Jay Jasper's Blog, page 125
August 20, 2020
Thursday Throwdown Aug 13, 2020
It’s vase-to-vase combat like you have never seen before!
How it works: We share two vases and YOU vote which is your favourite! The winner will then move on to the next round to face another competitor!
This last week was EXTREMELY close with the winner coming in with only ONE vote more! With 3 wins in a row, our winner is Evangeline!
We are going to pull out all the stops this week to see who might be able to knock Evangeline out of top spot! It may even take two!
Gorgeous Vases of No Contact Wrestling
The Series so far.
Vase Name
Gossip Girl
Phoenix Reborn
Pillar of Atlas
Evangeline
Ogopogo
Iris En Ciel
Wins/Losses
0/1
2/1
0/1
3/0
0/1
0/1
Former Glory: Iris En Ciel$80
Read on hear this week’s two stories and don’t forget to vote for your favourite!
Who will this week’s winner be?
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.I choose this vase as the winner.EvangelineOriginal TwinCommentSubmit
Evangeline$120
Evangeline tells the tale of a great Acadian love story that is a part of the local culture here in my home of Nova Scotia.
‘Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie’ is an epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In this poem he
follows her search for long lost love Gabriel, with whom she was betrothed.
Evangeline and Gabriel were separated by ‘The Great Upheavel’, also known as the Acadian Expulsion. During this dark chapter of English –
French relations in Canada, over eleven thousand Acadians were deported by the British.
Separated by the Acadian Expulsion, Evangeline and her betrothed would only be reunited in their old age when Gabriel, who was already very sick, would perish in her arms.
This work of fiction has become immortalized here in Nova Scotia, where you can follow the stunning landscape of the Evangeline Trail and explore the ancestral home of the Acadians! Nova Scotia invites you to
visit and explore our vibrant culture and landscape.
Maybe you will find your own ‘Gabriel’.
Original Twin$150 for both
This vase story will double your pleasure! It is for two vases, collectively known as ‘Original Twin’, and tells the tale of a genderless god, child yielding spit and vomit, the creation of the world, a wandering eye and comes to us from ancient Egypt.
In the beginning there was the chaotic waters of Nu (also called Nun). From these swirling chaotic waters Atum willed themselves into existence. The genderless Atum also possessed an all knowing and seeing eye.
Being beyond gender simplified child birth for Atum. They were able to spit out their first child, a son, Shu, god of the air. He must have been a real mouthful.
The birth of their daughter, Telfnut, goddess of moisture, was a little messier. She vomited Telfnut up. Messy, but not quite as messy as child birth.
If you thought your parents had high expectations of you, you might empathize with Shu and Telfnut. Atum had charged them with creating order out of chaos.
Shu and Telfnut started with creating the earth (Geb) and the sky (Nut). Slowly over time the order of the world as we know it came to be, but in that process Shu and Telfnut were lost in the remaining darkness. Imagine losing your children in a never ending void!
Atum was desperate to find their offspring. They removed their all seeing eye and sent it out to search for Shu and Telfnut. When twins returned with the eye, the eye wept tears of joy and men sprung up where the tears hit the Earth.
Maybe that is why we are made of mostly water and a little salty!
Their fate is now in your hands!
Who will be your victor? Please scroll up to add your Vote!
We will share the winner (and new competitor) next Thursday!
Once we hit 500 newsletter subscribers, we will be drawing for two prizes that will include a copy of our book ‘A Potters Dream: Myths & Legends’ an art print and piece of jewelry for one of the lucky winners. You can subscribe to our Newsletter by clicking here.
We have reached our previous goal of 300 subscribers and will be announcing the winner of that prize in the newsletter in the coming weeks!
Don’t worry, if you are already a subscriber, you are automatically entered. Share on Twitter or Facebook to help the draw come even sooner!
August 19, 2020
On The Wheel Wednesday – Openness
Flowers best
in openness
and freedom.
~ Edward Abbey
Once we hit 500 newsletter subscribers, we will be drawing for two prizes that will include a copy of our book ‘A Potters Dream: Myths & Legends’ an art print and piece of jewelry for one of the lucky winners. You can subscribe to our Newsletter by clicking here. Don’t worry, if you are already a subscriber, you are automatically entered. Share on Twitter or Facebook to help the draw come even sooner!
August 18, 2020
Name That Vase – August 2020
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 last month’s winner ceridwensilverhart for their name and write-up! Congratulations!
