Jay Jasper's Blog, page 101

This rock solid parenting tip may not be as helpful as it was at the time

The Aboriginal people in the north west of the United States told early explorers a tale about a mountain called Louwala-Clough, which is also the name of our raku pottery vase shown here.

You may know this mountain as Mount St. Helens.

According to legend, this mountain used to be a beautiful woman who was named Loowit. There were two braves, who happened to be brothers that were vying for her love. These were not just any two braves, for they were the sons of the Great Spirit, Sahale.

Unfortunately, Loowit spoiled by choice, could not decide which of these brothers to choose.

This only intensified the rivalry between the two brothers Wyeast and Klickitat. They fought intensely, leaving a fiery trail of destruction around them, throwing rocks and liquid fire at one another, burning villages and forest alike.

Their father, the Great Spirit, Sahale grew weary of the destruction caused by his battling sons and the indecisive beauty Loowit. In a move that would be frowned upon by any of today’s authorities on parenting, but probably very much appreciated by the locals of the time, he decided to smite all three of them.

Louwala-Clough $98
Shipping Included in US and Canada

In their place he erected three mountain peaks, Loowit was turned to a beautiful snow covered peak (Mount St. Helens), Wyeast (Mount Hood) with his head raised in pride, and Klickitat (Mount Adams) with his gaze fixed on Loowit for all of eternity – or until erosion ultimately gets the better of the three.

Now due to her indecisiveness Loowit gets to spend what will seem like an eternity with two rock solid men and is spared the anguish of choice.

Mugshot Monday

“I love it when the coffee kicks in and I realize what an adorable badAss I’m gonna be today.”

– Nanea Hoffman Mug 12 $35

Shipping Included in US and CanadaThe Latest Mugs Are Now Up WIth More To Come!

Click here to view all mugs.

If you don’t see one for sale in the colour you like,
please contact us and we can work with you directly.

This Week At The Studio In Photos

A walk along the local dykes at the tidal river. Mug 11 came as part of Mugshot Monday!
$35

Shipping Included in US and Canada A tree starts its journey back to the soil. Visiting the ice as the tide goes out on the Bay of Fundy A special deal on a space vase and space pendant! Calm before the (snow) storm.

A foot of snow to come tonight!That’s been the week here.

How’s your week been?

Name That Vase – February 2021

It’s time to share our winner and feature another vase in need of a name! Welcome to my monthly feature – ‘Name that Vase’.

For those who are new to this feature, ‘Name that Vase’ is where you can suggest a name, create a story, poem or prose for this raku pottery vase. Consider this your chance to be inspired, a writing prompt or a creative cue. You can, or if you are feeling nostalgic,that started what has now become a monthly tradition for our blog and readers.

This month we have a very special vase for your naming, but first we must congratulate ’s winner Ladysag77 for their name and write-up!

Congratulations!

Turquoise Sunrise

Brightly shining upon the horizon
Glistening effervescence hope is enlightened
Molded by mercy, grace and wisdom
Within the creators hand we rise out of a system
Faith restored, harmonious balance
Breathing new life into each challenge
Unity, the new theme of the day
Bow your head, allowing fears to be washed away

Turquoise Sunrise – $94
Includes Shipping in US and Canada
And into our new month!

Here is our vase for this month:

Please add what you think the name should be for this month’s vase and any associated poetry or story in the comments below. Looking forward to reading your submissions!

If you have coronavirus on mind (as so many of us do right now) please check out this helpful post, B-B-B Bye Corona, Self-Care In The Time of Pandemic.

Riding on the Intergalactic Fantastic!

Fresh out of the kiln, Intergalactic Yoda is back and has come with a friend! Intergalactic Yoda Pendant – $28
Free Shipping In US and Canada
Intergalactic Buddha Pendant – $28
Free Shipping In US and Canada
We also have this galaxy-themed vase which makes a great pairing with a piece of the above Jewelry. Intergalactic Vase and Intergalactic Pendant – $65
Free Shipping In US and Canada
If you have a space lover as your lover, have we got the perfect gift for you, and them, but like this vase, there is only one available.Launch your relationship to the cosmos. If you act now, you can buy this vase and your choice of Yoda or Buddha pendant for $65!

This includes shipping in the US and Canada.

Only one available!

The Unbelievable, Incredible, Fantastical Power of Breast Milk

Prologue

Our raku pottery vase ‘Io‘, tells the tale of it’s namesake, a wandering cow with a secret, a man in chains, the ultimate cosmetic transformation, and an ending where the god gets the girl. It would be many generations later, but Io’s lineage would include one of the most important heroes of the gods.

