The Clayer E-Course

Diana Fayt bowls

I have long admired the work of Diana Fayt in San Francisco whose site I discovered her while researching for my recent study at ANU, Canberra.  Diana's style, colours and designs are very appealing to me. She seems to work hard at what she loves to great effect. While I'm already familiar with most Print on Clay techniques, when I found Diana was offering The Clayer E-Course on the topic, and knowing that distance learning works for me, I signed up.  Take a peep, it may be just the thing for you.  Apart from the benefits of learning and participating, I will make new friends and connections although I may never meet most of them.  This works fine for me too, I mean look at how we use Facebook these days, in regular contact with folk we sometimes never actually meet or speak to.  Without FB I would not have contact with some of my treasured relatives and friends around the globe, let alone all my other connections.

Marney McDiarmid

One of the other artists doing The Clayer E-Course is Marney McDiarmid, a grand Irish name (I can say that being a Dubliner) and located in Ontario.  I've been checking out her website, such loose and lovely work, maybe you should check it out too.  

About time too!

You may notice a new look to the blog, new look, new energy and once finished posting this - onto some new work!  Blogger.com have introduced some new features to add to our blogs some of which are pretty good looking and some - well perhaps a little busy for my own taste.  So stand by - this may get confusing.

Mud Colony

What do you call a bunch of potters who blog?  MUD COLONY - great title.
The idea behind the Mud Colony was for Potters/Ceramic Artists-anyone really who works with clay, to add a link to your blog post describing what your up to in your studio ... easy peasy...and post a link back to HERE. Remember its not an advertising space...its a 'building community' space, so a little chat about Mud Colony and what your doing in your studio space is what its all about !! You can add to the Mud Colony until Saturday night..
Meanwhile, though I am barely getting into the studio due to the extreme heat, I will share an update on some recent work, drying as we speak ... I liked the tool marks so much, I decided to leave them there.  Elaine

A good life!

So far this year has been pretty good, stifling climate aside.  For my lot this is the season of birthdays and anniversaries, they all cluster round the end of and beginning of the year, then we suffer a long drought.  This week we had my birthday, something I'd normally shrug off but it is an undeniable significant one.  I have finally embraced being able to say the F word and it isnt Forty!! It is 50, somehow easier for me use in its numerical form rather than the actual word Fif... no, can't do it. I am not a party girl, a quiet, quality dinner out works for me.  

We dined on Tuesday at Indiana, Cottesloe Beach.  I mention this for out of towners like my family in Europe so they know what I get up to.  Indiana is an iconic building right over the beach, facing onto the exquisite Indian Ocean.  The service and food were great, I'd requested a good table at one of the end windows, we enjoyed the glowing sunset, observed Perth families swimming and cavorting below us on the beach getting respite from a stonking hot day and as the GANGgajang song says 'laugh and think this is Australia'. Click Australia to hear the song.

MARIANNE HALLBERG, SWEDEN

I came upon the work of Swedish ceramic artist Marianne Hallberg through a mention on Graham Hay's FaceBook page .  I love this work, playful and quirky, seemingly 'simple' but, really, NOT.