This new vase makes me think of quiet, rippling water. Might I suggest Saraswati?
Her name means “pooling water” and she is known for wisdom, poetry, and soothing music. The image of her seated on a lotus in a pool of tranquil water fits so well with the bright yet calming blue of the glaze.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saraswati
$55
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. I look forward to reading all your great ideas!
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.
Once we hit 500 newsletter subscribers, we will be drawing for two prizes that will include a copy of our book ‘A Potters Dream: Myths & Legends’ an art print and piece of jewelry for one of the lucky winners. You can subscribe to our Newsletter by clicking here. Don’t worry, if you are already a subscriber, you are automatically entered. Share on Twitter or Facebook to help the draw come even sooner!
Join our project to help build more hope and co-create a better world during the pandemic of the coronavirus and beyond.
August 16, 2020
This Week At The Studio In Photos
The Official Glazing Helper
With summer getting closer to fall, everything is going to seed.
Evangeline and Iris en Ciel go head to head! Vote for your favourite here!
Small flowers to mark the coming change of seasons
A bit of inspiration from On The Wheel WednesdayThat’s been the week here.
How’s your week been?
Once we hit 300 newsletter subscribers, we will be drawing for two prizes that will include a copy of our book ‘A Potters Dream: Myths & Legends’ an art print and piece of jewelry for one of the lucky winners. You can subscribe to our Newsletter by clicking here. Don’t worry, if you are already a subscriber, you are automatically entered.
We will draw later today and the winner will be contacted via the newsletter, so be sure to get your last minute sign-ups in!
August 15, 2020
In Case You Need More Sizzle!
Last week, we were very excited to share our sizzling hot intorductory video for youtube, and we just thought we would share it again for anyone who may have missed it! I hope you will consider sparing a minute and watching it:
Let me know what you think of the video! If you like it, please feel free to share it and follow us on our youtube channel.
You can also subscribe to our newsletter here, if you are interested in keeping up with the happenings at our fledgling pottery studio. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Sailor Moon
Last week, on ‘As The Pottery Wheel Turns’, we told the tale of Argus, a many eyed monster who was transformed into a peacock by Hera to pull her chariot. We left poor Io who faced unwanted advances from Zeus as a wandering cow, thanks to Hera’s wrath. Zeus still didn’t get the girl! How many peacocks does it take to pull a chariot anyways?
You can read last week’s vase story here.
Today’s 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.
$68
The Flies Have It!
Io, a former priestess in the temple dedicated to Hera in Argos had faced unwanted attention from Zeus who was in love with her, and from Hera who punished Io for her husbands attraction by turning her into a beautiful white cow. Hades hath no fury like a goddess scorned.
Bovine Io, unfairly punished, was left to wander through deserts and the world. To make matters worse, Hera had another meltdown when her pet monster Argus was killed by Zeus. So she sent a gadfly to follow Io around and harass her in all the places her tail could not reach. I am sure she would have given anything for a can of raid. Or opposable thumbs to use it.
Prometheus Bound
Io wandered and wandered, growing more and more upset and disoriented. It seems she was afflicted with the original mad cow disease. Eventually she reached the Black Sea and the what is now called the Bosporous, (ox passage) which was named in her honour.
So things were looking up and her situation was about to improve. Being named after one of the most strategic areas in the world was cowtastic.
It was on this leg of her journey that she would meet up with another victim of the gods, Prometheus.
HerA and Stones May break my Bones, But Heroes in Chains Excite Me!
It was when Io was passing Mount Caucasus that hope was restored. There she ran into Prometheus, another toy of the gods, who had been chained to the mountain by none other than Zeus.
It was in this moment, that Prometheus told Io that she would eventually be restored to human form and not give up hope. She would be the ancestress of many powerful figures. Holy Cow!
$68
Sailor Moon
Io was often associated with the moon by the ancients. The self proclaimed ‘horned virgin’, made her way across the Ionian Sea to Egypt. I guess the original sailor moon may not have been a goddess, but she definitely had bovinity!
It was in Egypt that Zeus finally restored Io to her human form. Her long journey as a wandering cow had finished, but her story and those of her ancestors was just starting. It would take many generation, but one of Io’s descendants would be one of the most famous figures of the ancient world.
Next week on ‘As the Pottery Wheel Turns’
We will tell the story of the birth of her most famous relative, where Hera will once again get up to some of her usual tricks, and we’ll all learn not to cry over spilt milk. Its just not the ‘way’.
