Just last week, on June 14, we had an inspiring demonstration on sculpting hands by Sandy Frank, a visiting Bay Area ceramic artist. It was extremely interesting to see how she formed the piece (of Navajo Wheel, a.k.a. Red Velvet clay) with an interior structure inside of a cylinder that she'd made with a slab. She then added to it with pinched moist clay as it was built upward and spread out into the shape of a larger-than-life hand. The fingers were all hollow, with the help of some wooden chopsticks extending out of each digit.

The 45+ members of our club who attended the meeting were quite receptive and appreciative of her skill. Sandy may be able to return to our studio to teach a workshop on figure sculpting at some point, which would be great!  Below are some pictures of her in the process of creating her sculpture of a hand.

Earlier, at the previous meeting in May, our own Carolyn Guerra demonstrated how she makes her wonderful hand-built pots with sculpted faces. Below are some pictures of finished vases she has made, and then some showing the process she uses to create them.

Since then several other CAC members have been inspired to make their own versions of ceramic planters with faces. 

NOTE: These videos are available on YouTube on a Private Channel - the LINK listed beneath each title (in blue) is required for access.
 
Hands in Clay: Kurinuki techniques - slideshow & demonstration from Sept 8, 2020. (runs around 1 hour & 13 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/4-ixPShrMFQ
 
Making Mini-Totems With Your Own Clay Beads - slideshow & demonstration from October 13, 2020 (runs about 17 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/4lLe3JIsrQ8
 
Show & Tell session from December 8, 2020, featuring many of our members’ creative projects during the shutdown of the studio (runs about 59 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube –
LINK: https://youtu.be/dRVIqydOBh4
 
The Ceramic Art and Creative Journey of John Terlip (former member of CAC who has relocated to artists’ community Villa con Cuore in Fallbrook, California), from January 12, 2021 (runs about 45 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube -  LINK: https://youtu.be/33EHxEFvsLU
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Art Talk: Transfer Of Talent / Painting On Ceramics – a panel discussion with three CAC artists: Nancy Meaden, Jacqueline Proulx, and Sally Andersen, moderated by Linda Mariano, from February 9, 2021 (runs about 1 hour and 31 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/PnIB3y78feM

Art Talk: Ceramic Design with Glaze Blocking and Resist - a presentation/demo featuring two of our own artists: Anne Shulenberger and Albert Goldreich, moderated by Linda Mariano, from March 9, 2021 (runs about 48 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/R88ZMyss524

Good news about the the Ceramic Arts Club's Open Studio sale on December 5;, which was held outside of the studio's front door. CAC cleared $925 for our club in the 4 hours of the sale! The five CAC members with their own sale tables did well, too - and of course all of them contributed 10% of their sales total to the club. Unfortunately, due to changing COVID-19 conditions and new lockdown orders, the second day of the sale - which had been planned for December 9 - was canceled.

The Show & Tell session at last week’s CAC Zoom meeting (attended by over 40 CAC people on December 15), was amazingly varied and lots of fun to watch. If you missed it (or want to watch it again), you can view that part of the meeting on YouTube, thanks to Linda Mariano. (FYI: it’s private & can only be located via our link.) Here is the link to the video: ​https://youtu.be/dRVIqydOBh4

Below are some of the artworks that were shown during the last meeting's Show & Tell. First off, Amy Pitt's beautiful (and delicious) challah loaf, and Anne Shulenberger's second piece in the current "Trashformations" Art Tag cycle, which was created using various ceramic odd & ends as well as some cut-up images of her old artwork, all mounted on one of her own ceramic platters.

Hetta Malone, one of the people in our latest Orientation Class (which was interrupted by the pandemic/lockdown), shared some of her beautiful photographs.

Mary Ann Stanley shared her story of ceramic loss and redemption. Below left is a photo of a ceramic sculpture by the artist Barbara Sebastian, which she purchased several years ago at one of the CAC's Fall Bazaars. The center photo shows its downfall as the result of a small earthquake. On the right is Mary Ann's reconstruction of the piece into its current wabi-sabi incarnation. What drama - with an excellent ending!

