Yule

Traduction Française ici
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Happy Yule, happy Solstice! And may all your sweetest dreams come true! And may your feet tread serenely on this path which is full of enchantments for those whose eyes remain wide open.

These are the results of my last firing. I’m always so grateful that nothing exploded or stuck to the shelves. This time I took note of everything I did so as to not lose track, I’ve spent most of the afternoon recording all of this straight onto the pictures. There are a few things I would have done differently now. Some glazes I won’t be using again or only in a very special way. I’m still learning a lot about the glazes I’m using and their limitations.

I’ll start with my most successful achievement, Alkonost. She’s a legendary bird of the Russian Myths. She’s an image of my Soul, but also one friend’s soul who will welcome her into her home.

sirin

Click on the images for all the details:

This is Mister Fox. I’m aware there is an animation of the same title but I haven’t seen it.

mrfox

And Dame Owl, whose name sounds a bit like Dame Holle, goddess of Winter (amongst other things).

dameowl

And these are the tiles on which the lanterns will sit.

Firing at 1200 c. Ramp of 800 in 8 hours. From 800 to 1200: 3 hours. Hold 15 mn. Shouldn’t have hold it. It’s a bit too much for the Velvet underglazes which turned a bit too shiny for my taste.

7 Comments

  1. Ricardo Flores

    I came across your beautiful site by a link courtesy of Corinne who I have as a friend on myboomerplace.com, and I am very impressed by your work. It is filled with magic, enchantment, and love. I also like the layout of your website, which I find very inspiring and easy to follow. You are one of a kind artist… vey beautiful work! Thank you for sharing your gift. Ricardo.

    1. Kundry

      Thank you, Ricardo, for your lovely comment! One Of A Kind Artist, I love that, thank you! And thanks to my sweet Corinne for the link!

  2. Reifyn~

    I had never heard of Alkonost before now; I’m always fascinated by such characters as her, and Russian myths are very wonderful and rich. The Fire Bird is one of my favourites and the subject of the only ballet I’ve ever seen before; and the Baba Yaga tales are fab (I want a hut on fowl’s legs!). I’ve a great love for lanterns of different kinds like these; the ones I like best though are the kind that project images onto the walls or ceilings and sometimes spin with the heat of the light. I’ve often thought about trying to make those, but probably very difficult. You’re fortunate to make such things as these and be able to work with ceramics, which I think you’ve found out don’t always work out as we plan!

    1. Kundry

      They are my favorite tales! I love houses with a temper! I think it is very difficult to find the kind of lanterns you’re describing but I love them too. It must be pretty hard indeed to make them. The lantern spinning with heat would be a real challenge. The other one would work with a revolving base which you can buy online, then you can put anything on top. You can make your own frame with some wire, in a shape of a cylinder or perhaps recycle an old lamp shade, and fill the spaces with mulberry paper (which you would have painted with your own designs). Also this paper is slightly transparent. For the light inside, you can drop in it a string of led lights (powered by a battery) and TADA! I think it’d be awesome.

      1. Kundry

        Oh gosh, you’re giving me an idea… I should make Baba Yaga’s hut as a lantern.

        1. Reifyn

          Yes, I think that’d be great! But what of the skulls on sticks around it, with light coming from the eyes? That would be difficult, though not impossible! Skulls with light and smoke pouring from them; but one must keep step-mothers and their daughters away from them, or…VWOOOOSH! (OK maybe forget that bit—just the hut by itself out for a walk is enough.)
          I didn’t know it’s possible to get those bases online. One day I hope I can make something like that—I like those types of lanterns too much, and you’ve given me a good recipe for them.

          1. Kundry

            The fence with the skulls with light and smoke pouring from them is indeed a fantastic idea but I will leave this to our very vivid and powerful imagination ;-).

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