Art of Flower Arranging

 What fun to play with flowers! Here I am at the Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs Convention down in Phoenix last Sunday. As well as being a working artist here in Sedona , AZ., I love plants and flowers and joined our own SAGC here in Sedona a few years ago. I was fortunate enough to take a workshop with a Very well know flower designer, Brent Leech.  One of his first questions went something like  " How many of you just take your flowers from the grocery store  and  put them in a tall vase?" Ok. I have been guilty of that. I do often go outside and see if there are any interesting blooms in my garden to add, but not always. 

Brent does have an advantage over those of us who live up in Sedona, and other small towns in Arizona. He can go to the flower market in Phoenix, open to professionals and others. That is now on  my list of " must do" in My future. He  likes to work with the "Tropicals", those exotic flowers that grow in the tropics and are not readily available here in dry Arizona. Perhaps some local flower stores will sell them? Another thing to follow up on in my future.  

His goal was really to get us to think "out of the box" when making a design. Notice the other materials included here as well. There are large  leaves that can be folded; rolled; split; anything to add interest, or the branch that also adds support to the tall blooms. There are clever little bamboo pins to hide these methods of manipulation.

 Notice the difference in heights; the directions of  the blooms; the way the eye circles around the whole. A very low vase for a very tall arrangement. Even the little bamboo like stems we cut up and put on a copper wire , which flows out of the arrangement and keep us intrigued. Something mosslike is added to hide the "frog" or  foam, keeping the flowers in place. We all were doing the same arrangements, but there was always an individual interpretation. The Art involved in your next flower adventure! Comments?

Raku at the Ranch

 

It was a lovely day out at the Reitz Ranch ceramic studio in Clarkdale, AZ. a few weekends ago.  Here I am with my hand built  platter, or wall hanger, just  after  I  pulled it out of the Raku kiln.  Well I waited till it cooled off to take this picture!  The ranch  was formerly  the home and studio of well known ceramic artist, Don Reitz. I'd see and talk with  Don occasionally  around Jerome or  Sedona before he passed away. He was fun. Sheryl, with her husband, Ted, are now carrying on his tradition at the ranch, where people can work in clay and use various kilns and firing techniques. 

This day it was Raku, an ancient style  of ceramics dating back to the 16th century. The Zen Buddhist monks would use it for their tea ceremonies. Clay pieces are fired to a lower temperature and isn'

t really meant for function, more for its decorative qualities. Back in the old days , some glazes had lead in them, although not recently. It is a very " hands on" technique, since the pots are taken from the red hot kilns with tongs, then put into a trash can containing combustible material , such as paper or sawdust. It  catches fire, then gets smoking when the lid goes on. Afterwards it is put into water, which can accelerate the crackling effect, so common in this style. 

It was a team effort, with some nice Michiganders who had won a Raku firing at the library benefit. Sheryl was the kiln master, with Jerry, Jo , Dave and I working the kiln and pulling out the pots. That can be a little hairy, reaching into fire. I try to be well covered and use heavy gloves.  Large porcelain  platters like this  can be a challenge. I may yet add some glitter to a hairline crack that appeared. What comes out is always a surprise. I read that the definition of Raku is " happiness in the accident." Comments? 

Lavender Farms Forever

Who doesn't love Lavender? Here I am at the Red Rock Lavender Farm in Concho, AZ. Where , you may ask , is Concho? It is a town, quite a spread out area, to the north of Show Low, in the White mountains, where I come to get out of the summer heat. I have to thank my gardening friend, Daysy, for this tip. We gardeners are always interested in learning  about plants.                                           This farm was started back in the 1990's. It was supposed to be an orchard and vegetable endeavor, however the lavender used for landscaping became a commercial boom. There are now 35,000 plants, of various varieties. I am near a sweet smelling Vera variety. The altitude here is 6,100 feet high, and very windy. Off in the distance are red rock formations,  but not quite like Sedona, where I live and produce my art.  Now they grow grapes as well, producing wine , and following in the steps of Southern France. They have a tasting room, where  I really only liked the Rose variety, but then taste is so individual, and people left with cases of something.                      Their  gift shop tantalizes you with handmade soaps, dish towels, cooking  items, anything to get you to leave behind your dinero. I bought two plants as well, which I plan to use in containers for now. It was an adventure, and who doesn't like that?!

