Workshops & Wondrous things!!

Wow - nearly at the end of March and I'm just getting going again on my blog. I have a million things to blog about and think I need to play catch up, I'll have to blog backwards to my summer holidays. I feel like I've packed 6 months into the last 3, although the first 1.5 months was pretty slow... 

so lets just say its been a very productive last 6 weeks!! 

FOUR new ranges have been 'birthed' in the mudbird Studio in the last month and production is well underway for release. So hold onto your horses, this is going to be a loooong post!

I closed up shop just before Christmas, so I could spend a wonderful summer with my family. I was due to start back mid February with Mudbird,  and I'll admit... I did dust off the studio key and enter into the chaos I had left behind  (after manic Christmas market making & the like) but creativity didn't just flow like those endless summer G&T's  (I wish!... seriously I'm more of a pina colada girl)

So that did frustrate me a bit as I wanted to make... I wanted to create but I was a bit stuck. I though there is no point forcing it, it will come! 

(So I started taking flower photos for a bit of a boost! I'm on instagram if you want a nosey. )

I had a little tidy up and got out my sketch book. I made sure I left it lying about in plain sight, should the urge to sketch a new idea or design should fall upon me. Nothing happened on that front. But what did happen, as one day while driving through the CBD as we know it now, a little sign that I nearly missed has been the reason for many an idea! I got a little lost as there are no landmarks left, and also on some street corners there are NO road signs. I guess the council thought we no longer need some of them as there is nothing there to look at or visit. So I turned into what is Tuam street and saw a sign saying my favourite ever Antique store had a new home. I was so excited as this place is where I used to buy my printers type, printers trays, wonderful vintage tools and more. I'm the kind of gal who likes to do it the old fashioned way when it comes to stamping. I'd prefer to buy a set of heavy metal type from the late 1800's (yes you read that right) than buy some 'dime a dozen' rubber stamps. I was heart broken when the Feb 22nd earthquake demolished my favourite shop and wondered if I'd ever be able to rummage through trays of type ever again. I even rang the owner on his cell phone to see if they were all ok! (they were thankfully)

So I tracked them down (they had moved twice since that sign had been put up) and to my delight found another set of type to add to my collection. 

(Since that day I have been back a few times and added a 3 more type sets.)

So... you are probably wondering why I'm so excited about type? Well that day I came home, rolled out a slab of clay and got to work.  About 5 years ago I started making Ceramic tags - you could say that was my flagship product. Lots of others make them now and they are not so unique, but I have always loved them. I made them for a season then moved onto other things, but now they are coming back. First I made several cardboard templates of the tag shape and got to work. I started with a 'Tea' , 'Chai' & Earl Grey' tag. I then jumped onto my social network sites to ask what teas people have in their kitchen.  I wanted to make gorgeous little tags to hang around tea jars. Pressing my new set of type into wet clay to create those words was all it took to break the creativity dam - and then the ideas just flowed. They still haven stopped and my brain is full. I feel like I need a clone again, but this time for a positive reason... to create & never stop!

Ideas brewing (oh yeah... see what I did there?)

After making and firing a few different designs, I decided which one

 I wanted to make and have had my new custom cutter made up!

And after the 'Tea Tag' idea was underway I got to work on another idea. This is not so new... but new in the sense of getting it out there and planning on offering it as a new range. I have ALWAYS made custom pieces, but not advertised it. I've made them for pregnancies, births, birthdays & weddings (and even funerals). So after working with a lovely Bride to be and brilliant Wedding planner last year, I decided to properly launch my much anticipated Wedding range. They were so encouraging and the feedback was delightful - it was all I needed to get the sketch book out to create these new pieces. Now, I don't always write down ALL of my ideas first, for the piece below I cut a circle of clay and eyed it up... Then I just picked up my type and started 'writing'. Inspiration often comes after the clay is rolled out... no time like the present and especially the pressure of wet clay drying gets the mind working. After this, I did sit down and nut out a whole lot of text dishes. 

It was certainly a fun evening coming up with phrases for the dishes.

From that ^ to this....

 A Wedding proposal perhaps?

For the Wedding Ceremony...

 Perfect gift for the happy couple!

Ring bearer dish for the big day  - tie your rings on with the ribbon.

