Mr. Blue Eyes of your dreams

Mr. Blue Eyes, 4x4 tile, cathy kiffney

In an attempt to chase away the rainy day blues-- A GIVEAWAY!
Mr. Blue Eyes...the red fox! To be counted go to my facebook page and say hi to Blue Eyes!
Giveaway will end when I see the sun!

Rêveur, the Owl Cameo

The Dreamer

My outdoor studio

Enjoying the season when it is still warm but no humidity, the best time of the year here in NC! Comet is never far away, waiting for his walk.

Cathy Kiffney Studio, working outdoor.

Someone sent me this today,

“This is what you shall do; Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body.”
-Walt Whitman

Continuing with the hospital commission

These are the largest of the group. You can see by the nearby pencil how large they are.
The underglaze painting with a bit of carving. Later, after the bisque firing they will be layered with various glazes.

large wall bird, Cathy Kiffney

large wall bird, Cathy Kiffney

large wall bird, Cathy Kiffney

Flying off to Turkey and Urns

Well, these birds are. She decided she wanted all three!  I would like to go someday.

Urns, for a special person. Just at that wonderful leather-hard stage. Soft and warm.

making vessel Cathy Kiffney studio

Request from Turkey

Email request from a woman in Turkey, last year she brought a group of pieces.  She would like to see more bird with reds, tuquiose, green and blue. I've been wanting to get some more listings up for weeks so it is good to get the extra motivation! Hope she likes them. :)

ceramic wall bird, Cathy Kiffney

ceramic wall bird, Cathy Kiffney

ceramic wall bird, Cathy Kiffney

Birds, birds, birds

Beginning a new commission for Mayo Clinic in MN. These will be the largest of the group.

Cathy Kiffney Studio

Cathy Kiffney Studio

Cathy Kiffney Studio

Cathy Kiffney Studio

Cathy Kiffney Studio

Cathy Kiffney Studio

Cathy Kiffney Studio

Platters, special request

Yellow birds and roses, oval wall platter, Cathy Kiffney

Blue bird and roses, oval wall platter, Cathy Kiffney

Red birds and roses, oval wall platter, Cathy Kiffney

Chickadee and roses, oval wall platter, Cathy Kiffney

Here is the finished commission! Thank goodness, no cracks. I am always worried about cracking with these large pieces. ( about 18-20" high) Very slow firing and slow cooling seem to be the answer.
Here is how they look before the glaze firing. Here
Even earlier while making them, here.wet clay
During the underglaze stage, here, underglaze painting and carving

Hedgehog in the Fog

By the responses I received on my tile giveaway last week, the most popular tile was the Hedgehog. I can understand why--they are so dang cute! Remember the Beatrix Potter story of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle? She was one of my favorites.

Last year I stumbled upon a 1975 Russian animation-- Hedgehog in the Fog, by Sergey Kozlov. He is a famous Russian children's writer, poet, and author of many books, songs and screenplays for children and has won numerous awards.

I was so charmed, it is a wonderful story and a great bedtime story,  even for grown-ups! Good night... :)

I am a rock

ceramic "rock", colored slips on terra-cotta, Cathy Kiffney Studio

How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward. That is what I am hoping for this weekend...Have a great weekend!