Feeling light/hope

A lovely customer asked me a long time ago to create a hope feeling. Back then, I found it really difficult to depict hope and well, we never got to a point that we were both satisfied with the outcome of the ideas. About a month ago, the customer returned and asked me the same question and suggested that the feeling could hold a candle light or something. I loved the idea of a light but since the feelings are hand-less, it's hard to place a candle in there of course so I suggested that I could place a candle inside the feeling and add about a zillion of different size holes in the feeling for the light/hope to spread. She loved the idea so I set to work...See, there is no bottom, its just big enough for the tea light.And here it's in it's unfired but 'light/hope' mode...
A feeling is never really ready until it's fired and reveals it's pretty white color.
I love how this turned out - might need to make one for myself too...

The making of... love

The making of love is not very hard but applying clay to clay is just a tad bit more tricky then taking away clay and takes time and patience. For the heart, I roll out a very thin slab of clay to cut out the heart. I use a heart cookie cutter but because I find that hart a bit too long, I cut away a piece so that the heart is 'rounder' at the bottom. Then I roughen the place where the heart is placed and the back of the heart and add clay slib so that it's 'glued' together. I finish the edges with a wet paintbrush.

Eén vierkante meter

logo by Karen Vandelaer

For those who don't speak Dutch, the blog title says '1 square meter'. It's a new concept that I started up a while ago. I found an accomplice that is just as enthousiast as I am and we both set to work and hope that it will be a succes. Her name is Annemiek from TwoTreesWorld. She's also a ceramicist and loves anything handmade and special.

We felt it was time for something different on the fair/market scene. Instead of trying to take as much as you can, we thought it would be fun to take as little as possible. Just the very best of what you have and spread it out on one square meter. The 'less is more' - principle...
Another reason to keep it small is to give new makers & artists a chance to show the best of what they have without the pressure of having to fill a few meters.
We also hope to welcome people who actually make stuff and show people what they do & how they do it. It's always great to see work processes! We would love to see dialogue and enthousiasm for anything handmade. So, a concept that is accessible and fun!

To start all of this, I felt I had to open up a Facebook account even though I'm personally not a fan of Facebook. So I made an account under '1 vierkante meter' and for a few months, I was there entirely incognito. Haha, that was fun!
But yesterday, Annemiek and I deciced it was time to give up our anonimity so if you want to be our friend, don't hesitate to friend us on Facebook, blog or Twitter.
And if you are in the area and interested in taking part in the concept of '1 vierkante meter', don't hesitate to contact us at eenvierkantemeter@gmail.com to receive an application form.

The event is on april 22th 2012 in Hasselt, Belgium.
It will be held in a beautiful industrial location and lasts from 10am till 5pm.

The making of... comfort

The making of the feeling comfort is quite an ordeal. First I roll out a thin slab of clay and add squares to it. Then I roughen the feeling and put clay slib on it. I wrap a piece of the squared slab around the feeling and try to fit it nicely by cutting away parts. It's tricky to connect the parts together. It looks quite messy and it is in a way. Then I cut away the excessive clay on the bottom. I go over he 'blanket' with my clay rib to get rid of the mess I made while attaching the slab. That does make the lines go away but I go over 'em again with my knife. And then comes the most fun part: applying the 'stitches'. I love doing that.
I think I might crawl underneath my blanket now!
Have a lovely weekend everyone! :)

De la sensation

image by Emmanuelle Brisson

Anastasia from l'Accent Nou send me a link yesterday saying that she felt a resemblance between this work and mine. For a moment I was afraid to click on the link as I wasn't ready to see another set of babushka feelings...

image by Emmanuelle Brisson

So I was pleasantly surprised when I saw these beautiful photograph's from Emanuelle Brisson in the series 'de la sensation'. And I must agree, they express immense feelings too - very strong and delicate at the same time.

image by Emmanuelle Brisson

I also love the series of 'can't get it out of my head'.
I strongly recommend you to check out her work, hop over to her site or to Flickr where she hangs out too. :)
Thank you, Anastasia to send me the link to this great artist!!

The making of... free

Free is fun feeling to make although it can be frustrating sometimes. After I have cut the wings via a template, I smooth the edges out with a wooden tool & a wet paintbrush. This takes a while and when I work too slow, the clay dries too quickly. Then it's hard to bend it a bit at the fold and sometimes it cracks which makes me want to scream as that means that I can start all over again. After the wings are totally ready to be put on the feeling, I make scratches on the back of the wings and on the back of the feeling and add some clay slib. Then I stick it together and finish it off with a wet paintbrush.

Pay attention...

Happy weekend, everyone! :)