Pat Hanscom's wonderful paper sculptures, below on the left & center, are made out of old/recycled paper that she had collected. The leftmost one is her "Green Man," and was created for the current "Trashformations" Art Tag cycle.

Shown below on the right, Patty Taylor shared 4 of her beautiful ceramic faces decorated with several different non-traditional materials, including "Buff & Rub" (metallic wax), acrylic paint, and fingernail polish. Her preferred methods are pit-fire, saggar or raku fire, but with the studio closed and all the usual materials/equipment unavailable, she has been experimenting - with amazing results. Can't keep a good artist down!

On the left below are two views of Kathy Jepson's intriguing ceramic sculptures: a tree and a portrait bust (both unfinished).

And from Theresa Kuo: "Here's my contribution to the Show and Tell on the 15th.  I felted the slippers from rovings that were left over from spinning wool.  The felting is not as tight as it should be, but at least they fit, unlike the first pair.  The first pair would have been perfect if I had one foot size 9 and the other size 4.  The soles are from leather scraps a friend gave me years ago.  Being a pack rat has its advantages!" 

Theresa is such a versatile artist/craftswoman!

Terri Snyder shared two paintings and a hanging sculpture, all of them created as Art Tag projects. Both of the paintings are on the earlier subject "Shelter," while the sculptural piece is for the current "Trashformations" Art Tag cycle. Love what she's doing!

Carolyn Tertes, a member of our latest Orientation Class (which was interrupted by the pandemic/lockdown), shared an intriguing wall installation that she's been working on during the lockdown. The long view of it is below on the left - you can see more detail by going to the video of the Show & Tell session (the link to that is above, in the 2nd paragraph from the top).

Jim Anderson contributed the photo of his darts hitting the bullseye, below right. During normal times he likes to compete with others in local pubs, but since March he has been honing his skills at home. Looks like it's paying off, too!

Sue Wetzler shared two images during the online Show & Tell: a beautiful photo taken on a hike in the mountains, and a charming little sgrafitto plaque she made, which was recently bisque-fired.

Below are some photos from our Fundraising Sale at Gateway, on the last three Fridays in October. CAC raised $3,704 during the this sale - and then we rounded it up a bit, adding a little more than the equivalent amount from our own treasury, resulting in a donation of $7,500 to the Contra Costa Food Bank! This event was not only a wonderful thing to do for the community, but it was also great fun for the CAC volunteers who participated (led by Betty Baker & Patty Taylor), as well as all of the other Rossmoorians who browsed and purchased the beautiful ceramic pieces.

Theresa Kuo reports, "The quarantine has challenged and inspired me to create. The Rossmoor bubble we live in protects those who take precautions and enjoy life to the fullest!

"The chihuahua quilt is for our daughter-in-law and the poodle one’s for a sister who is a poodle aficionado.  The stockings and house calendar are for the little grandkids (I just finished the Christmas calendar but the numbers for the days have not arrived yet - they were ordered online). The Zoe calendar (I messed up the "Z") is for our 17 year old granddaughter."  

Inspired by the "Mini Totem" demo in our October Zoom meeting, Darryla Green created several of the little totems at home (below left).

Ana Resnick enjoyed painting the beautiful silk scarf that's shown on one of her sculptures, below right.

​Phil Kramer has been painting faces on various rocks with interesting shapes lately, using acrylic paints. They have so much personality!

Mary Ann Stanley recently created a truly unique wall piece as her first in the "Trashformations" Art Tag cycle (shown in the 2 photos below), using some broken frames from her neighbors' trash and round pieces of colored paper, among other materials.

Anne Shulenberger used a lot of glaze samples that she's made and saved over the last few years, as well as the lid and broken-off handle of one of her ceramic teapots, to make the collage below. It's an 18" by 24" board with a lot of other things glued onto it as well, including cardboard, a fabric gift bag and some "silk" flowers. This is her first piece for the current Rossmoor Art Tag cycle all about "Trashformations." 

