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teanchy teapots

updated thu 3 feb 05

 

Elca Branman on tue 1 feb 05


I was dithering between making the tiny teapots or engraving the lord's
prayer on a grain of rice, when I had a terrifically evil idea , concerning
trick photography, magnified walnuts..well you get the idea.

However, I've decided to play it straight , mostly because Kelly akaPrimal
Mommy has been a consoling presence in my life via tiny and not so tiny
surprise gifts arriving ,always unannounced, via old fashioned parcel post.

The latest was a book called Tear Soup-

Beneath the wit and brain is a staunch golden heart.

Elca Branman

---- Original Message -----
From: "Kate Johnson"
To:
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 3:57 PM
Subject: Re: random responses


> Hi Kelly and list
>
>> And I am just competitive
>> enough that I love to have "classmates" doing a similar project so I can
>> rise to the challenge.
>
> Heh. I can relate to that, just having completed two tiny teapots
> yesterday--untrimmed and waiting for bisque firing, up on my pottery in
> progress page along with brand fresh (still wet) new mocha tests (using
> gum,
> a tiny bit of clay, and spit. Why not?)
>
> http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/graphicartepsi/album?.dir=bbb8
>
> Competitive? Obsessive?? Moi???
>
> I suspect I could make tiny teapots
>> at the kitchen table with no more mess than a paper towel would handle.
>
> I always work at my kitchen table, because that's the only place I have to
> work, but...with no more mess than a football field could handle...
>
> Yesterday, working with the new box of smooth, soft, pliable red
> earthenware
> after going through a couple hundred pounds of groggy terra cotta and
> 2-year-old stoneware, I find I'm having to relearn my timing all over
> again.
> I made two plates that are really skating the edge of the possible, at
> this
> point--it takes much longer to get a slab of the red earthenware to a
> usable
> degree of almost-leather-hard.
>
> So since the bigger stuff was being frustrating, I turned to tiny teapots.
> Amazing how I couldn't do anything big, but a change of pace to very small
> was just what the doctor ordered...
>
>> You should see Chris Henley's throwing tools for minis -- he just sent
>> me a photo. Little bamboo and brass tools with 1/16 inch balls on brass
>> rods...
>
> Oh lord. Must contact Chris...
>
> Actually I ended up, in part, using little sculpting tools meant for
> polymer
> clay. They worked great, for those who are considering this
> challenge--that
> is until Chris's arrive in the mail, of course... You can find them at
> Walmart, sometimes (sorry!), Michaels, Dick Blick Art Supplies, etc.
>
> Regards,
> Kate Johnson
> Graphics/Fine Arts
> http://www.cathyjohnson.info/
> http://www.epsi.net/graphic/
> http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_1494_profile.htm
>
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