One big Update*

Haven't been on here for a while, so i'll just do one big blog post just going over what ive been up to over the last couple of weeks, well months:

I was at the SundayUpMarket at the Truman's Brewery a few Sundays back doing my best Del Boy impression by helping out Helen, my cousins other half with her stall selling prints.

Didn't like the early start! Especially it being a Sunday, and my only real lay in of the week.  Danny wasn't happy either being woken up so early - so he just came along for the ride.  Was a really good day, unfortunately I couldnt actually look around the market but from what I saw, i'd def go back again and spend a lazy Sunday wandering the streets of East London and browsing all the stalls.

AND the best bit about the day was getting to meet Baby George, the newest edition to the Johnson family!  He was three weeks old and lovely!  That's why Helen couldn't run the stall herself, being otherwise indisposed!  He is the first baby i've held properly, and not the last...

Here he is, a quick snap of when he was only a few hours old!

What else have I been up to? Oh yes, I've been working on a couple of commissions for various different people. One for a 40th birthday gift, which has been safely delivered but not given as the gift yet so I wont say anymore on that one.. ill put artwork up as soon as..

The second was commissioned ever such a long time ago for a Wedding present from my mum's best friends daughter to her friends.  It was literally 2 Christmases ago and the couple only got back to me recently, due to being on honeymoon and life getting in the way!  Instead of wedding photos on the vessel, we decided on the theme of their honeymoon - in Rio.  Its not quite finished yet as I am 'stockpiling' all my work so I can put a full kiln on.

Here's the artwork.  The image below states 'Sarah & David' but her husband is actually called Ian!  Im working on another commission and the couple are called Sophie & David! Got them muddled! But never fear, the final artwork did say the right name!

 

SLIPGATE! What a nightmare.  It was on a Friday afternoon and I was 'just quickly slipcasting' before I had to go to work. And then it happened.  The mould burst its seams.. I panicked, Julie panicked, the slip was going everywhere, we were slipping about in the slip.  Looking back, it was actually hilarious! Us both scrabbling around trying to find something to stop the slip pouring out!

Its not like the slip spillages we had in uni - I think its because we've bought the slip, we dont want to waste one little drop, whereas at uni it was always on tap!

Had a bit of a disaster that just made me want to give up! What with the 'slip-gate' the day before - Nothing was going right! My poor old mould broke!  I think it's because it was still quite damp from the slip spillage, it was all weak and crumbly and when I was cranking it, it just went!!  

Ive managed to seal it up and its still useable, but it is rather old!  I made them in university and I left in 2009 - AND ive been using them all the time up to now.  A rather good innings?

Luckily my friend Kate is a whizz at mould making so I will go down and visit her in her London studio and hopefully she can help me make a master mould for my pieces.

Ive been slipcasting alot, in prep for the Leigh Art Trail next month! EEEEK! Ive had a year to prepare and make for this and im doing it ALL in the last month! Typical of me!  I'll do a separate post for the Art Trail stuff

And glazing. Like my outfit?  That dust gets everywhere and coats every single hair!  My eyelashes were white at the end of it!

Oil was getting onto our pieces through the glaze gun so we were a bit worried that the compressor was about to die.  It was then we saw this sign:

Ah. Ive had it almost three years and not drained it once! That would be the problem then! Whoops... All drained and sorted now though!