Creepy Cutlery

Artist: André Lassen

Artists: The Haas Brothers

From The Amazing World of Fabulous Products

Artist: John Gerrard

From Vocole

Odds and Ends

Every summer garden needs some corn in it, right? Man, fresh corn is so good! Throw in some BBQ chicken and a potato salad and you have the quintessential summer meal. So when I ordered seeds this year, I decided to take a gamble and get some corn planted.

Normally I would say that corn needs more space than what we have, but I also know that corn likes being planted in squares for purposes of pollination. So even though my space was limited, I had hoped that my corn-planting experiment would work.

And voilà! I have some ears growing! Hooray! (Seriously, it really doesn't take much to make me happy!)

 Everything else seems to be pretty happy, too. The peppers are going to be ready for picking, soon. I haven't grown this variety, before, but I'm pretty sure they need to turn red before I pick them.

 Predictably, the tomatoes are going nuts. I'm going to have to try my hand at making some mozzarella for a nice caprese salad! There are a bunch of these guys looking like they'll be ready all at once!

The cucumbers are a day or two from harvest, and we're going to have some nice zucchini. I ordered one of those food slicer/shredders to try to make zucchini noodles. (I mentioned the plan to my dad, who quipped, "Sounds awful!" Little does he know!)

Of course, I've been chugging along on my Hallowe'en ceramics, too. 

I've started to inlay the color on my sugar skull jack-o'-lanterns, which will go into the Raku process after they get their first firing. Whenever that happens. 

Tomorrow, I'm supposed to receive my new colors, and I've been delaying inlaying more until I get them, although I'm laying down the second coat on the colors I already have. Meanwhile, I've been making some more pumpkin people for Raku. (You can see the process of making a Raku jack-o'-lantern from start to finish here. I need to make a new video soon, since this was from when I was still with the ex and I don't work in that space any more.)

And last, but certainlay not least, Robert Santos of Necrotic Creations passed away from complications of a massive stroke. He is survived by his partner, Stacy Fitz, the children of his heart, and his parents. He was 52.

Like many people in this country, he had no medical insurance. If you want to help with the medical bills and his final arrangements, please go here and drop a few bones. Even if it's just $20 or even $5, everything helps! (The ambulance, alone, was over $10k!)

UPDATE, JULY 18, 2020:

Robert's internment:
July 27th
10am
Gates of Heaven Cemetery
22555 Cristo Rey Dr
Los Altos, CA 94024
United States

There is a 60 person limit, so anyone who wants to attend can.

Masks are required

There will be a place for flowers

Meet at Gates of Heaven at 9:45

I was lucky enough to know Robert and to spend time with him and Stacy. He was a funny, uplifting, good human being who had a smile for everyone he met. The Hallowe'en community will miss him deeply. Rest well, my friend.

Sugar Skull Jacks

The making cycle continues! I threw these guys (plus a few others) last weekend so I could continue my experiments with sugar skull jack-o'-lanterns. I left them under plastic overnight so they wouldn't dry out too much; I'm in L.A. and it has been hot and dry for a while. (People forget that before Mr. Mulholland came along and stole water from up north, we were a desert!)

They were still too wet to work with the next morning when I took my Grace out for her morning constitutional, so I left them uncovered in the morning sun for a while so they could firm up a bit. 

I get my wooden potter's knife out so I can sculpt the leaves and outline the lid. Yes, I am fully aware this is horticulturally inaccurate, but it looks good and I have decided to take artistic license!

I'm a bit of a clay tool fanatic, so I'm playing with different tools to draw the patterns on the clay. So far, I like the clay shapers best. I can use them like pencils and they don't seem to leave behind a lot of clay debris like carvers do.

This week before work, I laid down three coats of white underglaze on each of the sugar skull jacks.

It's nice to get back into the work flow. Back when I was still in Folsom, I used to be up and at my wheel at 4:30 AM, go to work at 8:00 or so, come back around 3:00 PM, carve or throw more, then do some household chores - or mix them in through the day. Somewhere in there was taking care of the dogs and the ex, doing a little grocery shopping, sometimes making dinner.

I'm not quite to the stage of getting up that early any more. Part of it is that I'm working outside and I just don't have the lighting I had in my old studio. The other part is I'm older and need my sleep!

I ordered some new colors for these guys, and they should be here early next week. I am so looking forward to using the turquoise I bought! It's one of my favorite colors and it's one used in the more traditional Mexican arts.

Shown sans lid.

These guys are destined for the Raku kiln. I can't wait to see if the crackle works the way I hope it will!

Monsters Under Plastic

Right, the headless, armless pumpkin guy. Left, the guy who needs arms and hands!

It's been a little difficult to adjust to having such a full schedule. I work full time, have an occasional side job doing transcription, and I have monsters to make on the weekends! (So much for anyone who says I'm lazy!) Plus, there are the glamorous tasks of poop patrol and laundry! (I still wash my sheets on Sundays and the towels on Thursdays, as I always have.) And I take over cooking duties from time to time so my dad gets a break from cooking.

