Beating The Workshop Blues: Creating A Positive Classroom Experience

 

Introduction

In October, I took a mosaic lamp-making workshop I found online and figured, “What the heck! Why not?” It was two hours of gluing pretty colored glass onto a lamp globe to make one of those beautiful Turkish-Moroccan swan lamps I love so much. You take it home and wait 24 hours for the glue to dry then grout it so the colored glass will really pop with the light. We were seated with random strangers, too, all working together at a table, and I was lucky enough to get a really good group of ladies that made it all so much fun!

But I’ve done mosaic before so this was a familiar skillset though it was a little bit wild doing it all on the fly because I couldn’t plot things out on the glass globe with a pen ahead of time. But I made it work! So while I glued away, I was also observing how each gal interacted with their own creative experience. These were crafty gals, you could tell — none of them were unfamiliar with arting — but what they were was unfamiliar with mosaic and, in particular, having a two hour time limit. By observing them then, I learned quite a bit about the workshop mindset that inspired me to ponder it a bit more. Like I’m an old hat with classes — I’m a workshop rat. But it occurred to me that many people aren't and maybe they'd benefit from some insights, and in this burgeoning era of Breyerfest workshops and Zoom classes, in particular, I thought this discussion was even more timely. You see, the learning experience is as much an emotional one as an intellectual one, but we can't learn so effectively if our emotions are blocking our data processing. What's more, our emotions also come to the front in the social setting of a classroom so awareness of our inner landscape can really grease the interaction gears to our benefit. So with all this in mind, let’s talk about my top ten tips for having a great classroom experience to put you on the best trajectory for a great time!…

#1 Don't Paint-By-Numbers

Remember that the class example is just the class example — it’s not the end all and be all of examples! It looks perfect to you because you’re a newb, but the truth is, it isn’t. It’s just the guiding example and not the paint-by-numbers goal. So if your sculpture or paintwork or medallion or whatever doesn’t look exactly like the class example — great! That means you were doing your job correctly, as commanded by the Universe. How so? Well, it means you were making that class example yours with your own unique magic, which is exactly the proper task at hand. To discover and use your own Voice is the genuine vocation of every true artist, so congratulations! You took the new techniques, ideas, and tools and made them yours — good job! Mission accomplished!

So don’t fret if your piece isn’t like the one on the pedestal. It shouldn’t be. It’s supposed to be a reflection of you and your own unique superpowers! And notice how everyone’s own interpretation is so different from yours and that class example, in turn? Well, that’s each of their superpowers at work! What a marvelous thing!

For example, in the lamp-making class, there was a lady who was really struggling and making herself miserable because she was so consumed with making her mosaic lamp globe look exactly like the demonstrative example. Instead, learn to let it all go and focus on making your own interpretation, however it pans out to be. Sure it’s nice to have something you admire so much, but sometimes the Universe has different ideas for you — allow that to happen. When you do, more times than not, you not only have a better experience, you have a more meaningful outcome.

#2 Don’t Chase Windmills

Look—perfection is impossible. We’re fallible humans using fallible materials in fallible circumstances, so imperfection is simply “an inevitability, Mr. Anderson.” So embrace it! Wabi-sabi, baby! Ease up on yourself then because you’re really doing better than you think!

And remember, you’re here to learn something new and to have a creative adventure, not make something perfect! Hey, to brass tacks it down to practicalities — you just don't have the time, do you? It's a logistical impossibility simply because you're on the clock. So don’t get your priorities hosed up otherwise you’re going to miss some very important insights and a memorable experience. Rather than fixating on making things “perfect" then, focus instead on the lessons you’re being taught, tactically asking questions that'll jumpstart your development. You see, myopically focusing on how “perfect” you can make something in a class is playing the short game — try not to do that. It’s the tortoise who won the race with the long game, remember? Focus more on the experience then, not the end product so much, at least so frantically.

