I'm frequently amazed at what I image when I look at cactus like these: I see buildings, I see people in a crowd, and I see balloons on strings. What I find is all smiles. I catch myself smiling at these little beauties. I catch myself talking to them like pets. I really get a … Continue reading Transformations With Life #15 (New Home for the Prickly Pear)
Transformations With Life #14 – Reaching for Nirvana
Another example of the persistence of life. Like many of my plants, I find them on walk, this time deep in a vast filed of wild growth. This amazing plant was growing out of a dry mud patch. The earth was so dry and hard packed, that I broke the small shovel I was using … Continue reading Transformations With Life #14 – Reaching for Nirvana
Transformations With Life #12 – The Island
During my walk this morning, I deviated through a buggy and bushy field. I came across this tenacious little tree growing in a dry patch. It looked like an island of life in the sea of dead grass. They it hit me that it could be even more of an island. I decided to combine … Continue reading Transformations With Life #12 – The Island
Transformations With Life #11 – A Single Thought
I found this tiny maple tree growing like a weed near my deck in the backyard. It hoped up from nowhere and seemed to have something important to say, but it had no voice. I still had one of hundreds of small shot classes I made a few years ago that felt like a perfect … Continue reading Transformations With Life #11 – A Single Thought
Transformations With Life #10 – Reimagined Office Garden
Above is the original bowl. It was sitting uncomfortably in a display case among others in my ceramic series called Paper Bowls. About a week ago my lovely wife came home with some plants from her office that had been damaged by the cleaning lady and she asked me to replant them into some dull … Continue reading Transformations With Life #10 – Reimagined Office Garden
Transformations with Life #9 – The Reaching Pot
I wasn't sure if I wanted to repurpose this small tea bowl. It was very nicely done, comfortable in the hand, and with a beautiful blue crackle glaze. This early pot got very close to some of the early Korean pots I was inspired by. When I added this little indoor hanging plant, I wasn't … Continue reading Transformations with Life #9 – The Reaching Pot
Transformations with Life #8 – The Forest Floor
After planting the four maple seedlings I added some garden moss to keep the soil moist and then I put it in the sun. A few days later other plants started to grow. It looks very much like the floor of the forest with the trees high about and tons of life struggling fort a … Continue reading Transformations with Life #8 – The Forest Floor
Transformations With Life #7 – The Barber’s Story
One of only a few remaining of my long face vessels, this one was originally meant to be a prototype for s beer stein. At that time, I had yet discovered the versatility of porcelain, so this earthenware is thick and weighty. Still, it fits nicely in the hand and could have been used as … Continue reading Transformations With Life #7 – The Barber’s Story
Transformations With Life #6 – Summer Flowers
Please take note that there are two different pots shown here. I planted a flower from my garden that returns every year. I've always known them as snapdragons. The become a bright orange-pink and look like a cross between a crocus and bird of paradise. The goblets they are now living in were from a … Continue reading Transformations With Life #6 – Summer Flowers
Transformations With Life #5 – Purely Canadian Bonsai
Elevating my electric-fired, Raku-style tea bowls has been and continues to be loads of fun. Part of it is the fun of finding suitable small trees that could possibly become bonsais. In this case, I found a small maple tree, about 30cm high and with massive leaves. I made the choice to think outside the … Continue reading Transformations With Life #5 – Purely Canadian Bonsai
The New Renaissance Mindset 