And there is a WHOLE lot more coming like this... ring bearer dishes, wedding bouquet charms, cufflinks... There will be a range of 'ready to buy' - perfect for the engaged couple, and also a customized range where the happy couple can have their names & wedding date stamped into the dish or anything they like. I'm happy to use special lace from the wedding dress, special quotes and ideas... the beauty of the bespoke range is it is made to order. I come from a photography background, running my own company for many years. I LOVED photographing weddings and working with the happy couple  - so this range brings joy to me as well!

Ok, so thats TWO ideas, so I'll share one more for now. I've been wanting to expand my Emerge range and have been designing a new stamp for a while. Good things take time, so I spent a little longer on this next design, tweaking and adding to make it perfect and original! I'm not a native Cantabrian, but I do love Christchurch and have called it my home since I was 19. And the one iconic building I have always loved is the Christchurch Catherdral. Like many, not only in Canterbury but also worldwide, I am so sad that it has been destroyed. For those that aren't familiar with my Emerge range, it is a commemoration range that is made with liquefaction silt. It is mixed with the clay to create special pieces with real meaning. These are collector pieces and I hope will become a part of history for the people of this City.

I had 2 stamps made for me ( I love my custom stamps!) I have  a few designs up my sleeve, but what is shown below is the makings of the Rose Window Tile & Jewellery set.

And while I was making I make a little dish as well. These pieces haven't 

had their first firing yet and that is something I must get done!

 I can't tell you how much a really truly LOVE this new design. All the time and effort put in to getting it right really paid off. I hope to add these pieces to the range by mid April. 

If I don't, please give me a nudge!

And last but not least - and thanks so much for reading this far... I'm very excited to announce I'm taking workshops this year. I have listened to all the requests, on FB, in emails and in person at markets and am rearing to go. I have a long list of workshop ideas and can't wait to start. You'll find a link to the registration form on the top left of my blog, and I'll do another post int he next fews days to tell you more. You'll have to be quick though as the first one starts in 2 WEEKS!!

xx Gill

p.s and a little thank you for reading my blog, if you register for a workshop and put 'Mudbird March Blog' in the 'where did you hear about the workshops' I'll give you $5 off!

Ideas, ideas, ideas - put your mark on it!

We all have ideas - right? Little thoughts that keep you awake at 2am, when you should be asleep. Instead your brain is going full speed as thoughts take shape, ideas evolve and creativity sparks new processes.


Well my brain has been a prisoner of late of those exact things ( actually it always has been).


It's been a pretty exciting time for Mudbird lately with the creation and completion of a new Logo :-) I've been working alongside a long time designer friend who worked her magic on my brand. I wanted something that could stand alone as an icon, also to use a design in my products. I have yet to make up new banners for my website or my blog but I will... so here goes... this it it!

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE it... yes, I'm excited.  Gail did a great job didn't she?  {The colors are a bit brighter in these jpegs than actual colors}


This is the nest element that I'll be using on its own. I've already made dishes, earrings, brooches and necklaces!!

So back to ideas. Being a creative person, I find my brain coming up with ideas at the craziest times, the worst times ( like a parent/teacher conference when I'm supposed to be paying attention ) and also at the best of times.


As a designer ( of Ceramic Art ) I really strive to come up with original Mudbird designs. I don't copy others ideas, but this world isn't exactly small, you do tend to see the same thing out there. Sometimes seeing designs similar or the same just breaks my heart!  There has been a lot of talk in the Handmade/Craft circles of late of other people stealing ideas/patterns/designs and going on to create/sell them.  My friends have worked so hard to create their ideas, invested a lot of time and money into their product, then someone else comes long and rips it off. Not cool. It has got me thinking a lot about that in the past 2 weeks.


Sometimes I make something, get it out there, take it to market and am 100% confident that NO-ONE ELSE HAS DONE IT... yippee... then, oh oh - someone else has. But that's ok, I always put my stamp on it, to make it mine, to make it different...  Great minds think alike right?
I've even had people send me links saying...  'so in so' has copied you, but that's so hard to prove right? I've been told its the greatest form of flattery when someone copies you, but it still has an ouch factor! And then there are the days when people claim to be the inventor of that design, that just makes me chuckle!
Sometimes people ask me to copy a ceramic design, which I am firmly against.  Other artists work hard to create their designs and I don't want anyone copying mine so I won't copy theirs.


That's why I try to use as many original textures as I can to create my designs - like my collection of 10 antique Song plates from 1920's - they weigh a ton and were used to print the actual books. They are as much of a treasure to me as a tool.