You can read more about Io’s story here.

Raku pottery vase, Athena’s Trick, tells the harrowing tale of a new mother, a (surprise, surprise) vengeful goddess Hera, would be witch midwives, snakes in a cradle, subterfuge, the power of breast feeding and a tale of spilt milk that ends in a beautiful finish.

$120 Hera we go again!

Io’s descendant, Alcmene was excited. She was pregnant and about to give birth to a child. But she had a secret that wasn’t kept very well. The father of her child to be was none other than Zeus. He was up to his old philandering ways again, and Hera was none to pleased. As usual.

Mount Olympus has no fury, like a goddess scorned, particularly if that goddess is named Hera.

I bet that wasn’t on the gift registry!

Hera was up to her old tricks again, triggered by yet another mistress of Zeus. What do you get your husband’s mistress for a shower gift? If you’re Hera, first you send over a couple of witches while the child is being born. And if that doesn’t work you put a couple of snakes in the child’s cradle.

But Alcmene was no slouch. She knew of Hera’s reputation and had her servants trick the witches. It was her infant child who took care of the snakes, strangling them in his crib.

Don’t bite the nipple that feeds you, you’ll see stars

Alcmene was very concerned for her child’s safety at this point. The situation felt hopeless, but she knew that her son was destined for greatness. She decided to put her faith in the gods hands and brought her son to the woods for her own safety.

It was in the woods that the baby was found by none other than the goddess Athena. Fortunately she had a plan to protect the baby and maybe knock Hera down a notch for her often outrageous and Godzilla behaviour.

She brought the baby to Mount Olympus and gave him to Hera, but told him he was an orphan who needed nourishment. Not knowing the true identity of our hero, Hera allowed him to suckle from her breast. That is until he bit her nipple.

Of course, this caused a great tantrum from Hera, again. She pushed the baby away and her milk fell across the sky. That’s how the Milky Way was formed!

Don’t cry over spilt milk. Just look at it in awe.

$120 Milk. It does the Body Good.

Hera then demanded that Athena take back the child who had attacked her. Still not knowing who the baby really was. Athena fed the child, hoping to gain favour with Zeus and teach her frenemy Hera a lesson. Fortunately for the baby, this further imbued the baby with strength, wisdom and power.

That’s a good thing, because the baby would need all the strength and power he could get, for his name was Hercules, and Hera was just getting started with him.

What did you think of this raku pottery vase and story? Let me know in the comments below.Is this Hera’s nipple, or just were another pot touched the vase during a firing?

You decide!

Can you help me make a ‘Great Pottery Gift Basket’ for You, for free!

I hope everyone’s February is off to a great start!

It’s been a bit of a mixed bag here with kiln repairs and the ongoing covid saga, but I’m trying to stay positive and optimistic.

It’s in that spirit, that I have decided to do one big give away this year and not only can you win, but you can help determine how many things go in this basket. To participate, all you need to do is sign up for our newsletter here:

As our newsletter audience grows, so will the number of pieces of pottery I add to the basket!

One lucky winner will receive what I hope to be a grand haul of pottery!

We will start things off small, with this tiny piece below:

Starting off with a tortoise in the race may seem to be a foolish strategy, but remember, in the end
they were the one who won

And maybe you will too! Sign up for our newsletter today for your chance, and you may win this gift basket, with which your help will be full of great items!

Submit a form.

Don’t worry if you’ve already signed up – you are already entered! Please feel free to follow us on our social media (top right of page) and share the contest so we can add even more pieces of pottery to the gift basket.

And those for you wondering about our last contest …

The ornaments on the tree have been counted, and a winner will be announced soon. It’s not too late to make a guess and sign up to the newsletter, where a winner will be announced very soon!

Proud Grandfather Finds Innovative way to celebrate triplets

Think you have issues with your daddy?

This large vase, called ‘The Eye of Balor’, tells the tale of an Irish giant, a prophecy, his captive daughter, some serious control issues, a late night rendezvous and a whole lot of famillicide!

The Eye of Balor – $288
Shipping Included in US and Canada
According to Irish legend . . .

A race of giants, the Fomorians, were said to be among the early settlers of Ireland. They even had their own king, Balor. Balor was no ordinary giant king, as he was also the god of death.

Balor would have been an unwelcome patient at an optometrist’s office. He only had one eye. Imagine the frustration of trying to fit a pair of glasses for him. This would be the least of the eye doctor’s problems though, as whoever was caught in his gaze would die instantly.

The Eye of Balor is included in our first book of pottery and mythology

Learn more hereFortunately, giants weren’t big on seeing eye doctors.

