Just Unloaded

I just unloaded these tiles and minis from the kiln. I spent most of the week quietly glazing, and wondering if I now had too many new glaze colors, textures, etc. It definitely too me much, much longer to brush on all the different choices.
But, at the same time I was feeling like I had option overload, I still felt like there were a few holes in my new color palette. I decided to just wait and see if the results were worth the time. And I must say, when I opened the kiln this morning, I was very happy! Here are some of the minis I finished up this week. They've started to remind me more of circus tints with the bright colors, rather than the sea urchins that originally inspired them. But I'm just going to go with it for now.
This is how the tiles will be finished and displayed. The tiles are 2" square, and this Tile Plaque is 4"x 6" and be hung horizontal or vertical. Look for it in my new Etsy Shop soon!
Well, gotta go for now.

Happy Friday!
Meagan

Website Updates

Hi there!

I just wanted to let you know that my website has just been updated with new images, new info and several new pages. (Thank you Constance for all your hard work!)

New Features Include:
A Shop page listing where to find and purchase my work.

I also wanted to share a bit about how I make my work. So, there's a new page in the Artist Info section describing my Materials and Process. As well as pages with a few of my favorite low fire glaze recipes and the firing schedules I use for my glass work.


I'd love to hear your feedback. How's the load time for images? Do you feel like something is missing? What's you favorite page? What else would you like to see? Constructive criticism welcome!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and checking in on the latest happenings.

Best,
Meagan

Today's Glaze Kiln

Hi! Wanted to post a picture real quick of some of the work I unloaded today. Overall, I'm happy with the results. This color palette is definitely brighter than what I've work with in the past, so I think it will take some time to really study the surfaces and decide which I like and how to move forward. Gotta run. I'm going with Nigel and Cheyenne to UF in Gainesville to go the H.O.T. Clay opening "Currents: A Contemporary Look at Florida Ceramics."

Hope you have a great weekend!
Meagan
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Quick Update - First Glaze firing of 2009

After a marathon 10 hour day in the studio, I finished glazing enough work to fill and fire the kiln. It wasn't a tight load, but full nonetheless.

I decided that I only wanted to glaze about 1/3 of the bisqued work I just unloaded so that I could really see my new glazes in action. This way if I end up hating a glaze/glaze combination I won't have ruined all the work I just spent the last 2 weeks making. Or if I find that a certain glaze is working great, I can apply that more often. (And of course I couldn't resist the urge to sneak in a few more glaze test tiles.)

[Ware Cart full of bisqued ceramics awaiting glaze application. ]

Well, that's it for tonight. I'm pretty exhausted, so it's time to go relax before heading off to bed.

Stay tuned for photos of today's firing results!
Meagan
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Conflicting Goals

Whew! I'm back. Our internet was down for a bit, and I'm sure you understand how frustrating that is.

Do you ever get to a point where the goals you've set get in each other's way? Well, that was me on Friday. I had set 2 goals for myself last week. 1 - Finish all clay work by Friday so that it can dry over the weekend and I can fire on Monday (yesterday). 2 - Make 100 new Mini Sculptures.
I might have been able to accomplish both if I had decided before last Tuesday to push myself to make the 100 Minis. So, there I was at 6:00 Friday night with 75 Minis made, but none slipped and decorated. Ultimately, I decided to just finish the ones I had started, despite falling 25 short of my goal. And even though the kiln is cram packed full of work (Tile Plaques, new tiles, soap dishes, etc), there's still a tiny part of me that is disappointed. Does anyone else have these self-imposed deadlines? How do you handle them? I know I shouldn't be disappointed. But I take comfort in the fact that I will be spending the next week and a half glazing all this new work. (Yay! I love glazing!)

So, today's tasks include catching up on the computer work I missed while our internet was down, listening to the inauguration on NPR, and cutting the steel for the Tile Plaques.

Well, I gotta go hang up our American Flag and check on a kiln.

Happy Inauguration Day! And cheers to no more conflicting goals!
Meagan
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New Tile Style

In addition to making more tiles for my current Tile Plaque series, I started making a few new ones like this... It's a bit of a new style of design/carving for me. They are still 4" square and will be mounted on steel/wood but these will have glass fused and slumped into the tiny windows. Stay tuned for more postings and photos of the progress.

Thanks for stopping in for a quick update,
Meagan
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Artist Interview

Hi Everyone,

Painter, web guru, and fellow artist blogger, Constance Humphries, has started a monthly interview series intended to highlight the life and art of contemporary artists. Constance was nice enough to ask me to be her first interviewee! How did I get started in art? What are my influences? What inspires me when things get tough? How do you balance art with business? It's all posted today on her blog, so please check it out when you get a moment.

Constance Humphries, "Step like a giant"
2008, oil on canvas

Happy Friday,
Meagan
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Back to work in 2009!

Happy 2009 to everyone out there reading! I hope your holidays were spent enjoying good food and the company of friends and family. After a whirlwind holiday tour that included stops in New Orleans, Raleigh, Asheville, and Atlanta, it's great to be back home!
And back in the studio!! On Monday, I started rolling out 1/4" slabs for more Tile Plaques, and have been cranking away. These pieces are also great studio "warm up" exercises. The design imagery can be as quick or involved as I like, and I often think of them as tiny sketches in clay. They will also be an excellent way for me to begin incorporating my new glazes.

Here are a few 4" earthenware tiles I unloaded just before we left town. All of the glazes I used are from my recent testing extravaganza, and I am very excited about the possibilities. Thank you to everyone out there reading and following along in my studio adventures.
Hope you're enjoying day 7 of the New Year! Personally, I love January! The holiday stress is behind me. And the new year is full of inspiration, hope, determination, and optimism.

Cheers to a happy and healthful 2009!
Meagan
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