...To sing a carol

This week feels like Christmas. I'm very happy to get my ceramic pieces from the two studios I'm working on! One is at Clay Ave Pottery Studio in Katipunan and the other one at UP College of Fine Arts. Clay Ave fires a gas kiln while UP used a wood-fired kiln for our workshop. I love how different the outcomes are! My labor of love :) 

And here are the rest of it.

I am still wondering why I keep coming back to make more and more pottery. My present mantra is to just go with the flow, and for some reason, I keep coming back to the studio to work my way into clay. I don't really have a certain idea what I want to make for the day when I make my pieces. Sometimes, the clay just talks to me and ta-dah! This is the result. And I'm happy with just that. What I realized at most is that pottery is a form of meditation for me. It is a sort of prayer, and in prayer comes a moment of peace. 

Also, I love how the sky looks like this time of the year. Do you see it too?

Previous post: Pettyjohn Pottery Trip

 A work of another artist. I forgot her name.

I'm really in love with this style.

After the tour, lunchtime! 

There was an assortment of food we brought,,

From Vicky and Francis' Kulawo, to Mrs. Pettyjohn's Binakol Soup to Mrs. Kitami's Onigiri (rice balls) 

We also ate from the Pettyjohn's own handmade dinnerware!

It just feels good eating on handmade plate and bowls and having a good conversation with awesome people.

Then a sidetrip to the top of the mountain for a view of Laguna! 

Thank you to Jon and Tessy Pettyjohn for sharing your home with us!

Also to Mia Casal for arranging this trip!

This is one perfect weekend.

11.24.2012. Saturday. 4 am.

I woke up early and I couldn't sleep anymore. I was very much excited for our fieldtrip to the home of potters, Jon and his wife, Tessy Pettyjohn. They are considered as the Mom and Dad of Philippine Pottery and it is definitely a privilege for a keen pottery enthusiast like me to take a look at their workplace! Their compound is located in Calamba, Laguna just less than two (2) hours aways from Manila.

Dividing the trip into two parts. First one is a tour at their studio where the processes happen.

This is a Shozo-inspired vessel. I really like this style

This is Jon's workplace

He gave us a demo on how to form pots off the hump and how to create different forms. 

He truly is a Master Potter! Three kilos in a jiff. Amazing. And a plate in less than a minute. I can't even!

Chemicals used for the glazes.

He also showed us his Anagama or cave kiln. Takes about two to three days of fueling with wood. I learn to appreciate the value of ceramics more,, all that energy and effort! He only fires it three times a year at most.

And more pots!

Pottery Update: 

I'm currently experimenting on ceramic decals. I'm not sure if this is acceptable practice but I painted directly on the decal paper as opposed to printing it on inkjet printer because apparently, printers don't have white ink.  I could have just drawn directly on the pot too, I know.

(I can't get the picture to rotate for some reason)

I have been also trying (!) to do sketches daily. Mostly portrait shots.

Pardon the crappy images, tho. Just shot with a cam & I couldn't edit with Photoshop. 

Excuses. Shame

Mermaid. 

Also tried sketching Andrej Pejic. He's my current favorite person right now! My love for androgyny is restored  :)