Because clay needs to dry to a certain point before I can assemble it into something, that often means I have to keep the incomplete pieces covered with plastic until I can get back to them. I check them every day even though they're covered, to make sure they're not drying out because I missed covering one spot or another. 

Today, I'll get to selecting a head for one of my pumpkin people. I threw three of them before work the other morning so I could see which one looked best. I threw a set of arms, too. I hope to get the whole thing put together today, as well as putting arms and hands on the other piece.

It's great seeing how many pieces I've made! All the smiles make me happy!

I'm toying with some other ideas, of course. I wish I had time for them all! I have other, unfinished, projects I need to get back to, as well. It's been a real blessing to only be listening to my interior prodding to make new things! Some ideas work out better than others, of course, but I keep moving forward and developing more!

A Little Color

I added a little color to the carved parts of the new sugar skull jack-o'-lanterns I made. The next step was to wait for everything to dry and scrape off any of the overflow so the lines could look crisp. Afterwards, I touched up the spots where the white underglaze was too thin or missing, and now these guys are drying with the rest of the jacks I've made so far.

I'm really looking forward to the studio opening so I can get everything fired, but man! I am nervous about getting them all there without breaking anything! Dry clay is so fragile, and can beak or crumble far too easily, making transport a nervous endeavor. The pumpkin people, in particular, are going to make me sweat, because their little fingers are at the biggest risk for breakage.

Crossing my fingers! 

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?

More Pumpkin People? Yes, Please!

I've been working on these little pumpkin people to add to my jack-o'-lantern army. I'll be playing around with designs moving forward, including glaze patterns. But these are a good start and I made them so you can drop in a candle, just like my other jacks.

Of course, I made a couple of jack-o'-lanterns, too.

They've really been talking to me this season, telling me what they want their faces to be! And I don't know why, but the one on the right reminds me a little of the Mayor of Halloween Town!

Below is one of the witch hat pumpkin people, without his hat.

And I just love this last little guy! Goofy and trying so hard to be spooky!

Have I mentioned that I can't wait for the studio to open so I can fire them?

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!

Fragments of My Father

I'm taking a little side trip today to shamelessly plug my dad's new book about his relationship with his father, one of the premier chefs of his day: Fragments of My Father: Reflections on an Unfulfilled Relationship.

Before the great Anthony Bourdain was a twinkle in his father's eye, my grandfather, great-grandfather, and great uncle were creating culinary delights in Europe.

From the book description:

"Fragments of My Father" tells the story of the life of one of the 20th Century's foremost chefs, Charles Finance, as told by his son. Beginning his career as an apprentice cook at the age of 16, Charles soon acquired a depth of knowledge of the art of French Cuisine that he applied in many of Switzerland's most renowned hotels. His personal journal relates the many struggles of his early career, of his seasonal wanderings, his romance with his future wife, and of the behind-the-scenes life of a young cook. He soon rose in prominence in the Swiss culinary world and became professor of culinary arts at the Swiss School of Hotel Trades. While serving in the Swiss Army during World War II, he writes to his young wife of the trials of Army life. The life of a cook was always uncertain in those days, and in his letters Charles gives testimony to the difficult periods in his life when management of various establishments treated him shabbily. His dream was to come to the United Sates to make his own way. He eventually succeeds, but at the cost of his marriage. Now a top Executive Chef, he oversees kitchen operations in several major U.S. hotels and leads teams of American cooks to international competitions, where his leadership earns the Americans numerous 1st-place medals. After he retired in Ft. Worth, TX, , Charles devoted much of his time to breeding orchids and to being a judge at a variety of cooking competitions. He lived an extraordinary life during which he made extraordinary contributions to the culinary profession over the span of nearly half a century.

This is an engaging insight into another time and another country, and it's the story of how my dad's side of the family came to this country. You can get the Kindle edition here, and it's only $4.95. If you're looking for something different to read in quarantine, this might be something you'll enjoy!

My dad also wrote a book about my Grandmother, which should be coming out on Kindle in a few weeks. He's started to gather notes and photos for his own biography, too! I'm pretty proud of him!

A Couple Of Jacks...

For me, these little guys lend a little sense of normalcy, a little sense of rhythm of the year. I was always making new critters for my shows this time of year, and even though I can't fire them right now, it's comforting to have my hands in clay and to be able to make things which I know will make others happy.

It's humbling to know that some folks will bring these guys out yearly, like they do their Christmas decorations, and like Christmas decorations, be delighted when they come out of their box.

 And maybe, just maybe, the kids will grow up with fond memories of these faces. The faces they grew up with. The faces they associate with Hallowe'en, laughter, costumes and candy.

Knowing I made someone's Halloween memorable, makes me happy. I think that we need all the "happy" we can get, these days, don't you?

Fresh on the wheel. Shaping, trimming and carving, still to go!

I'm really grateful I had the time to develop these skills. That I had teachers who nurtured my talent. No one is truly a self-made person. Someone always invests in you, first, and brings you along. I am so very lucky I've had that in my life!