On a wing and a prayer and the big C

Finally, I feel satisfied with these little bronze pieces. I've been working on them for a while.  I love these little birdies.  I saw these plump little beauties out my back door all summer and fall. They were feasting on the bird feeder just outside my studio window. They looked wren like but so big compared to the house wrens I am familiar with. They have the most beautiful song. A little internet search and there they were. The mystery of the large plump wren. I present the Carolina wren, at least my version of one. My new studio friend.

The nest with a single egg fairly flew off my pen to paper when I first heard the fantastic news that I will have a new grand baby at the end of June. It's a celebration of the gift of life that babies bring. By the way, it is a boy that we will be greeting and loving into this world.

A 'wing and a prayer' is a phrase that I often turn to in times when I am having a hard time navigating life.  But I never really knew where it came from. A little research and I find that it comes from a British song/poem about a WWII fighter plane coming home after a mission on a single engine, ..'we are coming in on a wing and a prayer...' It means essentially that I may not be operating at my optimum but I'm getting the job done.

In fact, I haven't been operating on all my engines lately. You know, I'm pretty much getting there. I'm making it home.  But the results of all of those medical tests that came about after this year's physical are not all that fantastic. Yep, it is the big C. I have breast cancer. It will require surgery soon and most likely chemo and radiation therapy. I so debated whether or not to share that on this blog. But then this blog is about the intersection of my studio with my life and .... well this one is a biggy that is going to spill over into most everything I do.

But I do feel a little like that bunny. For me bunnies are a symbol of spring, of the beginning of summer. I remember watching them as a child hopping through the back garden at dusk. I loved going out there and quietly watching them being busy foraging for their dinner. Usually that was my mothers vegetable garden. She did not share the same affection I had for the little fellows.

Spring is just around the corner.....Spring is a new beginning and I'm ready for a new beginning.

I'm so ready for spring!

I don't know about you, but this winter thing is getting old. And my mind has turned to little tastes of spring. These beads were made thinking of cherry blossoms (sakura), an image I love because often they are among the first trees to bloom. I don't actually have any cherry trees but I do have pear, peach, and apple. I love the whites, pale pinks, against the branches of the trees. Oh spring! Where are you?

I couldn't resist glazing a few of these beads in a spring alternative. Mostly, because I love this glaze and have this need to glaze everything in sight like this.

These have been on my to do list for a long time now. I've been wanting to make ceramic clasps with bronze or copper toggles for a while now. Well the toggles are yet to come. I made these and looked at them and said to my self, you know these have some potential as small pendants or connectors. I have some ideas of putting a small dangle off the bottom and making them into pendants on simple snake chain or leather. We'll see.

And what could be more spring and Easter than an egg? These were very fun. The brown that is in there is a spatter painted glaze. Remember using a paint loaded brush and spraying it across your paper? Very messy but very satisfying. That's the base for these eggs and then they are over coated with another of my favourite glazes.

Gosh, I'd love to have a hand model. Look at those nasty cuticles, the pudgy fingers. Well when you work in clay, I'm afraid that a nice manicure is just a dream.

The perspective of this bird bowl is a little odd. But I am quite pleased with the bird bowls. All I need now is some Cadbury eggs to fill them with. That would be your original creme eggs, not the minis, not the caramel. I like my original and have a very well defined ritual for eating them.

Have a lovely weekend, all! And those of you who are buried in snow up there in the NE, I recommend sleeping in, having a cup or to of hot chocolate (don't forget the marshamallows) and snuggling up under a nice comforter. Meanwhile, I will be thinking warm and sunshine thoughts for you all.

Hooters!

No, not that kind of hooters. This is a nice clean blog, ya know. I used to live in a rural area where we had barn owls. They are huge and absolutely magnificent. I used to watch them at dusk come out to hunt. They circle, glide, almost like they are floating in air. And then suddenly swoop in for the catch of the day. Quite awe inspiring.

These little owl beads are my small tribute to the barn owl. They've gone through a few renditions until I was happy with them. Yes, I know owls generally do not have green or blue tummies. But these are my owls and in my world owls can be whatever colour I choose. I like their round little colourful tummies.

These are made in a similar way to the bird beads. Except the the face gets molded and then the wings are added later. These have even got tail feathers.

As long as I've been on a bit of bird kick lately, I thought why not add some nests? Sometimes it just happens that way for me. One idea leads to another, and then an entire day is gone. Spring will be here soon. I see signs all around me. Those birds will need some nests, right?

Have a lovely weekend everyone!