And my grandmother's tatting lace, or my antique carved indian woodblocks - creating textures that *hopefully* no one else has.  I found a gorgeous antique French madeline tin in Akaroa, that is wonderful to display... and also to use as a mould!
In fact many of my textures and patterns are from my personal collection of antiques and treasures. I have collections of Keys, bottles, books, carved wooden blocks, metal type... I search high and low for things to use, digging through 2nd hand shops across the countryside. I even used part of a ring that my Husband bought me in Italy to imprint the heart into my Emerge Earrings... I've got stories about all my designs.

I'm pretty excited about what is in the pipeline - I've got a lot in the drying stage, the bisque stage ( first firing) and also lots of lovely pretty glazed things waiting to be shown off. A coupe of months ago I was in the middle of finalizing my Christmas DOVE decoration shape to me made up, and another idea popped up into my head.  CLOUDS... I have no idea where they came from, but I could see them, cut from thick slabs of clay, imprinted with lace or my wood block. Then suddenly I remembered all my photography of clouds over the years - maybe thats my inspiration. So I spent ages ( and I mean AGES) drawing up cloud shapes, who new this could take so long. I didn't went just a generic clip art cloud shape, I wanted ones with personality.


I wanted to increase my wall &  hanging art range - funnily enough I was forced into exploring new ideas when I had to step down from taking my jewelry to a market ( jewelry roster) so I though.. oh no! What can I take to fill that gap? So I got thinking and making up new ideas to take... hence the CLOUDS and new Christmas Decorations.


Then I realized, cutting everything with a scalpel is just plain silly. So I got some metal cutters made up, not only of the clouds, but also of my other signature shapes/designs. This way I can improve on productivity. Although I loved the hand-cut aspect, there comes a time when its better business sense to make life easier. I still hand-cut some designs, but hope to build up my cutters. They take time to make and are not cheap.


I still use the old plastic cutters, had a lot of fun making these last week and exploring new glazes too!

So I've been in the Studio - rolling, cutting and pressing textures into my new ideas and its been a lot of fun. They'll be on sale in Christchurch at 2 markets next week: Shop me Pretty &  Craft Invaders Market. I'll then make more and load onto my website.


I've got a LOT more to show you - next time ok?


x Gill

May's TV Debut & Markets.

I'm nervously counting down the days until my segment airs on Hearts in Crafts on TVNZ7 ( episode 5 ) May 5th, Saturday at 6.30pm.

It's a wonderful 13 part series showcasing some of New Zealand's creative and forward thinking people. 
From the TVNZ7 website:
 "Hearts In Crafts is the first of its kind, a show all about embracing New Zealand's appetite for craft; sharing the stories and meeting the personalities of some of this country's finest crafters. 

While reflecting on traditional crafts, Hearts In Crafts reveals emerging and contemporary crafts, and most importantly profiles the people passionate about craft. From the internationally renowned craft masters whose craft is their life's work; to the exuberant hobbyist who can't get enough; to the environmental saviours turning trash to treasure and the meeting places where likeminded crafters gather to share and learn. Crafting knows no bounds as viewers will discover over the course of our 13 part series."

Coming up in just 6 days is my first Market in May. It's the fun filled Sumner Rocks Village Street Party!

When: Sunday 6th May, 11.00 am 4.00 pm
Where: Wakefield /Marriner/ Nayland street precinct, Sumner Village ( Streets closed off, entertainment galore!)

Then the new monthly shopping evening, complete with bubbles and nibbles - all for a Gold coin donation!

Shop Me Pretty

When: Friday 18th May, 6.30 - 9.00pm
Where: Ohoka Hall, Mill Road, Ohoka

And to finish off this busy month is the wonderful...

'Winter' Encraftment Market

When: Saturday 26 May, 10am - 3pm
Where: Jack Mann Auditorium, Canterbury University, Christchurch

So all in all, May is shaping up to be pretty busy, well the lead up is already busy with the studio overflowing with drying pieces, bisqued and glazed designs. My kilns are cranking 24/7 as I build up stock!

All this info is up on my website plus more! ... Markets & Fairs

See you at the Markets... or on TV. Please visit my FACEBOOK page for some feedback. x Gill

The TV shoot! {Hearts in Crafts TV series}

Crew setting up  - Makoto telling cicadas to be quiet!

