Jay Jasper's Blog, page 134

Name That Vase – April 2020

Hello and happy April! Welcome to the month of showers bringing May flowers and also 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 for their name and poem. Congratulations!

Grandmother

Shards of a womb
That brought forth life
Whose nurture and love
Sustain me still
Decades from her passing.
Grandmother.

And into our new month!

Here is our vase for April:

Please add what you think the name should be for our April 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 300 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.

Join our project to help build more hope and co-create a better world during the pandemic of the coronavirus and beyond.

On The Wheel Wednesday – April 1!

Happy April Fool’s!

I was thinking of playing some sort of April Fool’s prank, but with all that is going on it somehow did not seem appropriate! What did seem appropriate was to get on the pottery wheel and get my mind off the chaos and start working on a sculpture.

Step one of my sculpture project is now complete!

Once I get to the third step of this sculpture I will be looking for some audience participation. What do you think this will be when it is finished? Please let me know in the comments below.

And don’t forget! If you are in need of some reading during this time of self isolation, my book is on sale. You can purchase it directly here!

As well, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter. Once we hit 300 subscribers we will be randomly choosing a couple of people to send some cool prizes to help brighten up this chaotic time! If you have already subscribed, you are already automatically entered! Stay safe and healthy!

Sid & Nancy

With a bit more time indoors as of late, I have been repotting a few plants. These two lucky plants (Nancy left, Sid right) found new homes in some plant pots I made.

What do you think?

Once we hit 300 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.

Join our project to help build more hope and co-create a better world during the pandemic of the coronavirus and beyond.

Calling All Dreamers – The Vase of Dreams

Some of my regular readers may be familiar with some of my past art projects like ‘The Healing Vase’, which allow for audience/community participation. I am about to launch a new project, in part inspired by the joy that project brought me, and by the current chaos in the world due to the global pandemic of the coronavirus.

My concept for this piece is to allow the process of raku and the flames of reduction to act as a communal intention and prayer for a better world. I am hoping that other dreamers will join me by commenting with their hopes and dreams for how our world could be a better place.

I will be printing or reproducing all of your comments to use as the reduction material in the firing process of this vase. For those unfamiliar with raku, you can view the video below to see what this firing process entails:

Co-creating the Vase of Dreams

For this particular project, I would like people to think about how the pandemic has impacted the world or your community and the changes you would like to see to make the world a better place. You can see some of the discussions that people are having about this here, and I hope you will add your voice.

Please leave your comments and ideas below for a better world. Feel free to even include a poem or a piece of creative writing. Hopefully this project will inspire hope at this time when many of us need it the most.

Please share this post so as many people as possible can participate in this project and we can spread the hope! You can do so by sharing the link to this blog directly, sharing this post from our facebook page or retweeting this tweet from our twitter account.

Let us create a better future, together!

I look forward to hearing from as many of you as possible! Let’s set our intentions for a better world!

Please subscribe to our newsletter for updates and announcements related to this project. We are also looking at creaing a piece of jewelry with this special firing. You can learn more about our jewelry here.

In Tomatoes We Trust

With all the chaos in the world, it has become a time to appreciate the simpler things in life, for those of us not on the front lines of the coronavirus fight. It is the small things that can bring comfort.

I am not sure why, but somehow, I find it oddly reassuring that my tomato babies are awakening from their slumber, pushing through the dirt and now reaching for the light all on their own. Life finds a way! And we will find a way too!

In this time, I am getting back to basics, and part of that includes big gardening plans! I have decided that this year I am going to grow as much extra food as I can. Someone is going to need it with all the economic woes resulting from this virus.

I usually have some extra veggies, that I give to friends and neighbours, but in addition to that I want to be able to give some to the food bank, or leave some extras at our local rural post office for those who need them to supplement their pantry/fridge.

Is anyone else growing a little extra in their garden this year to help others out?

I am also happy to announce a giveaway that we will be doing here
at the pottery. Some of you may know that we have a newsletter that
we send out a few times a year to keep people updated on our latest
creations and special offers.

Once we hit 300 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 jewelery 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.

The World Is Changing

Has anyone else noticed?

I am not talking about just the immediate impact of the coronavirus outbreak and all these new terms like ‘social distancing’, ‘self isolation’, or ‘flatten the curve’. We seem to be at a real crossroads where as individuals and collectively as a society we need to make some serious choices and sacrifices.

