what to do with an ikea bin

this is such a brilliant idea I had to post it an article by Meridith Hinchcliffe about how to make a raku kiln from an ikea bin with stefan jakob..

how does this go again...

I'm firing my little gas kiln today. I headed out this morning to light up very bleary and red eyed... really this little virus has been lingering a tad too long for me...over it...anywho light up proceedure followed to a tee then the gas ran out luckily I'm in between providers and have a spare tank.. So I looked in my log it's been 12 months since my last firing...wow! that's too long... anyway better go turn things up a notch.

Baby's all a glow! well cone '8' went down about 3.30pm but i have my suspicions that its something else  masquerading as an 8 coz 9 hasn't budged yet its now 5pm. had lots of smoke and flame from the chimney so its looks good for some carbon in the shino, also switched the bottles #1 is freezing up and I've opened up the dampers a bit too. 

That's more like it 7pm and 9 is starting to tip- so I have no idea what "8" was maybe I should have worn my glasses!! and sort out my cones... I'm trying the finishing off with dropping some bits of timber in thanks to Joe Finch's suggestion lots to look forward to this week... 

9.30pm all finished cone 10 down wacked in another piece of wood for good luck, I flashed the torch in to have a look at the glaze mmmmmm yummy glossy stuff happening.....here's to opening on monday....

fishy started it all

fishy started it all, I wanted to make an outdoor table and decided to use the designs from a blue & white workshop at the jam factory.. with that idea in mind the tiles came about to work as part of the decoration and surface texture. 

then roll on into the next project a wall piece for the oz asia festival, 'planes trains and ferry boat rides' about my trip to hong kong for my birthday a few years ago, we stayed with my sisters relative on Lama island and spent a lot of time travelling in 1 week. 

roll that on into the next tile project all kevins doing and what has turned out to be a very interesting challenge 2 large outdoor tables a commission for kevins friend and art fan.. with the loose theme of 'tuscany' and bright colourings of course my interpretation of that is a lend of landscape painters particularly cezanne and the cyprus trees, the design again interlaces the brush work and the large geometric tile shapes creating the surface interest.

chugga lugga

Just chugging along this week, the TTG show opening was Tues night, a tough call to chat with not much of a voice..but it was a good one some nice pieces and congrats sandy on your sale..

Well the glaze test shrinkage is done for the tables they'll be out saturday along with a couple of market plates cars and the old slip trail dec.. 

As per usual I have more than one project on the go, I've included some tile ideas 'very much in the planning stage' for my garden wall panels, they'll be along the same dec. technique as the fishy table and planes trains and ferry boat rides wall panels. 

Also some sketches for pit fire pieces something traditional and fairly small I think, that's september 6th @ Belindas place cost is $10 for club..

studio tour 'hello'

a quick walk around our workshop space we have one glass artist, 2 fabric groups, members and student clay space.. 4 electric kilns, 2 gas kilns currently being processed for gas connection and our trusty raku kiln.

smokin

this is the 1st load with anna's rather large pot..

new work & shell

new raku pieces and the outer shell that came off almost in one piece, more videos across this week if you're game!?.. sorry about the delirious sound effects got a dreaded flu and i think the drugs had well set in....

me unloading kiln

it's all in the smoke..

video cam crazy - embark at will

what would hamada do...

In response to rons post a few days ago...heres's ya t-shirt

fun stuff

yey, my camera arrived today so watch out videos will be posting thick and fast!!  Its RAKU this saturday start 9ish byo muchies to share lunch.. If you want to help mix glazes get there early, all hands appreciated. 

club SALA setup is staying til saturday also a few more visitors dropped by today and a few more poss. on sat hence the extension. 

and don't forget drop work into Tea Tree Gully show saturday 9.15am  - 1pm

jugalug

more of the jugs and sugar bowls today, pics later...... I'd like to get a bisque firing through this week and test the shrinkage for the tiles of the tables I posted earlier, they've been approved and all the final tests are underway. We're mid SALA and things have been rather busy this week with openings and meetings etc. Our club show is on for another week topped with a RAKU firing next weekend and the TTG art show opens the following Tuesday evening. Ciao for now.... and thanks for all your kind words on my recent tea sets post... most happy jan!... ooh went to a great gig last night to see our dear friend Jane Anne Power supporting Emma Dean it was a great show - found a heater and stayed there!!

t-sets close up

I had my 1st bash at shooting in a light tent today here's the results and a few sales rolling in at our SALA exhibition tactile, nice..

SALA ex No2

Well what a great launch we had today clearly Anna had fun.. our club exhibition went really well, I think all had a great day and even Kevin got into the demonstrating with 2 enthusiastic onlookers. As a community club its really important to keep our focus local and in-keeping with that we invited the mayor of Tea Tree Gully to open our exhibition we had lots of visitors and all round great event. The show is on for 2 weeks of SALA followed by the TTG ART SHOW.

green & funky

unloaded the kiln today and set up these pieces for the tactile exhibition, hopefully i'll get some more professionally lit photos done this week, all my photos are currently shot from my mobi so it would be nice to see some detail, more shots tomorrow from our opening..

SALA EX No1

had a nice trip to the barossa today we piled in my car up to the peter franz gallery for a lovely opening. The gallery is family run and named after the gallery managers father peter, sarah gave a little history to the project its early beginning from a family lunch in the area to dreams of peter having his own studio out there and 'vwalla' the gallery was born..the gallery has one main space and peters studio is adjacent to that.

TACTILE opening

TACTILE exhibition opening this sunday 3rd Aug if your nearby drop in between 12 - 3pm, opening at 1pm by TTG mayor. We've had news of visitors coming already from across town to outer area school visiting our open studio.

Lot 6 Crouch Road Golden Grove SA 

Harpers Field Workshop in the green sheds next to church cnr crouch & one tree hill rds

hours    Sun 12-3pm

                Mon - Wed  11am - 3pm

                Aug 3rd - 13th