New Butterfly Bowls
All posts by Melynn Allen
Test Tiles
I didn’t realize it until now, but I think the paint on the chairs in my kitchen inspired the direction of my latest test tiles with a new clay body – that and an amazing workshop led by Jeremy Randall last summer in Rockport, MA.
New Cups
Still hot from the kiln.
Salt Cellar
I was at a friend’s house the other day and saw one of my old salt cellars on her kitchen counter. I barely remember how I did it since I made it so long ago. I took a photo to remind myself to try and make some more just like it. I really like the shape – the circle within a square block – and the striped layers of color in the glaze.
Birches and Butter
These little half butter dishes with a birch tree design have been a popular item on my Etsy site lately. People seem to like the idea of putting out just a half stick of butter at a time, especially those that are concerned with freshness. A half stick gets eaten twice as fast as a whole, and a lid is critical if there’s a cat around. “In the fridge or left out”, “with a lid or without” are big topics of conversation in my craft fair booth. What I’ve discovered over time is that most people treat butter in the same way their mothers did, so I make a variety of styles that fit the bill. In general though, I’m just a big fan of butter and making dishes to go with it is one of my favorite tasks in the studio.
New Year, New Forms
It felt good to be back in the studio today after the long holiday break. After a year of carving and working almost exclusively with high contrast imagery, I’m going to dig out some of my old glazes and see what I can do to bring these new forms to life with a more subtle approach.
Stocking the Shop
Now that the holidays are over, I’ve been keeping myself busy by loading up my Etsy Shop with leftover goodies, like this little carved salt cellar with a bamboo spoon. Next week, I’ll be back to work, experimenting with some new techniques. Winter time is play time in the studio.
