Crazy for Clay

Just another in the continuing series of updates from Starry Road Studio.... Needless to say, I have been knee deep in clay, relishing with joy the ability to work in this medium again after a so long a time away while transitioning from KY to NY over the past year. Yes, that's right, it has been nearly a YEAR since I packed up and left KY to return to NY. Most of my studio has been packed up in storage and only in recent weeks have I begun the slow process of getting everything set up here. I was dying to get my pottery wheel set up and thankfully I managed to throw a few pots this past week. I still have to get my spray booth set up for glazing, but for now I'll use some dipping glazes for these pots.

I am continuing to explore beads, creating a variety of new forms and ideas.

Continuing in my series of woodland-themed beads, I finally got started on a new design for "Camping Beads", based on sketches from late last summer. I blogged about it here.

I am having a blast playing with various textures. I am especially LOVING wood. This started with some woodland themed pieces (logs, trees, etc.). I am carrying it over into my line of ancient amulets and beads. I wanted to convey the sense of the ancient along with the wood texture, so I created a texture I am calling "Petrified Wood" (as seen in the dark brown pieces below). I love the mossy old stone (in the lighter, greenish pieces), and ancient wood look of these...

I plan to explore these textures in pottery. I can't wait! Here's an idea with a sort of plant form growing out of a "tree" base. I will throw this in porcelain and sculpt it after. I'll post pictures when I get around to it. And perhaps it will inform new designs for beads too. Stay tuned!

Easy Winter Tree Cane Tutorial

Winter sunsets are my absolute favorite! There's something so magical about the vivid colors of the sky and clouds traced by the stark black of the leafless trees… it's like nature's own stained glass!


I don't do a whole lot of caning these days, but for today's post I wanted to share one of my own cane designs that I created a few years back inspired by the winter trees.

It starts with a log of translucent clay—you can of course use any color. I trim the ends so it stands straight.

Next I make an off center cut all the way through the log and cover one side with a sheet of black clay. And then I put the log back together—that forms the main part of the tree branch.

To make the twigs on the branch, I make several more cuts through the translucent log, each time inserting a sheet of black clay and putting it back together before the next cut.

Once I get all the twigs I want, I reduce the cane by rolling and stretching.

Here's the branch reduced.

Then I cut my reduced branch cane into six equal lengths.

And then using the black line from the base of the branch as a guide, I give each length a tear drop shape.

I place all the branches side by side and press them together, making sure that the base of each branch is against the table and straight. I then cut that arrangement in half.

The two halves side by side—it's starting to look like a tree!

To the base of each half I add three strips of translucent clay—they will outline the trunk.

I make the trunk with one sheet of black running to the base of the top branches and then on either side of that I add another sheet about 2/3rds of the height to give it some taper.

I add a bit more translucent clay to the base of the trunk. And from there I just pinch and stretch the cane until I get it reduced to the size I want.

The finished cane! I hope you'll give it a try!

Rebekah

treewingsstudio.com

Its all about the sequins.

Sequins transport me back to my Grandma's house. My maternal grandmother made many of her Christmas decorations. She had lived through the Depression, and was a consumate saver... but also a very crafty woman. My sisters and I all have a love of embroidery - passed down to us from our mother, from her mother. My older sister has chosen embroidery as her primary medium and has taken it to a whole new level. ( You can see her work here.) I think Grandma would be tickled.

Grandma loved sequins, but didnt really feel the need to follow any set directions. Her colors and patterns are exuberant to say the least. Between Grandma and Mom, my siblings and I all had handmade felt stockings to hang on the mantle, beaded and bedazzled and sequined.  I  have a few of her felt embroidered ornaments on my tree every year.

My Mom - also an extremely creative one! She loves embroidery and can sew a mean streak. As a kid this was our Christmas tree topper. He was a puppet, and carries jingle bells - very merry!

After my siblings and I grew up and set out to households of  our own, Mom made a stunning announcement. She was giving up the iconic Snowman in favor of a commercially purchased angel?!!??! Well - I am happy to say, the Snowman now tops MY tree every year!

The love of sequins has been passed down to me as well. Mom gave me this kit she was no longer interested in... and it was a labor of love, I must say. But it is now one of my favorite holiday decorations!

And I sequined and embroideed a stocking for my nephew before he was even here! So the tradition continues...

All these posts sure are stirring up the holiday excitement for me. Its Thanksgiving Day, glorious smells are wafting up from my sister's kitchen, my nephew is racing cars downstairs... So many things to be thanksful for.... I hope your holday is festive!

Thank you for stopping by our Holiday Open House! And please feel free to browse our shops. As the season starts today with Black Friday we have many sales and tempting treasures... You can find all the details at our Holiday Open House page.