Dokimas Pottery

Seed

2011-05-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

I've been busy working in my studio nearly every day. I'm gearing up for all the craft fairs this summer. Another opportunity has arrived. Kebel Galleries has invited me to participate in their business. As soon as I fire some of my new work, stay posted for more information regarding them. Check out their website at http://www.kebelgalleries.com/. My friend Melissa Langley currently has some of her jewelry for sale. She is taking a missions trip to Haiti in July and is raising money for that.
It is always interesting to see what comes out of me after a pottery hiatus. This time I am making very bulgy pots that are heavily altered and textured. I've also been a litte obsessed with making small boxes for jewelry and other trinkets. I've just started making pendants to go in the boxes too. Here's some photos of the latest work.

I've been having fun making the bottoms of things very interesting. I'm hoping to woodfire some and electric glaze the rest. As my belly grows, my mind often turns to God's little creation. What's going on in there? Like a potter throwing behind a curtain, this little one is being made in the secret place. I wrote a poem today for my baby. Here it is:

Seed

Mossy spring air

carries dandelion seeds,

soft puffs, pregnant with potential,

containing hope for growth.

Floating like snow on unseen currents,

they land on grass, rolling together in cottony clumps.

They remind me of you-

somersaulting in my body,

warm in your utero playground.

Layers of you growing, cell upon cell.

Delicate, rice paper skin

covers your threadlike veins,

pulsing with life and maybe's and mystery.

You are my little seed.

My little hope.

Changes

2011-04-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

Unexpected changes in life recently....I was let go from my job at the florist's this past week. I didn't see it coming at all. So, just like that, I have a lot of free time on my hands. I have been looking for a new job but being 4 months pregnant poses some limitations. I will have some hours working on a local organic farm which should be a really awesome learning experience. But what about the rest of my time?
So, then I get to thinking: is this God's way of urging me to really develop my pottery and just go for it? I've been feeling like I should just go for it but the security of a weekly paycheck is a hard thing to refuse. With that removed from my life, my options are a bit more limited. I was accepted into Portsmouth Open Market which is a weekly outdoor craft fair held at Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth, NH. I signed up for 4 days so I have a lot of work to make for that. Also, I applied to the Concord Arts Market which is a similar event only in Concord, NH. I have not heard back yet from them.
So, what's a girl to do? Once Baby Therrien is born in October I will be staying home anyway....is this my time to beging preparing for making money from home? Any thoughts would be appreciated! Stay tuned for new work and some photots coming soon!

NCECA Tampa 2011

2011-04-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been a long time since I last posted...too long in fact! Well, I've much to write about so here it goes. I recently returned from an NCECA conference. It is a big clay convention where over 6000 potters, collectors, teachers and students gather for 4 days of nothing but CLAY! This year it was hosted in Tampa, FL. It was only my second time in the sunny state and I had a very enjoyable visit. I have to say that I missed my husband a lot and wish he could have come with me. The four days are packed with lectures, panel discussions, networking, viewing cermic work, eating, talking and socializing. It is like an overload of sights and information. There were demonstrations and lots of tools and products to look at. I met quite a few artists including Richard Notkin who is a well known political sculptor. I went to the Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg and shed some tears. I also took a bus tour through St. Petersburg to view a bunch of galleries and clay companies that had tons of shows. I purchased three pieces: a bowl by Cheyanne Rudolph, a plate by Seth Payne and a mug by Birdie Boon. All of these pieces really inspire me and I am loving their presence. The weather was...volatile. The first day, it was cloudy and windy. The second day, torrential rain and thunderstorms (tornado warnings in the next county). The last two days were excellent, 75-80 and sunny. I did manage to get a little sun. I did not go to any beaches but the convention center was right near the bay. I was able to spend some time with several former professors, Chris Archer, John Baymore and Karen Orsillo. I also got to know some of the current students at NHIA which was a wonderful experience. I always leave NCECA feeling so inspired; this year was no different. I am READY to get back to the clay! I have my little studio all set up. I have access to wood and electric kilns. Look out NH, here I come!

