Friday, September 14, 2012

Pots with CHARACTER!


Some people ask me, why do I create character mugs and face jugs? Why, indeed! The little critters seem to have taken on a life of their own. But I'll tell you a secret - I didn't start out with the idea that I was going to make silly, whimsical, one-of-a-kind faces on  my pottery. I started out wanting to practice sculpture.


You see, I am what my husband calls a "Serial Crafter." In my life, I have moved swiftly from one medium to the next, entering each craft with a frenzy known only to shoppers at a sale that offers 70 percent off the sale price. I completely immerse myself. But then, when I have amassed pounds of paint or baskets of beads, tons of tiles or galleons of glass, I find myself losing interest. I create until I can store no more, and then ... well, I didn't have an outlet to sell what I make, and so I would just quit. Anybody want to buy 50 pounds of broken plates? :D

But I had waited my whole life to finally be able to work with clay, and I didn't want the same thing to happen with that as did with my other artwork. I wanted to practice sculpture, and I wanted to improve my ability to throw clay on a wheel. What I DIDN'T want was hundreds of tiny sculpted heads lying around the house, or pottery mugs overflowing my countertops and cupboards. So I put the two together - and Big Sky Artworks on Etsy was born.

Black Cat Dancing Cauldron Bowl with Lid
You'll note that the blog is called Big Sky Clay. This is a more accurate representation of my current work, as I create almost exclusively now in clay. But on Etsy, my shop is still Big Sky Artworks - perhaps a hedge against the day that I want to take my hands out of the mud for a short while, and create in another medium again. I have broken the Curse of the Serial Crafter, working in clay for nearly five years. I don't expect to stop playing in the mud any time soon - there is apparently an endless supply of things you can do with clay, and always something new to learn.


Ugly Ogre Face Jug

This blog will frequently feature my new work, and also include musings about clay. I hope you will join me in this journey - the muddy road of pottery!

3 comments:

  1. The phrase "serial crafter" is a hoot. That's what my husband would call me if he heard the phrase. So glad to hear things are well with you. Your blog looks terrif!

    Come see me at:
    http://www.zibbet.com/MoxyFoxDesigns
    http://www.zibbet.com/MoxyFoxBooks
    http://pinterest.com/moxyfoxdesigns/

    Cheers,
    Susan

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  2. Great idea on the blog Kate! Now I'll get to keep up with you on a completely different medium. :)
    You keep inspiring me to do more with my sewing. Hopefully I'll be able to follow suit soon. :)
    ~hugs~
    Neeters

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