2015 Update and A Work In Progress from 2014 from me! Rose Maguire at THE BLUEDOOR STUDIO...MORE 2015 news coming...

Fishing In the Hippocampus
ROSE MAGUIRE      Porcelain  

Yes it has been a while and this is really an exercise to see how much the 'Blogger' dash board has changed. This is a lovely porcelain sculpture in the making that I did this time last year. Its about 18 inches in height and made from 'cool ice' porcelain with a light cobalt wash and once fired.

So much has happened in the past year or so. and the business is keeping us busy. We do get a chance to get out into our studios though. 

Right now we are gearing up for our third annual 'Muggs Day' event at Milan Rouge Contemporary Craft and Design... so the cauldron will be bubbling with the aroma of spices from the mulled wine. We have about 15 local potters making mugs for the day as I write this post. 

As well as that we are busy making for our next exhibition here at Milan Rouge Contemporary Craft and Design for the annual 'South Australian Living Artists' Festival in August. This year we are down sizing a tad with only  3 ceramic artists, Alison Arnold, Angela Walford and myself ( Rose Maguire) and the fabulous Painter Rebbeca Cooke.... Who said the middle of the year is boring!!!

Some of the mugs I made last year
 for Muggs Day... ROSE MAGUIRE

Promo shot for last year...
  ROSE MAGUIRE and ALISON ARNOLD

Topping up the spices for the mulled wine

FABULOUS AUTUMN MORNING @ THE BLUEDOOR STUDIO



Had to share my breakfast spot with you

Yes I can see the studio from my Morning cuppa spot

What a fantastic morning up here at THE BLUEDOOR STUDIO. Autumn has come and the weather is perfect for making pots! Expecting a Soft and sunny 25 degrees today so after my morning cuppa I'm off to make some more Slab vases.





Beakers glazed and wax resist almost finished
Just need another dip in the glaze bucket

The studio has had a major clean and ready to go. Mmmmm seems I have a few things to finish off!



Hand full O small Tea bowls PERFECT FOR GREEN TEA
 waiting to be trimmed,
will have to be a dry trim this time...
MASK ON!!!

I've been playing with constructing forms from layering textured porcelain slabs....much fun! These will be off to our new shop/gallery MILAN ROUGE CONTEMPORARY CRAFT AND DESIGN in Stirling (Adelaide Hills, South Australia) when they're finished.



Porcelain Slabs, textured and draped  until they firm
 up a wee bit more before assemblage into vase forms
as seen in the background



Short version of the slab vessels

2011 The Year Of The Owl

This year I've finally gotten around to playing with owls. A bit of time to explore (and the deadline of two exhibitions fairly close together)has allowed me to develop my original drawings into a lovely body of work including a series of stoneware wall tiles 30 x 30cm approx. Some small porcelain tiles and hand built beakers, both with embossed inlays,A collection of thrown and altered sculptures and a new bowel series I call Nest, not to mention some lovely Owl pendants. Another spin off is a series of digital prints from my original drawings. Its been fantastic fun and there is still a lot more scope for further development.

The Owl sculptures start life as bottle forms thrown on the wheel then the top is sealed and clay added to create the head and facial features. I then apply a porcelain slip and draw back into the surface to create texture on the form,after this an Iron Oxide wash is applied and left to dry. This is then rubbed back with fine sand paper (always wear a mask if you try this!!!) glazed and fired to cone 6. Initially I sponged of the excess Oxide but found it often took off to much and spread the oxide around to much, sanding offers me far more control. I'm really loving all facets of producing this body of work.


Find more photos like this on Electric Cone 6, Mid-Fire Potters

To view this slide show as photos and to read a bit more click HERE or to view More of my OWL SKETCHES click HERE.