New Work and a Craft Fair

2010-05-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since my last posting. It has been an interesting few weeks around here. I have not made any new work because I have been focusing on glazing and finding a part time job. A big reality check informed us that it is essential that I make some kind of steady paycheck. I will be working 20 hours a week at Catholic Medical Center as a dietary aide. The hours are good, 3-7pm and it will give me the socialization that I miss being at home all day. I unloaded the kiln yesterday and was very happy to find that the dreaded bubbles did not resurface. I thinned out the glaze, did not double dip and I extended the firing 4 hours. It seemed to do the trick! I am still getting a feel for the 7 new glazes I have. Some combinations worked better than others but that is to be expected. I really liked using a white glaze with color accents. My first craft fair it tomorrow in Londonderry, NH. Sarah and I have been busy gathering everything we need for it. We have a tent and shelves, etc. Everything seems good to go! We have to set up tonight. I hope to see some of you faithful readers there!

The Mission of St. Peter

3 Peabody Ln

Londonderry, NH

A Break from the Wheel

2010-04-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

For the past few days I needed a break from the wheel. In an effort to diversify what I'm making, I turned to some wall sculptures. In college I started making this cocoon form. I have made a few successful pieces with it. They are fun to make, little coil built, textured pod like things. The difference this time is that I made a wall piece for them to hang from. So, when they are all glazed and done, I will attach the cocoons to a found stick. Then, I will attach the stick to the back sculpture (that is what the holes are for). I am pretty happy with them so far. They are on the small side. I am interested to see what would happen if they became larger. I am hoping to woodfire them. They are pretty cool little items. We will see if there is a market for them!

Jars

2010-04-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

For the past few days I have been working on jars. While making the bowls, I got inspired to make some jars with a similar form. Look at pictures from the bowls and jars; do you see the connection? Again, I made handbuilt, textured lids. The texture is what takes so long. However, I feel it is worth the time it takes. I have always had a special fondness for jars. I'm not sure what it is....Perhaps it it the idea of hidden containment, of storing things away in an attractive vessel. I don't really know. I really prefer the handbuilt lids. I used to always make little thrown lids. However, it is much harder to get the right fit. Also, I like the rounded effect I made with the handbuilt ones. They will look great in groups for photos.

On Monday it was my 25th birthday. Wow, I'm getting old, 1/4 of a century! Definately a milestone. For one of my gifts, Joey brought me to Exeter Fine Crafts, a beautiful craft store in Exeter's downtown area. He gave me a dollar amount and said I could buy anything I wanted. I picked out a Jane Kaufman orb with water lilies etched all over it. It is a little piece of inspiration, reminding me to keep it fun and light. Jane is quite the character. You can check out her website at http://www.janekaufman.com/. We also went into this totally bizarre antique shop. I found some great little furniture pieces for displaying work. We also found this old shallow crock that is now Moki's water dish. It was such a nice day for strolling throught the town. Next up, I think I am going to make miniatures. They usually sell well at fairs. I'm thinking little jars and vases. Keep checking the blog; there will be more to come! Moki stole my seat today...little rascal!

Bowls

2010-04-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made bowls. I made 12 in all. It is hard because since I have such limited space, I can't make lots of one thing. I will probably fire these, pack them away somewhere and free up shelf space for more. Anyway, I liked they way they came out for the most part. Some have stronger forms than others. These bowls are kind of tall. I like a tall bowl for eating a big salad. That way, none of the stuff falls out like it sometimes does in lower bowls. I suppose I will make lower bowls next. The wierd thing about working from home is the hours. Somehow, I have gotten myself into a very bad schedule. I will work until 2 or 3 in the morning, crash out, then sleep in later than I'd like to admit. I really don't like doing this and am trying to get back to a regular pattern but it is not easy. I feel like I am in college again, staying up all night to do projects. I have some time today to throw. Yesterday while working on altering these bowls, I got some ideas for making covered jars in a similar shape. I think I will tackle that next. I could even make small casseroles. Argh! The possibilites are endless!!!

Teapots are FINALLY done!

