Lidded Jars

I know it has been a while, pottery is coming slow this year. Family visiting, cold weather in Florida, and yes, I know that if you live up north our cold is nothing, but it is really cold for us. Then trying to clean the house, my little room, the garden, so many things to do, and very little accomplished.

How can those women do everything so nicely? Keeping a clean and neat house is not easy, cooking takes so much time, gardening too. How can they do everything, how they manage to have those pretty immaculate houses? I have been reading a lot of Apartments Therapy to find out, my only clue, they have way much more energy than me.

Anyway, here is the new project, lidded jars, I had made 3, here is the first one. Also it is me in my little room/studio with the frog in process.

I forgot to take a photo of the little frog, luckily my friend Betsy did it. Here are her photos, one with me (again) holding the little frog and the other one just the frog itself. I am at the Hyde Park Art Studio, you can see it a little, and no, it is not that we need the mirrors to look at ourselves all the time, someone said it is the best for you to look the pot in the mirror instead of keep twisting our bodies.

I will post another photo of the lidded jar with a frog after it is glazed and fired again.

Restless Squirrels Plate

Happy New Year!

When do we stop saying Happy New Year? in February? The holidays had left me totally burn out, to many things to do, people coming, people leaving, helping my husband with the business, cleaning the house... so many things that needed to be done, I was unable to do everything so I have to make some cuts, my garden is a jungle again, my little room is chaotic (well, is getting better now), and I have not done anything art related. I have so many projects in my mind, that right now feel I bit overwhelmed, I need to start categorizing in order to do something... but today is cloudy and rainy, I just want to lay down and read one of the books that I have all piled up in my bedroom.

But, I have to start somewhere, and I thought this will be the place to start :)

This is a plate I did last year, it has been recently fired cone 6, I call it the Restless Squirrels Plate, it has been all carved out and then painted, what do you think?

Juguemos Mundo! / Le's play Hopscotch!

Here they are, the tiles are ready, and I like them a lot. The colors turned out just as I wanted, the sized of the tiles reduced a little more than I expected, but overall, they look great.

The next step was to decided how to display them, I run out of time and went to Michaels and let them framed them individually. I was not happy with their solution of gluing them on cardboard. I have been doing a lot of research on how to frame them and or how to display them.

The best display for me, the one I would like is out of my budget. Arts and Craft frame design, beautiful! I  had also found some ideas, tiles on metal slabs attached to a piece of wood, tiles just attached to wood. Oh my! there are a lot of ideas out there, the bad thing is that I am not good cutting wood or metal, even more, I look at those tools and run on the opposite direction, hahaha, they terrified me.

Anyway, if you have any other idea, let me know.

 

oh, and, I am trying to have more Likes on my Facebook Page, Barro y Arena by Monica Guerreroso if you like my work, please consider go to my page and like the page. Thank you!

A house for the fairies

It is finally ready, took me forever, but its is here now. What do you think? Will the fairies like it?

Juguemos Mundo! Let's play Hopscotch!

This is my latest project, it is still and idea and don't know exactly how it will turn out. Hopefully they will look just like the cups, with a lot of colors and like a cartoon. I still have to figure it out how to frame it once is done. The ladies at the studio gave a lot of ideas, now I just have to pick one, easier to say than do.

The idea of this design is as you can imagine my beautiful niece Bella, she just learn to play hopscotch, she is 3 years old and she can not quite jump as it supposed to be, she jumps with 2 feet, but I can see her playing this game a lot in the future. The dog is Reyna, my ant's rat terrier,  she looooves to play with Bella, well, she looooves to be the center of attention, hahaha.

A have been told that these tiles look like a children book, maybe there is an idea right there, the only problem is that I am terrible with Photoshop, how will I do it without it? I can add more traditional games in the story, jacks, rope, Chinese rope... hummm, so many ideas, so little time.

What do you think? did you play these games?

More cups

Here are the cups, they are finally ready. It took me forever, probably because I can only work on them at the studio. I don't have really anything here at my house. Just a table and a chair. No wheel, no kiln, no glazes. Hopefully my husband will work on the patio sometime soon and have a wheel there, we need electricity and a screen. If you have live in Florida, you will know that a screen is a must if you want to spend hours outside. The mosquito here are the vicious, and even when they don't like me as much as they like my mom, cousin and sister still bother me way to much.

Anyway here are the new cups, I made two cups for lovers and two for mothers. I hope people will like them.

