Friday, October 31, 2008

on the eve


everything, originally uploaded by nirbhao.

I set it out on the counter. I took pictures of each piece individually. i loaded the kiln.

I made delicious (I hope) gluten free brownies.

now I am exhausted. it's a good thing I did all of this compulsive organizing on flickr tonight instead of tomorrow when I am at work and bored.

no, seriously-- firing is like giftmas for me. I love it.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

for saturday

7 bowls
7 bobbin bowls
6 wine bottle holders
1 "abstract"

I wanted to have 12 bobbin bowls, and I will throw a bit tomorrow morning, but even that is pushing it.

teaser

I have a lot of pictures to process.

(as always, clicking the photo will take you to my flickr photostream)

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Saturday, October 25, 2008

elbow deep in dirt (and it's wonderful)

somebody (Jenn.) introduced me to bobbin bowls. I made three last night. I am going to make more. the ones I made are itty bitty.

throwing itty bitty is *really* hard for me. throwing big means that when I jerk the piece around, I don't completely destroy it. I want to make tiny delicate giftmas tree globes.

there is a line I haven't quite figured out between things I need to learn how to do and things that just require accommodation. The tripod for my camera (or continuous exposure, because I am way too lazy to use a tripod) is a reasonable accommodation. is throwing off the hump something I just can't do?

John said, "you walk into a room and you feel like you have to explain yourself to everyone." if he had a disability, that would be sympathetic. it would mean that he understands the discomfort and awkwardness. John doesn't have a disability. John is good at calling me out on my shit. what his statement meant was that I don't have to explain myself.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

the sun rises

I was in my studio by 7am this morning.

as it turns out, I am still terrible at throwing off the hump. I did a *very* nice foot on one of the bowls, though. I'm getting pretty excited about this next bisque.

one of the pieces that I threw the other day cracked as it was drying. it looked like just a little crack in the bottom. I like to float the pieces in the reclaim bin because it is fun to watch them sink, and if the water is still enough, they collect on top of the other clay in such a way that I can still tell what piece it was.

as I expected, the clay around the crack started absorbing water right away. what I didn't realize was that the crack spiraled up the wall of the bowl about one and a half times. this is the really cool part: the bowl spun! as it was dissolving, it turned in circles on top of the water. it was quick, too, and consistent.

science is neat.

I made a decision about my job. when I am relieved with a decision, I know it was the right thing.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

I'm not paid enough to make it worth my time

ah, this job. at least I can play on the internet.... for several hours at a time..... guh.

I have to study. I want to throw and knit. I really should clean.

I'm eight weeks behind on my penpal letters. I haven't biked in about the same amount of time. my social life is non-existent.

if I stay up past 10, I get sad. there's only so much I can do at 6am.

that's not true. I can throw, knit, clean, study... any of those things. clearly I am just whining. clearly I am just not that motivated at 6am.

(sigh)

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Sunday, October 12, 2008

my outline is better than the casebook!

unfortunately, too few of my classmates get the reference.






(my outline is most definitely neither better nor longer than the casebook)

I started a bit too late this term, but, man.... there were things I planned to do this weekend, like laundry. the best I can do about the studio is gaze longingly. I am setting aside time tomorrow both for biking and throwing. it's important to nurture all aspects of health.

it occurred to me that, for all of my insecurities, I can't complain without also bragging. my life is just too fucking great. that's bragging, right? except what I am really trying to convey is how grateful I am for the disproportionate awesomeness the universe has bestowed on me.

anyway, I got through the crushing-sadness-for-no-reason and am now back to overwhelming euphoria. woo! bipolar!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Cookie!


loves of my life, originally uploaded by nirbhao.

I met Cookie A. yes, I am that much of a nerd that I am bragging about my celebrity encounter. celebrity for her sock knitting patterns.

hellz yes.

she even gave me a little bit of yarn and said that she would be honored to have a square in my blanket. (warm fuzzies)

so, yes, I am a nerd. however, if I am going to think a person is really cool, it may as well be an independent and creative woman whose artistic ability brings her fame.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

delicious yarn


, originally uploaded by nirbhao.

everyone should be in love with Lorilee of city knitting, because she is amazing.

and also because she feeds my sock yarn addiction.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

spinning my wheels

I guess I have a bit of cabin fever.

this is post number 64, by the way. 64 is one of my favorite numbers.

this is the bowl that I was talking about earlier:


I've been thinking about selling my work, largely because I could use the money. I'm still hesitant, given how obvious my tremor is. giving them away allows me to pretend they aren't worth anything because of my defect.

this past weekend I was glazing, and what felt right was even, consistent, solid coats. nothing fancy at all. when I did dip glazing, solid colors were about as lazy as a person could get. I decided that it's okay and just to go with it for now.

