Working on many fronts

My continental-style kick wheel is a great working platform and just now it is covered with newly-turned thrown bowls and pinched light holders in the making. I put the pinch pots outside in the sun to stiffen a little in between pinching, and turn them round every now and then so they keep even.
I finished translating the text about Anne Kjærsgaard last night, and then made a start on the presentation I will be taking to NCECA in 10 days. As an "International" participant I have the chance to give a 15 minute presentation - this is a unique and special opportunity. I want to present my on-going work with pinchpots and discuss the small intimate scale I work within.

Anne Kjærsgaard

I've just been sent a text about the Danish potter, Anne Kjærsgaard (1933-1990), whose work is due to be shown in a retrospective exhibition at the Grimmerhus Ceramic Museum, Middelfart, from the 6th September - 22nd November this year. www.grimmerhus.dk

I was sent it by Robert Sanderson, editor of "The Log Book" homepage.eircom.net who needs it translated into english. 

I can easily get this done this evening and in exhange, my subscription to "The Log Book" will be extended by another year! To get in the right mood I have been looking at some Anne Kjærsgaard woodfired work which a friend is lucky enough to own. 

"Home Comforts" cup

This is the same cup seen from three sides. As it is not made for the Swiss competition "Cup and Saucer", it has no saucer!

Cups and saucers

The saucers are too small for the cups I think but they will have to do for now!

The decoration is all "The Life Cycle of the Ant" except for the first cup which also has a Black Widow spider on it - I was getting tired of ants...

Cups and a saucer

I am making progress decorating cups which will be bisque fired tomorrow - these two are: on the left, "South African Garden Pests" cup, and on the right,  "Life Cycle of the Termite"cup.

Below, a "Termite" saucer...

Ant Inspiration

I have started decorating cups and saucers. The first ones are inspired by a book called "The Study of Ants" by S.H.Skaife. It has lovely clear, lively drawing of the ants of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. The villain of the book is the invasive Argentinian ant.

The next cups will have a "Garden Pests" theme.

Cup and Saucer competition

Today I am working on a possible entry for the Swiss competition - The Cup and Its' Saucer - which is being held in the city of Carouge. The deadline is the 30th March and details can be read here:
http://www.carouge.ch/jahia/Jahia/pid/148

My problem is that I don't usually give my cups saucers, and a pinched porcelain saucer is a floppy, saggy affair - so I am having to experiment with possible ways of making it work and getting the feel of the cup sitting on the saucer in an acceptable way!

As to decoration - I have made six cups so far so will decorate them using several different themes: insects, termites, "Home Comforts" or perhaps a completely new series.
Only one cup and saucer can be submitted to the competion.

"Home Comforts" Cup 2007

Here is a cup with "Life Cycle of the Termite" - from 2006. The first picture is of the unfired cup, and the second after woodfiing when some of the decoration was veiled by carbon trapping.