​Judy Hirsh's delightful Kurinuki piece is shown in 2 views below. She said "Thank you and others so much for helping make Sept 8 a pivotal day for me. This was the first time since the SIP order that I felt compelled to produce art. Here it is. My ongoing obsession with personality types. My son, Jared, who has his own private 'speakeasy' in Oakland, wanted me to make him (my version of) a Tiki cup. "

​Angela Lusk shared her marvelous seven-sided Kurinuki bowl (shown both right side up and upside down below): "I’m so accustomed to the additive process - the subtractive process turned my brain inside out! Wonderful exercise for increasing neuroplasticity right?"

Pat Hanscom has made a second Kurinuki piece, below left: "Here’s my little Covid planter, textured with wildfire ash from the September apocalypse."

Betty Baker was really inspired by our demo - she made three Kurinuki vessels shown below on the right!​

Theresa Kuo's charming wall quilt is below on the left: "I recently finished another Christmas gift for the next-next generation of kids.  The horse quilt is for a grandnephew or grandniece. Am really enjoying the challenge. Next project will be a chihuahua (my grandpup) quilt for my daughter-in-law. "

Hetta Malone  reports: "I’m still a trainee  but have been able to develop some new skills with iPhone images during SIP. Most images taken in Rossmoor or immediate vicinity."

​NOTE:  Hetta is a member of CAC's February/March Orientation class that was interrupted by the lockdown on March 10; three of her wonderful pictures are shown below.

Mary Ann Stanley started making "Splotch Art" during an online art course - she  reports "These two (on the top row) were my first.  I didn’t have any ink or acrylics but found some 'Stroke and Coat' glaze and used it.  I have had so much fun with this media, at a 90th family birthday we did this (ages 14 to 90) and all had a great time - lots of laughs and prizes."

Anne Shulenberger - having been shown the technique by Mary Ann - also had fun making the two little pictures on the second row.

Carla Winter-Evans took the photo below of "a buck that I had rescued a few years ago.  He’s happily munching on weeds.   Currently, he’s the only buck I’ve seen around here but there are quite a few does and fawns…  I think maybe he’s the Dad!  He’s got quite a survival story." 

--- The rest of the story is below the photo ---

The rest of Carla's story about Deer #162:

It was about 3 years ago.  This poor creature had put his foot into a drainage pipe and pulled out the pipe and could not dislodge it from his foot.  It was tortuous and after many months he was very lame, but still feisty.   I called every rescue organization from Mendocino to Big Sur and no one rescued deer…   I finally contacted fish and game and they came out, set up camp and in about two days were able to sedate him, on my front yard. 

They sent a pic of the injury to a vet to decide if they thought he would survive or they should put him down.  They opted to remove the drain from the entrapped hoof and trim the horribly over grown hoof and let him be.   They tagged his right ear #162 , thus his name.   Also, that first year, he also had a broken antler on the left side, so the ear tag counter balanced the broken antler in a way that gave him “style”…  he kinda looked like a hippy deer. Eventually, he got up and wobbly limped off.   The leg got better, one barely notices a limp now, and he appears to have a harem.

End of story… except the herd of deer in the yard.

Here are some of the marvelous pieces by CAC artists, mostly made during our recent online demonstration of the Kurinuki technique. We received lots of positive feedback from folks who participated, such as this message from Linda Stoehr: "I loved the program, everyone did a wonderful job. Thank you!"

FYI, the demonstration was recorded and can be viewed on YouTube by clicking on this link: Hands In Clay - Kurinuki Class - September 8, 2020

Here are some pieces by the CAC artists who are demonstrating the Kurinuki technique at the September 8 online meeting of our club. They are Darryla Green (hers are on the top row) and Patty Taylor (see the lower row), who learned about this method of working with clay last summer from ceramicists in Japan when they were on a wonderful art-themed tour of that country .

We had a "dress rehearsal" of the Kurinuki demo with a few of our members last week, and below are some of the results. There are sure to be plenty more after the full-scale demonstration on September 8.. so stay tuned!