Fairy House

Finally, I started a Fairy House for the garden, this has been an old project at the studio, almost everyone has made one but me. I was always busy doing something else. . . now I am busy too but I really, really wanted to make it.

Here it is, still on greenware

My teacher Kathy had made a pattern for the house itself, the roof and the chimneys, after that you are on your own. It is fun because every house is different, the doors are different, the windows, the decorations. My will be super different because the studio didn't have Phoenix clay so I used  Speckle Red or was it brown, so it will make a difference. I was not really thinking on that but I knew that if I wait 2 more weeks for the clay to arrive I, again, will not do the Fairy House.

Will glazed on Wednesday, hopefully will be ready next week, I will take photos and let you know.

Florida Summer Cups

Wow! I just noticed that my last post was in August, time really flies, I keep saying that but it is so true. I always feel behind, so much to do, so little time. I think is me, that I don't organize my time they way I should.
Anyway, news, I have been busy making cups, actually I have sold some, a complete record for me, that I don't usually sell my pieces so fast. Apparently everybody loves the Florida Summer cups, and I can't keep up, I work really slow, but I am trying my best. I made four more because I sold the previous two and again, just taking them out of the kiln I sold another one, so I only had three to photograph, then I sold another cup. Now of course, I am making more. 

 

The latest four are being to be ready to glaze on Monday, here they are in greenware. I made two birds in love, and two parents and baby birds, to see how is the response. What do you think?

 

Conejitos / Bunnies

I tried some new design on my last 2 cups, bunnies! I used blue underglaze instead of black and once they were fired I just covered completely with blue celadon glaze. Which was much more faster than coloring every single thing of the cup and then glazing it. However, i do enjoy the bright colors of the birds, I will try some new design with colors.

Also I have to say that I am still learning with this mishima technique, I had learn in the past that if I add a little of slip to the underglazes they will not run or bleed on the cone 6 kiln. However the color will not be as bright as it were without the slip. I have also learned just a couple days ago thanks to Diana Feyt video on Creativebug is that if I water down the glaze it will not run either, I should have know that since I water down the underglazes when I colored my birds, I was thinking only on a watercolor effect though.

The second thing I have leaned is that she recommended to use a natural sponge, I have yet to try that, I have to buy one first. I will tell you if I feel a big difference or not.

Anyhow, here they are, tell me what do you think, any suggestions and comments are very welcome.

Vermillion Flycatcher Cup 2 / Taza Turtupilin 2

Here is the second cup. What do you think?  Maybe I should also do a Teapot...

Vermillion Flycatcher Cup 1

As I said before, I am making cups, trying different things with them. . . and of course I like birds. This is cup with two vermillion flycatchers, I am a bit obsessed with them. In Lima we call him "Turtupilin", this bird has many names, it is also called "putilla", "mosquero", "mosquero sangretoro", "mosquero cardenal", and many more, I like turtupilin, sounds good too me. I miss it, there are not vermillion flycatchers or Turtupilines in Florida.

Perhaps the thing that I like most is the black mark around its eyes, is like they are wearing an eye mask, I find the raccoons also  incredible cute. I should draw them as well.

I draw two turtupilines, as a way of practice, I like mishima more and more every time I try it. Someone at the studio said something that make me think, she said she loves the birds but she will love them even more if they would be able to talk like Rodolfo and the cats, and it is true. When I draw them, their train of thoughts are in my head,  for example the fat one is thinking of eating the dragonflies, just waiting for the right time to ZAZ! his behavior is being observed by the other bird, who is also thinking, that that bird needs to be on a diet. However, everything is just in my head, only Rodolfo and the cats have been able to said their thoughts aloud. I wonder how can I make them talk....

What do you think of these birds? So far they have help me to increase the likes on my Facebook page, which makes me very happy. If you want to like it as well click  Barro y Arena. and like my page. It will be very appreciate.

Thank you !

Florida Summer Cups

Lately, I have been making cups, many cups, cups with different decorations, carving, mishima, sgraffito. I am also trying a new handle, something different, something that also will be easy to replicate. I am not there yet. I am trying different things with the mishima technique, thinking what if I have to make many of the same, would I be able to make them in a short period of time or would it take me forever?

The cups below are called "Florida Summer" and they are a colorful version of my "Inca Summer" which are brown with sgraffito. The design is almost the same, but the colors make them look so different.

Why cups you may ask, because I would say, it seems that every gallery is doing a Cup Exhibit, and I want to be part of that, so I am practicing, making as many cups as I can and select later the best ones and apply to those exhibits. So far I have been accepted to one gallery and turned down by another one. Makes me sad to read: "... Unfortunately, we have not selected your cups...." However I think that I should keep trying, someday those galleries, will say yes to me.