See, here’s the thing: A classroom setting just isn’t the time or place to focus on doing your perfect best. Leave that effort for your studio. Why? Because if you’re too focused on getting things “just so,” you’re going to miss many of the more important lessons because you’ll be too distracted. For instance, I’ve seen so many students so focused on getting a certain body part "perfect" that they’re literally missing what the instructor is teaching at that moment. Like who cares if your ear isn't perfect! Do you really want to miss what the instructor is telling you about the legs right now? So use your instructor’s time well by listening to their lessons rather than listening to that little Perfection Gremlin inside your head. Leave that annoying little turkey at home. Don't allow it to distract you from the real treasures to be had in class!

Now when it comes to the imperfections you'll inevitably be creating, simply use this explanation: “They’re like that." And they are...our class pieces are just like that, full of quirks. Really, that’s the best bit of philosophy I can offer when it comes to this sort of thing. So embrace that philosophy and you'll roll with the punches a lot better and keep your focus where it needs to be...on the lessons.

#3 Work On The Fly

Learn to wing things best you can when needed. Like be adaptive and resourceful in how you accommodate a lack of guidance if the instructor is indisposed with someone else. And even more, if you go off-track, be bold in finding your way back out of the weeds. Indeed, all this is a great opportunity to apply what you’ve learned in new ways! Just try not to seize up in a panic. Problem-solve, regroup, restrategize! Indeed, there’s a lot of truly rare and great lessons to be found in this alone. All art entails problem-solving re-evaluations so if you cannot find your way out of a proverbial paper bag in your arting, now’s the time to learn! Because — yes — a lot about what we do is based on formulas, habits, conventions, processes, calculations, proportions, mapping, biology and physiology, genetics, and all that sort of structured stuff. As such, it can be really easy to feel lost if we think we’re flying blind with any of it. The structure feels safe when we’re already feeling a bit insecure in this new learning situation. But don’t worry! Just roll with the punches and adapt to the situation best you can until you can get the instructor’s input. Because always remember that you have an experienced mentor right there to help you, an incredible resource, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. That’s what they’re there for! But if you can problem-solve your own way out successfully, all the better because you will have engaged and evolved in your learning, a major step forwards! Go, you!

For instance, a gal at a mosaic lamp-making class I attended got into the weeds with her pattern not matching up at the terminal ends. Instead of panicking and vapor-locking over the imperfection though, she made the best of it with some on-the-fly adaptable adjustments, finishing her piece and making a truly beautiful mosaic lamp globe. And the thing is no one is going to even notice or care about the adaption once it’s all lit up and gorgeous! 

#4 Consider The Clock

Most classroom settings have a timer going — never forget that. You're on the clock. This is why not focusing on perfection and being adaptive are so important: You don’t get distracted and waste that precious class time! You’re there to learn, right, to digest all the lessons? Well, every minute counts! Ask questions. Have discussions. Pay attention. And just as much, cherish this time in this new experience, with your instructor and your fellow students. You’re making special memories so savor the moment — be present.

For example, in a mosaic lamp-making class, many of the participants were so consumed with getting certain beads glued on to the lamp globe just so — in an unreasonably hyper-picky way — that their time ran out and they never finished their mosaic. So I suggested they take some beads home and finish at home, which they did. The point is though, remember the limited minutes you have to work and quickly gauge what you can feasibly accomplish in that time span — and then plow forwards and rock on!

#5 Maintain Perspective

Try not to focus on what you’re making in the class so much, to a fault that is. Instead, focus on what you can learn from the instructor. It’s their unique knowledge base and insights you’re after, right? Not how many cups you can create in their class. So again…ask questions. Take on challenges to be guided by your instructor. Get in the weeds to find your way out with their guidance. Make those mistakes with the instructor right there to help you. Pick their brain best you can, ask ample questions. Make it weird.

For instance, when I was taking a clay throwing class, I made a very difficult pitcher that required pulling over five pounds of clay in a tricky shape for a newb like me. It was actually way more than I was ready for, but i wanted the challenge and I wanted to make the mistakes with my teacher right there to help me problem-solve. And I did it! I made a beautiful pitcher with my instructor giving me pointers along the way, pointers I wouldn’t have gotten had I not jumped off the cliff! This is the power of staying focused on what’s important in the class: The knowledge, not the stuff.

