Pottery Artists

Someone once said that you tell a lot about a people by looking at their pottery. Pottery can survive extreme heat such as from a fire or a volcano. Pottery shards can be found after an earthquake or other natural disaster. Pottery has been around since earliest reported history.

Some of you know that I have been learning to throw pots on the wheel with mixed success.
I can melt a handful of clay on a wheel very quickly. I admire some of my Etsy friends from the Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team and the Wild, Wise, and Witty Grandmamas who make beautiful pots. It's amazing to me that they all have different styles, yet they all create wonderful pottery items.

One of my team mates is Graciela Lynt of Glynt Pottery. She is a member of the WWWG Team who specializes in stoneware. Imagine using this relish dish at one of your parties.

Judy Nevius of JN Pottery is another talented member of WWWG. She uses stoneware and porcelain for most of her creations and is very imaginative in what she creates. I confess I hadn't thought of anything like this twine or small yarn bell she has for sale in her shop.

Carole Fox of FoxPots is a newer member of WWWG. She uses stoneware for many of her creations and makes a lot of handbuilt pieces as well as wheel thrown pieces. Feast your eyes on this.

Pearl of FehuStoneware is an extremely talented potter and a member of Bbest. She had made videos of herself throwing things on the wheel and makes it look so easy!! Pearl uses a lot of porcelain and stoneware with Raku as well as traditional food safe glazes. I love this tea trinket storage jar.

Ceci Lindo is another member of Bbest. Her work in ArtsieLady is filled with color and texture. She uses the pottery wheel for some pieces and hand builds others. She uses both Raku and traditional food safe glazes in her work. This is one of her newer pieces.

Visit these artists on Etsy. You'll love browsing through their stores and finding something special for yourself.

Kissing Angel Bears

Once upon a time there were two little bears who were in love. Barney and Bernice didn't want to spend time searching for nuts or berries. Nor did they want to rob picnickers of their food. All they wanted to do was spend time kissing. Barney loved to pick fresh flowers for Bernice and would surprise her with them as often as he could.

The other bears in the forest told Barney and Bernice they had to start doing more of the things typical bears did or they wouldn't be allowed to live with the others. Barney and Bernice were so worried. They knew they just couldn't get excited about those things. One evening, as they were kissing, they wished time would stand still for a while and let them kiss forever. A fairy heard their wish and turned them into these angel bears who could kiss forever.

Froggy Love

I have always loved the smiling faces on frogs and listening to them sing around the pond every night. When I moved to the country, we used to say that it was so quiet that it was noisy. Instead of sirens and traffic noises, we heard the frogs, crickets, birds, and other animals calling in the night.

I loved creating this ceramic frog. He is painted with acrylic paints, antiqued with an antiquing gel, and drybrushed to create depth and softness. While I have never hugged or kissed a real frog, this one is very kissable!

I created this little owl in much the same fashion. He is slip cast ceramic and painted with acrylics.

Come visit these two on my Etsy Shop

Visit HemlockHollow

I had the priviledge of meeting Gloria, owner of Hemlock Hollow in June 2009 while I was traveling to Virginia to see my daughter.  Gloria and her husband welcomed my son and me, along with a friend and her husband who had recently moved to the area, to her home by the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee.

Gloria is an amazing person.  She seems to know almost everything about every plant around her house!  I could feel her love of nature while listening to her speak about the flowers, leaves, and colors of the foliage as she took us on a tour of their property.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21266825

Her love of nature is reflected in her work. This Strawberry Leaf Pendant was made with sterling silver clay and she used a real strawberry leaf to imprint the design.

  http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25520660

This maple leaf  pendant was created in the same manner and then "selectively oxidized" to further define the leaf.

Gloria shows her imagination in her description of the jasper she used as a focal in this necklace.
 http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38055021      


http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16144800






The Petunia Pearl Necklace and earrings use handmade focals from another Etsy artist.  I love the amethyst color and the imagination Gloria used in creating these pieces.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15557994

One of the things I admire about Gloria is how she loves to learn new things.  She has been working hard on her stained glass creations recently and has a perfect piece in her shop for Valentine's Day.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37702106

Stop by and visit Hemlock Hollow, and also Gloria's vintage shop, Frogpond Vintage.

Dragon Alert

I just listed this commercially made dragon on my website, Hidden Ridge Road. He is approximately 5 inches tall, and looks pretty ferocious. But don't worry, he won't really bite you!



Blessings and Peace.
Jill

Bright Potholders

Today I listed these in my TurtleTreasures shop. They are crocheted with cotton yarn and will brighten up your kitchen during this cold winter.

I'm excited about listing a few crocheted items. I learned sewing from my mom, and crocheting from my grandmother. It gave me a lot of pleasure to make the many granny square afghans for friends and family members as Christmas gifts when I was younger. As I got older, I got more involved with other crafts, but I always kept yarn and crochet hooks around. It is my comfort craft!!

Crochet has taken a new role in my life more recently. I belong to a crochet group in my church. We make prayer shawls and lap blankets for members of our congregation who have suffered a loss or are going through some health challenges of their own. This group consists of some wonderful ladies, and when I joined, a group of ladies laughing and crocheting was just what I needed in my life.

All crocheted items made with extra love!!

Blessings and Peace,

Jill

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