Art for Daily Life

Three weeks until Showcase

2013-03-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

large oval platter w/ wavy lip

Production is going full tilt with only three weeks left until Ceramic Showcase. I'm switching things up in the studio, moving back into animal and plants in addition to dots and stripes, and adding color to the black & white.

tray with scalloped edge

Despite that Portlandia episode (you know the one), I persist in putting birds on everything.

Platter with green fish

I'll have to stop making pots soon and get my booth figured out, there are so many details to track when getting prepared for a show. I feel like I am starting from zero, it has really been years and years since I've done this.

This video of pendulum waves is mesmerizing.

Gearing up for Ceramic Showcase

2013-03-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

bear with branch (unglazed)

We haven't done a show or craft fair for many years. It seemed to be about time to show our faces in public, so we signed up for Ceramic Showcase this year. Scheduled for April 26, 27, & 28th, it is the largest pottery show and sale in the country. Lucky for us, it's right here in Portland.

tests and stains and brushes

I'm still working with my dotty black & white series, but I have been tempted into adding a splash of color here and there. Just like in the children's book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, one thing leads to another, so now I am back to drawing animals and flowers too~

origami bowls & mini plates (unglazed)

I am currently favoring birds, bears, and fish. But, as you can see, the barnyard is not off-limits either~

a couple of goats (unglazed)

I go through a lot of slip-trailers. My current favorite is the homemade version, formed like miniature pastry bags from mylar or plastic gift wrap. There is very little hand fatigue when using these little dears~

spent slip-trailers

Here is a post about how to make them if you are interested.

A Priestess in Myanmar has to kiss an enormous King Cobra three times to save her village from a curse caused by its anger, watch this to see how that worked out~

Making templates for origami pots

2013-01-25T13:02:00.000-08:00

origami pot

I promised ages ago that I would show how my origami pots are made. To begin, you need to make a template.

here are a few that I made

some useful items to begin

It's helpful to assemble a few basic tools as pictured above. I scrounge around for paper, on the stiffish side, to make the actual templates out of. I have used manilla envelopes, file folders, cereal boxes, sketch pads, and such.

Here is how to draw an oval:

Cut a length of string and tie it to form a loop. Place two push pins through the paper you intend to use.
Experiment with the placement of the pins and the length of the string loop to achieve the shape you like.

the string will stretch a bit, so go around a few times

Using the string and the pins as shown above, draw an oval with a pencil.

not an exact science

I'm guessing that there is some kind of formula out there to calculate dimensions, cross-referencing string length vs pin spacing, but I just go with trial and error until I am satisfied.

cut it out

Pick a line to follow and cut out your oval. Mark the center using a ruler to measure, make a little 'x'.

fold it up

Experiment with folds, using the center to gauge distances to keep it symmetrical. On this one, I folded the long sides such that they meet in the middle and then folded the ends so that the sides would all be the same height.

notches

Cut notches in the corners, one aligned with the side fold and one bisecting the corner. You don't need to remove the entire corner, that little extra bit of clay will help make the seam.

tape it up

Lightly tape the corners to see how the finished shape will look. If you don't like it, make another one; you aren't really very committed yet.

it might look like this

finished origami pot

I call this one a 'cradle' shape (for obvious reasons.)

circle template

Another approach is to begin with a circle. I just traced around a bat that I had on hand, but you could use a compass or any other round thing. The rest of the process is the same as before: find the center, fold the sides, snip the corners.

tape it up to see what you have

I over-shot on the cuts as you can see, but it doesn't matter. Had I folded the template using the longer cuts, it would have higher sides and a smaller footprint. Experiment around to find the shape you like.

here you go

origami dish

I'll show the clay part of this process next time.

What to do when the bus doesn't come and you want to scream-> click

Clear decks

2013-01-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

work table, all clear

The hubbub of the holidays is now past. Everything is peaceful and quiet in the studio.

ready for something

I have a million ideas of what to do next. I designed some new origami forms that I'm itching to make.

I will finally put up pictures of how I make them here too.

I can take my time for now, no pressure.

a light dusting of snow on the goose

We'd love to pretend that we are snowed in, but this amount is not enough. Still, I really should take care of having the snow tires put on, just in case.

snow just heavy enough to topple an onion top

I do have a winter garden going, but I have discovered that I don't really like winter gardening. It's sloppy out and cold. It's nice to know that if food was needed that it could be produced. But for now, my feeling about it is kind of meh...

succulents in the orange dot planter will survive

Taking care of the cactus and succulents is about as much as I want to do in the garden arena. That, and planning the vegetable garden for this coming season; counting out leftover seed packets, recalling the varieties of carrots (not Yaya, much too tiny) and lettuces (Butterhead is all the rage around here) and radishes (Dragon, have you seen it?) that I liked best, to order more seed

cacti safe from freezing on the birdwatcher's table

And, a tile job just came in (yay). Sea shells are in the offing.

Come see what we make

2012-12-14T14:30:00.003-08:00

tatami mat topped with pottery

We have pots all over the place, in the house and in the studio. I am pretty fond of the hand-built bowls pictured in the front there. They are generously proportioned, big enough for a whole meal. We call them monks' bowls.

And, we are having one more event at our place this weekend:

Jensen & Marineau Holiday Open Studio

Saturday, Dec. 15th, 10-5

22017 NW Beck Road Pdx 97231

~~~Please drop in to see what we make!~~~

I just unloaded a firing this morning and found a new favorite piece~

large oval platter

Or maybe it's this one~

scalloped tray

We had so much fun last weekend at our open studio; thanks to all of you who stopped by! I hope we will see some of you that we missed last Saturday.

large black & white mugs

We still have a good selection of mugs too. Come on over!

Holiday Open Studio

2012-12-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

assorted hand-built pieces

Jensen & Marineau Holiday Open Studio

Saturday, Dec. 8th, 10-5

22017 NW Beck Road Pdx 97231

We are right in the thick of getting prepared for our annual winter open studio. We have several new hand-built shapes that I am pretty excited about. I am particularly fond of those long, flat rectangles, called cheese boards.

fresh from the kiln

Mugs are back too, by popular request, and they are enormous~ one imperial pint, to be exact. I just learned that beer forms a finer head of foam in a glazed vessel than in glass.

hand-built bowl in progress

We're still in production though, we will have a firing or two more during December.

glazed ware waiting for the kiln

I hope to see some of you locals out here on Saturday. It should be festive, plus I will have something good for you to eat and drink. Please stop by on Saturday!

And don't forget to visit Mud, Sweat, and Tears~ a pop-up shop in downtown Portland. On 12/6 First Thursday, Jonathan Brinkley will play and they'll have brandy and liqueur tastings from Stone Barn Brandy Works 4:00 - 8:00

Coming up this month~

2012-11-24T10:50:00.001-08:00

new hand-built work in black & white at the pop-up shop

Come visit us at this pop-up shop during the holiday season, open every day all month long. It's located in the heart of downtown Portland; so convenient, and we will be restocking weekly. It's looking very festive!

Details here:

Also, just for one weekend; come and see us at the Skyline Artisans Guild show. There will be music, wine and food too.

And, of course, we will be inviting you to our studio for our annual open studio, Saturday, December 8th and Saturday, December 15th. Stay tuned for more details and be sure to sign up to be on the email list over here on the right----->>>>>

Someone doing good in the world.

Mia

2012-11-19T17:37:00.000-08:00

Mia

(*after Rob Moore)

Fourteen years gone,

the dear old dog is dead.

Nothing left to pat but the Earth.

Buried out beyond the shop,

feet to the east,

tail sailing south,

nose pointed at the North Star,

chasing ghost coyotes across the universe.

Tell god hello for me, girl.

Say that I'll be along later.

newish

2012-10-21T15:18:00.001-07:00

floating bowls

Hand-built bowls, one cup capacity. I call them dumpling bowls; they remind me of cozy homey food.

dumpling bowl

mini plate with beetle

Mini plates are about 5" wide and have a little rim to corral the contents.

oval platter full of smiles

This one is about 11" x 7", it's proving to be a useful and popular size.

another mini plate