 

 

Follow the Mask

 Here I am , following my passion and creating masks again this summer of 2022. This one is what I call  a miniature mask. All is relative, n'est-ce-pas? It can  can fit in your hand, or hang on a very narrow wall.  There are  guidelines for a "true miniature", something about an inch equaling a foot. Not my thing, although I do like to make tiny pots also. This creation, titled " Yellow  Secret" is part of my on going series, called " Small Spirits".                                  There are so many influences on my work. I used to travel with a very small sketch pad, about the size of this mask. I would go  to a museum in Mexico, for example, and stay for for three hours and make little drawings. Or I would be  in some archeological place and draw what I saw. When I was invited to Hopi dances in their Plaza,  the sketching would have to be in my head, but it was there. So I am not certain what left the largest influence to my style in this field . Anyway, most often the masks tell Me what to create.                I am currently showing these works  at the Wyatt Gallery at  Hillside, on 179 in Sedona, AZ. I invite you stop by and take a look.

Our Gifts from land and Sea

 

  Here is my latest creation a coral, turquoise and crystal necklace. I like to work with organic pieces because they are individual in size, shape and color. The turquoise and crystal are stones that can be found in Arizona.I have seen bits of crystal embedded in the red rocks of Sedona while out hiking.

  But coral, that is a different story. Coral  started out as a live animal, not a plant as it would appear. They are marine invertebrates, like the sea anemone and jellyfish.  Often they are form reef barriers made up of individual polyps  that wave in the water. They can be  found in tropical waters with the symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that absorb sunlight and provide food. They also extend their tentacles to catch plankton and other edibles. Why the color? These pieces are somewhat an orangy red. I have seen darker reds and pinker. Corals adapt to the light and water temperature and  also come from colored proteins made by the coral animals.                                                                            Native Americans  use this material to make their jewelry  As I read my words,  I realize what a gift from nature is this set. I think the day of unlimited coral may be changing.  Hopefully these natural products are harvested responsibly. The supplier said they would carry it no more. I will enjoy what I create. This creation is a precious jewel from the sea and the earth

Jewels are my Latest Creation

 Here is the latest of my creations in a series I sell called "Jewels". It is a beautiful short necklace, with handcrafted, porcelain beads and real turquoise decorative touches. I made a matching pair of earrings because I like to keep it easy. What to wear? Voila.   

Now the different aspect of this creation is that I made, by my own hands, each and every tan bead. I use high fire porcelain, stained with that lovely red iron oxide we see in the red rocks of Sedona, AZ, where I live and work in my studios. Each turns out a one of a kind color and design.

 First step is to my clay studio, where I create the beads. They have to be sponged clean, so each is smooth against our lovely necks. After the beads come out of the kiln,  I go to my " clean," calligraphy studio which doubles for my jewelry assemblage. the word Clean is open to interpretation,  I suppose. 

There I look in my magic boxes of stones and beads and find the perfect turquoise, including  a lovely turtle. I like  these creatures.  Kind of like me, I guess. They might move slowly, but they  don't stop. Slow and steady,  but there is always something new to inspire. Enjoy. 

What are your thoughts?

Turquoise Touch to a Sedona Creation

Here is the latest in my Large white bowl series. It measures @ 12" across and @ 3 1/2" in height. As with all handmade art , it it is not  is completely uniform, but then again, neither am I. What makes this so unique are  the decorative touches of  real Arizona Turquoise. It doesn't go in your oven or the microwave, but it is fully functional for food or decoration.

 This glaze is actually totally clear. Fired to a temperature over 2000 degrees F, it is food safe and very strong.   What you are seeing is the white porcelain clay beneath it. I intentionally leave the outside with a rough exterior , so I can decorate with the iron oxide that makes the  Sedona rocks red in color. I like the juxtaposition of the smooth inside with the rough exterior. Kind of like life I guess. Comments?                          

