Pedestal Bowls

I have been trying new things on the wheel thiese pedestal bowls started as "not the right size" kind of bowl, and they looked like they were part of something. I have been thinking on pedestals for a while now, so I thought: why not!
This are the first two examples, of many to come... I like pedestals, I will do more.
The first photo is with the "Ephemeral Wisp of Flower" and the second with "Blue Birds of Happiness: collection.

Blue Jay Nest

I have been lazy lately, I haven't take photos and posted in a while. I was working on making plates and mugs, I was hoping to have a set to post but the studio kiln was in a terrible mood and kind of exploited with my pieces inside, so I have to start all over again.

Here is one of my carved pieces. This particular one I don't feel so attached. It gave me so many problems, I tried to use a different technique in order to make the process faster and ended up working even more. I applied latex to cover the design in hopes that later will be easier to remove but no, it was horrible, I had also manipulated the piece so much that the blues in the piece faded. I am not happy with the colors but I do like the carving, I think I had to do a new version of it. I like how the nest is coming and leaving it without glaze it  adds more character to the piece.  I have to try it again SOON!!

Sali en el periodico!! / I am in the paper!!!

Yes, I was in the paper!! How exciting is that??

I revived a call the first week of December asking me if I will be willing to give an interview for the Spanish newspaper of the Tampa Bay, I said yes of course. I was pretty nervous, I got to extremes in those cases: either talk way to much or talk only with monosyllables.
They asked to have the interview early in the morning at 9 am, which is pretty for me. They also wanted to take some photos of my pottery pieces, which since I was doing a couple of shows were in boxes, so I have to clean the house (a little) and unpack and set my pieces in a nice way.

So I did it, I woke up on time to get dress and awake for the interview, the reporter was a very nice guy from El Salvador, and I think I feel comfortable because I talked and talked non stop. Now that I read what he wrote I am a bit surprised that I said so much in so little time. Perhaps I should have talked more about my Peruvians design on glass, perhaps I should have name my alma mater, which I care so deeply. It is true that as a kind I dream to study arts at the Catolica University (PUCP) but I have no regret whatsoever about San Marcos (UNMSM), I learn so many things there, not only regarding the academics but about my own city and my country. San Marcos open my eyes to many things, helped me to learn about tolerance, discipline and critical thinking, my professors were and are the best the country can offer and I got all that for a small price.

However, I believe that in order to be happy one must fallow their dreams and I always dreamed to create art, isn't what we do as kids what really make us happy?? Although, as a child I also spend many hours reading about artist and isn't that the essence of an Art Historian, to have a passion about the art creators and their influence in the world. So, maybe the reporter understand me better than myself, I am both, I enjoy  writing, reading and creating art.

Anyway, here is the link to the newspaper, I hope you find it interesting, at least amusing....

You can click here to read the note:

Entre Ceramica, vidrio y piezas artisticas

Inca Waves

Here are two more plates, they are the same size and design, but different colors... its fascinating how little details can make big differences. This a Peruvian pattern, its very old but still very much in use in specially in textiles. You can also see it in reproductions of Inca Pottery among many things. I like the Inca designs, I believe they work wonderfully with fused glass, perhaps because its precision and geometric forms, perhaps because it keep me connected with my country... don't know exactly.

This year I have been focus on the wheel so much that I have not done much in glass. Also, the glass company where we used to buy our materials is closed down, so I have to find a new place to buy glass.

The photos are again from Annette Batista, isn't she wonderful! Feel free to leave any comments, it will be nice to know who reads my thoughts :) 

Blue and White Tocapu Plates

You may remember this plates , I did them last year with the hope to make a set of 4 for Christmas Dinner. The fourth plate was very complicated and I was never happy with it, so I made pendants and bracelets with it.... well, the bracelet is still a work in progress.

Anyway, a friend of mine a wonderful photographer named Annette Batista took photos of many of pieces, they came of incredible!!! I will be posting them by series one at a time. I hope you like these photos as much as I did.   

You can read the previous post clicking Tocapus 1, Tocapus 2,

Octopus's garden...

This is a new bowl, I am trying new animals like octopus, sea rays and fish... what do you think?

My super friend  Betsy Gordon, said my bowl remind her the song Octopus's garden by the Beatles, I don't know why I didn't think of that since I like the Beatles so much and I use to la-la-la (tararear) that song so much. Thank you Betsy, I will rename the bowls and the new plate that is right now in the kiln :)

Under the Sea Bowls

This is the first bowl with the "Under the Sea" theme, I am making more now but I am a very slow person, plus I took a week off and went to the Smokey Mountains, TN and Asheville, NC. I live in Tampa Florida, so I usually don't see the the colors of the fall, so we decided to go before the red and yellow leaves on the trees fell down. We were lucky the colors were so pretty but it was sooo cold. I will post some photos of the trip later. Now I am back at the studio making more "Under the Sea" bowls, my friends keep telling me that this may sell well for Christmas since it is Florida theme.

I will be part of "Made by Hand" show on November 17th, which is next Saturday..... and I don't have things ready yet!!!

I will keep you posted.

Tumblers

Like I said, I have been practicing new forms besides bowls. I was making tumblers and trying different glazes, but in the end I think I always do the same, draw something on them. Here are my two first carved tumblers. I carved them free hand when they were on leather hard, then I add some red oxide wash and cleaned them and finally I add celadon green glaze and fired cone 6.

Starry Night

I have been thinking a lot about architecture lately and how the shape of the buildings model the character of a city. I am from Lima, a big and chaotic city, a city that if it weren't for it's countless treasures would be very hard to live in. To live in Lima you need to be strong and not only physically but mentally, it's a city that strengthen your character. I am not a good example of a Limena girl, I am to weak, and sensitive, even though I miss Lima. Maybe I am the person who likes to complain a lot when I'm there: I am always complaining about traffic and how rude people can be and, yet, I miss it.  I am living now in Tampa Bay, a city that  many expatriate friends of mine call "paradise". The calm and warm water of the Gulf of Mexico is our permanent swimming pool, trees are always green, flowers are always in bloom and nature walks next to you, sometimes way to close to me--I am not a fan of frogs, toads, snakes or alligators.

I watched an Argentinian movie lately, Medianeras/ Sidewalls, what a beautiful film! It's about how city architecture somehow impacts the modeling of the character of the population of the city; it's also what my boyfriend would call chick-flick, a romantic comedy film.

Anyway, with all these things in my head I sit and start drawing on my bowl, thinking that I have used chocolate brown a lot and I should start a new color, so I painted it with blue, and what goes with dark blue? well I think "night". I was just thinking of drawing buildings and trees and some stars on the sky but little by little my houses start looking a bit more magical. Who will live in these houses? Maybe I just have to make more and find out....!!!