Tulip Vases, Garden Faces and Other Garden Projects

I am not keeping up with the projects demonstrated in class.   Various ways of creating the bowl and pedestal for a birdbath, and today some lanterns and sign posts.  But I am trying many of the techniques, learning lots, and ending up with some cool items.  Today I remembered to take some photos.

This is a set of "tulip" vases.  I was intrigued and inspired by the vase I bought before Christmas, which was extruded and thrown by Linda Doherty and carved/decorated by Sharon Reay.  Today we did some extruding, so I decided to challenge myself to make some of these.   When I was making them, I should have looked back in my photos of Linda's vase, since the rim of hers is pushed out like petals, and mine is flared without the petals, so shaped more like morning glories.  I had a feeling something was not quite as I remembered it...  Anyhow, I am pleased by how they turned out, and decided to make 4 different heights, so they could be a set.

I trimmed some of the pieces from last week, including this bowl with turquoise and black slip swirled on top, and this little piece which will be another part of my garden totem (I have more than a dozen pieces now, I think).

With everyone making very large bowls for their birdbaths, I decided to make a large bowl using a slab of clay slumped over a very large mould provided by our instructor, Jay.  I decorated the edge with one of my handmade clay stamps.  I think this could look pretty cool.  Although I'm thinking more indoor use, rather than garden.  I don't think I have a good place for a birdbath, nor do I feel up to the challenge of how to anchor it adequately into the ground (our yard is sloped everywhere, and we have lots of animals passing through).  So I would love to be able to attach a good foot, and make this a large serving bowl or fruit bowl for the counter.

Also from last week, are these two vases crackled with sodium silicate.  I think they will look wonderful once fired and clear-glazed, so the colours will be more vibrant.

Near the end of the class, I had an extruded cylinder to do something with, so I decided to make an open-bottomed planter.  I think it will be pretty cool, if I filled it with soil and planted an ornamental grass in it, or some other type of plant which will flop over the sides.  I have seen planters like this before, but I don't want an actual planter, I wanted it open at the bottom, so I could just place it on the soil, and not worry about it getting too wet or too dry...

Here is another angle.  I am super pleased with the result.  I like the serenity of it, and think it could look pretty awesome in the garden.