Pat Hanscom's little "Covid cup" is below, on the top left. She said "I ended up using my zester to make this organic pattern on the outside. Even during the pandemic, one can find a zest for life!" And on the top right is Mary Ann Stanley's Kurinuki vase.

Jim Anderson also participated (above, left) and he reported that "I just couldn’t help myself: I was having so much fun… It was so nourishing to have my hands in clay… (I’ll call it Spectacular Buff from now on.) AND, seeing all my Favorite peeps at the same time… (just like old times, the before times). THEN my clay began to look like a “BOX” with all those sweet 90 degree angles and I just couldn’t help myself. Kurinuki FAIL." 
[No, we cannot agree on that, Jim - it's very nice, and far from a failure! So you like boxes - what's wrong with that?]

Amy Pitt made the small box with a lid on the right (2 views of it are shown) during the demo rehearsal. She said "For the first time in months, I had FUN. In fact this is the first time I've used that word since the shutdown!"

Gaby Miller has created many beads for jewelry, as well as some very nice ceramic vessels, during these months at home. They're all still waiting for bisque firing.. eventually I expect they will be very colorful! (below, left)
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Theresa Kuo reports "If I had a wheel at home, I would throw something, but since we are bereft of my favorite ceramic tool, I am quilting.  See the first of several Christmas quilts for our family's kids. I finally succeeded in getting black outlines - this time in a quilt instead of in a bowl's glazed design.  Under SIP one cannot be fussy… Life is definitely good!  Be well and be safe!"  (below, right)

Lucia Tsang sent photos of her  beautiful jewelry. Below are three necklaces that she put together recently. She says that all of the ceramic components were made before the studio was closed. The one on the left side has sagger fired beads; the center pendant was high fired; the necklace on the right combines a high fired (the house-shaped piece) and a sagger fired piece (the blue background pendant).

Linda Stoehr's  recent projects include two dishes, both beautifully painted with underglaze and waiting for firing (below, top row). Also "a quilt I've been wanting to make for years. Started the first of April, working on the finishing touches now." (second row down on the left)

Terri Snyder: "Here is my ‘Shelter’ painting, done in acrylic.  It’s of the cottages in Capitola." Love the colors! (Above, right.) 

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Meanwhile, Janet Welch has just adopted a lovely older dog, which is keeping her busy! Here is a photo of Janet with her new pet, holding one of her animal portrait plates of a pug - how appropriate! (below, left)
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Ana Resnik recently finished this beautiful needlepoint, which she plans to use to cover a pillow.  (FYI, Ana commissioned Janet Welch to render her own design onto canvas for this project.) (below, right)

Patty Taylor created her beautiful sculpture "Dreaming of San Francisco SoundBox" before the lockdown. Below are 2 views of it - be sure to look carefully at the back of the head of the sculpture.

Anne Shulenberger made a mixed-media collaged piece with the subject "On the Edge" for one of her Art Tag groups. It was done using  the binding of an old book missing its pages. There are two little handmade books glued into it; the title of the blue book is "Black Lives Matter" and that of the black one is "Pandemic."  Tiny figures balance precariously on a tightrope between the books. (The inside is shown below, left - the outside of the piece is on the right).

Sally Andersen shares some of her lovely watercolors, and says  "I've been busy painting..   Sure do miss the ceramic studio, though! "

From Fred Chen: "I thought it might be interesting to share some funky teapots I made in the past. These are in fact functional. I classify them as tease-pots." 

Aren't they great?

Lucia Tsang made a marvelous mobile celebrating her granddaughter, who is now 13 years old. Here's what she says about it: "The squares are watercolor pencil on watercolor paper. I did the pencil drawings when my granddaughter was only one month old. The pieces of the mobile all have the same images on both sides."

Carla Winter-Evans has been enjoying her garden, and sent some lovely photos from there.

Ellie Lannon reports, "Here are two planters I’ve been working on. The one on the right is in progress...the other is complete (but has not yet been fired)."

Meanwhile, Pat Hanscom took an online class with Lynn Wood (through the Sonoma Community Center) and made this very nice textured cylinder vase at home. It has not been fired yet.