Lucy Kirk is so creative.

address numbers

2012-08-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

my first address tiles

I got an order for some custom address tiles with carte blanche as to what I could make; wheeee.....

wareboards with bisqued numbers and letters

I decided to make over-sized individual letters and numbers with deep texture. I put two counter-sunk holes in each tile for screws to mount them on the wooden fence that is their final destination.

glazed with my new favorite surface treatment

This glaze is nothing more than manganese, mixed with water to the thickness of whole milk, brushed on, fired to cone 6 in oxidation.

so much variation, matte black to bronzy-metallic

thick and chunky

don't you just want to take a bite? ^click on it

garlic drying in the sun

In other news, the garlic harvest is in.

trimming it up

I have the perfect basket to put them in too.

spice dishes in the garlic

My studio assistant got creative with some photos.

little dish of smiles

cauliflower and bun dish

I am pretty proud of my cauliflower this year.

broccoli and mini plate

And of my broccoli too.

Have you seen the yelp reviews read by actors on YouTube? There are about six of them, go there and watch them all.

Freaking hilarious~

fresh strawberries

2012-08-21T10:21:00.003-07:00

the last of our strawberries

fresh cherries from Sauvie Island

new bug dish, just right for the cherry pits

totally in love with my new socks

morning sunlight on the bed

poppy catching the morning sun on the terrace

Have you seen Creature Comforts? My favorites are the pig mother and daughter (American version). Netflix has it, so funny.

friends and fruit

2012-08-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

cantaloupe and raspberries in hand-built bowls

Summer is the time to gorge on fruit, we eat fruit all day long this time of year.

...on french toast made from homemade challah, or in crepes, over scones with whipped cream, & out of hand.

a friend brought a gift from Sweden, so charming

This is a cloth made from wood fibers, nice and thick for wiping down counters. Friends came to lunch...

we ate russian cream with berries

three kinds of lavender, origami bowl of cherries

The next day, other friends dropped by after visiting the Oregon Lavender Festival with more presents!

I like my Swedish rug and Swedish table and Swedish cloth with Oregon sunshine pouring in.

summertime

2012-08-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

sage growing in a pot glazed in Shaner's red and fake ash glaze (old skool!)

collected stones, coral, shells, glaze tests

fresh raspberries, textile series dish

ahhhhh, the summer bed

I love Ruan Hoffman's sense of humor (click through them all).

origami pots

2012-07-15T10:38:00.001-07:00

cheerful eggs

How to distinguish hard-boiled eggs and, perhaps, to surprise refrigerator visitors.

log with mushroom

Spied on a hike, a single mushroom that looks like a magnolia blossom.

just like a flower, right?

but, clearly, a mushroom

The very next day it was completely collapsed.

origami pots waiting for decoration

I'm working on a new series of hand-built pots made by cutting and folding slabs of clay. I make them by cutting a slab into a circle, square, or rectangle, then making little slashes in the edge (three or four, depending on the shape I'm after) and then folding up the sides (+ score, slip, press, smooth). Do you want to see how? I'll document the whole process if anyone asks...

compost bucket for the chickens

Our compost bucket was looking especially pretty after a kitchen session making roasted sweet potatoes, kale chips, and watermelon.

I really liked The Hare With the Amber Eyes by Edmund De Waal; here is a link to his netsuke collection, so wonderful, especially when you know a bit of their history.

blue and white and spring

2012-03-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

matsuno vegetable kitchen tile

I've been working on a blue & white tile job for a client in California.

Sigh...

Even though I have made hundreds of blue & white tile, sometimes I miss a defect. This one was probably already cracked when I decorated it and it didn't reveal itself until the glaze firing.

now there's a bee

But, the client likes insects, so I added a bumblebee while I was at it.

chickens enjoying the sun

We have taken to calling the chickens "pennys", partly because of their coppery coloring, but also because its easier than calling them out individually* (also, they don't care).

gorgeous, and huge (!)

yay spring

Yes, but why is it still snowing and storming?

