Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Some work, some reading

The Chapel Hill library had a book sale last week and I found this book The Sea Children. The book is poorly written but it has beautiful illustrations, which is why I bought it. One of these days, I am going to make some decals..... the seahorse is for Linda Starr :)
I finished Ahab's Wife, loved it, loved it, very sad when it came to an end. So I went to the library and checked out Moby Dick, just to exercise my brain, I suppose. This is some tough reading for moi, but I'm enjoying it, and it has pretty pictures, haha!
My friend Barbara brought me some sand dollars from Shackelford Banks and I wanted to use them somehow on the barns, so this is what I came up with. They are really pretty, fuzzy and brown.
These barns are getting bigger and I'm making platforms for them to give them some show presence. Not an easy task, but I still seem to enjoy making them and I am loving how they look right now with all the texture and gouges in them.
I have the kiln packed and ready to go. It's supposed to be cooler here on Friday so I am going for it. I have to get some of my test tiles fired before I move forward with some of the new terra sig I have mixed up. I have found that when the shelves in my studio are completely full is is just enough to fit in this kiln. So, fill shelves, fire kiln. I will be doing a lot of that for the next couple of months!

9 comments:

Anna M. Branner said...

The sand dollars remind me of the Amish Hex signs that you see (mostly) in Pennsylvania....And I am anxious to see the woman fired!!

AND YAY FOR COOLER WEATHER. Excited about high 80's. Hehe.

Tracey Broome said...

I KNOW! I didn't even get sweaty today!!! I hope this girl comes out ok, I really like her :)

Patricia Griffin Ceramics said...

Platforms for the barns are a good idea. Yours looks great. (I tried to make them for some of my pieces awhile back and found it quite a challenge.) Best wishes on that kiln load on Friday.

Laura Farrow said...

the sand dollars look fabulous on that piece Trace!

Tracey Broome said...

Hey Patricia, you would think a little box would be a simple thing wouldn't you! I have found that they like to warp and crack and get wobbly on the bottom, so I have to take way more time with them than should be necessary for such a simple looking form.

2zcreek said...

I like using sand dollars on the piece; however, if they are still brown and furry, they were alive when taken! They loose their fur (arms) and turn lighter when they die and dry out in the sun.

Sorry, just one of my many pet peeves about what people take away from our coasts without thinking. They worry about oil rigs and such, but never think about the impact of trawlers and tourist traffic on the animals around and in the coastal waters.

Tracey Broome said...

Hey Laura thanks!
Hey 2Z, my friend that got them did not know at the time and yes she found out later that they had been alive. She never would have taken them if she had known, and she has been greatly bothered by it. I thought it would be nice to use them maybe to honor the sea life or something. Maybe I'll make a statement with this piece, or I may not use them at all, they aren't permanent yet. I totally agree with you and here is my problem with this sand dollar thing. There is a ferry in Beaufort that takes people over to sand dollar island and encourages them to look for sand dollars. There is no mention of "oh by the way, they are living things" I never knew a sand dollar was ever living, I thought of it more as a shell, I guess. I have been reading about them since this happened. Please know that the woman that gave them to me has the upmost respect for the sea and living things, and she feels terrible that she didn't know about this!! Thanks for your comment, it is spot on :)

Linda Starr said...

Oh gee how wonderful you found that book of illustrations, love that little seahorse. I got a printer to do decals before we left California and never have, one of these days.

The barn with the sand dollars is wonderful; it is so tall. I didn't realize the brown or green sand dollars were still living, I have one from Baja Mexico like that, but most were white. I love those aqua colors in the group, happens to be my favorite color, that and lavender; the woman sculpture oh my she looks lovely standing there. I like the platforms, your barns deserve their own altars, Ha.

Tracey Broome said...

Linda! Thanks so much :)
I was just going to post this image of the seahorse the other day when you posted you seahorse tile, funny how sometimes we all go along the same wavelength of thought!