Morag McGee Ceramics: Raku

Showing posts with label Raku. Show all posts

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

New Year - Moving On......

Well, its been a busy January....

All things change, Ive been very busy getting on these past few months but I've not really blogged and told you all the news!

Its been a month of transition too.... for years now, I have balanced by more creative, making life with a part time teaching job - after applying for a promoted position and the prospect of full time work, I have had time to reflect (after not getting the job!) on what exactly I'm doing.

Its a daunting prospect, so, a couple of weeks ago, we picked up this wee beauty:

Shiny Van of Whiteness

After realising that its been some years sine i actually had passengers in the back of the Clio, and that the back seats were down more than up... AND that no matter how hard I try, I cant get a gas bottle, metal bin, sawdust, pots, shelves and... a raku kiln , in the back!

On the plus side, it has roof bars, should we need to take the canoe out too.....

I rejoined the Scottish Potters Association too - its been 6 years since I renewed my membership and I wanted to reconnect with new folk who worked in clay - dont worry, I wont be building a wood kiln and growing a beard anytime soon (I jest)

I also managed to get a last minute place in their residential weekend in March - it involves a Ceilidh, so look out!

I absolutely SUCK at application forms and my terrible knack for procrastination is worst when I have a paperwork deadline... however, I am perusing forms that involve porpoises, tiles and castles..... hmmmmmmmmm

One big job for the year was announced this week. i am officially the Educational Artist in Residence for Fabric of the Land in 2014....

I will be working with the Creative Learning team, St Machar Academy and the great smART Consultants to get the 3rd year interested in Art and Geology....

In October 2013, I completed another project with smArt Consultants. Along with Walker Road Primary in Torry, we produced the table centres for the 2013 Art and Business Scotland Awards.... it was a terribly posh occasion but the kids were the stars of the show!... heres a video to show you how it was done...

Ill keep you posted on any more developments!
M

Tuesday, 23 October 2012

NEOS Catch-Up

Well.... its been a month since NEOS ended and I've only just recovered!

We all had a great week where the weather really was amazing in a rather idyllic setting...

Along with the usual selling, banter and business, I managed to get my first Raku work fired in the New Kiln.... after a bit of trouble with the burner, the chaps at Northern Kilns told me an easy fix and we were on our way!

This was the first firing, attended by the lovely Happy Accident Co who also helped out.
The pieces were at about 1000C when we took off the lid and proceeded to take out the pieces and pop them in the sawdust bin to reduce and smoke for 20 mins...

the pieces were then taken home to be cleaned. I was going to take proper photographs of the finished pieces but.... they all sold very well!

C'est La Vie.....

only slightly cleaned...

inside the box you can see where the copper has reduced and turned red/ petrolly

drying out the pieces on top of the firing kiln...

nice and clean now!

difficult to see the copper flashes...

these pieces sold within 20 mins!

nice cracking...

complete with casualty.... i dropped it!

Saturday, 15 September 2012

Diary of a Set -Up

This week I have been preparing for my North East Open Studios show which opened today. I am showing again with Gabrielle Reith and Aubin Stewart as well as Magnhild Hauge, Ane Smith, Philip Thompson and Susie Hunt.

Mill Farm is the purpose built, tranquil home of Painter, Susie Hunt who has generously let us show with her this year.

In exchange for the space we have cleaned, sorted, repainted and arranged to transform the space into a little Affa Fine paradise where we have a mixture of our own work spaces couples with mixed parts. We have set up a lovely lifestyle wall mixing our products with furnishings.

Throughout the week we will be demonstrating and raku firing.... there will be more to come on that in the coming days!

Here is a rather shoddy set of pictures of the transformations....