Simona - April and May

April


....Brrrrr back in the UK, well Kent to be precise.

The first week of April was a shock, back to the cold and rain!!! Then a new studio (for me) to explore and clean, lots of clay to recycle that also means wedge and above all a  new wheel... I always find a bit tricky to adjust to a wheel. Sometime, I feel as a wheel is part of me, an extension of my own body, it has to fit... Philosophy a part, April it has been a month for adjustments. A bit of throwing and handle practising...getting better. I am starting to be pleased with my handles. Not perfection reached yet, but content!! One day I will show my handles too..

Garlic greater and Lemon Squeezers - April throwing

May

 It was a bit warmer especially with all the firing, I have been doing. Mike has a small gas fire kiln which I have packed (biscuit), and fired. I have also done a glaze oxidation firing and earthenware firing... I have also been busy with hand building: boxes and candles holders.


Some of the hand building

Candle Holder

 I made the lower part and Mike the dish that goes on top.


Then firing....

Fired!!!

Packed another one and...

 Fired!!!

Sorry no photos for oxidation firing and earthenware... but packing the big kiln for a glaze firing...

Voila', the last one....

Hummmmm...

...a bit of space left...

You cannot see very well but I was on my toes... I am not very tall or the kiln is to big?!

See you next time :-)

Simona's first three months....

HELLO!!

I have started my apprenticeship with Mike Goddard on the 7th January 2014. I have been learning a lot in the past 4 months. I was not able to connect to the blog while in Bequia. Now, here I am, showing you what I have been doing....

First week when I packed a biscuit firing.

Assisting Mike with firing his gas kiln, following a graph chart

Temperature reached!!!!

                                                               Now a bit of fun.....

Washing towels in the Bequian way

More fun when back in the pottery.....

Wedging

Throwing

Turning

Practicing how to pull handles - First stage

Ready to pack another kiln.....

..... and suitcase to carry on learning in England.... see you shortly Simona xx

Yasuko Tang - plates and pond

The plates and ponds came out of the kiln . Beautiful colour!! 

Akiko & Yasuko Tang

Akiko Hirai teaching Yasuko Tang on the wheel.

Here is a great photograph that Ben Boswell took whilst visiting Akiko and her Apprentice at there studio.

Ben Boswell has a fantastic archive of images from visits to potteries past and present.
Its well worth a visit to his web site http://www.benboswell.co.uk/photography.php
 

Akiko's jar

Now I understand why the sylinder is important...

One day I will....

Yasuko Tang - My first kiln packing

My first kiln packing for biscuit firing.
These are one of Akiko's popular work called " pond". Variety of sizes are used for many way. I have little pond using as a bowl for salt. sometimes for tiny Japanese sweets or food. when it glazed, It look like a beautiful pond. not yet though...
http://www.akikohiraiceramics.com/main%202.html

And...came out well!!

Hello! From Yasuko Tang

Hello! I'm Yasuko Tang, adopted by Akiko Hirai from January. I'm learning and enjoying the scheme.  

Akiko is a great mentor.