January 29th smoke firing workshop
Published January 29, 2012We lucked out during today’s smoke firing workshop because the moment we had lit the barrel, the rain came pouring down.
The technique we used is quite simple; bisque fired work is painted with copper, iron and manganese oxide and then placed in a smoke chamber along with colour enhancing ingredients such as coffee grinds, copper wire, salt, soot, sea weed and hydrangea heads. We made salt and coffee bombs ( salt and coffee grinds wrapped in a sheet of newspaper) which we placed inside and beside the vessels so that when they get hot they will burst and give the ceramics an intense blast of colour.
Once the ceramics are placed on a layer of sawdust another layer of sawdust is poured on top…
Some newspaper is torn up and placed on top…
It is lit….
And once the sawdust catches fire, it is time to replace the lid so that the sawdust will glow and smoulder rather than burn, allowing the smoke to decorate the surfaces. The barrel will reach about 8-900 degrees Celsius.
My next sculpture and smoke firing workshop will take place at Dudley Road studios on Sunday 12th February and there will be a plate making workshop on Sunday 5th February. To find out more please go here
New Ceramic Workshops in Hastings in February and March 2012
Published January 26, 2012
Soul Gardens; the art of Faith Nolton
Published January 21, 2012
‘My images, like icons, reflect a sacred world where all things are connected.’
My contact with Faith Nolton began after I stumbled across her paintings on the internet and felt an immediate connection. Looking at Faith’s images, I felt that she could show me new ways of exploring, and so I called her! I never do this, normally, but it was the beginning of what for me has been an extraordinary journey into the unknown.
I have always used clay to tell myself stories about what is going on in my head – and through the creative process I often discover what I really think or feel about something. I think art fills that function for many artists, I am certainly not unique in this. But in Faith I sensed that her explorations were focused and her images spoke to me about journeys to other realms of reality, places I could recognize. I wanted to venture further into this, and Faith has shown me how to go about it.
Faith’s paintings often describe what she encounters during her Shamanic journeys; “When I first discovered shamanism over 30 years ago”, she writes, ”I found simple ways of exploring life that are deeply loving and personally enriching. This perception had already been with me on an intuitive level through my painting and poetry.Shamanism is an ancient natural relationship with life, in which all things are related, and connected - a web of energy that is affected by our actions, thoughts, emotions and intentions.
It is not a ‘religion’, but enables one to live in a larger waveband of sacred experience and understanding, with the guidance and loving support of personal spirit helpers.”
Faith offers a ‘creative consultancy’ service which includes guidance on meditational/dream imagery, art technique and development for individuals and small groups in her studio near Cardigan in Wales. Or you could do what I did – call her! Due to the dreaded spammers, I won’t give her phone number here, but follow the links to her website and you’ll find all the contact details there.
She is also busy writing and illustrating a book on making sacred art which will be published during 2012.
If you like any of Faith’s images, you are welcome to download them from her website
CERAMIC WORKSHOPS in Hastings January and February 2012
Published January 5, 2012
This is my workshop diary for January and February in case you would like to learn some of my techniques and have a bit of creative fun in Hastings. My workshops are suitable for beginners and people with previous experience alike. I look forward to seeing you!
Thursday morning workshops; Five sessions
A new five session series of ceramic workshops is starting up on Thursday 19 January 10.30-1 pm. These workshops are suitable for beginners and for people with some previous experience alike. I will be introducing some new techniques at each session, but I am also happy for you to do your own thing.
Thursday 19th; bowl making, introducing textures. We make the bowls inside moulds so we do not use a potter’s wheel.
Thursday 26th; coiling techniques
Thursday 2nd February; slab building techniques
Thursday 9th; decorating with under glazes
Thursday 16th; glazing and smoke firing, please follow link to see more about my smoke firing classes!
Cost; £125 for the full course, including all materials, firings and tuition plus refreshments.
One day Wonders January and February 2012
During this workshop we create a series of bowls using press molds and not a potter’s wheel.
Please bring a packed lunch!
Please bring a packed lunch!
Cost; £40 for the day, including all materials, tuition and firings plus tea, coffee and cake!
