To get in the spirit of summer, our elementary students crafted sea turtles out of clay and painted them and they turned out so cute. The elementary students always love clay, it is one of their favorite art projects.
This project was spread out over a few weeks and I was so excited to see the results. Every turtle turned out different and the students put their own, unique spins on the project. See some of their work below!
February’s theme was hearts and clay at PFA Studio. The Wednesday Elementary Art class made slab built ceramic heart boxes.
First we learned about clay and using the slab roller. We used my Shimpo Slab Roller that I absolutely love!
Then everyone rolled out their own slabs.
Cut the top and bottoms of the ceramics boxes with heart-shaped cookie cutters.
Built walls.
Attached it all together – not as easy as it may seem.
After they were fired, the students painted them with three coats of ceramic paint.
Then they were fired again.
You can see the results! I just love them.
And one photo of my super cute Pottery Barn. Yes, I literally have a Pottery Barn!
Now that Christmas is over, I can share the gifts we made this year. I grew up with the idea of making Christmas gifts for the ones you love. My Grandma was a sweet mid-western farm wife and every Christmas I could count on getting knitted hand clothes. My memories of Christmas and those hand clothes are knitted together.
I love sharing the gift of creating something from your heart for the ones you love with my students.
As is a tradition at PFA, the elementary art students created ceramic clocks.
The old-fashioned kind with hands that move.
More images of our gifts from the heart soon!
Love, Jamie
To know me, is to know that after I finish a painting I take a break and play on my ceramic wheel for a bit.
I have a new collection of imperfect bowls and plates in the studio.
The Studio is open most afternoons if you want to stop over, or email me for an appointment.
The beauty is in the imperfections.
My first Pop Up Open Studio was so much fun.
― Pablo Picasso
Thanks for coming and creating with me!
XO,
Jamie
One of the Oxford Dictionaries lists of 2016 words of the year is hygge.
Pronounced “hoo-guh ” it’s a Danish word derived from a sixteenth-century Norwegian term, hugga, which means “to comfort” or “to console.”
In Danish it is defined as “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.” There is no direct translation in English, but it is related to the English word “hug.”
It is about creating “sanctuary in the middle of very real life.” Source
While you can hygge alone, the expression of hygge is being with loved ones in a relaxing and connected atmosphere.
Is it really surprising in this world of everything perfect and fast and furious, there is a new resurgence in the desire for the pleasure derived from simple things such as a warm cup of coffee, a walk with your spouse or a family night of board games?
I think that is why I love these bowls so much. Not only was the creating process hygge for me, but my family loves eating and drinking out of them – they are imperfectly homemade and cozy and reminders to just slow down a little.
And, by the way, the Danish are reported to be some of the happiest people in the world.
This is the book I am reading about Hygge.
The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living
As a filler project while the layers of our figurines dried, we made ceramic hearts.
Hope these brought you a little happiness today.
Before we fired them.
Welcome to the New Year! Now that Christmas is over, I am hoping I can share a sampling of our ceramic clocks. I hope you enjoyed receiving them as much as we enjoyed making them.
It was another very creative week at Picket Fence Art. In the adult class we added the final touches to the Ceramic Clocks.
We have had so much fun with ceramics the past few weeks that we decided to upgrade the kiln. An early Christmas present arrived for me on Friday!
We love working with ceramics so much that we are thinking of adding a Saturday ceramics workshop in the new year. Email me if this is something that may interest you!
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The Elves were busy this week at Picket Fence Art Studio putting the final touches on their ceramics projects! Sorry – no photos of the kids classes this week!
We talked about Color Theory and mixing colors while we painted our projects.
We were busy painting our ceramics in the Adult Class as well:
Have a great weekend and see you next week!
