MY BLOG HAS MOVED!

Ok folks - NEW blog posted - 

 MY BLOG HAS MOVED...

 http://www.raggedrobyn.com/blog/my-new-website-wwwraggedrobyncom

You can find everything Ragged Robyn over at www.raggedrobyn.com


Tell your friends :)

.....for more...visit....www.raggedrobyn.com

10 Years of Clay

Hello all! The last few months I have been otherwise distracted from my bloggedy blogging, however if you want more regular updates as well then follow me on twitter @RaggedRobyn

Last night I was having a Facebook natter with Kim of Numinosity and I realised I have been specialised in clay for 10 years now. Someone once told me that it gets in your blood! Well that would be alarming wouldn't it!! Mud in your blood! YIKES...

I thought seeing as I'm always going on about uni etc, that perhaps I should share some of my works history with you so you can get an idea of my development as an artist. I recently came across some photos that show me as a young whipper snapper and a few of odds and bobs I have made, about four projects altogether. Unfortunately I cannot find any pics of my thrown work, so perhaps that is for another time.

So...with no further ado.... prepare to be flabbergasted, dumnfounded and possibly alarmed by the ceramics shenanigans and goings ons...

and excuse the 'happy snappy' photography ;)

SLAB JUGS with oxide. The top right one was the very first pot I ever made. I was 16 yrs old

Me being DRAMATIC (for costume design)...those were also my first dreadies, not many photos of those frizzy fella's. I was never very good at sewing, never had much patience with it. Also I am all knuckles and not always good with fiddly work.

I think this was my first uni project - it was meant to be like a butterfly on the pebbly beach of a river...just  passing by....(gross brown glaze, should of done a matt grey) 

All these African water pot inspired terracotta knobbly pots were made in the first year of my degree... so I was 18 yrs old...always loved the squishy finger printy quality of mud :)

DOUBLE snout pots...with nipples

BIG nipple pot!

OUT for a wander

Pondering LIFE

(The red is handmade felt inlay-ed into a groove)

I have done a lot of 2D works on the figure and somehow even now the human form inspires the beads and jewelry I make....MORE on that in my next blog.

Studio shot of one of my earlier figures

Final Exhibition day

And this is me in a Saga pot....my friend Bex (who owned it) was not impressed when she seen this photo. AH WELL, we are still good friends now and the pot survived the weight of my scrawny limbs and second set of dreads - I'm on my third set now.

So there you have it. Of course there is millions more but I cant find the discs with the photos on and I'm hungry and I hope your not too bored after that...must go make venison stew :)

See ya!

Bundling

Sat on my cushion looking out at the trees naked twigs waving to me, it's wet out there, everything drips. The neighbours chimney smoke blows over the twiggy woods. I still have Christmas chocolate on my desk and I dip my fingers into the dusty contents. The cat has come in, sprinkled with rain she rubs her face on mine. Purr purr purr. 
Spitting chocolate dust and cat hair is not a great look! 

In the tin roofed studio it can be cold, I wrap up in at least two layers on me legs, three layers of tops and up to four jumpers as well. I'm only tiny so my body doesn't seem to hold heat for long. Nothing like the super duper freezing temperatures many are putting up with in the States!!! I even heard about the US weather on my local radio news station! Everyone complaining about the flights being cancelled for a day...makes me giggle. Some people want to get on a plane even when the company running it and taking the money tells them it isn't safe! 
Working on a new line of pendants made with strips of textured clay. I'm in love with a section of antique lace...it's texture seems to end up on nearly everything.

Yesterday I listed some more bundles mostly from previous work...

These raggedy fella's...

And a super simple silent bell necklace that Iv been meaning to list for ages now....

Also done a bit of fusing with my new butane torch. Made about six loops of a chain and I reckon I'm a genius~! Mega star! Haha

SOOOO much fun!

SALE

Hello everyone! 
I do still exist, my writing skills are pretty non-existent at the moment, so this will be short and sweet. 

There is a SALE of 25% OFF in my RaggedRobyn Etsy shop. See shop announcement for coupon code.

This is a favourite time of year for me. The leaves are still falling from the trees, they are so dry and colourful they rustle and tumble around and the cats chase them.

The other week this was the view from my kitchen to my studio. I couldnt bring myself to sweep these up until they were piled up higher than my feet.

The low sunshine makes silhouettes out of everything and the frosty mornings make my head feel clear.


Been playing with wire and making lots of earrings....

AND a wacky necklace...

I am still busy making... I never stop! Every waking hour is taken up by creative planning and hands on playing with mud/clay and paint/paste, and wire. So more is on it's way into the shop.

A Grey Bird will arrive at my house in a few days and we will eat drink and be silly...

Have fun too!

Body Adornment

So some of you may have noticed I have been rather busy listing loads of new beads. Most of these are 'part glazed' As in I fired them once, glazed them with a matt glaze then fired them again. Unfortunately half of the colours burnt out at the super high temperature I fire to. But all was not lost and I was able to paint over with Gilders Paste no problems. I  have decided that I prefer the finish on the beads and in future I will be part-glazing most of my beads. Here are photos of just some of the new work in my shop...

Spiky Demon Wings

Dusted bell shape

I like the contrast of materials on these bells with the metal beads...

Cymbal beads, I was going to list these as just the two orange ones but the blue purple one snuck in there  - he goes so well and made the orange stand out beautifully. Again using some metal beads as clappers...I think they are pewter but I never know with metal. 

Some of the newer work is pinned together with the wire hook. When I was a thrower I loved to make teapots because you make it in segments. So you throw the body, the foot ring, the lid and the spout and then turn and scrape to fit it all together...then the handle is pulled from a lump of clay...left to dry a bit, chopped and attached to the finished pot. It is all about timing and measuring. I'm pretty certain these beads will evolve into something insanely huge and quirky, if they havn't already

 Aren't these elegant ?

The clapper on this one is made from five beads all stuck together before firing. I might have to take pics of it with the stacked beads on top as well because they look really grand like that. The gold doesn't cover the whole surface of these, I put a wash of white onto the black ceramic, then orange and just hints of gold. The photo's don't seem to show the contrast and depth in the painted surface. I find gold difficult to photograph especially on black clay.

This one is also connected with wire, it isn't rigid but bends and moves a little when pressed. I love the rusty quality. I am tempted to use fibre on my beads ...maybe just a bit here or there to contrast the textures...hhmmm...

I'm not sure what this one is...haha...but look at him go...I made three of these and I may have to keep one because they are insanely stunning. I don't know how sale able they are but there are two roaming around loose in the shop.

In other news I got my Ceramic Review in the post and look what I found...

This incredible work is by Marie Pendaries it is titled 'La dot' and made from Porcelain in 2008.

Also...

Artist: Peter Hoogeboom Title 'Spanish Collar'

The article is about an exhibition in Gardiner Museum, Toronto, 'A bit of clay on the skin: New Ceramic Jewellery'  Twenty artists from all over the world show over 140 pieces of body adornment.

With out giving too much away and breaking copyright it speaks of the influences on jewellery, historical, cultural, etc. 

So that was interesting and inspiring. And I thought some of my beads were 'mammoth' ha!

Oh and did you know if you are registered as self-employed artist in the UK that craft magazine subscriptions are fully deductible for tax!!! I have only just found this out...yikes...I wish I could backdate that!