White Bowl with Turquoise

"How can I add some pizzazz to my lovely, white porcelain bowls?" I  asked myself while unloading my last kiln load of ceramics, here in my Sedona, AZ.  studio. My solution was to add real turquoise nuggets  in the crevasses that come with my delicately coiled decoration on the edge of this bowl, and others.
 This is a serving size bowl, measuring  nine inches across by @ four and a half inches tall. Perfect for food or decoration, but requiring hand washing.This is a high fired piece of ceramics so it is very strong and long lasting. Heck, they find ceramics that last much longer than do  we mere mortals.You are actually looking at the color of the clay here, with a simple white glaze on top. The outside I leave rough, and stain with iron oxide, which you see when looking at the red rocks of Sedona. The finished and the unfinished. Just like the nature i see when I look outside my studio window. 
Which style of these bowls do you the viewer prefer: the plain white, or with the turquoise?

Creating in Covid

 Here is what I have been creating in this time of uncertainty and apprehension, these small porcelain miniature vases that I just unloaded from the kiln. The taller ones are about three inches  down to a bit over an inch. When I sit at the wheel it is a nice exercise to see what I can create from a tiny ball of clay.These are the two glazes I primarily use: the clear glaze that lets the color of the actual clay show through, and has a nice white shiny appearance.All these pieces will hold water so they can be useful. The turquoise is a matt color that changes depending on its mood.I think this firing presented a nice jewel tone.As you notice, there  are  hand carved bases on two, representing the red rocks around me and using iron oxide to create the color. I like to decorate  using feathers from my friend's aviary ( birds naturally molt) and adding bits of real turquoise stones. Living here in Sedona, Arizona, as I do, these  are  a real local representation of minerals we have nearby and the colors we see around us.For serious collectors there is a formula about how many inches represent feet in that world. For me it is enough that we can hold them in our hand and smile at creation in the midst of all we are facing. Comments? 

The Magic of the Kiln

This is how am I am dealing with the stay at home venue that Covid 19 has presented us all. I am working in my studio here in Sedona, AZ. What else does one do? My galleries have closed but we all hope things will reopen....eventually.
These are newly glazed, porcelain pieces being loaded into the kiln. You can see how low the first shelf actually is. This is the biggest, most powerful electric kiln I could purchase. It stands about three and a half feet tall, so it is a reach down for me. I got it many years ago and have rewired it often.On the inside you can see  the electric " elements" that heat up, as I gradually make adjustments. Nope, No computer here. I am the master of the firing . 
I always need more mountain mugs, so they fit nicely around the large bowl. These items are dipped in what will turn out to be a nice turquoise color.I also have some lovely white bowls in this load. What exactly they will turn out like will be up to the kiln gods. I will not see the results until about 20 hours later . When it gets over 2000 degrees it is best to cool slowly, so nothing cracks from rapid temperature changes.Next step...the magic.

A Turquoise and Porcelain Bead Necklace

Here is a sweet choker I made using my own porcelain beads along with real Arizona turquoise and small crystal chips.
I guess you could say this is a necklace that comes from the earth.
Using a white porcelain clay body, I am able to roll it out to a very thin consistency. 
  I work with very basic tools, the rolling pin among my favorite. Many lucky ceramicists have fancy slab rollers. I don't. After working with clay so long I seem to feel when I have arrived where I want to be. If not, I do it over.  
 Next I add the texture.The "how" is a bit of a professional secret. Choosing several lengths of a "somewhat" consistent nature, I cut them off with a very sharp edge and let them dry out somewhat.It is best to clean them up when they are in this "leather hard" stage. I smooth off each end with care, but  sometimes they break. Tedious work. 
As you can imagine it takes a Lot of beads to make any necklace,  bracelet or earrings. And I do all three so there are sets, as well as individual pieces.When dry, they enter the kiln for the first " bisque" stage. After that, there are not so porous and I can add the iron oxide stain.There is a final, high fire stage to make everything totally hard. I think these beads will survive longer than we do.
 These are  colors of the red rocks of Sedona, AZ. , where I live and have my studio. No two beads are ever exactly the same, and  the small differences make each piece a unique creation  by yours truly, V. Norton

