INSPIRATION FOR THIS PRODUCT
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​THIS IS A POTTERY PRODUCT I HAVE DESIGNED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE.  WHILE WATCHING A NEWS PROGRAM ABOUT HOW THE PROLIFIC PRODUCTON AND USE OF PLASTIC PRODUCTS HAVE HAD A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT, SPECIFICALLY THE OCEANS.  I WAS SO DISTURBED BY WHAT I OBSERVED THAT I COULD NOT STOP THINKING ABOUT IT.  

I BEGAN TO THINK OF HOW TO REDUCE, IF NOT REMOVE COMPLETELY, THE USE OF PLASTIC FROM MY DAILY HOUSEHOLD USE.  I REALIZED THAT MUCH OF MY STORAGE CONTAINERS FOR FOOD IN MY REFRIGERATOR AND OTHERWISE WERE MADE OF PLASTIC, AND I THOUGHT, "I AM A POTTER, WHAT CAN I DESIGN THAT COULD BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE?"

I MADE THE CANISTERS DISPLAYED ABOVE WITH THAT INTENDED PURPOSE.  I THEN BEGAN TO USE THEM AND DISCOVERED THAT THEY NOT ONLY SERVED EFFICIENTLY AS STORAGE CONTAINERS, BUT THEY WERE VERY EFFECTIVE, INDEED FOR OTHER PURPOSES. IN ADDITION, THEY HAVE NO HEALTH RISKS, UNLIKE PLASTIC, WHICH CAN LEACH TOXINS UNDER VARIOUS CONDITIONS. I STORED "LEFT-OVERS" IN THEM, THEN TOOK THEM FROM THE REFRIGERATOR OR FREEZER TO THE OVEN OR MICROWAVE.  PLEASE NOTE, THAT ONE SHOULD DEFROST BEFORE PUTTING  THEM INTO AN OVEN JUST TO BE SAFE.  I HAVE, HOWEVER TAKEN THEM FROM THE FREEZER AND IMMEDIATELY PUT THEM INTO  THE MICROWAVE WITHOUT ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS.  I LIKE THE FACT THAT IT RETAINS THE HEAT AND HOLDS IT IN THAT STATE FOR A LONG TIME, ESPECIALLY  GOOD FOR SOUPS AND STEWS. 

OF COURSE, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF MY ATTEMPT TO DESIGN THIS PRODUCT.  I INTEND TO MAKE THEM DIFFERENT SIZES, SHAPES AND TEXTURES FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.  I HOPE YOU THE AUDIENCE FIND THEM AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, AND THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN USING THEM IS AS SATISFACTORY AS MINE.  

The picture above of my table at the Newton Woman's Club craft fair on the 10th of November, 2018.  I enjoyed the show.  I received many positive comments and encouragement and appreciation of my work.  

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The pot on exhibit, the first of my collection:  Birds and Flowers was bought by this engaging and kind lady.  I asked her permission to show her picture on my blog.

This is a pot that I picked up from the Pottery School where I bisque and glaze my pottery. It is 32.5 inches at its widest girth and 12.5 inches at its rim. It is hand built by pinching and then using coils closer to the rim. When it was leather hard, I then burnished it to a glossy finish. Then I let it dry for several weeks before taking it for bisquing. It is now ready for glazing and I am planning to decorate using underglazes and the surface of the pot as my canvas. The results should be very exciting and surprising. I will keep you abreast of my progress and show you the results.

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I told you, my audience, that I would update you about the progress in decorating the pot that was described in my last post. I decided to use its surface aś a canvas and below is the result. I painted it with glazes as an undercoat and will then complete the process with a clear glaze inside and over the whole pot. It is currently waiting to be fired. I am looking foreward to seeing the result, as it is always a surprise to see the effect of the application of heating at temperatures of up to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit on the chemicals in the different glazes. There are so many variables that one cannot really predict what the end result will be, which adds to the excitement and anticipation.

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