HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

My year has been inspired by Shane Norrie.

Thank God he started teaching again - starting with a workshop on very large platters.

After being stuck in the doldrums of lethargy and creative inertia,

something inside started bubbling and bubbling.

What a wonderful feeling,

for those of you who know it, I hope it brings back good memories,

and for those who don't, you have good stuff coming to you.

I wish you all the best of creativity and life for 2011!

I just have to show this one last pot -

it is my favourite.

So functional in the kitchen for baking, freezing,

serving up salads, reheating casseroles,

or good in the office for catching letters!

Whatever - it's all good!

This little jewel teapot is inspired by Fou Chong.

I saw his teapots years ago at an NCECA conference,

and have been pursuing them ever since.

Recently one of my students kick-started the chase yet again,

so together we began playing with form and technique.

This particular gem seguied into my pursuit of Copper Red Glazes.

The following pots are just the start.

I figured out that they like to sit in the middle of the shelf,

with protection from the force of the flame.

Anybody out there know what I'm talking about?

Basically I am a city-girl, born & bred in downtown Toronto.

But on mornings like this, living in the country looks pretty darn good!

Especially when the kiln gods smile down.

If you look real close, you can see the kiln inside.

This is from a December firiing.

The bowl gets a burgundy hue from the copper

in the glaze and the high-temp reduction firing

gives the burgundy its rich depth.