Rumi 's Words in my Calligraphy

Here is an example of my calligraphy that uses the words of one of my favorite poets, Rumi. A 13 th century Persian poet, scholar, and Sufi mystic, he is one of the more popular and best selling poets in the world. Perhaps even here in Sedona, AZ.   
I was doing this piece for a client, so they chose the alphabet. It is called  Foundational . English calligrapher, Edward Johnston, started teaching this in the Central School of arts and Crafts in 1899. It was the beginning of the modern study of calligraphy as an art form. This was an alphabet I taught at NAU. Now most of you turn to your computer to write out everything. But look closely, isn't this similar to one of the fonts that you often choose ? 
As the artist, I  added the flourishes. After all, I have to have some fun, and show where the human hand differs from the machine.   
I like this quote because we all seek certain elusive answers to our life's challenges, especially depending on what is going on in our lives. I will end this blog with another quote of his: "Yesterday I was clever so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself." 

The Art of Sumigashi

 Look at this flowing decorated paper I just created. Its technical term is Sumigashi, or Japanese water marbling.
I attended a workshop with my local fellow bookmakers. We are always trying to learn a new technique to teach each other and  apply to our handmade books. 
This is a natural extension of my art as a Calligrapher here in Sedona,  creating by hand the vessel to hold my handwritten words. There was also a lesson on how to create this diagonal Pocket folder, which can hold a hand made book or card. Now that was a  lesson unto itself! We put on a backing  to make it into this folded form.Back to the paper...
The process starts with a pan of still water. Into this container I put the tip of a Japanese sumi brush, or its equivalent, which  has as nice pointed tip. Only touching the surface, it will spread out into a circular designs.
Using primarily black ink, we did a lot of experimenting with adding colored inks. They went in bright, but diluted quite a bit with the final rinsing process. I must add I was using a pink paper to start with  since it seemed to hold up better than the thin rice paper, although that does work. Just be careful taking it out. 
The paper is folded and lowered into the pan center first, then the edges at the end.  It is the down side of the paper that will be the printed side we look at.  This is a fun art and definitely Not for those who want control.
I think I will call it the art of the Surprise!
                      

The Art of My Flag

Here is one of my favorite art pieces I have created. Actually, this ceramic plate is the one that sold, but I kept the original for me.I used low fire glazes to create the bight colors, and it has a nice foot to stand on, or it can hang on the wall. I named it " A mer i ka", which was probably the pronunciation given by some of those early immigrants entering our country.
This seems such an appropriate choice considering I am writing this blog on July 4th, 2019 here in my hometown of Sedona, AZ. There are a lot of flags flying here today. 
When I was young, on the kitchen wall above the vintage yellow chrome table and chairs where we kids ate, was a huge map of the world. Below were all the flags of all of the countries in front of us. Of course we played " guess which flag" with each other. 
Maybe that's where my love of travel started. My conservative parents let us go off to all corners of the world when were still young. It was our education they thought, and so it was. I wanted to see those countries myself, and so later, if I had any money at all, off I would go! I liked seeing those flags flying where they lived!
Here I am years later making the flag I care about into a nice ceramic abstraction. But you know what it is when you look at it, don't you ? 
Today is the day we celebrate all those heroic women and men who fought for our freedoms and independence from England.  I know, that  story continues.
 But today, I celebrate the art of my flag.

the Little Goddess

Here is my little Goddess necklace. She is the smallest version of the much larger clay sculptures I have created.I thought this might be a more affordable and playful version for collectors.
  This lady is about four inches tall,including her hair. She is made of smooth, burnished porcelain and then pit fired for that magic color.
 I even created all the beads that are   beside her. Two are the same burnished low fire style, but the tiny beads are high fired porcelain and stained with iron oxide. She is a real Sedona lady!  
Hanging on a cotton cord gives her the flexibility to be a choker or flow into a longer version. I wanted to keep the whole organic feel to this jewelry creation.
I have always liked to sculpt the female form. Often I prefer to create in a  more free form, even a bit abstract, so you, the viewer, can interpret her through your own eyes.

