What is going on... Revisited...

Some of the greenware that is in the bisque kiln right now... and now I have the chocolate clay going on in wet next to wet white at the same time... DANGER of contamination Will Rodgers!!!!
This new work is focused on sculptural form and there are subtle things I am trying to "say"...
No protests... but  feelings and relationship stuff...
It is ok with me if I am talking to myself right now...
It is OK...

NEW WEBSITE

I am pleased to announce my new website is LAUNCHED!
old address! new site!
http://www.jtceramics.com/

New artist statement and a few new pots

About to launch my new website that I made using Big Black Bag...
You may be able to check it out HERE... temporarily...
That and a show I was entering forced me to focus on a new "Artist Statement".
Here is my latest:

After spending many years of my life as a fashion and textile print designer, creating forms and fabrics for the human figure, I found clay.
I realized there was an entirely different creative and artistic world out there that I never could fully explore in my lifetime.
This was a world that was centered around mud.
My experience with this medium has been, and will always be, a journey.
It is something I have realized after many ups and downs since I first touched clay nine years ago.
I choose to work in a manner that stimulates me creatively.
Investigating and exploring, I may have an initial idea of where a piece is going.
But then I will veer off in a different direction to allow for a possible fresh approach or, unfortunately, a possible failure.
As Beatrice Wood said, "My life is full of mistakes. They're like pebbles that make a good road."
Moving from fashion and textile print design to “mud” was a transition I never could have predicted.
However, there actually is a thread that seems to connect my previous career with my work today.
This connection involves attention to the human form and gesture of line.
My work frequently involves a focus on this as well as the pervasive development of texture.
The human body, nature, and environment absolutely inspire me.
I am not interested in replicating these but, rather, to reinterpret their energy in my work.
My true passion is in the process of creating the work.
The hand-to-clay contact is both meditative and stimulating to my spirit.
I usually throw a form on the potter’s wheel, alter it, then allow for a period of drying.
After the drying, I continue to alter and carve interchangeably until the piece is complete.
The piece is usually bisque-fired in my electric kiln before any glazing or special firing preparations are made.
At this point I move forward with the final firing.
Experimentation remains present in this part of the process as well.
The work continues to change and evolve as I do.
Initially, I was particularly focused on creating functional forms.
Now, I have shifted to emphasizing the vessel as a sculptural vehicle.
I enjoy creating work that relates in a group, or vignette, as well as stands alone.
I envision my work going out into the world and finding its own place for others to enjoy its presence as much as I have enjoyed the process of its creation.

Here are a few more photos:

2 steps forward one step back...

TEABOWLS.
Speckled Stoneware, wheel thrown and altered with chocolate stoneware slip,brushed layered glazes.

Things are happening.

I know.

It's a process.

I have been doing a lot of glaze tests and this speckled clay definitely absorbs the mason stains/ glaze and pulls the color out a lot.
Actually the glazes are just totally different some times...
I will also start testing the 266 chocolate brown with the glazes too....
I am making headway and I like the pieces but I think I have a lot more exploring to do and I am trying to teach myself something I have been trying to teach myself FOREVER.

PATIENCE.

Not one of my strong suits.
BUT I tell you, I am seriously working on it, while enjoying the ride.
Because really, isn't that all we really have?
The ride.

Kiln bound tomorrow!

IMG00058-20100809-2309.jpg
Originally uploaded by judi tavill

Here's what's happening.
Going in the kiln to dry out and then fire...
Tomorrow...

Summer....

I love THIS happy simple summer-y Etsy Treasury that I am proud to be included in!
(That's my bowl-third one over, first row...)























It reminds me of the "SUMMERWARE" show and sale in Brooklyn
I am participating in on SUNDAY!
This Sunday July 11th!!!!
See my side bar...

It is sooooo hot here in the "Garden State".
I am pretty sure my house is under a brown-out effect as some things seem OK...and others are just "not right".
My kiln had an Error sign at the end of the firing and showed that it made it to 1901degreesF instead of 1948degreesF...so... I ramped it back up again...
Of course it's the first time in FOREVER that I didn't throw a witness cone in...
DUH!!!!!
My clothes dryer isn't heating up and the microwave only produced a luke-warm effect.
It's either that or my 7 year old house is haunted...
I'm hoping for haunted. Way cooler...
Speaking of cooler...The AC isn't very effective either...

