Wednesday, December 30, 2015

The New Dishes :: Paint and Pottery

It's been almost a year since Maria and I painted pottery. Given how much we love this activity, it's surprising we don't go more often, but it's pricey, for sure, and, when we go, five hours pass and we hardly notice, so it's a time investment, too. A happy, absorbed, engrossed time investment.

My only "rule:" no figurines, which get dusty and limit the creativity. It's not a hard and fast rule, I'll make exceptions, but I think they've come to see the value of making something we can use, and painting something that can be more their own. Plates are my favorite.

My other favorite is to choose a piece that I can paint top and bottom. I am not interested in collecting a lot of pieces. I just want something to paint, so a cup or bowl or plate gives me two painting opportunities in one!

Alex chose a mug, and he totally optimized his painting opportunities... under, around, inside, outside. Everywhere. Bambi, too, with her pretty tea pot, in tea green. She even wrote kanji on the bottom.

Inside, Alex's mug is a sea, with waves and boats, a lighthouse. Outside it's a forest. I love the birdhouse, the deer and fox, and even the sunlight backlighting the trees.

Steady hands, and patience. It takes two or three layers, at least, to make the colors really show up. When you do detailed, small work, like on Bambi's teapot, it means carefully painting each part multiple times. I cannot wait to see it all glazed, full of tea.

It would be so fun to make a complete set... the cups, a tray, more plates.

Here is Maria's garden spot on a plate. I can see this at our next picnic, with finger sandwiches, veggie sticks.

While we painted, it was raining steadily. What a great day.

Remind me to bring our own brushes, if we go again. It was a very busy day, and fine brushes were hard to come by.


I brought my mouse plate with me, from that last visit, in case I was inspired to do something similar. But this time I started thinking about the embroidery I did last summer, and I decided to play with the chicken I stitched and painted. Alex suggested the wood paneling. His ideas sound so great, and he states them so matter-of-factly, that I had the nerve to try it... this kind of painting, with glazes, takes some getting used to, and after applying two strokes of that brown paint, I was a bit redoubtful (regret + doubt). I pushed through, though... nowhere else to go but forward!

And, like always, I played on the back of the plate, too. Did I mention we were there for five hours? Five fun hours! We can pick these up on Saturday! I can't wait to see our shiny new dishes!




2 comments:

Alicia said...

ME ENCANTAN LAS PINTURAS!!!
PRECIOSO.
SALUDITOS!!!

April, Jennifer, Carol said...

that mug! beautiful.. and i love the no figurine rule. happy new year to you and yours! -jennifer