#6 Build Memory Lane

Along those lines, consider this: Learning can be fun — a lot of fun! And learning and creating with a bunch of like-minded folks can be such an affirming experience! So in that spirit, lend your focus on living in the experience, of making the memory awesome. Workshops are such special times for so many wonderful reasons — don’t forget to be cognizant of that as you work.

For example, I have the fondest memories of my workshops across the country over the years from Taos to Glenn’s Ferry. Such incredible adventures in so many ways! I will treasure those experiences forever not only as an enrichment of my knowledge base, but a shiny buffer of my creative soul and a lively kaleidoscope of memories for my life story.

#7 Lift Yourself Up

Try not to put your piece or your efforts down. Don’t be your own worst enemy! Remember, you’re trying something new and scary — look how brave and amazing you’re being! You should be proud of yourself, not beating yourself up! And yes — we’re all our own worst critic. Well, stop that. Become your own best cheerleader, mentor, and advocate! Speak to yourself as a loving guide rather than as a berating jerk. And yeah — no — your piece isn’t perfect. But no one’s piece is perfect in the class anyway! Heck, neither is the class example perfect! Nothing is! The truth is you’re doing far better than you think so don’t let the pressures and your lofty expectations get the better of you to spoil the experience. Put yourself on that throne where you belong because gosh darn it — you’re doing an amazing thing and that deserves a hearty round of kudos!

For instance, there was a lady in my lamp-making class who kept putting her efforts down. I mean, she really dug into herself. But the truth is, her mosaic globe turned out absolutely gorgeous with its autumnal colors and fancy pattern! It was one of the best at the table! When that thing is lit up, it’s going to glow like a big beautiful, sparkly sun! I wish she could’ve seen her globe the way the rest of us did, it would’ve been good for her soul. 

#8 Embrace Your Peers

One of the very best things about a classroom is being in the social situation of it all. That’s to say, beyond the awesomeness of your teacher, there’s also your fellow students — they’re your teachers, too! In many ways to tell the truth, a class is only as good as your fellow students. The conversation they offer, the questions they ask, the problems they run into, the insights they offer, the experience they bring to the table, their charming company — it’s a magical alchemy that just makes the workshop atmosphere absolutely addictive. So keep your heart open, your curiosity eager, and your sensibilities kind when immersed in the very social dynamic of a classroom. And hey, you might even be lucky enough to make a new friend or two!

For example, in a Zahourek equine anatomy workshop I took years ago, the class was loaded with veterinarians and body workers who asked the most amazing questions that generated super-rare insights not often — or ever — found in anatomy books. Their presence enriched my learning experience and bolstered my knowledge base in ways I could never have anticipated! What’s more, in one of my handbuilding clay classes, I made a fast connection with two ladies and we exchanged email addresses. We conspired to take more classes together not just to learn more, but to learn more….together! Such a win win!

#9 Curiosity Is The Cure

On that note, never be afraid to ask questions of not only your instructor, but of the other students, too. Engage. Participate. Stay curious. There is an enormous reservoir of experience and information at your beckon call in that classroom, so dip your toes in! If ever there was a setting to allow your curiosity to run rampant, it's in a classroom!

What's more, curiosity is the balm for fear. It's so easy to succumb to fear in a classroom setting between our newb-ness and being surrounded by strangers. It's a natural and normal human reaction...but this would be exactly the wrong reaction to have. You see, that classroom and all the information it contains is there for the taking, by design, and it's our curiosity that compels us to reach out and snatch it. In this way, classes bring out the best of us, don't they? Not just the best of our skills and Voice, but just as much, the best of our inner landscape by teaching us valuable life lessons we'll take with us out into the world. Embrace them.

#10 The Big Picture

Above it all, remember that a classroom should first be fun! Learning should be a blast, not some dreadful drudgery. You should be excited for your class, eager to dive in and get into artistic shenanigans and creative adventures loaded with new insights! It should be about a journey of discovery and curiosity, of taking a risk or two, of maybe even biting off more than you can chew with the ready-instructor right there to help! Make it a thrilling, enticing learning safari and you’ll definitely be in the right mindset for any classroom right off the bat!