And Balor kept his single eye closed until this terrible power was needed. Maybe he had a cool eye patch?

According to the prophecy, Balor would be killed by his own grandson. What was a giant cyclops to do? Imprison his own daughter in a crystal tower of course! That way she can never have any babies and the prophecy would be thwarted.

A crystal tower apparently does not make a great prison. Cian, a minor god was able to find a way into the tower and Balor’s daughter found her self with child not long after. Imagine getting pregnant with triplets from your first sexual experience? That is what happened to Balor’s daughter, Ethlinn.

It seems she had terrible luck.

Balor heard about the birth of his three grandsons – But rather than passing out cigars he threw them into the sea.

One boy Lugh was able to escape his watery grave by finding refuge with Manannan Mac Lir, the god of the sea. The prophecy finally played when Lugh led the Tuatha De Danann (a race of Irish gods) into a battle where Balor would meet his fate.

Death by removal of his one eye.

You can learn more about our work here at the studio and what we are all about in just one minute. Check out our introductory video and subscribe to our youtube channel! And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter here. Once we hit 500 subscribers, we will be doing another giveaway for some of our beautiful pottery!

On The Wheel Wednesday

Our personal history does not define the way things will be. you can slip down the rabbit holes of would have, should have, could have. or you can rise above what was, and be in the now. what will your now look like? What is one thing you do to be present in the now?Let us know in the comments below and help inspire others! Have a beautiful Day!

You can learn more about our work here at the studio and what we are all about in just one minute. Check out our introductory video and subscribe to our youtube channel! And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter here. Once we hit 500 subscribers, we will be doing another giveaway for some of our beautiful pottery!

One Type Of Man You Never Want To Marry

Previously on ‘As the pottery wheel Turns

We told the harrowing tale of the birth of Alcemene’s son, and how Hera almost stopped it from happening with witches and snakes. You can read more about how Hera was thwarted by another goddess in her attempts and how young Hercules helped form the Milky Way.

Hera’s Our Guest Today

Our vase today, Hera’s Heart, follows the tale of tantrum and tears of one of the most famous gods of Olympus. She’s beautiful and her position as Queen of the gods has afforded her untold power. Today we take an in depth look at the goddess of women, marriage, child birth and family – Hera.

$140 Trophy Wife

In order to try to understand the intricacies of Hera and her penchant for revenge, it is important to get to the root of most of her problems. Her marriage.

It’s not like young Hera had a thing for the bad boys. She had resisted the advances of Zeus for what seemed like forever.

Ladies, other people who have relationships with a certain kind of man, you know this story. We’ve all been there or know someone who has. That man comes along and you try to ignore him, which only makes him want you more. That’s because his attraction is based on the fact that he’s objectified you. Sure, it feels kind of flattering at first, but it gets awfully lonely on that pedestal he’ll put you on.

Part Time Lover

Zeus relentlessly pursued Hera, who had little interest in a relationship with him. She was a busy goddess, with important work, looking after women, their relationships and families. Eventually, though, his relentless advances paid off and the two would wed.

It is questionable whether or not they ever had a honeymoon period. Perhaps that’s because almost immediately after their nuptials, Zeus showed the true colours of his variable emotions by constantly falling in love with other women and having children with them. So much so that his offspring outside his marriage vastly outnumbered those conceived with Hera. In other words, he would definitely have been guest material for a Jerry Springer baby daddy show.

My husband won’t stop having babies with other women

Hera was a proud goddess. After all, she was Queen of Olympus. Unfortunately that pride was often injured. It wasn’t just the fact that Zeus was having affairs and chasing after several mortals, but also he was not the most discreet philanderer.

Couples find ways to work out their troubles oftentimes. But when do you know your marriage is in trouble? If your husband has children in the double digits with other women, it might be advisable to end that relationship.

Unfortunately that wasn’t really an option for Hera in her situation. The constant humiliation and whispers at Mount Olympus ate away at her. She soon become consumed with revenge.

$140 You Better Don’t cross Hera

Girl Code doesn’t seem to have been a thing back in ancient times, at least not among the gods. Sadly, often bested by Zeus, Hera often took her revenge upon his mistresses.

Don’t forget to turn Io into a cow!

Understand that these women were for the most part blameless mortals relentlessly pursued by a womanizing lothario with untold power and influence. After some time, Zeus must have known that these women he ‘loved’ would become the target of Hera’s wrath.

The moral of the story:

If he thinks he’s a God, He’s Probably Not

Take these words to heart, or yours may be broken!

What did you think about Hera’s Heart and our cautionary tale?