2010-04-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today, I finally finished my teapots. There are 7 total; two more got squished up after I messed up altering them. I really like these teapots alot! I did some texture on the lids and the dimples. I won't be making any more for a while....they take so long to complete! Moki has taken to sitting in my lap while I work. He's such a snugglebug!

New Studio Dog

2010-04-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

What an exciting week! I'm using my wheel daily and am loving it! On Tuesday, Joey and I drove to Saco, ME to pick up a new friend. He is a 2 year old, 16 lb mini australian shepherd. We got him from a rescue organizaion called Canine Guardians for Life. Apparently, his previous owner dumped him in a parking lot because she did not want him anymore. He was in a high kill shelter in West Virgina when Canine Guardians got him. He had been in a foster home for a month when we came across him online. He is a wonderful companion. He never barks, loves to cuddle, does not chew things up. He follows us everywhere; its as if he is afraid of being abandoned again and can't let us out of his sight! He would sleep in my arms at night if he could (we draw the line there- no dog in the bed). We had a time trying to pick a name. He came with one that did not seem to suit him. After trying on several dozen names I thought of his forever name. There is a famous black Japanese glaze called Tenmoku. So, that is it: his name is Tenmoku- Moki for short! He likes it and responds to it. It feels good to call him something other than buddy or puppy. When I am working, he either lies under the table or at my feet. Yesterday I made 9 teapots. I have to finish them today- add handles and lids. They take a long time but it is to be expected. They are such complex forms- they have it all: lids, spouts, handles. Hopefully I will finish those up today and can move onto something else.

2010-04-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Today I worked on pitchers. I made 8 but only 7 made it to the end. I used my new wheel for the first itme and it worked very well. I went through one 25 lb bag of clay today. At that rate, I am going to need to get more very soon. 400 lbs won't last too long!

I Have A Wheel!!!!

2010-04-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

Today I went to visit an old friend from college. He gave me a little pep talk and helped me focus on some good places to go and goals to have. He made some great suggestions and I am truly greatful for his council! Thanks friend, you know who you are! The best part came when he gave me an old wheel. It is pretty basic with only two speeds on it. But, it will work! I can't hardly wait to give it a try. Trouble is, I don't have any clay left! Anyway, just had to share the good news!

2010-04-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

So, I now own a kiln. It is pretty old and I need shelves and posts for it but it will go all the way to cone 10. I've decided to wait until we are in a better apartment to wire it in. So, it won't be useable until we move in October. But, at least for now, I have it and it will be ready when I need it. I am hoping to get a wheel tomorrow. In the meantime, I have been continuing to make small slab boxes and bottles. Today I finished up three small bud vases and about 8 or 9 boxes. I did crazy textures on them. It took about 1/2 hour to texturize each box. I used a sewing needle pushed into a cork to do the patterning. Also, I used the pointy end of a knitting needle for some of the textures. These boxes are larger with no handles on the lid. I am a little stumped on how to glaze these highly textured boxes. I don't want to lose all the detail in them. I might dip them then wipe the glaze off so it stays in the recesses. Hopefully they'll be all done in a few weeks.

Bud Vases

2010-04-06T17:58:00.001-07:00

Today I made nine small bud vases. They sprung out of all the little boxes I've been doing. I made the texture with a needle. It takes quite a while to make the texture. I think when they are finished, these vases will look lovely with a small blossom in them. What do you think?

2010-04-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

Small boxes

2010-04-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

So, I am having a great time just working at my own pace. I feel like I have been so productive. I was concerned that working from home would pose too many distractions but so far, I've been neglecting all the housework, cooking, etc. to work in the studio. For the past few days I have been making these small boxes. They have unique textures. They are small, 1"- 3" or so. When they are fired, they'll be even smaller. I'm not sure how I will glaze them. I think it would be awesome to woodfire some eventually. I may get a kiln this week in CT. I'm still trying to locate a wheel which has proved to be much harder than expected. They are all so expensive. I'll probably just save up and buy one in a few months. In the meantime, there are handbuilding skills to be honed and shows to apply to. Oh yeah, I should probably do some of that housework too...

New Studio!