For instance, I bit off a snidge more than I could chew for my newbie oil painting chops when I painted my skin-first light grey paintjob in Heather Bullach’s grey painting class in October 2025. But I did that on purpose as I wanted to get in the weeds to find my way out with Heather’s help. In essence, I set myself up for failure to learn from that — and did I get upset or scared or miserable? No! I was so curious and eager to try this grand experiment, I simply jumped in all enthusiasm and openness — and lemme tell ya, that made all the difference! The truth is, learning is tremendously fun and addictive if you frame it properly — as an adventure to be explored as a “damp sponge,” not something anxiety-inducing. Remember, nothing you make is precious in a learning situation because it’s the lessons that matter, not the thing. And the truth is, most things you make, you can re-make, you can even fix many of them. You’re the creator here! And even if you get into trouble with your piece, what an incredible learning opportunity of unexpected lessons from the teacher! Or, on the other hand, maybe your piece took you on a completely different direction — they do that sometimes — because the Universe simply had other learning intentions for you. Anyway, the point is, ease up. Try not to pressure yourself so much and focus more on the enjoyable experience rather than getting distracted by things that really don’t matter as much in the grand scheme of things.

On that note, always thank your teacher at the end of the class. They put a ton of thought and work into constructing it for you and that at least deserves a heartfelt acknowledgment. It's absolutely no easy thing to host classes and workshops! It can really be quite the undertaking, to tell the truth. So show your thanks...it's important.

Now on another note, don't be afraid to show off your completed class piece to the world. Hey — you worked hard on it, right? You met the challenges and tackled the hiccups like a boss! Even more, you created something new that's never existed before — what an amazing accomplishment! So showcase it with a happy "look what I did" spin! It's important to embrace the pride you feel in your achievement and it's absolutely a delight to see others hold up their pieces and say, "I did this!" It's good for you, it's good for our community, and it might just inspire others to dive into the classroom experience, too!

Conclusion

Your mindset when you’re immersed in a learning situation, especially like one as highly social as a classroom, is everything in defining the quality of your experience! It can literally make or break your time there! Honestly, if you go into a classroom already distracted by negativity, fear, or perfectionism, you’re gonna have a problem. But go into it with the spirit of discovery, curiosity, and cheer, and you’ll find that your memory will be a happier and more productive one. So give it some due consideration as you careen into that exciting journey. And if you find yourself sliding into problematic emotional territory, step back and check yourself, maybe even have a needed peptalk chat with the someone dear to you, or even the instructor or fellow student. They might have some helpful insights to reassure any uncertainties of yours. The thing is, we’re all going to have some choppy waters in a learning situation at some point, and it’s how we navigate them that will make all the difference.

As more classes pop up in our genre I hope you’re inspired to take a couple, actually to take a lot! I truly hope that classes become just as much a part of the model horse experience as showing and collecting! Why? Because I cannot describe what an amazing experience it actually is, whether through Zoom or at a bricks ’n’ mortar class. Indeed, it’s not only enriching on a personal level, but it bolsters our community in countless ways, building bonds and solidifying our social foundations. We’re so scattered around the world, aren’t we? Yet the humble classroom can be such a great town square we can gather at together to socially carouse, learn as a group, discuss and yap, and artistically explore within a support structure. It’s more like a bit of a party that just happens to involve art!

So take a deep breath and sign up for that class that's been tickling your curiosity! Then as you prepare your model for it, don’t forget to prepare yourself as well. If you slide into that fun in the right frame of mind, you’ll definitely avoid the workshop blues to instead have a stellar and addictive experience that not only kicks your skills up a notch or two, but impacts your heart in all the best ways! See you in class!

“Learning is experience. Everything else is just information.”

— Albert Einstein

Beating The Workshop Blues: Creating A Positive Classroom Experience

Glazed Over and Giddy

A test on my new Pacem in Terris ornament.

I have an intermindable obsession with art glaze. It stems from my passion for art glass because art glaze literally is glass you apply to bisque. So as you might expect, the glassier and more luminous the art glaze, the more intense my fixation. 

