, I had help from my studio assistant!

It took most of the day, as you can't just throw and attach. The clay has to set up in between, and although I use a torch to speed things up, I'm still cautious about how much heat I put on each section.

I am really pleased with the final form! I have more I plan to do with it, but the basics are done!

I got a few other things thrown and they're all in various states of completion. I can't wait to see how they turn out!

Meanwhile, my garden is doing really well. I planted a couple of ornamentals in the little shade garden and they're starting to bloom! I know it's silly, but just looking at them makes me smile.

And in between all of this, I'm trying to get more jewelry in the ShellHawk's Creations Etsy Store!

I'm always amazed that people say they're bored! I mean, wow! There's always so much to create!