Not sleeping much.

Working. :)

Wow.

I don't have a ton of time to blog because I have to essentially
"MAKE THE DONUTS"...or CHIP AND DIPS as it were.
On Friday, May 28th, my son Sam's first DOUBLE DIGIT birthday(10) I had a piece(the chip and dip form) featured in ETSY FINDS! .
Well let me tell you...it was a huge JUMP in views and a really decent affect on sales and interest(people sending me convo's on Etsy about buying custom chip and dips!).

So now... I need to get on these special orders, as well as a few other existing orders AND I need to GLAZE the wedding registry place settings and make her side pieces(I have 2 great serving bowls waiting to be bisque fired. I am just a tad nervous about the glaze firing... It just makes me nauseous every time... so many possible issues... I realize I just need to get in there and do my business....but I am also afraid I need to make more glaze and we all know how much I adore that...

And so, I am going to take a positive proactive point of view and just dig in and love all of it. So THERE.

Yesterday...

This was my table yesterday.
The Kitchen Tour Boutique went rather well...
One thing that was a bit of a problem was that the ladies on the tour were not expecting the boutique so many came in without wallets....
I know this was not an excuse because some went back out to their cars to get $$$.
I sold several pottery pieces and more jewelry...
The ladies love the trinkets...ya know???
My love is making the pottery but I have fun with the trinkets so it's all good.
PLUS...I was wearing a cuff bracelet I knitted out of sterling silver wire with fresh water pearls and it was a bit of a hit too... this is a more portable endeavor that I have planned on coming back to anyway...play with wires, beads...see where it goes...
Most importantly I can take it "on the road"...

In the Studio.... Soon to be OUT of the Studio???

So... I have the Rumson Kitchen Tour Boutique that I will be selling my stuff AT on Thursday... This Thursday, May 13th...'You can Buy TICKETS HERE!
The Boutique is at House #3...
It is NOT Springsteen's House...
It's across the street...

So I have pulled together what I am going to pack up...







Lots of Fun Happy SPRING COLORS!















And then we have a few of my deeper tones...





















Some Jewelry like before and some new...
In my home-made glaze colors(the bottom portion)...






















And these are a few new vases I am working on.



They will NOT be at the Boutique.
All that doesn't go will start up loading to My Etsy Shop on Thursday or Friday...

I got a new camera...
Very Excited.
It's a Canon Power Shot G11...
BUT I haven't "learned it" yet...
I will!!!
ALSO... I plan to open another little Etsy Shop...
JTTrinkets : J.T. Trinkets by Judi Tavill:
jewelry(ceramic, etc) little items...
They need their own home...
AND I am happily working a wedding registry with pieces listing on ETSY for a couple tying the knot in AUGUST!
6 three piece place settings are already purchased...
Now I have to list some serving pieces for the lovely couple...
Busy, Busy...
Be careful what you wish for...
That's all I'm sayin'.

New Business Card

Just thought I'd share...

The cups are in their new home!

Here they are...
Go order your coffee at The Copper Canyon!

Here we are... Me,My Pottery, and I

Here I am...with my work
sitting in my studio!
Come visit!
Today is the day!
You have until 10pm!
after that... check out my ETSY site...
Or check it out now...if you can't stop by!

Come and Get it! Unique Handmade Pottery and Trinkets... FOR SALE!

The Judi Tavill Ceramics Studio Sale is TOMORROW!
in
Rumson, NJ
Wednesday April 28th!
All Day ... 9am-10pm!
I SHIP!
Mother's Day is coming!
Shop on line to beat "the crowds" :
at my ETSY STORE!
Email me if you need directions!
jtceramics@aol.com
Here are some of the shelves...





































I even have a
"Best Offer Section"!
I am still going to pull a few pieces
from the glaze kiln tonight,
but I am pleased with the selection...

Even a little jewelry: