STORMY AUTUMN DAY @ THE BLUEDOOR STUDIO



Chicken Ah La Rose !

It was a bit of a stormy day here on top of the hill today so I had my first big sleep in for a very long day...Yes I had forgotten the real estate agent was coming this morning...Very embarrassing answering the door at 10:30 in my PJ's I must say!
As the Kiln was still cooling from yesterdays Bisque I spent the day cozy indoors enjoying the change of seasons. Mikes Veggie patch is ready for the winter Veg but no planting today!!!

This dinner we had a couple of weeks ago was the last of the tomato's...Everything you see in this pic except the Free range chicken was from the garden...Absolutely delicious





Succulent... mmmm I can just smell the roasted garlic and herbs!

This what I was doing while waiting for the chicken to cook! I'm sure it added to the flavour!!!
Well I'm off to the kitchen again and looking forward to an early start to my Glazing morning tomorrow and then I'm off to Mum and Dads for lunch.
So Cheers till Next time and Bonn Appetite!

MASKS IN PROGRESS @ THE BLUEDOOR

From this Blank of my face

To the finished Masks

Detail one of Gorgeous

We've had a some great pottery weather here at the BLUEDOOR STUDIO over the last couple of weeks...Well some really lovely days mixed with a few not so great ones...Today the sun is shinning and the air is crisp and I've had a lovely flow in the studio over the past two weeks.

I started with a play with Tea Bowls which I'm really happy with,although as yet unglazed and then fiddled with the Altered forms that I shared a sneak peak with you in an earlier post and I've been having a great time over the last couple of days doing a long needed Mask 'Run'.

I love the shadows on damp terracotta

Sweet dreamings

 I use a plaster press mold of my face to form these 

 which I detail with dentistry tools at the firm(ish) 

 leather hard stage.

 After they are dried I apply an iron oxide wash  

and then fire to about 1000degrees.

Sweet dreamings two

I must say that although Today is lovely the cold got to me by about 4 o'clock yesterday so I set up a table in front of the heater inside and finished the last couple of masks over a glass of wine...How civilized!
Just thought I'd share these pics because I love how they look at this stage as much as when they're fired!
Well Cheerio for now... Off to finish the last couple of masks in the sun!


Cheers from ROSE MAGUIRE @ THE BLUEDOOR STUDIO

PLAY TIME AT THE BLUEDOOR STUDIO

Autumn again! It's been great Potting weather up here @ THE BLUEDOOR STUDIO. I've had great fun playing with some new forms, pretty different for me and great fun!
I'm not sure where these guys are going to go yet but thought I'd share the results of today's play.

I've thrown the body on the wheel and added stretched and textured slabs for the neck. once the neck is attached and consolidated I put it back on the wheel and give the neck a bit more shape. Then I attach a couple of lugs and pull and roll them to make the 'handles'. After that I have slapped on a thick luscious slip to create even more texture. Now theyll sit in the damp cupboard for a couple of days and then dried slowley. Can't wait to see them fired!
Till next time... Cheers From ROSE AT THE BLUEDOOR STUDIO

All slipped up

Thrown and Altered

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.

A Pedestal Platter Demo from THE BLUEDOOR STUDIO

Hi all, I've been playing with movie making again. Here's a wee video compilation I filmed earlier this year whilst figuring out a quick and easy technique to throw pedestal platters (cake/fruit stands)without too much fuss . Not only quick but I found them lots of fun. And I love throwing them all in one rather than two pieces ( we're so clever)

  

The finished pieces were made from Walkers No. 10 and fired to cone 6 (1220ish) after bisque. I was happily surprised that there was no warping or cracking.

If you're going to give this a try please remember to keep the water to a minimum and compress (everything that can be) really well.

So here's the basics, have a play....

You can contact me via the comments section if you have any questions.

Comments please on length and picture/sound quality and any other constructive criticism would be appreciated.

Till next time Cheers from The Bluedoor Studio 

(Rose Maguire Ceramics)

Rose Maguire, Getting It Right?Throwing Tea Pots off the Hump

This video is incompleate I'm creating this post as a trial to see how much I can compress a video file without compromising the quality or the upload speed. I have a feeling it will be back to the drawing board! Please leave comments on Quality and speed!

Thanks (Rose Maguire @ the Bluedoor)

'Exoteric' Work Finished

Don't forget...You can click on the image to see it bigger

Well it's been a very busy couple of months with not much time for Blogging. I pulled the exhibition work for Exoteric out of the kiln on Sunday and Love Love Love it all. A series of 3 pairs of shoes tittled 'Could I Walk a Mile in Your Shoes?' and a 6 piece series of Bowls I call 'The Journey'

I've also posted my artist statement for you to read...

The inspiration for the series ‘Could I Walk a Mile in Your Shoes?’ and the ‘Journey’ series emerged from considering notions of Home and the implications of Immigration and Multiculturalism.

The series celebrates the differences and commonalities of the many cultural groups that form the rich and vibrant 21st century society in which we live and acknowledges that life is a journey that we all share.

As someone once said…There is no place like home…
Wherever that may be.

Rose Maguire

April 2009.

The hard work really paid off and all went according to plan so I thought I would do a wee slide show on the construction of the peices. which I will post ASAP