The handle I "intended" cracked and split at the base of the cup when I attempted to attach it so I turned the remaining stub into a loop. The handle cracked because the clay I used to make the handle lost it's elasticity. The loss of elasticity occurred because (for the first time) I spent 10 hours putting my 400 lbs of aged, elastic, 10 year old clay (it was a little too dry) through a pug mill (the Champion juicer or meat grinder for clay) with some slip to re-moisten it and all that mixing broke up the living connections in the clay and it lost it's elasticity. Panic....then I found some scraps of old elastic, non-pugged clay and started a new handle. The new handle comes from the top of the cup down to an energetic meeting with the loop....the cup seems to be smiling...I am now too......Oh, and new clay has arrived (luckily unfrozen) from Minnesota...there will be more cups.
This is an incredibly beautiful piece. It almost looks like it's liquid or that it's still moving...the fluidity you captured is just sublime.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're getting in new clay, but what a bummer to waste all that time and energy on the other :0( bummer
Thanks Gini...I'm holding on to some hope that the pugged clay will age again...hmmm...age again?
ReplyDeleteYour work is absolutely stunning.
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