ClayMotion

Sunday Studio Visit – Renovations and Birthday Parties

Today in the studio I am putting finishing touches to the new renovations in the studio, and having a kids 11th birthday party!!

I had to extend the studio due to increasing class numbers, and so my partner & I did this over the Easter school holidays. The extension is 99% finished, now it is a matter of re-organising my space, which is also about 99% done. The studio feels so different now, and is such a functional space for both classes and myself.

We built the extension using mostly recycled materials, which is great, not only for the pocket, but also for the environment – there is so much waste in the world – I love to re-purpose things in my everyday life as much as possible. More pics of the finished studio to come 🙂

The other happening in the studio today was a birthday party. As well as offering classes and workshops, I also offer birthday parties, corporate teambuilding, school holiday programs and pretty much anything to do with clay!

Birthday parties are always successful and a great alternative to some other sugar filled options. This party was for an 11 year old, and included twelve kids – it was pretty busy and noisy!! We made treasure boxes by hollowing out blocks of clay and painting them with coloured slips.

And after such a busy day I am now relaxing with a wine!! Oops. but I’m writing a blog post – is that relaxing!?

Oh well, have a great Sunday evening everyone 🙂

Sunday Studio Visit – bits and bobs

There’s not much happening in the studio today – I still feel a bit (guiltily) in holiday mode because my teaching hasn’t resumed – but that will all change this coming week, with classes resuming.

And that was was one of my tasks today – doing some last minute promoting of the classes by sharing on Facebook and creating a blog post for the ClayMotion classes… that’s the name of my teaching business. Classes are almost full, but a few more would be great!

Blog Post

Despite not teaching and doing a bit of January relaxing I have kept myself a bit busy and creatively motivated by participating in a couple of challenges over on Instagram. I shared a few of my pics in an earlier post and intend to share some more soon, but in the meantime you can visit my IG account to check out my pics HERE.

I managed to write a poem and complete an accompanying drawing too, which you can check out on my POETRY BLOG

I also packaged up a a couple of ETSY orders so that I can post them tomorrow … I like to take care with my packaging, make it attractive – I think this shows the customer a level of care which is important for customer relations, I think.

And speaking of ETSY, Valentines Day is only a few weeks away and I have some great gift ideas for him and her, plus some gorgeous tableware for that intimate romantic dinner … later on today I hope to list a few more goodies 🙂

Well, that’s about it for this Sunday…. see you during the week 🙂

CHILDREN’S SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS JANUARY 2014

Hello Fellow Bloggers!! Apologies for being so absent lately, it has been a hectic few months!! (and yes there is a reason besides Christmas which will be announced soon). I have been missing in action both in posts and visiting other blogs and I am hoping to get my act together soon! In the meantime I am running some school holiday workshops – via my ClayMotion business from my studio in Ballarat.

Ballarat is a wonderfully central location for people to visit from Melbourne or other Central Highlands regions – and if the kids do a morning class you have the afternoon to explore other stuff in Ballarat such as Sovereign Hill, the Gold Museum, the MADE Museum or  junk shops and cafes – or stay the weekend and explore everything!!

But in the meantime here is the information about the children’s classes I am offering this January 🙂

Feel free to share with creative kids – or kids that don’t realise they are creative as yet!!

 ***CHILDREN’S SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS JANUARY 2014***

ClayMotion classes and workshops for children are designed to encourage individual creativity, fine motor skills and tactile development, all of which are important skills to hone in our current modern fast paced technological world. Being able to relax in the environment of creativity is an important factor to maintain balance in a “results” based modern society – especially for children.

Clay Thong – image from http://www.pinterest.com/artnfusion/ceramic-ideas-for-kids/

CLAY THONGS

Wednesday 15th January 10-12noon $30.00 including materials and firing.

This project is a tactile project encouraging the children to ‘squelch’ their feet in the clay to make imprints for a set of clay thongs.

Children will roll out clay, imprint their feet into the soft clay, cut out the shape of their feet, and make their imprints into thongs.
The thongs will be decorated using brightly coloured slips.

Parents will be contacted when the thongs are fired and ready to pick up.

LIMITED NUMBERS – ENROL ONLINE HERE

Herb Houses: Image from http://www.pinterest.com/artnfusion/ceramic-ideas-for-kids/

HERB HOUSES

Wedneasday 22 january 10-12noon $30.00 including materials and firing.

This project is great for children who like to grow things – herbs, cactus or even the old fashioned onion tops!

Children will make clay houses from rolled out slabs of clay which will have no roof so that herbs or cactus can be planted into the house.

Houses will be painted with coloured slip.

Parents will be contacted when the thongs are fired and ready to pick up.

LIMITED NUMBERS: ENROL ONLINE HERE

An Afternoon in the Studio

I spent this afternoon in the studio making some new work for the Pop-Up Shop Collective happening in Ballarat from the 29 November till 8th December at Backspace Gallery, Ballarat. I will, of course, be making more …

As well as new work I will also be selling my Japanese inspired tapas sets and ceramic jewellery, as well as taking customised orders, and letting everyone know about my ClayMotion classes and workshops (which includes gift certificates).

So mark it in your diaries and  happy Christmas shopping 🙂

An Afternoon in the Studio: Photo Essay

I’ve been needing for some time now to get out to the studio and do some ‘housekeeping’ – you know, the stuff that continually suffers from procrastination: cleaning, mixing glazes, organising, recycling – the sort of chores you even find yourself scrubbing the shower before doing!

So yesterday I took a deep breath and faced the inevitable – an afternoon of studio maintenance.

I decided to record the experience through a photo essay to prove to you that I did it and to show what a wonderful productive job I completed… yes?

Messy Leafblown Studio

Making Glazes

Mixing Glazes

Mixing Glazes

Glazing

Glaze Tests

Loading the Kiln

Cleaner Studio

Cleaner Studio