Un Petit Bowl = a small bowl

Un petit bowl.  A small bowl that just came out of my last firing. The French have a nice way of saying small, but the word bowl stays the same. This is what I named this particular creation. I love that it can fit in the  hand that made it.
You can see the decorative coils I have added to the edge. Why not create some interest? This is a high  fired porcelain clay body, which means it can be heated in the stove or even microwave. Naturally, it is totally food safe.
The white color you see is the actual clay showing through a clear glaze. I use this color scheme often, as I think it shows off the form and highlights the contents. 
I added an iron oxide to create the contrasting color on the outside, where I have added an organic pattern. Living here in Sedona AZ, we look up at he red rocks which are colored by this oxide. Inspiration from the outside in.  I like the juxtaposition of the smooth inside and the textured outside. This is a theme I use on most all of my handmade pieces.
Today I share with you, le petit bowl. Comments are always appreciated by this blog writer!

A Mug That is Really a Cup

I just completed these porcelain  mugs that have no handles. So would they be called cups?
I think so. Japanese tea cups traditionally have no handles. This is the shape and design of my high fired   mountain mugs that have handles. My turquoise glaze and hand carved design of the  red rocks I see outside of my studio are my trademark.  The stain is the same iron oxide that makes our hills reddish in color. A true Sedona experience. 
The  client  request was to have no handles. This is someone who likes to feel the warmth of  the liquid within; who  wants to be a part of the enjoyment of the drink they are having at that time. 
I like to make a round, organic shape when I am throwing this style vessel . I do want the hands to fit around the cup . Feel, as well as shape has always been a factor in my clay work. I do a lot of hand building but this is really my wheel thrown style for the mug/ cup. So it was a fun adventure to make a mug that is really a cup.

Birds in the Air, and on the Wall

The birds are in the air now, but this one is hanging on a gallery wall here in Sedona, AZ., where I live and have my studio.
It is part of my "Birdman " series of miniature ceramic masks. It measures around 5 inches tall- fits in the palm of your hand, if you so desire. Much less likely to fly away than the real one.
I started  making my smaller masks some time ago. I love working big, yet  everyone seems to have too many larger items on their wall.  I enjoy creating an item that can fit in the palm of your hand, or find a tiny wall where they could "perch". People seem to be drawn to birds, as I am. So this seemed a good art piece  for springtime.
I create these creatures from porcelain clay, my preference for all things ceramics. However, I want the bright colors and contrast with the dark background. Hence, this little guy is fired at a lower temperature, and then goes into the primitive firing with combustibles.
After that, I make the hanger,  and decorate with feathers. Since birds naturally molt, I get the colorful ones from my friend with an aviary.
Now my customer can look at birds in the sky, or maybe on their own walls. 

Here is another side of my creative brain, and hands, and thoughts...
It is my latest  ceramic sculpture entitled "What's on Your Mind". It was recently in a show held at the Sedona Arts Center, here in Sedona, Arizona.
Standing  almost a foot tall, you see a pleasant looking, glazed woman's head,  with a wee person sitting there.
This little celadon green figure, a female by anatomy, has her tiny feet dangling into a lovely, purple colored pool. Artistic license on my part. Who knows what colors are inside our head? 
What inspired me was that little voice that talks to me.  It can  give me  good advice, or not.
In Sanskrit it is called the Citta Vritti, which translates to mind chatter. I think this is a universal condition, so I decided to interpret this in my medium of clay. I chose to use low fire glazes for the mood they set.
  As I  create, the more I enjoy art that makes me, and others,  smile. Then perhaps it makes us interpret things in a new way. So I would say to you as you look at my art  "What is on Your mind ? "

The Art of Gems

Here I am at the Tucson Gem Show, a far way from Sedona. Here is a world of temptation, with people from all over the world selling beads, gems, and all manner of jewels. 
I have always made jewelry, primarily using the handmade porcelain beads I make and fire in my kiln. 

My horizons are expanding.
I am also now creating my "Jewels" using glass beads, like this gold set to the left. I like the idea that with  an earring and necklace set, you can feel " put together" as you walk out the door. 
It is really not as simple as putting some beads on a wire. There is the color scheme to choose. The choice of spacing  beads can also make an impact. What is the desired end result, simple or dramatic?
It has been an interesting path for me. I think part of the appeal  is that it doesn't take  months from start to finish.  Often that is the time frame with my ceramics. I can actually see end results sooner than later. That is very fulfilling to me to get some gratification before the sun sets.
As I continue to sort and choose my beads , like all art, the medium tells me which direction to go. It is a fun learning process, the art of the gems,