*for the record: Henny, Penny, Honey, Blackie, Little Red, and the other three...

seasons

2012-02-25T11:38:00.000-08:00

view from the outdoor bed

The absolutely best thing about sleeping outside is watching it snow from a cozy cocoon under a down comforter. I never want to get up.

path to the studio

However, a warm studio beckons just down the path (thanks Mr. Cranky!).

chilly chairs under the wisteria

remember the summer work space on the terrace?

vegetable starts

Thinking of spring; planning the garden.

Oh, but that bed!

loooooooney

2012-02-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

I love getting interesting commissions.

Just before Christmas, I had a inquiry from a publisher wondering if I could make several small custom tiles to be inset into the cover of a box for a handmade book. It sounded right up my alley as he wanted blue & white porcelain with a design that echoed the calligraphic line dancing throughout the book.

"Easy-peasy" I though slyly, already planning how to spend my loot.

He preferred a thin line, so I thought mishima might be the way to go~

mishima tests

I didn't like the resulting stiffness in the line, so I jettisoned that idea and went back to slip-trailing.

Getting the exact size was challenging because the shrinkage varied depending upon when I cut the pieces, cutting right away gave one set of dimensions and cutting later in the day gave another.

drying under a brick

My basic blue slip color read a bit dark for the printer's eye, so I launched into a flurry of color tests. I always think it will be easy to adjust a color and it always turns out to be, well, not.

Fortunately, my client was not too fussy about an exact color match to the ink so it only took three rounds of tests to get to where I needed to be.

color testing

It was important that the tiles be both very thin and quite flat, so I made many, many extra to be able to cull out the ones with lifted corners and such.

awaiting bisque firing

Once out of the bisque, I chose the flattest ones to slip trail~

decorating with slip

After that, it's just rack them up, spray, and load into the kiln for the final firing~

ready to glaze

glaze sprayed

finished

They are winging their way south as we speak, so to speak.
It was definitely a fun challenge, but am I looney to keep on doing this?

This dancer will blow your mind...

thxthxthx

2011-12-14T17:08:00.000-08:00

breakfast at the bird watcher's table

The day after our winter open studio was still beautifully sunny; breakfast consisted of cherry whole wheat scones and coffee served on our dotty black & white hand-built pottery.

That butter dish was made on a whim; I decorated a slab scrap and fired it; it turns out to be a perfect butter dish, simple and flat. I plan to tweak the shape a bit and make more of them, we love it.

the outside bed under cover

The outside bed is still in play, thanks to an electric blanket. The porch (with the addition of a couple of bamboo screens) provides enough protection from the rain. We use the electric blanket to preheat the bed and keep the moisture at bay. Getting into bed after a quick sprint through the freezing outside air is indescribably delicious.

stack of dotties

Our Winter Open Studio was a lot of fun; it is always wonderful to see friends, both old and new.
Thanks to everyone who made their way out here to stop by!

Have you seen this blog by a woman who writes a short "thanks" blog post everyday? She is pretty witty and refreshing..

Holiday Open Studio

2011-12-07T14:33:00.000-08:00

We have so many balls in the air right now...

juggling bunny cup ($12)

For instance, getting ready for our annual open studio~
I am baking things, both sweet and savory.

rugelach

And getting the house and studio ready for the sale.

blue & white pottery display in the dining room

Also making many, many very affordable things, and a few very special things too~

baskets of spice dishes

I am fond of the rhythm of the rim of this piece~

enormous bowl, topographical design

Also, there is always the daily wrangling of the chickens; they love us so much that they follow us everywhere, even into the house.

our favorite chicken, Honey, stealing wild bird seed

We very much hope to see you at our open studio:

Saturday, December 10th, from 10-5

22017 NW Beck Road

Come and enjoy a glass of wine, hot spiced cider, and a snack with us~

and thank you for supporting your local potters!

work in progress, greenware

2011-11-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

oval boats and snack plates

dotty fruit cups

cup interiors

