Spontaneous Cup Form

OK, here is a pot for consideration (video below). I am big on altering and have recently been playing around with pinching, folding, darting...not sure what to call it. I have done mugs and tumblers where I pinch the clay from the outside to reshape the pot. This time around I though I would try to pinch it from the inside. Due to the way the clay was stretched out, I needed to cut and rejoin the top in order to keep a good shape to the cup.


Once I had everything re-assembled I was very excited by this cup. I held onto it for a few weeks, because I was at a loss for glazing. I am curious to hear what you think about this cup and your ideas on how you would approach glazing. FYI, it has been glaze fired and I will do another post with the completed pot after hearing back from you all. Thanks!

Critique My...Artist Statement????

OK, so this may not be a proper use of this blog, but I figured what the heck. I recently was accepted into my first juried exhibit and I need to submit an artist's statement, bio and resume along with my pots. I am not stressed about the bio and resume, but the artist's statement has me in fits. I have written one out and would love some feedback, please!

Here's what I came up with:

As a part time potter, clay enriches my life by providing excitement, community, relaxation and creative satisfaction. I strive to create functional pots that have personality and that will engage the user.

A pot’s personality is imbued during its creation: the clay can be pulled, stretched, poked, textured, cut, joined, glazed and fired. I rarely finish a pot without leaving hints of the making visible. The play of glaze over throwing lines, the blush of fire and ash on a woodfired pot, the balance of smooth lines to slashed and bulging clay; these are the things that catch the eye and beckon a pot to be held, to be used and to be enjoyed.

I wish for my pots enrich the lives of those who use them, as the making of them has enriched my own.

What do you all think?

Thanks,
Jerry

Ok, ok, I'll be first!

Sorry for the few blurry times, it's hard to hold the camera steady and turn the lazy susan. I stole all of the lights from my studio to take pictures, so I had to film on the kitchen counter instead of on the wheel that spins all on its own. I'm not going to comment on the piece except to say that I sanded the little bump in the middle smooth--it bugged me too ;) Oh yeah, this piece is bisqued and I have no real idea of how to glaze it :) Spray gun and lots of wax resist I guess.

I also want to say--be honest and don't hold back!

The video was a bit darker than I would like so here are some pictures to go along with it.

What's this all about?

First, let me say that if you are interested in joining in this critique group, send me an email at starkspots@yahoo.com I'm limiting it to works in clay, but it is open to both functional and sculptural work.

As far as posting pots for critique, I think this should be open to pots at all stages: greenware, bisqueware, glazed, everything. You are welcome to post a picture, multiple pictures, or better yet--video of a pot in the round. I also think that you can talk about the pot--what you like/dislike etc, or just put up a pot and let us all be brutally honest! Hehe.

I think that it is so important for us as potters/ceramists to have outside input on our work. I think that it is all to easy to fall into a rut and get lost in our comfort zone. Having an objective eye to evaluate a new form can really be helpful in getting a pot to have that quality that is really just indescribable. It can be easy to see when a pot is 'right,' but it can be almost impossible to look at a form that you have been struggling with and fix what is 'wrong.' Ok, now I'm just rambling, so if there is anything that I have left out, let me know.