A NEW YEAR AND NEW WORK

So, we are well into the New Year and I am excited to tell you about a number of events which I have lined up for 2016.
Full listings of all upcoming events can be found on the 'events' page of my website www.jeantolkovskyceramics.com


My first show of the year will be with
Craft in Focus, Wisley Gardens, from 28th April to 2nd May.  http://www.craftinfocus.com/wisley_april_may_16.html
This is a great day out with access to the lovely Wisley Gardens as well as to a wonderful Craft show.

New pieces are underway, such as the 3 figures seen here. The tallest is about 25cm high. Once bisque fired I will decorate them with my usual underglaze colours and dry lithium glazes.

June sees the return of the ever popular Surrey Artists Open Studios which runs from 4th to 19th June.   http://www.surreyopenstudios.org.uk/home/visitors/  This will be my 8th consecutive year and I always look forward to meeting visitors, new and returning. My studio is situated at the end of my rather long garden and I always try to produce some unique garden pieces exclusively for this occasion.  Visitors can meander down the garden, viewing the outdoor work before arriving at my studio where I display my smaller indoor pieces.

This year I have already made a few new pieces, which are currently drying before being fired and decorated.  Here's a preview. For the large scale pieces I am using Architectural Clay from Valentine Clays. It's really easy to work with, very strong, fairly smooth and can easily be thrown as well as slabbed and coiled. Fired to 1280 it has proven to be completely weatherproof.

This first piece was thrown in sections and is designed to slot over a metal pole which can be anchored in the ground to add stability. It stands about 120cm high. I have carved the surface and will add colour, probably in the form of a glaze which I will apply and then wipe back to highlight the carved areas.

The following two pieces are scaled up versions based on the smaller pieces at the start of this blog.
They stand at around 120cm approx. and will most probably be decorated with underglazes.

Large pieces like these take a good deal of drying out, especially at this time of year, so it may be a month before they are complete. Once finished I'll post some new images.

Meantime, do visit my events page at www.jeantolkovskyceramics.com and find out what else I'll be up to in the next few months.

As you can tell, I'm not a daily blogger, but my resolution this year is to try to blog regularly at the beginning of each month. Watch this space!...........

JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT MY NEXT EVENT IS WITH CRAFT IN FOCUS AT THE

ART AND CONTEMPORARY DESIGNER CRAFT FAIR,

RICHMOND ADULT COMMUNITY COLLEGE, 

RICHMOND-UPON-THAMES, 

TW9 2RE

FRIDAY 13TH TO SUNDAY 15TH NOVEMBER 2015

OPEN 10 - 5 DAILY

HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT.

Hi everyone,
Just some news on a coming event for your diaries. I shall be manning the Surrey Open Studios promotional stand at the Festival of Crafts, Farnham Maltings, on Sunday 18th October 2015.   As well as demonstrating,  I will be showing my latest work.  The event is on all weekend - full details can be found at (http://craft.farnhammaltings.com/portfolio/craft-festival).

Hope you can make it.

New Works

Hello again. I am pleased to say I have now completed three new pieces of work. They are all quite complex pieces and were quite a challenge, but I am very pleased with the end results and hope you enjoy them.

The first piece is the Dali inspired elephant carrying a small monkey which I have entitled Free at Last.

The second piece is based on the Lost Boys in the story of Pinocchio - this time the runaways are trying to escape responsibility, rules, education etc. and is entitled 'He Was My Friend.

The third piece continues the runaway series with this couple which I've entitled 'The Elopement'.

I'm currently working on more elephants which I am finding really fun - first smaller piece 'Freedom Calls'  is awaiting biscuit firing.

back in a couple of weeks.

A date for your diaries.

Just to let you know that my next selling event is at Craft in Focus - Richmond-Upon-Thames.

I am very lucky that an image of my work (the jester) is featured on the main flyer for the event. Those of you who have known my work for a while will recognise this piece as one of my earlier 'Life's A Circus' themed works. (The organisers have used an old image from their archives). I shall mainly be showing my newer work (as seen on my website www.jeantolkovskyceramics.com) but will make sure I have one or two earlier pieces available for anyone who may be interested.

So here's a belated update on progress since my last posting.  3 new pieces are currently receiving their final (fingers crossed) firing.  The problem of who/what sits on the top of the 'elephant' has been resolved. I have made a miniature 'masked monkey' based on earlier 'shelf figures' that you will find on my website.  These sad creatures are based on images of Indonesian monkeys made to wear dolls masks and clothes to entertain the tourists. (as seen in this image)

I am happy to be able to give my little monkey it's freedom.  Here he is before glaze firing.

Another piece due for completion involves a horse with rider being led by another character (not seen here), on a skateboard.

The third piece is based on Pinoccio and the lost boys.

Images for all 3 will be posted very soon.

Hello and apologies for the long break.

I am pleased to say that I enjoyed a very successful show at Art in Clay, Hatfield.  In addition to good sales and  marvelous weather, I met some very lovely people, both exhibitors and visitors alike. Thank you to all of you who visited my stand, and for your positive feedback.

After a holiday and catch up with family and friends it's back to the studio to start on some new gallery pieces. My plan is to continue with the theme of a recent piece entitled 'Runaways', shown below.

Runaways 

It's a kind of 'escape from the circus' theme, with a reminiscences of' 'Nellie the Elephant' meets Dali!  (Whilst on holiday and browsing in a poster shop I spotted a couple of  Dali prints - elephants and horses with long, spindly legs - which gave me the push to carry forward an idea I'd been planning for some time),

Dhali prints- now in my studio

As with most of my work, it's meant to have a loose narrative which is open to interpretation. Escape and the search for freedom means so many things to so many people.  The first of these new pieces is shown below - so far at 'biscuit' stage, ie. still to be glazed. I have yet to decide upon the rider who is going to sit atop the tall seat on the 'elephant's' back.

A second piece is in the making - image to follow soon.

I plan to keep you updated on the development of the new work as it progresses, so do come back in a week or two to see more.