All these pieces have been bisqued, glazed, and are cooling in the kiln right now. It makes the studio so cozy!

Warm and snug is one thing, but I don't stay indoors all the time~

fall at the Japanese Garden

spectacular maples

a glimpse of red in the distance

I have been indulging in a mad addiction to Pinterest lately. Someone make me stop!

Summer odds & ends

2011-09-29T13:41:00.000-07:00

peony bowl

Black and white is my new blue & white...

black & white tableware

Working outside is one of the perks of self-employment in the summer. :)

terrace as workspace

plaid and plaid

My able assistant taking a break.

black and white dinnerware

On a roll with new work in dotty black and white.

kitchen peninsula as workspace

Sometimes we just can't stop after dark, so we move the tools inside.

ten baskets of potatoes!

The garden winds down.

doodles and excavations

2011-08-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

recently excavated

Every pottery has a shard pile somewhere, sometimes several. We simply place broken but interesting pieces here and there around our property, often along paths. Mr. Cranky found this (ancient!) platter that one of us made (can't remember who) many years ago, buried, but partially sticking up out of the woods near the studio.

plate rim as headdress

The rim had separated from the center and makes a nice headdress addition to our broken "haniwa" figure.

miscellaneous clay doodles

We have been spending our free time sitting on the terrace modelling random clay elements by hand for use in ...? Well, we haven't actually decided yet, but we are amassing a nice collection of interesting small pieces, some with holes in them for hanging. Mr. Cranky is making relics and crosses using a technique similar to the one in the platter above, coils of clay arranged to make patterns. This method lends itself to bronze-y glazes and stains that can be applied and then partially wiped away to emphasize texture and pattern.

outdoor bed upgrade

In other news, summer has finally arrived here in the pacific northwest and the outdoor bed is back with a snazzy new canopy (thanks, Lisa) and fresh linens. I miss the orange color of the old mosquito net, but this does make the bed feel like a miniature palace. Sweet, except that the fifty acres across the street is just starting to be logged. They start at seven am (of course) and are very noisy. So much for sleeping in...

bumblebee drizzle

2011-06-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

still waiting for summer to begin...

bumblebee

On the other hand, the broaches with magnetic backs came out really well. The glaze is nice and thick and the images didn't run or blur. Look what else you can do with them:

ceramic paper clip

The ultimate in executive desk ornaments, a handmade clay/magnet paper clip.

I also discovered that you can put them up on a wall if you can locate a nail for the magnet to adhere to:

beetle on the shed

teehee

Earthworks by Robert Smithson; I like the spiral jetty.

dinner plates and misty terrace

2011-06-18T16:20:00.000-07:00

dinner plates, musical variations

misty day on the terrace

drip, drip, drip...

foggy too

view from the summer bed

not summer yet though

no morning coffee outside today

necklaces await cords

A musical interlude while waiting for the kiln to cool

2011-05-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

My current musical obsession, Zaz. I watch this practically everyday. It makes me so happy. I love her voice, her affect, her joie d' vie.

And for punctuation lovers out there, colons are on the march.

Art for Daily Life

Three weeks until Showcase

Gearing up for Ceramic Showcase

Making templates for origami pots

Clear decks

Come see what we make

Jensen & Marineau Holiday Open Studio Saturday, Dec. 15th, 10-5 22017 NW Beck Road Pdx 97231 *~*~*~*Please drop in to see what we make!*~*~*~*

Holiday Open Studio

Jensen & Marineau Holiday Open Studio Saturday, Dec. 8th, 10-5 22017 NW Beck Road Pdx 97231

Coming up this month~

Mia

newish

address numbers

fresh strawberries

friends and fruit

summertime

origami pots

blue and white and spring

seasons

loooooooney

thxthxthx

Holiday Open Studio

work in progress, greenware

Summer odds & ends

doodles and excavations

bumblebee drizzle

dinner plates and misty terrace

A musical interlude while waiting for the kiln to cool

Jensen & Marineau Holiday Open Studio

Saturday, Dec. 15th, 10-5

22017 NW Beck Road Pdx 97231

~~~Please drop in to see what we make!~~~

Jensen & Marineau Holiday Open Studio

Saturday, Dec. 8th, 10-5

22017 NW Beck Road Pdx 97231