Even better, art glaze offers infinite effects being so mercurial and situation specific. For instance, different methods of application or even different conditions within the kiln can result in totally unexpected results, many unique and gorgeous. This keeps me from getting bored since I never really know what Big Al will cough up until he opens his maw. Whether a fabulous new piece or confounding disappointment, glaze does its own thing regardless of my best intentions, and that's what keeps it interesting! Altogether, I can honestly say that my favorite part of working with mud really is the chance to play with this magical substance and to experiment with new types or combinations that keep boredom at bay.

So here are some excursions with some of my new glazes; all of them are mid-fire glazes, Cone 5  or Cone 6:

 

 Laguna WC-132 Analin Green on one of my new Prancing Ponies 2 x 2" magnets. This is a very temperamental glaze that can be wildly different depending on how it's applied. In order to get its full affect, like seen here, it has to be applied alarmingly thick. But that also means that the design needs very sharp, defined edges otherwise it'll get overwhelmed and lost. Those little white flecks aren't dust, they're sparkles in the deep crackled recess of the horse!

 

 

 Georgies GLW19-Moss Thicket applied to another of my Prancing Ponies magnets. Absolutely gorgeous! Again, sharp, defined edges are essential. I applied this glaze as instructed in the directions, but I'm curious to see how it behaves with new applications. I've learned never to make assumptions about what to expect with art glaze -- you just never know until you tweak it!

Mayco SW-100 Blue Surf applied to another one of my Prancing Ponies magnets. Again, another beautiful glaze! Like the previous two, you can see that the design needs to be crisp and literal, something I'm learning that brings out the best in many art glazes. I also want to try different applications of this glaze because who knows what treasures it'll produce if applied differently.

 

Now these two (and the Pacem test at the top of this post) are the result of a typical practice here -- attempting to tweak glaze with a high fire crackle glaze. Despite glaze's unpredictability, I've found that one (almost) constant is that crackle glaze can add dimension to any glaze, or fix just about any unwanted result. Curious to see how it would react, I applied Laguna WC-137 Skye Crackle onto already-fired Mayco SW-103 Sisal on that top piece. I love the result! But what you can't see in the image are all the sparkly effects that deeply pooled crackle glaze creates inside the horse. Like stars on a clear night! Now the bottom piece is that same crackle glaze applied onto already-fired Mayco SW-108 Green Tea. I thought the Green Tea would work awesome with my designs, but alas...it did anything but! However, I love the intense color produced by its combination with the crackle, and though you cannot see it in the photo, it has a deep 3D dimension to it. It's hypnotic. As for the Pacem test at the top of this post, that was the same crackle applied over already-fired Coyote MBG-106 Sunshine Yellow as an experiment -- and I love it! Glorious and glassy!

 

Again, Laguna WC-137 Skye Crackle comes to the rescue on two more Prancing Ponies magnets! The top piece is the crackle on Mayco SW-108 Green Tea again, but look how different it is! The bottom piece is the crackle on that diva-esque Laguna WC-132 Analin Green, and those "rustic" edges are really appealing.

Now here are illustrations of the benefits of using Readystamps, with both the stamp and the stamp's matrix available to provide the "positive" and "negative" versions of the same design...

My new Runicorn design (the first in the series), a 4" circle, with the stamp version (yellow) and the matrix version (purple). In this case, both versions work equally well, though I do favor the original stamp version more. However, it'll be fun to see how each one reacts with different glazes. The yellow glaze is Georgies GLW33 Crystal Topaz and the purple glaze is Georgies PG640 Lavender Lupin - I love them both!

Here we have a new Rune Horse design with the original stamp version on the left and the reversed matrix version on the right. Both of them work really well, which is an unexpected bonus! The glaze is Georgies GLW33 Crystal Topaz, and it's gorgeous. I refer to this piece as a "Solar Stallion" and it's a 2 x 4" ornament or tile.

