ShellHawk's Creations is Open!

These guys are available for a limited time in the ShellHawk's Creations Etsy Shop! I usually sell out every year, so hurry over there!

Plus, you'll be keeping me in clay and glaze. And electrical. And tools...

 

It's a Process

Just a big ol' photo dump! You guys know the drill by now! 

OK, small explanation here. These guys are all for the Raku firings I do. They get a special type of glaze.

Homemade Raku kiln, below.

The guys above before the excess carbon was scrubbed off after I pulled them out of the post-firing reduction.

These cuties are scrubbed and ready to go! I may end up doing a "mug shot" shoot this weekend.

I actually had to stop before all the firings were done on Sunday, due to simple exhaustion. Multiple Raku firings in one day really take it out of me. But the results are delightful!

More WIPs

Done for now. Next stop: first firing!

New Needful Things!

 

At last! The ShellHawk's Creations Etsy shop is getting updated! Some jack-o'-lanterns, some other cups, and finally, the Supernatural cups!

The last firing got more good results and only a few imperfect ones, which are in the shop at a discount. They're not all in, yet, so keep an eye out in the next week or so.

The shoulder injury I suffered earlier this year really set my schedule back, but I still managed to get a few things (over a hundred, I think) done. I really had a thing for cups, mugs and tankards this summer. Don't ask why, because I have no idea!

In other news, the Open House went really well! Totally worth the time, effort, and lost sleep!

Everything skeleton was gone! Bowl and mugs! And it really made me so happy that the kind woman from the ceramics studio bought four of my jack-o'-lanterns to take to Canada as gifts for her friends. It's incredibly satisfying, knowing my creations are going to loved ones!

I'm resting my shoulder for now, but soon, I'll be back at it. I'll be pushing through the holidays, stocking up on my Halloween things to apply for shows happening next years. It feels like a triumph to be doing what I do best and making my fans happy!

More WIPs

The weather continues to be strange around here, with an aborted attempt at rain (a tiny sprinkle for five minutes or so) and blistering heat. Since my Artist Open House is next Sunday, already, I'm taking advantage of the heat to get a few more jacks done before then. The heat will get them dry enough to fire and then get glazed and fired again for the event!

So much work, so little time!

Progress and Experimentation

The Pumpkin Person on the left is intended to go into the Raku kiln.

I was busy making Hallowe'en over the weekend. Big surprise, huh? ;) But since L.A. is still mostly closed down because of the virus (and I'm having one of those moments where I need to be away from people for a little, anyway), I might as well put my time to good use!

As you saw in my last post, I've been making some pumpkin people to add to the usual collection of jack-o'-lanterns. I made a couple this weekend with the intention of putting them through the Raku treatment, to see if they'll survive the thermal shock of the process. If they do and the results are acceptable, I'll make some more! 

I'd been thinking about how to make my jacks a little more fun and had an idea in my sleep the other day to make them sugar skulls. You can see I've etched some patterns into the jack below. I laid down the first layers of white underglaze on the one above and below, and I'm going to be inlaying some color into the carving. Again, it's an experiment to see how they turn out!

And I laid some color down on this little guy, who's ready to be fired once the studio opens up again. When that's done, I'm going to be putting clear glaze over the top so it has a nice gloss.

I have to say, I like his little bat buttons!

The next step after that is the one that I like least, as an artist, which is pricing my items. Since it's more expensive for me to fire at the studio and Etsy is taking a chunk out of my bottom line for shipping and their cut, I need to look at the cost of making my creations before I put them online. Clay, glazes, propane for the Raku kiln, shipping boxes and filler, not to mention my time! It all adds up!

I'm hoping to have an open house in mid-September, since pretty much all shows have cancelled due to Covid-19, but it remains to be seen. If it's not safe, I'll just be selling online this year. C'est la vie, right?

The Army Grows

On the left side, jacks for Raku. On the right, low fire for traditional, colored glazes.

The studio is supposed to open sometime in the next month or so. I'm going to see how much I can pile into their kiln!

I love having these racks for drying! They're perfect!

Here are a few jack-o'-lanterns drying slowly in the shade before getting moved to the rack you saw pictured above. If they dry a little slower, there's less chance of cracking.

Even my dad seems impressed with how the amount of Hallowe'en things has been growing! I only wish I had more time, but that will come!