What do you think of our our raku vase and story? Please let us know in the comments below. And if you want to read more vase stories, check out our vase gallery here, it’s full of them!
Once we hit 300 newsletter subscribers, we will be drawing for two prizes that will include a copy of our book ‘A Potters Dream: Myths & Legends’ an art print and piece of jewelry for one of the lucky winners. You can subscribe to our Newsletter by clicking here. Don’t worry, if you are already a subscriber, you are automatically entered.
August 14, 2020
By The Book – August 15, 2020
For more on our first book click here
For special reveals and secret peaks of upcoming work
you can subscribe to our newsletter here.
August 13, 2020
Thursday Throwdown Aug 13, 2020
It’s vase-to-vase combat like you have never seen before!
How it works: We share two vases and YOU vote which is your favourite! The winner will then move on to the next round to face another competitor!
Gorgeous Vases of No Contact Wrestling
The Series so far.
Vase Name
Gossip Girl
Phoenix Reborn
Pillar of Atlas
Evangeline
Ogopogo
Wins/Losses
0/1
2/1
0/1
2/0
0/1
Former Glory: Ogopogo$88
Read on hear this week’s two stories and don’t forget to vote for your favourite!
Who will this week’s winner be?
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.I choose this vase as the winner.EvangelineIris En CielCommentSubmit
Evangeline$120
Evangeline tells the tale of a great Acadian love story that is a part of the local culture here in my home of Nova Scotia.
‘Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie’ is an epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In this poem he
follows her search for long lost love Gabriel, with whom she was betrothed.
Evangeline and Gabriel were separated by ‘The Great Upheavel’, also known as the Acadian Expulsion. During this dark chapter of English –
French relations in Canada, over eleven thousand Acadians were deported by the British.
Separated by the Acadian Expulsion, Evangeline and her betrothed would only be reunited in their old age when Gabriel, who was already very sick, would perish in her arms.
This work of fiction has become immortalized here in Nova Scotia, where you can follow the stunning landscape of the Evangeline Trail and explore the ancestral home of the Acadians! Nova Scotia invites you to
visit and explore our vibrant culture and landscape.
Maybe you will find your own ‘Gabriel’.
Iris En Ciel$80
‘Iris en Ciel’, tells the tale of sisters on opposite sides of a war, loyalty to the gods, travel by rainbow, and a goddess with a sweet tooth who was a messenger that would give the postal service a run for their money while bringing your prayers to the gods.
Fraternal twins Iris and her sister Arke, would both born to be messengers to the gods, but would have very different fates. Iris would remain loyal to the Olympian gods. Her sister Arke would choose to get mixed up with the wrong crowd. She would become messenger for the Titans in what would be their losing war against the gods of Olympus.
This mistake would cost Arke her wings and earn her ticket to the Titan prison known as Tartarus. Tartarus was a deep dark dungeon in the underworld. Not a very nice place, but she got off lightly compared to another Titan whose story we have told.
Iris, however, would not waver in her loyalty to the Olympian gods. She would remain their messenger. It was thought that she had a rainbow coat and used it to create rainbows to travel from place to place. In between what must have been her exhaustive duties as messenger for the rather high maintenance gods of Olympus, Iris would still find time for her other duties. Clearly the winged goddess knew the plight of a working woman!
Iris also helped humans connect with the gods. She assisted by bringing people’s prayers to the gods, and sometimes even intervening herself on someone’s behalf to their benefit.
Those in the know were aware that Iris had a sweet tooth. She really loved date squares, and those who were wise to this morsel of information would leave her a sweet honey cake. Have a prayer you want answered?
Better get baking!
Their fate is now in your hands!
Who will be your victor? Please scroll up to add your Vote!
We will share the winner (and new competitor) next Thursday!
For special reveals and secret peaks of upcoming work
you can subscribe to our newsletter here.
August 12, 2020
On The Wheel Wednesday – Motion
The sum total
of the movement
of the potter’s hands.
“Life is a full circle, widening until
it joins the circle motions of the infinite.”
– Anais Nin
For special reveals and secret peaks of upcoming work
you can subscribe to our newsletter here.
August 9, 2020
A Feast For The Senses!
We are very excited to share a new video with you that we’ve created as a very short promotional piece to highlight our process and work! We have also added this video to the front page of our website
If you have a spare minute and change, you can see the video below, or better yet check us out on youtube and subscribe to our channel! I would love to hear your impressions and thoughts on this video!
Thanks for reading, and maybe watching!