Later when the exhibit is open and available to see online, I go and check the selected pieces and compare them with mine, sometimes mine don't look so bad, sometimes they even look similar to some of the accepted ones, and then I wonder why they say no to me. I guess I will never know. Maybe is ok, since on the other hand they didn't tell me why I was accepted either.


Anyway, here are the cups, what do you think?

Rodolfo is learning English

I forgot to post the other cup with Sekmeth, the cat. In this one Rodolfo is speaking in English hahaha!

Rodolfo en Technicolor

Here is Rodolfo, with his friends gatunos, Victoria y Sekmeth. And no, I am not so creative to make up those names, Victoria is the cat of my friend Edith and Sekmeth the cat of my brother. Initially I thought I will represent Gato or Guapo, because of the cool names, perhaps later I do something with them, perhaps a version inspired in "Don Gato y su pandilla"... how is the US name....oh yes, Top Cat!

How the lyric goes... Yes he's a chief, he's a king, But above everything, He's the most tip top, Top Cat. Top Cat!". I loved that cartoon, when I was a kid I did not speak English, so I never knew what they were saying on the intros, I just read made by Hanna Barbera, which you know are the last names of two guys, but back in those days I thought it a girl made the cartoons, first name Hanna last name Barbera. I always wish I could be like her, draw something so beautiful and clever, perhaps one day I will go back to animation or perhaps my pots will help me to fulfill that dream.

Anyway, here is Rodolfo y Victoria. Rodolfo is singing in Spanish, of course Kikirikiiiiiii, and Victoria, who is such a clever cat, notice that he/me has misspelled the word,  I should have wrote Quiquiriqui. (I have been in the states for so long, I can not write correctly in any language any more :S) It is my own joke, but is ok, I have fun making pots and decorating them, so why not, right, as my teacher always said, it is just clay :)

Here is the intro and the credits of Top Cat in case you are trying to sing the tune like me :)

Rodolfo in movement

So, I guess by now, you know me a little bit, and you may have guess that Rodolfo will show up in my pots someway or another. Well, here he is. These cups are on greenware and I use the mishima technique to draw him, the landscape and his friend. Yes! Rodolfo has a friend.

If you are my friend on FB you will have notice that I was asking for photos of cats sleeping, cats are hard to draw! Looking at photos help me with my drawing.

Have you notice that cats sleep all the time? And Rodolfo as well sings the whole day, so in my head, Rodolfo singing would not let the cat to sleep in peace. Kind of silly right? but that's me. Then I made a mistake with the Spanish spelling, so the cat corrected me/Rodolfo. I tried to find a way to solve this problem because once you carved the pot there is no way back, well, almost.

In the first cup Rodolfo sings in Spanish and in the second one in English.

The cats are different because I like this idea and I would repeat it, so I was testing different colors for the cats, if the orange make it will be Rodolfo and Sekmeth or Rodolfo and Gato, if the black cat makes the cut. We will see. I still can not make up my mind.

Rodolfo

Well, I am not sure his name is Rodolfo, my neighbor calls him Rudy, but Rudy doesn't seem to be a name for him, somehow I think he is Latin, and speaks Spanish, I think he sings Quiquiriqui, and not Cock- A - Doodle - Do. I mean, really? I can not even pronounce that, how will Rodolfo??

Yes, Rodolfo is a rooster, a free one, I have no idea how he ended up living on my street, he is here all the time, and he sings the whole day, and he is way fatter than he should be. He goes door to door and sings for food, and people, of course feed him... well, not everyone, not me. I don't want him to come all the time and ask for food, and even so, he is always here, same with cats, I don't like them, and regardless they are here all the time. For some reason, they like my garden, front and back. Luckly  Rodolfo has not found his way to my back garden like the cats. And my next door neighbor keeps him well fed, so I guess there is nothing to worry about.

It has been about 2 months, I think, since the very first time we heard Rodolfo, and nowadays I barely hear him, not because he has stopped singing but because I am so used to him. The other day my cousin came to visit and found him, she was surprised and said: "There is a rooster on your front door"! Rodolfo moved slowly and let her pass, he is not afraid of humans at all.

 Here are some photos of Rodolfo. I have learned that he is a Barred Plymouth Rock Chicken, and that they are quite popular here in the USA. My mom said they are called "moros" in Peru. However, if you google them, you will notice that the roosters are not as fat as Rodolfo; he has been definitely well fed by the Ballast Point neighbors.

