Elegant, yet playful pottery for everyday use
I like the sound of this title. It makes me think of a horror movie title. I know I’m reaching with that one, but I have a vivid imagination.
Here are a few cups I just photographed from my last firing.
It is quite an assortment of different designs. The Gnomes and the songbirds are for a commision, but the others are for sale.
contact me at hardwickhandmade@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing them.
Last weekend I fired twice getting out several plates for a dinnerware order. Pictured here are the ones I have not sold. I did several Virginia native wildflower designs as well as geometric and Eastern songbird designs. I really liked working on them.
Each style is working for me, but I like to change them a bit each time I do them to (in my mind) make them better or maybe, just to tickle my mood.
I hope you love them as much as I do.
Back in the ’90’s I worked in Woody Creek, Colorado at the Aspen Community School. I did after school programs in organic gardening, resource efficient construction and pottery.
While I was there I used a treadle wheel to make pottery which is not electric. You kick it and make the wheel head spin.
It is a great way to connect with the rhythm of making pottery. I loved doing it, but no longer have access to a treadle wheel and they are expensive to purchase. I think they go for $3000 nowadays.
I drove up to Philadelphia, PA to see The Clay Studio and the Barnes Foundation Collection because my friend Leigh is turning 50 years old and I wanted to be at her party.
The entire weekend was amazing. First I went to The Clay Studio in the Old City part of Philadelphia and spoke to the shop director Dominique Ellis. I don’t know if I’ll get my work in there, but it was a great space in a cool part of town.
Dominique went to UNL which is where I went to Grad School, so it was cool talking about old friends and places.
While waiting for for The Clay Studio to open, I ran over to see the Liberty Bell which is around 7 blocks away. That was cool too.
Next I went to the Barnes Foundation. What an amazing collection of Impressionistic art.
Let me say, it is pathetic that they broke Barnes’ will, but this collection is so worth going to see. I would have loved to see it where it is supposed to be, but I’m guessing that the light is much better now which allowed for the images you see here. The old mansion it was in was renowned for dark lit rooms.
Anyway, some of my favorite all time paintings were there. Included are just a few of the amazing artworks up on the walls.
This article isn’t right without a Modigliani painting. So here was my favorite.
Yes, I’m in the middle of moving my home and studio to a new place. I’m very excited to get a new place in Richmond, VA that has a garage where I can set up my pottery. I hope to stay here for a long time.
Why, you might ask? I have way too much stuff and half of it is clay materials, bricks, tools, etc. for my pottery. It is cool to have everything for a working pottery, but way too heavy for the lifting.
On the bright side, I’m getting my workout and I’ll be able to put everything in the same area. Yes!
I’ve been moving everything around from storage units to sheds to crawlspaces to piles of materials out in the desert, so having everything at my studio and home is a big thing.
Now all I have to do is finish moving it…
I went to NCECA and visited Phipps Conservatory to see if they wanted to carry my dinnerware line. They said they would get back to me on carrying my line.
The self guided tour was amazing. What a dynamic place. One of the first rooms I went in was filled with orchids and they were all in full bloom.
Also noteworthy, though I didn’t take many pics was their administration building which is one of the greenest buildings in the world. I was so impressed with their entire enterprise. Way to go Phipps!
Yes, it seemed that only gnomes would enter the realm of little people seen on hardwickhandmade pottery, but the dark side has made an appearance. A small one granted, but an appearance none the less.
Two mugs have been designed with drunken goblins dancing about in a mushroom filled background with slipware highlights.
This series will draw from the slipware pottery (which are extremely difficult to pull off well) as well as from landscape painting traditions.
I hope you enjoy.
Next up is the lonely ogre walking in the forest…
I finished a load of pottery and fired over New Years which was alot of fun. I had several items that I fired for a commission and then others that I was doing to figure out some design work.
The whole kiln came out well. As discussed in the last post, I am working on a commission of eastern songbirds. I’ve got to do plates and bowls which makes the layout a little more complex.
A group of gnomes were fired as well and I liked how they came out. Also, I did a group of drunken goblins dancing around which came out well.
Here are a few examples.
I’ve finished painting the bowls and have moved on to painting the plates for my Eastern Songbird commission. I’ve very excited as the results are turning out better than I anticipated. Some bowls are glazed and out of the kiln as indicated by the featured image of this article, but others are still waiting to be fired. This weekend I will finishe painting the plates. My last one to do is the Goldfinch which takes extra time as I have the bird sitting on a group of sunflowers that requires more work. Luckily, I love what I do.
This picture was taken after the underglaze was painted, but before it was glazed. The color is muted, but will pop once the durable clear glaze reaches temperature of 1948 degrees Fahrenheit.
The bird cup is an example of what can be done with this imagery on other forms.
I completed a new sample series that came out of the kiln last weekend and looked really good. I made a chickadee bowl, a goldfinch bowl and a titmouse bowl with an abstract pattern background.
All my work playing around with backgrounds is starting to pay off. I’m using a combination of painterly brushwork and stamped color that together is organic and colorful. It took a while to find something subtle enough that let the birds stand out.
My next round of imagery should be just what I want. 🙂
Matt
I was able to see the Freer Gallery in Washington, DC this past weekend. It is my favorite museum on the Mall and I really enjoyed seeing the treasures they have there.
There were only a few different items set up in the 20 rooms they show items in, but it was worth the trip. They had a Japanese tea room utensil set up which I really admired among the other items.
Whistler’s paintings were also up and they had 3 of the Nocturne paintings that I really like. I’ve been thinking of including them in my paintings. I think the Nockturne idea will work well with the goblins and dark fairies I’ve been trying to create as imagery.
In the 80’s I was lucky enough to inspect the vault below the Freer. I hope to do that again once I can get enough people together to do it. It is free, but you have to arrange a meeting. They may have a minumum amount of people to go as well.