 And here's the complementary piece, the "Moon Mare," with the original version on the left and the matrix version on the right. Again, both versions work equally well. However, here's where a "sweet spot" showed up: The stars need to be bigger, and that star on the top should be lowered to avoid the hole. Consequently, this design has been retooled and will be resubmitted to Readystamps, with this version being discontinued. The glaze is Laguna WC-138 Twilight Blue, one of my very favorite glazes, especially when it's watered down and the tile is dipped face down, creating all those lovely marbled color variations. I actually liked how these two turned out so much that I decided to pull them out of the Rune Horse line and create their own, Elementals, so I could explore this theme further. However, these here (and those that will be offered in my Etsy shop soon) are stamped on the back as Rune Horses, something that ends with this batch! Regardless, the matte glaze of the stallion doesn't match the glossy glaze of the mare, so I need to find a glossy yellow for the stallion and a matte purply blue for the mare. I figure why not run both a glossy and matte version of the same designs? The more the merrier!

Again, here's Laguna WC-137 Skye Crackle fixing Mayco SW-108 Green Tea, but this time on one of my new 3 x 3" Dancing Horse tiles. Again, you can't see the 3D effects this combination produces, and I think I may put it into production -- I like it so much! So here's a great lesson: If you don't like a glaze, experiment to discover how it combines with others because, chances are, it may be something really awesome when paired with a "buddy"!

If you remember my comment from my previous post about a great idea: "Mix up the 'innies and outies' within a series," here's what I meant by that. Originally all the Dancing Horse tiles were designed like the one on the bottom, with the horse being an "outie" (the primary reason being the effect discussed next). However, thanks to the Readystamps matrix, I was able to create a reverse version in which the horse became an "innie," like the one on the top. I realized my new option: To mix up the versions in the series! Why stick with one interpretation when the design and glaze work well either way? Speaking of which, the glaze is Laguna MS-56 Hyacinth, a glaze I've been meaning to try for sometime -- and it turned out absolutely gorgeous! Better than I could have hoped! It's a wonderful smokey purple with a lot of depth and warmth that breaks and pools beautifully! It also creates a 3D effect (especially on the top tile), which always gets a big thumbs up from me! A design is only as good as its glaze and the glaze is only as good as its design: The two are symbiotic.

Now the interesting thing is this: I originally did a reverse version of the original design (above) through my old stamp maker, using the "Invert" option in Photoshop, which makes all black areas white and all white areas black thereby changing which sticks out (white) and which protrudes in (black). But instead of reversed innies and outies, the result was a "draft horse" version (below).

 I have to figure out why this happened because this definitely wasn't the result when I used the reversed matrix version from Readystamp! I suspect it may be because different methods were used by the two different companies to make the stamps. This suggests that Readystamps provides options within the original design whereas ABC Stamp provides options based on "draft horse" versions of those designs. Good to know!

Speaking of different versions, I retooled my first Runedeer design for production. The original version (left) is about 2.5 x 6" which is a lovely shape, but not standardized to my clay cutters. It also is slip cast, which takes too long for production. So I retooled the concept to fit into a 2 x 4" space (right). But while the stamp works great, Laguna WC-132 Analin Green refused to behave! Out of the 64 Runedeer I stamped, only seven made it through with glaze as anything near sellable! And only one came out the way I wanted it to, the one pictured above. I need to find a more agreeable glaze for this kind of complex design, which will be one of my big treasure hunts this year because I want to expand the Runedeer line for Christmas and create more similarly complicated designs.

Likewise, I discovered that detailed, more realistic designs don't work so well with stamping. In fact, they work so poorly (in comparison to the drawing), I may not repeat this idea and leave such things for decals. However, I'm going to retool this design to see if that helps because I so love glaze and the touchy-feely aspect of stamped clay! This is the first in my Unicorn series, with the original stamp design on the left and the reversed matrix version on the right. In my opinion, the reversed version definitely doesn't work (good to know), so that one will be the only one to exist. As for the glaze on both, it's Georgies PG640 Lavender Lupin again.