Do you have chickens? It seems like everybody has chickens nowadays, and of course, fresh eggs too, but so far I am the only one who "has" a free rooster who sings Quiquiriqui every hour, because I am sure he sings in Spanish.

Handmade in America

Here are some photos of the July 4th Exhibit, the show was nice and came many people. I met wonderful upcoming artist that I will keep a eye on them, and some well know artist as well.

I appeared in many photos because my lovely husband was in charge of the camera and he just likes to take photos of me :s I didn't post all of the photos I thought you may get tired of seeing my face.

So, here is my with my bowl, the bunnies bowl it has a fancy name because my husband is the one who name almost every pot I made, he has the amazing gift of writing, he loves words, play with words and create beautiful stories with those words. Every pot that he name becomes a piece of poetry, if it were for me the bowl will just be white bunnies with him is "Blue Spring Fulgent", much nicer, don't you think? The bowl has so much meaning with him, he put in words feelings, and I found that amazing!!!

This is a wood sculpture made by Candance Knapp, its name is "Sisters of the Holly Flower", it is a set of 3 girls/flowers all made of wood, it is a beautiful piece, I will buy it inmediately if I had the money, just $1800, not so bad if we think that she is quite famous. I have seen her pieces in many places around Florida in solo and group exhibitions. Also the red bird mobile, is another of her creations. 

 

And this wall belong to Linda Pieroth from Apollo Beach, Florida, she works with mosaics. She makes this beautiful images cutting little pieces of glass, adding beads and many things like that. Just beautiful, I like them all, but if I have to choose, I will take the cardinal and the moth, ok, just the cardinal, no, the moth. Her pieces are some what affordable between $300 and $400. If I sold my bowl I will buy one of these. 

Dan Balk Studio, he is the owner and the artist of the Singing Stone Gallery, he made amazing jewelry, beyond pretty and so unique, I am not a person who wear jewelry, just a pair of simple earrings are enough for me, but I can admire the process the art in each of his creations, if I had the money I will buy some for my mom, she loves jewelry and is not shy about wearing big pieces.

Me again :)

 

Again the bowl and I posing with my adorado Briancito !!!

 

The wonderful painting of a rooster by Lynn Rattray tittle "The Senator". I was wondering if she painted it because the show was in Ybor City and there are many chickens and rooster around here, the city of Ybor protect them and therefore they walk freely on the streets. We were looking at the painting and then we heard them, just outside the gallery a couple of them walking around,

 We went outside to try to take a better photo of them. They walked pretty fast, could get any close up.

It was a lovely evening, I meet some new artist and had a good time, after that we went back home and had a nice dinner with my lovely husband. Yesterday I found out that the Tampa Tribune newspaper wrote an  article about the exhibit, here is the link if you want to read it:

Theme of Singing Stone exhibit is all-american

July Exhibits

I am very happy to let you know that I have been accepted to a couple of exhibits yayy!!!. The first one is title "Handmade in America" and it has been hosted by the The Singing Stone Gallery in Ybor City, Tampa. The opening reception will be on July 4th. I submitted 3 photos and they chose the white rabbits jumping around. I think I showed you the photo before, but just in case, here it is.

The second exhibit is the "5th Annual Nature & Wildlife Exhibit" hosted by the St. Augustine Art Association. The Exhibit will go from July 26 to August 31st. Again, so happy, specially because is a theme that I love and works perfectly with what I do. I sent 3 photos and they chose the "Running Hares"  yay!!!
Here is the photo of my plate with the running hares. 

I will let you know about the opening receptions and post some photos :)










 

Branches Tree Plate

Second plate carved ready!
This is a cone 10 plate, the glaze is Dijon, you can see some little yellow spots here and there. Next time I will only apply red oxide wash in some parts and see what happens. I am happy with it anyway. What do you think?

Blue Jay Nest Vase

Finally I made a new version of the Blue Jay Nest, last one I did was around this time of year last year and as you can read it in my previous post ( Blue Jay Nest) I was not happy about it. There are some important changes in the new version, first of all is a bigger vase (yes!!!), second I had no intention to use any latex ever again and third I did not use as much glaze as last time.

The theme is as you can see the same, the difference is the glaze, wow! Glaze does make a huge difference.
I am debating myself weather I should leave the background always empty or if I just keep trying to find a glaze that works for me.



Blue Jay Nest 20014

 

Blue Jay Nest 2013