Lucky Old Me!

Wow! What a week! The panic ... the remedy ... and the relief!

I have to thank my lucky stars this week. It started with the disaster of my kiln dying and trying to fix the situation. I talked endlessly to the people I bought my kiln from and going through what my kiln was doing (or not). Then we worked on the various scenarios, from the worst case: new kiln ~ only a few thousand pounds to spend, to new controller ~ down to about £300 and finally to fixing the problem ~ either by electrician or kiln supplier ... hopefully not more than £150!

But no, none of this in the end happened. My darling husband came to my rescue (he has his uses you know... Cheek! I hear him say). He found the problem AND fixed it! YES! And best of all fixed it for under 5pence ~ in other words a pint down the pub for Peter our car mechanic friend that luckily had the part, and of course, a BIG hug for my clever hubby!

!! WAHOOOO !! YIPPEE !! HOORAY !!

So if anything else that could go wrong, went wrong this week ~ I didn't care, because I saved myself thousands of pounds ~ sort of! Happy days!!

Anyway, since the rescue of my kiln, I have been frantically catching up with firings and finishing my acorns. I'm not terribly happy with the first three acorn cups. So I am now adding some gold lustre around the rim to see if that cures the problem. Give them a bit of bling!
I cannot describe why they didn't work, its something to do with the inside invading onto the outside. Since this decision I have glazed the giant large acorn cup differently and I think that's how I'll do it from now on. But I'm still pondering.

I don't think any of the acorn cups (bowls) are ready for the Kincardine and Deeside Art Exhibition and Competition, which the hand in date is tomorrow. So, I'll see what news the kiln brings me in the morning and make up my mind then. After all I do have back up pieces of ceramics just in case.

I have also finished building my whole acorn sculpture ~ it is the first of many to be made of various sizes and finishes. OH I'm really excited about it! Here are some images for you of work in progress ...


Yes! I'm showing off before I have even finished ~ but just letting myself think about how well it is going so far... and where its going ... it makes me tingle all over! I can't wait to see how it turns out. These pieces will be for my exhibition in September, as part of the North East Open Studios. I am getting ready now as I have SO many ideas to be getting on with.


This image, as you can see, I have played with on the computer ~ I rather like the way it shows off and enhances the architectural quality of the scalloped acorn cup.

Yes I am content (to say the least) with how things have turned out this week. Hope your week was just as good!

Breakdown!

I am in a pickle! Yesterday I was having real problem with my kiln's control panel, it kept shutting down before reaching temperature ~ but finally after a lot of adjusting it got there. I'm not so lucky today though. The dam thing just doesn't last longer than half an hour and cuts out. The electricy supply is reaching the kiln but just isn't working on the controls. What am I to do? I have my first exhibition dead line in under two weeks and then things get serious and extremely busy. Exhibition after exhibition, after exhibition!

Yes its a technical AND nervous breakdown. I'm very good a panicking and I'm certainly in that zone right now! It will teach me to boast in my last blog post about working best under pressure ~ well today I am not!

Of course it happens when there is no technical support available ~ on a Saturday. Even if there was somebody at the end of a telephone line, I'm fairly certain I'm going to have to send off the control panel to be fixed ... how long that will take I dread to think. Its old and probably past its best ... CRAP ... its going to be expensive too!

Well all I can do is keep making and pray it comes right quickly! And thank the little blessings that its has happened after I have finished all my commissions and classes works.

Dam Computers

Today I have been procrastinating!! And AGHHHH ~ I have so much work to do ... So what do I do ... I sit down for what I thought would be five minutes to read my emails only to discover the WHOLE day has passed! But I have nearly got my web page sorted... with a few hiccups to mend and some bits to change ... take a look and tell me what you think so far of Emma Pattullo!
YES! Its a learning curve! A stepping stone to my dreamy, smart, clean cut and high art page!

Exhibitions, to many to think about and I'm not panicking quiet yet ... so I must be OK! Yes as you know I work best under pressure! HA! I laugh in the face of a deadline.
Currently I am working on finishing my butterfly platters for the Macmillan Art Exhibition, glazing my acorns (sounds rude but its not meant to) this is my latest body of work that I'm all excited about (when the kiln opens and I'm happy ... only then will I show you!) What else ... oh all sorts.

OH! I mustn't forget to get my application into the North East Open Studios .. deadline is looming and if I don't get it done ... it would not be funny. Application deadline is the 14th April and NO later! Please link to the NEOS web site and visit any of the amazing artists, makers or galleries that you think might interest you.

I will post some images tomorrow when I have A FEW HOURS TO SPARE ~ if anything like today is to go by! Brain is a muddle and I'm not really writing to much sense, so I'll log off for now.

New blog site

My sister-in-law Robin emailed me yesterday telling me of her new blog spot selling her jewelery in North Carolina.

Its called Robin and Daughters Designs do take a look at it.

She made me the sweetest double bracelet for Christmas with beautiful Swarovski Crystals & sterling silver beads, as well as beads spelling my children's names ~ really lovely. The attention to detail is lovely, as well as very well made. I love mine and wear it everyday, except for when I'm elbows deep in clay. But, what a fantastic present for mums, or for children on their naming day/Christening. Hang on a minute ... why have an excuse to give somebody a present, give it for love!!

I'm back in the land of bloging!

I am so sorry for the lack of blogs. After North East Open Studios I was so busy with the gallery, exhibitions, classes and commissions that I didn't have the brain space to sit down and blog!

It took until Christmas had passed that I was finally able to concentrate solely on the "big" commission ~ which I have literally just finished. Friday the 7th of March was a good day! I opened up the kiln to find all the finished tile unbroken. I have spent the last 3 months firing these tiles living with my heart in my throat ~ I finished the job with only 12 spare tiles left. Its a peculiar thing finishing a job that has been part of your life for so long. I thought I would be so excited ... I think relief and contentment is one way of looking at it. Of course my client is still to see the finished piece, so I still have a small reservation of fear! But I am quietly confident.

Its funny to think I started my blog about this time last year feeling frustrated and uninspired for creating any ceramic art work. Well this year is SO completely different. WOW I'm really excited! Lots of exhibitions and shows to tell you about.

I think now I have finally finished the commission I can now allow myself to explore and develop all the ideas I have been squirreling away.. and yes that's a good clue to where my work is taking me. But I'm leaving that for another day ~ I just wanted to say hello to you, I'm back, so keep checking my blog and I'll try to keep this more frequent and regular.