It's been quite some time since I posted, my process being interrupted in part by the events of August 27, 2007. the day that Mars was the closest to earth that it has been in 250 years.

I was swimming in the ocean that day. I swam for half an hour to forty-five minutes in the ocean waters at Ocean Point in East Boothbay. There is a small shore surrounded by a dramatic rocky coastline. I like to come out of the water in such a manner that I am lying on the rocks with the waves gently rocking me back and forth. It was lower tide than usual so this meant I had to eventually step over rocks that are covered with seaweed, which I did with care, but as soon as I stepped on the first rock that was not covered with seaweed, I slipped. I used my right hand to brace my fall against the rocks.

For about two minutes I felt an intense pain, on which I briefly focused until it subsided to a mild feeling of discomfort. I noticed that my wrist was deformed but since it was not painful, my assumption was that I must have sprained it. Fortunately others talked me into going into the emergency room. Surgery was recommended, which took place on August 28th, and at this point my wrist seems quite normal, but my dormancy of posting activities have lingered longer than I would have desired.

We are once again preparing for The Opera House Holiday Craft Fair, organized by Elise. (Actually as time has passed since I started this post, it is now Dec 8th, the day of the show)

I have been developing my one of a kind decorating technique, with some success as the pieces sold throughout the summer even before photographs could be taken. I finally have some pictures of some of the results.

Monona and I have been working on glazes. For a long time, we have been trying to figure out the missing ingredient needed to make the "almost there" Blueberry glaze really sing. In the process we discovered how to make our Verdigris glaze a brighter shade of green, which also gives the glaze a greater depth of varigation. I glazed a couple of frogs, which will soon be available to order on the Internet, and we plan on casting many other pieces in this beautiful glaze. I am particularly interested in bringing back the beautifully formed salad bowl series, designed by Weston Andersen, using this vibrant glaze, also originally designed by Weston.

As for the Blueberry glaze, we tried the same thing as with the Verdigris, but it didn't produce the same result, as Cobalt interacts differently to the other ingredients than does Copper. We have a plan, however, and more tests are in the works. The beauty of the varigated glazes comes about through the flow and interaction of the particles causing the "varigated effect" that looks like areas of a darker stippling of color over the lighter shade of color in patterns that are naturally designed by the hand of nature, and beyond the control of mere mortals. It’s intrinsic to the beauty of naturally flowing ceramic glazes that the end result is a partnership between the choices made by individual artist in interaction with a larger order of events.

There are many more things to write about, but in the interest of actually publishing, I will close for now and so.....

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Joy to the World, and if you would like to receive our Christmas sale, future sales, and general news about Andersen Studio. Please sign up for our email mailing list.