The Blues

Saratoga Blue

Sometimes a theme presents itself over the course of some days or weeks and I ignore it until I just can't anymore.  And sometimes I am crossing my fingers that when I connect the days' dots, there will be a picture there.

This week I am paying close attention, as I am at a happy "inventory crossroads".  I sold most of my inventory at my first retail sale (thank you everyone!), and now I have a clean slate.  (There's something so freeing about those empty shelves!)

I thought I'd dive right in, but aside from filling some existing orders, I found myself needing a little thoughtful dot-connecting.  So I scrolled through my camera's memory from the last couple of weeks and noticed a definite theme: BLUE.  I am an admitted color junkie, so picking a favorite hue is like  picking a favorite child, but blue always seems to find its way to the head of the table.

Not namby-pamby blue.  No, no, Nanette.  Bring me Cobalt! Electric blue!  Saratoga blue!

Lately, it's been a subtle blues all the way, like this high-fire sheer opal, which I love...

but looking at my snaps from a recent trip to Santa Cruz, California - (Why oh WHY is the light so different and amazing there?  Those hard ceramic blue skies...sigh...) I think some low-fire saturation is in order.  Just look:

Uphill Blue

Royal Teeth-ache-y Blue

Casino Blue

My new framed artwork is ripping a page from this book.  I love using these shiny, candy shell Envision glazes: turquoise, teal, royal, and sky. 

Weekends are dangerous when all your boys are safely occupied at a skate demo.  Plenty of time to surf that delicious Big Ceramic Shop website: www.bigceramicstore.com  and order Galaxy, Peacock and Larkspur!