Please bring a packed lunch!
Today we decorate our bisque fired plates with under glazes and oxides.
Cost; £40 for the day, including all materials, tuition and firings plus tea, coffee and cake!
Please bring a packed lunch!
Sunday 12th February 11-3pm; sculpture techniques, part 1
During this workshop we create sculptures using coiling and slab making techniques. These are the techniques I use for my own work, and the results can be amazingly varied.Suitable for beginners and people with previous experience alike.
Cost; £40 for the day, including all materials, tuition and firings plus tea, coffee and cake!
Please bring a packed lunch!
Please bring a packed lunch!
The abduction poem and bronze sculpture
Published December 25, 2011
The story goes that a young girl went to the woods to gather fir cones. Feeling tired she sat down next to a hill and as she leant against the rock it opened up and she was invited inside by the king of the mountain. All night she danced and feasted with the beautiful people, but in the morning she woke up outside the hill with her basket of fir cones.
‘I must have been dreaming’, she told herself and walked home. But a new family now lived in her old house and she didn’t recognise anyone in the village. Nobody knew her. Finally an old man said he had heard stories about an old couple who had lost their daughter in the woods many years ago when he was a child.
Abraham Gibson, the London poet, wrote a poem about this piece
The Abduction
A kiss is a weapon
it can strike you
Or stand guard… about your world
Loneliness is not bitter
if there is
… sun light in your soul
We do not care for summer
the birds chatter too loudly
the branches
… steal light
from the sky
Music is not ours
if we cannot hear its heart beat
love is not content
if we…
cannot hear its sigh
He found her sensuality
beautiful / disturbing
it reached him…
through her breath
over miles
and
across streams
The sun filtered
through the trees
like ribbons
The deeper he ventured
into the forest
the tighter
the ribbons
wrapped around his veins!
Be my soldier
Be my king
Hold me while I sleep
Be my soldier
Be my king!
Madness is a holding fast
and a letting go
His melancholy a dance with pain
that aches with hope
How do you keep a song quiet
that entices your every mood
if he could hear this music…
Who else could?
Their meeting place
was stained
ram shackled
danced over
And she has never been seen again
half of his mind…
still waits for her
half of his mind!
half of his mind
is being chased by the grief
Be my soldier
be my king
Be my soldier
be my king!
To see more of Abraham’s work, please go here http://youtu.be/Le7d2cHw2LY
Sold
Published December 20, 2011
‘The Abduction’, a bronze sculpture inspired by an old Swedish fairytale about a girl who is abducted by the fairies.
I made it in plaster of Paris and then had it cast in bronze in an edition of 6 at Livingstone art founders in Matfield, near London.
To find more Christmas presents, please go to www.annakeiller.com
Ceramic Fat Birds
Published December 19, 2011Just in time for Christmas!
A new gang of Fat Bird sculptures came out of the smoke bins this morning – I’m very excited about them and I hope you are, too.
If you are looking for that unique Christmas present, then have a look here. I send all my work using the post offices special next day delivery.
Ceramic Owls
Published December 17, 2011
All through the night the smoke chambers have been working and this morning these little owls emerged, bleary eyed.
I am busy cleaning them up and taking their picture so that they can go on my website later on today. It’s so exciting!
This is a link to the owl page.
There will be some new Fat Birds as well later on today. I send my sculptures using special next day delivery, so if you would like to give a bird to someone as a Christmas gift, it will arrive in good time (this is only valid for Great Britain – if you live elsewhere then please contact me and I’ll see what I can do – I sent a little Owl to New Zealand recently, and it arrived within a week.)
sold
Published December 16, 2011Fat Birds are flying out the door at the moment;
This couple went to Preston
And this yellow Fat Bird flew to Leamington Spa…
I have a new collection of Fat Birds and Little Owl sculptures in the kiln waiting to come out, so watch this space!
sold
Published December 11, 2011
Most of my ceramic torsos work well as sconces as there is enough room for a light to be fitted between the back of the torso and the wall. This torso was bought by a couple from Manchester to give their daughter as a Christmas present.
Please go to www.annakeiller.com to find more exciting Christmas gifts!
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