I am planning extremely intricate works. yesterday, I tried to make one happen and it just didn't. the planning becomes even more complex. it should be gorgeous when it comes into being.

I also have decided that I want to make a gigantic box for my fiber works. I'm doing some sketching, measuring, and planning. it will be an involved project, and I will need a good deal of space and time to make it happen. I like it that I am taking the time to plan it out well. a lot of times, I get excited about these project and start them before I have them entirely figured out. in the past, that has worked out pretty okay.
useless

I'm coming to terms with my status as hedonistic nun.

Monday, October 6, 2008

my fellow americans (especially michiganders)

register to vote:
www.mi.gov/vote

educate yourself, and vote for the persons and proposals you feel are best for this nation.

an issue I care about and encourage you to educate yourself on is Michigan Proposal 1: A legislative initiative to permit the use and cultivation of marijuana for specified medical conditions.

click here for a pdf of the approved ballot language, and here for the entire text of the Michigan medical marijuana act.

other good sources of information:
Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care
Marijuana Policy Project
NORML

go! go! representative republic!

Saturday, October 4, 2008

success!


success!, originally uploaded by nirbhao.

I keep thinking back to catholic school, strategically arranging the carbon paper so as to not waste any.

that really wasn't that long ago. really. it wasn't.

I have figured out how to make the carbon paper system work. the issue I have now is that the template is from a fresh tile, and stoneware generally shrinks 15% while firing. should be easy enough to work around.

I'm giddy to see this project happening.

this week in review (the epic!)

this is what I should have said to my boss when he told me that he needed me to come in today:
fuck you.

yesterday a shower and quick run (I didn't actually run) to school wore me out. today I am skipping vicodin to work? (deep breath) enough whining. when I hold still, I feel better than I did before. when I hit a pothole on the expressway, well......

weird thing: I have no idea what to eat. I have been living off of cream of wheat, toast, eggs, soy milk, and food juice long enough that I am not even sure what I want to eat. I might go back to veganism. it's a lot easier to build up than cut down. except I like honey.

clay
I've encountered some unanticipated logistical... um... excitement. this actually feels really stupid. usually, when I transfer an image, I use the grid method. I decided that, because of the small size and detail of the chickens, carbon paper would be a good way to go. in theory this is great. it makes nice lines and burns off just like pencil.

carbon paper is also dark enough that I can't see through it to see where the chicken is.

seriously.

I glazed my favorite bowl from this batch. that's always scary, you know? every stage is frightening when I care about a project. it's nice to push boundaries with the pieces I don't care about, but I shouldn't keep them.

yarn
I got a boatload of swap yarn this week. it is amazing stuff. I truly am a yarn addict, and I have no desire whatsoever to rehab. I've been incorporating the new colors, and I really don't think I can handle the pink. it's a bit too lisa frank. I have this weird feeling of obligation to use the yarn even if I don't like it (as opposed to, say, reswapping it), and I'm trying to shake that because it's absolutely ridiculous. I should only use yarn I like.

I've been a bit too monogamous with the sock yarn blanket, and so I do need to diversify. a friend wants some pot holders, and I found great mario brothers color charts. I also really want to make the sushi roll scarf. I've wanted to make it since this spring but decided against starting a scarf in spring. the drops socks, on the other hand... I just don't care. I don't dislike them enough to frog them, but I probably will put them down for a bit.

school
I have not studied at all this week. BAD! this is especially frustrating since I actually figured out *how* to outline and *how* to write. really you have to have gone through it to understand that you think you understand when people explain it, but then one day it just makes sense.

I got my blue books back, and comments generally are along the lines of, "this would be very good if it were more organized." that is thrilling, given that organization is something I can practice. organization is part of what came with the outline epiphany.

In other news
I'm poor and you should buy me things.
(also my birthday is less than a sixth of a year away)

Thursday, October 2, 2008

you will do it and you will like it


template, originally uploaded by the_celebration.

make the chicken your own. look at the beautiful chickens.

you can
• post it to the group photo pool,
email it, or
• mail it to shine po box 345 ada mi 49301 usa