So now back to my Pacem in Terris design (which means "Peace on Earth" in Latin). This piece presented a series of unexpected challenges because it blends a more realistically rendered horse within a "graphic" idea, like one of those old magazine illustrations. I thought it would be a simple translation into clay, but I realized quickly that such a concept has a series of distinct "sweet spots" as does any glaze applied to it! I made an imprint of its matrix version (not pictured), which came out much clearer and crisper -- but since the matrix is made of a stiff material and a rubber stamp is softer, I have to run a test stamp through Readystamps again to see if a rubber version of that reversal will work as well (and I couldn't use the matrix version because it reversed the words). But I see now where I need to tweak the design, which I'll be doing this week for next year's Holiday season (which means this first version will be retired immediately and the copies I created in December will be the only existing pieces). Then I ran into glaze issues with it. I initially ran half in Georgies PG640 Lavender Lupin and half in Coyote MBG-106 Sunshine Yellow. The Lavender came out nice (even though it was a light coat), but the Sunshine Yellow -- while pretty -- was too flat, and failed to pick up the details of the design. So I coated them (after they'd been glazed) with a color I thought would add punch, Coyote MBG-099 Sedona Sunset (a gorgeous red). Some I gave one coat (middle) and some I gave a heavy coat (bottom). The results were lovely, though I'd like to find a "one fire" process for next year. I actually tried mixing the two glazes together while wet, but all I ended up with was an unpleasant fleshy, salmon color.

I often run wild experiments, taking flawed pieces that seem hopeless and seeing if I can salvage them (or learn a new glaze combo) with an unexpected combination with another glaze. Every so often, these experiments produce pieces so lovely I cannot bear to throw them out, no matter how warped or hosed up they are...and these pieces are the latest "butterfly births." What you can't see in these images (again) is the hypnotic 3D depth many of them have, or the sparkly "twinkle" effects caused by the crackle glaze, or all the stunning varied colors crammed into all the little nooks and crannies. I have no idea what I'll do with them, but they're keepers! And yes -- I did learn some enticing combinations I hope to duplicate in the next batch of tiles! All of these are variations on Laguna WC-132 Analin Green (the rejects from the Runedeer run), illustrating just how much variation a glaze can produce with little changes.

Variety doesn't just come with glazes, however. It can come with clay! And above are the only existing copies of the Solar Stallion and the Moon Mare in porcelain, being stamped from the leftover porcelain slabs from the Joy project. Compared to the stoneware clay, the difference in feel and look the porcelain produces with the glaze is like night and day (har har). The yellow glaze is Coyote MBG-106 Sunshine Yellow and has far more depth on porcelain than on stoneware, and the purple is Georgies PG640 Lavender Lupin again. The porcelain has a "cooler," bluer tone which really changes the "temperature" of glaze colors.

Along those lines, I took four Joy ornaments that didn't quite get up to Cone 5 during the fire and decided to play with glaze on them. Initially, I gave them a very light glaze with Georgies PG640 Lavender Lupin because I thought that touch of purple would look nice on the white bisque..and it did, resulting in the piece on the left. One of those ended up a bit messed up, so I decided to add another layer to see what happened. So I applied Laguna WC-137 Skye Crackle to it and refired to Cone 5 resulting in the piece on the right. Will I glaze future editions within the series? No -- I still like the bisque version best, and I found that the thicker the glaze application, the more the tiny details get lost.

So there ya go -- another adventure in glaze-mania! I have other new glazes I haven't been able to try yet  (and more ordered and on the way), so I'll be back in the ceramic studio soon to dive into the melee again. It's a great love to discover new effects and new glazes that work well with my designs. It's like a collaboration with Nature itself! And many of these pieces will be available for sale soon in my Etsy shop, so stay tuned for the heads up!  

Now in the next blog post I'll showcase the gift packets I've put together for my different lists of wonderful customers in a "12 Days of Christmas" Minkiewicz Studios "Thank You" Gift Giveaway. Ideally I would have been able to do this before Christmas, but well...they're the products of this mad experimentation. So there are six gift packs featuring many of the pieces shown here because part of the fun of finding new glaze treasures is sharing them!

"We shall not cease from exploration / And in the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time." ~ T.S.Eliot

Glazed Over and Giddy