I eventually managed to get the last of the salad bowls decorated on Wednesday. It was difficult to focus, as my mind was rather more in Glasgow with Rodger. I had hoped to do some new designs but I wasn't feeling in a creative enough space so in the end I did some variations on old themes. My Father had come over the afternoon before and was a there with supper ready when I got home from Glasgow. He spent Wednesday morning sitting in the workshop with me doing his tapestry to keep me company. His presence was very calming and stopped me jumping up and down checking my mobile phone for possible messages from the hospital!
Fox and foxgloves in a different layout and one with the chasing cats.
Today it was mugs and jugs, which needed handles on and then slip decorating. Thank goodness for my tried and tested 'Sheep on Criffel' design - easy to do as I have made so many of them, and they need no extra concentration.
I should get them finished off tomorrow and then I will go back up to Glasgow. Inigo is going to keep the showroom open for limited hours. He had a trial run on Tuesday and although he had a few people through he didn't sell anything. I think he was quite disappointed not to get a go at wrapping up a giant seat or some such exotic object!
At the weekend Oskar came up and we had the the most delightful walk out to Rough Island over the causeway. What a great day for Rodger's last bit of 'freedom'!
Hi Christine,
ReplyDeleteGood of you to do another post on your blog at this difficult time.
There is a lot of comfort in repetitive tasks in the studio (although at other times when the sun is shining they can seem tedious!). It is lovely that your Father can come over sometimes. I like the little sheepies on their hill, I'm guessing that they are carefully slip trailed. Nice mug form too, I like the ones with the wider base and the narrower, but slightly flaring, top.. good to hold in the hands, to carry without slopping, and keeps everything warm.
The views of your bit of Scotland brought back memories of a holiday that I had with my parents when I was in my early teens. We stayed not far from you at Rockcliffe near Dalbeattie. Dad painted a little oil painting of the island in Rough Firth, and a highlight of our stay was when he and I dragged our canoes out on the mud and waited for the little tidal bore to take us up to Kippford. The journey there was easy enough (and drew attention of many gents with binoculars), but paddling back turned into an epic, as the wind stiffened and the Firth began to earn its name "Rough".
Kind thoughts to you and to Rodger.
How amazing that you know Rough Island and Kippford. My brother and I used to canoe round Rough Island and have great adventures up the little creeks. We would map them out and give them exotic names. We probably saw you. We were usually playing at spies, so you would have most definitely been the 'enemy'!
ReplyDeleteYou are right about repetitive jobs being soothing, but annoying when
the blue sky is calling. The sun is shining today,and I have been exploring Glasgow on my bike,(while poor Rodger is only able to look out at the clouds and reflections on white walls)!
Glad you like the mug forms. I keep trying to change them but everyone seems to like them as they are. The sheep are trailed, I have a lovely fine trailer now for the ears and feet - before that I used a brush but the trailer is better.
Hi Christine....hope you're keeping well....just as an diversion I thought you might like these forms by thomas heatherwick (one of my favourite designers) using extruded aluminium....wonderful shapes....may inspire further forms in clay!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dezeen.com/2009/10/07/extrusions-by-thomas-heatherwick-more-images/
lots of love and thinking of you all....Amanda x
Ah ha! This is getting more and more like Swallows and Amazons! It would have been enormous fun to have had the time to have really explored the area around Kippford. Maybe one day I will hoist the pirate flag on Rough Island after a desperate undercover operation by sea canoe.
ReplyDeleteSun shining in Glasgow.... good heavens, that Must be the result of global warming!
I tried "slip" trailing shino glaze on some of the mugs that I have in the kiln at the moment (not sheep but sea gulls!). Terrific fun to do, and really hope they turn out as I would like to do more in that way.
Best Wishes to you both, P.