 On Friday 17th February 2012 at 1pm, Bronwyn, Tim & Makoto (all working for Whitebait TV) arrived at my studio for an afternoon of filming in the new Mudbird Studio. I was fortunate to be chosen to appear in the 13 part TV series called 'Hearts in Crafts' which will be showing on TV 7 in April (TBC). My segment is part of the series called 'Planet Saving Craft' and the intention for the afternoon was to have a chat about my Emerge range which is made from liquefaction silt from the Christchurch earthquakes in 2010-2011.

Tim filming

After Makoto on sound got the cicadas to quieten down in the silver birch tree above my studio, we got on with the interview with TV-Tim behind camera.

Bronwyn checking frame before we started.

Myself and Bronwyn.

 Now normally I'm behind the lens, so when faced with a TV camera trained on me... I froze. More than once and there were plenty of takes, lots of 'sorrys, pulled faces & a few laughs'. My mind went blank more than a few times - darn nerves! But with the relaxed and friendly Bronwyn interviewing me we got there in the end. She promised she'd make me look good! ;-)

Chatting to Bronwyn

Interview time

After the interview we moved inside the studio to move right through the process of making an Emerge bird. We started work on the wet bench, wedging clay, mixing in silt, rolling, cutting, stamping. Then smoothing off and into the kiln (Luckily I had some I had prepared earlier!) Then some glaze work on the other work bench and to top it all off, some creative shots of my Emerge range and other product in my studio.

View through the plants - wedging clay

It was quite a lot of fun after I got past my nervous state. It was a beautiful warm sunny day and I couldn't have asked for better weather. 

My son being camera-man after it all wrapped up.

The studio was light & airy and I felt so fortunate to have such a amazing work space. I've decorated it with many inspirational pieces - my love of old things has certainly had a huge influence, and I like to display some of the old objects I use to make my designs. It's a place I want to be, a place I want to work - which is a good thing.

My husband kindly took the photos of the shoot during the afternoon.

 And I took these ones below before the shoot to give you all a better picture of my space and surroundings. The studio is 10sq m , and we have 1/4 acre section with 100's of native plants and different fruit trees. Our house is a tiny 80sq m so it's heaven being able to work in my studio space uninterrupted. 

Inside looking into our yard.

The business end & creative space for hand-glazing and making jewellery etc.

Wet bench, working with wet clay etc.

View inside

View inside

Garden Space.

Mudbird Studio  - work in progress.

See you next time, Gill

Make that idea HAPPEN!

I just love it when I see an idea and then get the chance to actually do/make it right away - rather than getting it filed away in an ideas book that just gets thicker by the day.  I have always loved the look of terrariums, especially little ones in gorgeous jars. I love jars and have quite a collection, so when I was at the garden center on Sunday afternoon I knew exactly which jar I would use. I choose  a little asparagas fern, a small Frithia pulcha, 2 succulent/cacti from the Gasworthia and Pachyphytum species and surrounded them with Angel's tears.

My new Terrarium - The jar measures approximately 30cm high.

I have to say it was quite tricky planting the wee plants in such a small space, and did contemplate asking my 7yr old to poke her hand in to help. I just winged it and guessed how it was made - I think you are supposed to add a layer of moss after the rocks, but I couldn't find my bag of sphagnum moss so It might not stay looking so pretty once the soil settles in. I split the Asparagus fern up into a few plants and I have more white stones and mini succulents so I'll make another in one of my smaller vintage mason jars.

Close up of plants

And then after that we decided the move the massive table in for my desk - we have to move everything as its basically wall to wall! I LOVE IT... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! 2.5m of work space. Laptop and 'office' are on the left 1/3rd and then 2/3rds of space to work. This is my semi dry area, where small amounts of fiddly glazing are done, making jewellery, packaging and planning. My council cupboards are working out to be a DREAM. There is room for everything and no clutter. It feels like someone else's work space. Far too tidy ;-)

Moved the office desk into place - its a whopping 2.5m long!

 And to top it all off, we took the kids to the Chinese Lantern Festival in Hagley park last night. Unfortunately with wee ones it wasn't a late night and didn't get really dark, but they did really well hanging the lanterns under the huge trees and the kids loved it all.

Lanterns from the Chinese Lantern festival - 12/2/12 Hagley Park,  Christchurch

So, if you have an idea - do it now, get it started. It's so satisfying seeing it come into fruition. 

Right - off to unload the kiln x Gill

Creative inspiration...

