DRAWING TO A CLOSE!

THE END OF ANOTHER 

STIMULATING AND FRUSTRATING YEAR!

THANKS TO CINDY, BRACKER'S CLAY, KANSAS, FOR THE CAKE AT A RECENT WORKSHOP IN LAWRENCE.

THE MESSAGE ON THE FRONT OF MY T-SHIRT IS NOT WHAT YOU MIGHT BE THINKING! IT WAS MY ATTEMPT AT A LIFE AND WORK PHILOSOPHY. IT BASICALLY MEANS "GET RID OF ALL THE OTHER  INTRUSIVE CLUTTER OF YOUR LIFE, SIMPLIFY YOUR JOURNEY AND MOVE ON, UNENCUMBERED". 

I'M PRIVILEGED TO HAVE DONE NEARLY 200 WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS OVER NEARLY 40 YEARS, AND IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. IN A TWO-DAY SESSION THIS WAS THE FIRST PHILOSOPHICAL STATEMENT. THE SECOND WAS "THINK BIG!". THE THIRD WAS "THINK TALL!" THE LAST WAS DOUBLE SIDED! ON THE FRONT IT SAID "IT'S IN THE BOOK!" AND ON THE BACK IT SAID "TRY IT AND SEE!" BY THIS TIME I WAS FEELING TIRED SO I JUST POINTED TO THE MOST RELEVANT SIDE WHENEVER THERE WERE QUESTIONS. UNFORTUNATELY,. I CAN NO LONGER DO THE WORKSHOPS, BUT THE PHILOSOPHY REMAINS INTACT. AS LONG AS I CAN RETAIN MY STRANGE BRITISH SENSE OF HUMOUR, THINGS SHOULD BE JUST FINE.

The Legend of the Crane

Throughout history, birds have been viewed as animals of special value and have been ladened with meanings often derived from legends and stories that have survived over many generations. The Crane may conceivably be the oldest bird on earth; there is fossil proof that they existed over 60 million years ago. Greek and Roman myth tended to portray the dance of cranes as a love of joy and a celebration of life. The crane was usually considered to be a bird of Apollo, the sun god, who heralded in Spring and light. Throughout all of Asia, the crane has been a symbol of happiness and eternal youth. In Japanese, Chinese, and Korean tradition, cranes stand for good fortune and longevity because of its fabled life span of a thousand years. Existing in fifteen species which inhabit five continents, the most majestic is the Japanese Crane which stands almost five feet tall with its wing span of more than six feet and its white body capped with its red crown. The Japanese refer to the crane as “the bird of happiness;” the Chinese as “heavenly crane” believing they were symbols of wisdom. The powerful wings of the crane were believed to be able to convey souls up to paradise and to carry people to higher levels of spiritual enlightenment.

Twentieth Century Copies of 17th Century Cranes from Thailand,
 standing at the edge of the pond in our Japanese inspired garden.

I'M EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR HAVING HAD THE MOST AMAZING LIFE I COULDN'T HAVE IMAGINED! BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME, MEETING MANY REMARKABLE PEOPLE IN MANY WALKS OF LIFE, MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS, HAVING THE RIGHT PARTNERS AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW MY DREAMS, AND HELP OTHERS FIND AND FOLLOW THEIRS.

 MOST OF THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN LESS THAN ENJOYABLE WITH VARIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT HAVE ALMOST CUT THE ABILITY TO DO THINGS TO ZILCH. WHEN PARTS OF THE OLD BODY GIVE UP FROM USE, ABUSE OR MISUSE, I TRY TO SMILE AND MOVE ON TO A NEW DIRECTION IN MY ARTS, EXPAND AND EXPLORE SOMETHING NEW. I ALWAYS COME BACK TO MY FINAL T- SHIRT MESSAGE AND THE CLOSING STATEMENT OF MY FIRST BOOK,
 "THE CERAMIC SPECTRUM",

"TRY IT AND SEE!"

JAPANESE CRANE 

I'VE  ALWAYS HAD SEVERAL THINGS ON THE GO AT THE SAME TIME. I ACHIEVED A LOT BUT AT QUITE A COST TO HEALTH.  I'M NOW DOWN TO JUST TWO - WRITING AND GLAZE PAINTING.  I WILL CONTINUE AS LONG AS I HAVE THE ENERGY AND HAND CONTROL THAT I NEED. TODAY IS THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THIS BLOG. IT HAS MAINLY BEEN A PLEASURE, TOUCHED WITH FRUSTRATION FROM LACK OF A DIALOG.  LIKE THE TOPSY-TURVY LIFE I'VE HAD, THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST POSTING, BUT THEN AGAIN, IT MIGHT NOT!

ALL MY VERY BEST WISHES FOR 2013 AND ONWARDS.

ROBIN

BRUSHSTUFF #3

"THE BIG SWEEP"

BRUSHES FOR LARGE COVERAGE

MOPS, FUDES, DAMI-FUDES, MULTIPLE STEM AND HAKEME BRUSHES

THIS IS MY THIRD AND LAST BLOG ON THE TOPIC OF BRUSHES AND BRUSHWORK. IT DEALS WITH THE VARIETY OF LARGE BRUSHES THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR LAYING DOWN LARGE SWEEPS, OR WASHES OF COLOR. AS WITH MOST OTHER BRUSHES, EACH HAS BASICALLY THREE VARIATIONS OF MARK - TIP OR STIPPLE, 
FULL-STROKE AND SIDE-STROKE.