2010-03-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

This week has been an exciting and slightly terrifying one. Last Saturday I gave my notice at my full-time job. I am going to make pottery full time and sell it. I've been wanting to do this since college but did not feel ready. It seemed like such a scary jump to take. Lately, things at work have not been awesome and I just always was wanting to be in the studio. This is a change because for a while, I had a hard time going to the studio and making pots. The more I thought and prayed the more it was confirmed that the time is now!

So, the first problem is where do I make my work. Joey and I rearranged our small one bedroom apartment to allow me some space. So, in the living room, behind the futon there is a 10' x 6' space that is all mine! We went to Lowe's and bought some shelving and some boards to use as wareboards. Joey even let me use our kitchen table as my work table. Did I mention I am married to the most supportive, amazing man ever! I still need to get a pottery wheel- very important! Any leads on that would be super helpful. I might need a bit more shelving but for now, I have enough. It will be so nice to be able to roll out of bed any time of day or night and go make some work. Last night while Joey watched TV (right in front of me) I made some handbuilt butter dishes. They need some refinement, but overall, I think they came out fun.

The next issue to tackle is selling my work. First, I have to make a whole bunch with a good variety of form. I have a fair coming up in mid May and I also want to jury for the league of NH Craftsmen too. I am hoping to sell my work online wwww. karitherrien.etsy.com, in some shops and at some craft fairs. Any suggestions of selling venues would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to all those who have supported me as I have nurtured my creative giftings. Without all of you, its just not possible!

And the results are....

2010-03-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

Mixed! 50% of my work came out great, 50% came out less so, 100% learning experience! I got some major blistering on much of the work. Also, I owe Sarah some kiln shelves as a bunch of the glaze ran right off the pots onto the shelves. Sorry friend! I need to fiddle with the firing length I think. I will survey some more experienced potters to help troubleshoot. In good news, the colors for the most part look really great. They are bright and earthy, very cheerful. I am going to list all the sellable ones on Etsy. Let me know if you want to buy any. Also, I worked on making some fun jars. I still have about 5 left to finish. I'm preparing for craft fairs this summer. I will post locations and times.

Glazing

2010-03-23T06:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent a good five hours in the studio. I have learned my first hard pottery lesson: when you don't strain the glazes, they come out with defects on the pots. I just kind of forgot to do it and I got some yucky things going on with a few items. Today I spent a few hours straining all of them. Then, I glazed as much bisqueware as I could and loaded it into the kiln. I had wanted to start the kiln up that night but I ran out of time. I think I probably glazed 50 pieces or so. I have about 15 more pieces to do then, I will embark on my first firing! After that, I will hopefully have some pieces for sale.

Small beginnings

2010-03-09T09:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Joey and I took advantage of my day off and drove 1 1/2 to Portland, ME to buy some pottery supplies. I now have a humble looking box with 8 bags of powder. They may not look like much; however, they will be the 8 glazes that will make my pots beautiful. I chose lovely soft, earthy colors. I can't wait to fire! I have a whole bunch of bisqued pots ready to go. I will post pics soon. I will probably set up an etsy.com page to sell my pots through. Also, be ready to see my work at local fairs. That is the next step! I am so excited to finally be making work! These glazes are very inspiring to me and I can't wait to try them out.

New Beginnings

2010-03-01T09:06:00.000-08:00

Here is my attempt at tracking my pottery progress. I have named my pottery Dokimas Pottery because it is a really cool word. In the greek, it means "tested and approved". It was often stamped on the bottom of a piece of pottery when its maker was satisfied. It is a word about refinement and trials. It speaks to the literal art of pottery. I really like it because it reminds me of my faith and how I am constantly being put through the fire. I am often being tested and approved by my heavenly father, the Lord Jesus!

Currently, I am sharing a studio in Goffstown, NH with my friend and fellow potter Sarah. We went to college together and now work together at A Market Natural Foods. We are in the process of transforming her basement into a stellar studio! What a joy it is to work alongside her. Thanks Sarah for letting me use your place to make art!

My first project is a commission for a set of bowls. I threw them, altered them and engraved them. Now, they must be fired and glazed. I am very pleased with the outcome thus far!