Through the French Doors

 Part of my creative process is inspiration, like most other artists I am sure. To help this process for me it is surrounding my work area with beautiful things... well, not completely surrounding, but a place I can glance to and feast my eyes upon these treasures.  Everyone has their own version of what a beautiful thing is, and some would just call it all clutter!


I have a love for nostalgia, for those items which have a history and can tell a story. I also love the quality of these old objects - modern day knockoffs can not compare to the materials or designs used in the past.  I've been fortunate to acquire some beautiful old things and I'm so excited that I have a place to put them now. Sadly my big old council cupboards have some serious liquefaction  & water damage, but they will be restored one day.


Here are a few photos of my things in my studio. Once my shelves are up I'll be putting more of my lovely finds out on display.

Christchurch City council draws/cupboards last used in the 1960's

"Press for Orpheus" Old Bakerlight intercom phone from the depths of Canterbury University.

Beautiful old Royal Typewriter

Library file draws from Canterbury
University

Details from inside one of the Council cupboards

You can see a '9' stenciled on under this paper sticker.
Sadly these paper numbers will have to be removed when the cabinet gets restored...
but the black stencil numbers will look great!

Midnight madness - getting the job done.

It was a little after 1.15am when I came inside after just finishing the final top coat of paint in my studio! Yes, it's quite late, didn't get much done today, so it was a night job after the kids were all tucked up. Hubby went to a movie so I was kept company by listening to pod casts by Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington... love and hate them at the same time.


Anyway, what a pleasure it is to finally complete this step  - to stand back and see all that hard work and effort paid off. I started early this morning and went to town with a tube of no-more-gaps... just being picky really on joins and around the old window and French Doors. My daughter was with me and came out with a question that made me realise I was being a little too fussy after I gave her the run down and a little lesson about what I was doing "Mum, does everything you do have to be absolutely perfect?"... errr... ehem!  ahh only from a 7 year old!  I ended up managing the 2 top coats in one day. Yay for quick dry paint eh?


So the colour is a lovely soft pale grey called Porcelain by Resene - I fell in love with the colour and thought the name was pretty appropriate with my love of clay. The colour notes on the Resene website say this:
"Resene Porcelain is a kaolin white, fine and delicate" and I couldn't agree more.

I think its going to be a lovely colour to have in my creative work space. It's a little too late and too dark to take a photo but I'll upload one tomorrow. (for now this colour swatch will have to do!)

So I have had quite the creative week, not all my creativity has to come from clay ( although I did manage to make quite a few wee things today as well and are drying as I type).


A couple of days ago I painted a chair for my office - I have one of those ugly grey office chairs on wheels, but I couldn't stand the thought of that, so I painted one of our old wooden dining chairs and recovered the cushion in my favourite coffee sack design. I have a huge box of coffee sacks that I've been waiting for the right things to use with. So far this is my second re-vamping of furniture.  (1st was a ottoman) I thought the chair came out really well.  I painted the wood with another Resene colour called Acropolis - this is the paint I used when I painted our lounge and kitchen. It's a lovely natural colour and my 5yr old son has called it a 'Hot Wheels colour'... why you ask? Well he helped me paint it outside on the lawn and he thought it was white, then we took it inside the studio for him to discover it wasn't white at all, so he has dubbed it Hot wheels colour as it changes like his 'colour change' hot wheels car... ahhh, I love him, he is so funny! 


Resene actually describes this as "a lightened complex dirty neutral" - yikes! I think is also the same as Half Tea for those that know the new colour names.  Now that I have painted the walls in the studio, I just hope this goes!

I managed a quick trip to one of my favourite salvage yards called The Pumphouse today. It was 4.50pm and they closed at 5pm so I just ran in to ask if they had what I was after... sadly no, but I did cast my eyes over some pretty amazing finds. I took a couple of quick photos of the lovely main building just as I was leaving - lovely to this this old stone and brick work still standing.  Aside from all the tragedy from the earthquake demolitions, some real treasures have come up for grabs and I can't wait to go back on my own and see what I can find.

Right, better get to bed, think my brain has wound down enough for me to drift off - I've got to get up early to flick a quick coat of white paint over the skirting boards and ceiling architraves. I want to get my studio re-organised by the end of the day. After all desks and cabinets are in place the FUN will start... building the new shelves and getting out all my treasures (oh and making things too!)


x Gill