DIFFERENT BRUSH TYPES HOLD A DIFFERENT
 DEGREE OF CHARGE OF LIQUID.  THE LARGER THE CHARGE, THE LONGER ONE CAN STROKE.  YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN OUT OF WHATEVER THE LIQUID MIGHT BE HALFWAY THROUGH A STROKE, SO PICK THE BRUSH SIZE THAT ALLOWS A COMPLETE SWEEP. REPEATED BRUSHMARKS OVER A PREVIOUS ONE LOOK MESSY AND  USUALLY CAN'T BE REMOVED. USING BRUSHES TAKES A LOT OF PRACTICE IN GAUGING THE AMOUNT OF LIQUID, THE CORRECT DEGREE OF PRESSURE AND THE SPEED OF MARK. WHEN APPLYING LIQUIDS TO CERAMIC SURFACES BY BRUSH, EACH STAGE - GREENWARE, BISQUE, UNDERGLAZE AND ON-GLAZE - 
HAS ITS OWN PARTICULAR IDIOSYNCRASIES THAT TAKE TIME TO MASTER OR EVEN GAIN BASIC CONTROL OVER. IT IS A LITTLE LIKE LEARNING TO DANCE 
 WITH ONE'S HANDS. WHEN IT IS DONE WELL IT IS SPIRITED AND BEAUTIFUL AND LIFTS THE MUNDANE TO MAKE MAGIC. WHEN DONE CLUMSILY, BAD BRUSHWORK CAN WRECK THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FORM.






ABOVE - 
BRUSHSTROKES FROM DIFFERENT BRUSHES

THREE SIZES OF JAPANESE FUDE FOR BROAD STROKES.
SMALLER FUDES ARE USED FOR MID-SIZED BROAD STROKES

 JAPANESE BROAD AND CHINESE MULTI-STEM FUDES FOR WASHES

A RANGE OF LARGE BRUSHES FOR VARIATIONS OF LARGE APPLICATION

MOPS 

HAKE BRUSH FOR WORKING WITH SLIPS IN A JAPANESE STYLE CALLED HAKEME.  THIS IS ONE OF MANY VARIATIONS OF BRUSHES THAT MAKE COARSE OR TEXTURED MARKS. THEY ARE OFTEN JUST A HANDFUL OF TWIGS, PINE OR CEDAR BRANCHLETS. WITH THE COARSE SWEEPING MARKS AS BACKGROUND THEY ARE OFTEN OVERPAINTED WITH FINE BRUSHWORK.

BRUSH MATERIAL.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF BRUSHES ARE MADE WITH FRAGILE ANIMAL HAIR OR FUR. ITS CARE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE BRUSH WORKING AT ITS BEST.  UNFORTUNATELY, MOST CERAMIC SURFACES ARE FAIRLY ABRASIVE AND WEAR DOWN THE FINE TIPS OF HIGH QUALITY BRUSHES. WHEN NEW. THEY SHOULD BE CAREFULLY WASHED WITH WARM WATER TO REMOVE THE STARCH THAT HOLDS THEM TO A FINE POINT. THEY ARE BEST LEFT HANGING TO DRY.  AFTER USE, THEY ARE BEST CLEANED DIRECTLY WITH A WARM SOAPY WATER SOLUTION AND THE COLOR OR GLAZE GENTLY MASSAGED OUT FROM THE BRUSH FERRULE TO THE TIP. ONCE CLEANED THEY SHOULD BE WASHED WITH TEPID WATER TO REMOVE ANY REMAINING SOAP RESIDUE. WHEN THEY ARE TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY, THEY WILL NORMALLY LAST FOR AN EXTENSIVE TIME, BUT CERTAINLY WILL DETERIORATE WITH TIME AND USAGE. THINK OF THEM AS AN INVESTMENT, AS THE BEST AMONG THEM COST QUITE A LOT OF MONEY, AND ARE OFTEN IRREPLACEABLE.

MY FAVORITE BRUSHES ARE THOSE THAT ARE HANDMADE, USING ROOSEVELT ELK HAIR AND MADE BY THE LATE KEITH LEBENZON FROM OREGON. THE BOB HOVEY BRUSH COMPANY ALSO MAKE HIGH QUALITY HANDMADE BRUSHES. IN MY OPINION, THE BEST PRODUCERS OF COMMERCIAL BRUSHES IS THE ROYAL BRUSH COMPANY OF MUNSTER, INDIANA. INFORMATION ON THESE PRODUCTS CAN EASILY BE FOUND ONLINE. WHEN BUYING HIGH QUALITY BRUSHES IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO TRY THEM BEFORE PURCHASING.
______________________________________________________

SPRINGTIME IS ON THE WAY ON VANCOUVER ISLAND IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

 PRIMULA

SNOWDROPS

HELLEBORE

I STARTED THIS BLOG ON LAST NEW YEAR'S EVE. IT HAS KEPT ME VERY BUSY FOR THE INTERIM TIME ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T MATCH MY PERSONAL EXPECTATIONS WITH IT. THIS IS POSTING #93.

MICKEY, MY ALTER-EGO, WISHES YOU ALL THE VERY BEST FOR THE COMING YEAR. IF I CAN MUSTER UP THE ENERGY, I HOPE TO BE BACK IN 2013 IN A SLIGHTLY REDUCED FORMAT. TUNE IN TO CHECK.

SANTA BABY!

 ALL THE VERY BEST 

 FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON 

GETTING BACK TO WORK IN

MY STUDIO AFTER OVER A YEAR'S

ABSENCE WAS THE BEST PRESENT

 THAT I COULD POSSIBLY 

IMAGINE. 

I'M NOT MAKING ANY POTS, 

BUT USING GRAPHIC SKILLS, 

PAINTING AND PRINTMAKING 

IMAGERY AND HAVING 

A WHOLE LOT OF FUN

GETTING BACK TO NORMAL.

ALL THE VERY BEST OF THE SEASON

TO ALL MY READERS, 

WHEREVER YOU MAY BE.

BRUSHSTUFF #3 IS STILL COMING SOON.