Like most people, the coronavirus has taken me away from seeing friends and some of my favourite places. I imagine that my art show will be cancelled too, because unlike others who may be far more powerful than I, I know there is no chance that this will be over by Easter. I hope I am wrong. I really do, but unless someone stumbles upon a cure or vaccine soon it seems likely we are in a holding pattern for awhile.

Or are we? Don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating that everyone just carry on as normal, but perhaps there are other options available to us all. We humans can be pretty clever when we set our mind to it. Just look at all the companies re-tooling to make face masks and shields, gowns and even ventilators.

Where there is soap, there is hope.

Since many of us have more time on their hands these days, maybe it is time for us all to decide what kind of world we want to live in. One that values human life where we take care of each other and nourishes people to reach their full potential? Or one where human life is expendable because of an abstract concept called the economy?

As an artist, you may not be surprised to hear that I choose people over profits. No one becomes an artist to get rich quick, and if you do, I wish you luck! It’s not that I do not like nice things, but nothing is nicer to me than the people I love. I want the best for them, for them to remain healthy and find as much happiness as they possibly can. Not only do I want this for them, but I want this for everyone.

It is in times of struggle that the greatest opportunity for growth and change can come. Is this awful pandemic a call to change? To think more local, to garden more, to support our neighbours and communities? To evaluate what we can do for the world to make it better? Is it time to break free from old paradigms that no longer serve us, those we love, our neighbours, the planet, and most of humanity? I hope so!

I am interested to hear what you think. What positive changes do you see possible in the wake of this pandemic for yourself and our world?

My hope is that when this is all over, we realize how precious life is and we put as much effort into solving problems like hunger, poverty and environmental destruction as we are with this pandemic. Otherwise, we maybe doomed to repeat this.

Stay healthy and safe! And six feet away (for now). Sending love and good energy to all who want some.

I am also happy to announce a giveaway that we will be doing here
at the pottery. Some of you may know that we have a newsletter that
we send out a few times a year to keep people updated on our latest
creations and special offers.

Once we hit 300 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 jewelery 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.

A Personal Invitation to Healing In A Time of Pandemic

Life does not stop during these strange times – though the perspective is surely changing. With the world shifting each day, I am able to see more clearly those things which are truly important to living the life I want. I am taking this time to reflect on the kind of life best lived for me (don’t worry, pottery is of course in there) and personally, helping with healing is part of that best-lived-life.

Your Invitation

In 2019 I was contemplating how I might integrate my own healing into my artistic process and how I might involve and possibly help others with their healing. After contemplating this for sometime, I came up with the concept for ‘A Vase of Healing’.

My concept is to allow the process of raku and the flames of the reduction process to act as a healing tonic for grief and pain, for myself, for our world, and for all who to choose to participate in this process collectively.

You can see learn more about the process and finale of the 2019 Healing Vase in the video below.

With the current pandemic in mind, I would like to extend an invitation for you to join the Healing Vase project for 2020. I plan to fire the piece this fall and would love your participation in healing together. I welcome you to visit the project page and add your Wishes for Healing for the current year.

Thank you and I hope you are keeping safe and well in this time of increased difficulty.

Namaste,

The Alchemist

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for updates and announcements related to this project.

What Can You Do With Crocodile Tears?

It has been awhile since I have written a vase story! After completing my book ‘A Potter’s Dream: Myths & Legends’ I guess I needed a break.

Our vase story today, called Sobek’s Tears, tells the story of an aggressive and fearless god who not only controlled the waters of the Nile, but also suffered from hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). As the Egyptian god of fertility and water he was both adored and feared, for he could often side with chaos.

As Sobek was busy helping to create the world and laying eggs along what would be the banks of the Nile, his sweat would become the mighty river. Good thing there was not yet a pill for that.

90’s Dance Anthem to Sobek?

Sobek was thought to protect both the Pharoah and even some of the gods. It is thought that he assisted the venerable Isis during the childbirth of Horus. He also saved Horus’ four children in his net when they emerged from a lotus flower in the Nile.

This may explain why temple complexes devoted to him often had their own pond, complete with their own crocodile that was fed milk and honey and the choicest cuts of meat. Move over Cleopatra! Tick-Tock the crocodile from Peter Pan (not the social media platform) must feel jealous they did not end up in an ancient Egyptian temple.

What do you think of my latest vase and the story of Sobek? It seemed like a timely one to post as we go into spring and start the seeds from the garden. Hopefully Sobek is feeling extra fertile this year

Spring Forward and Win!

Happy first day of Spring to everyone! The snow is starting to recede here in Atlantic Canada, the chives are poking up through the ground. To the casual observer, this may seem like any other start of spring. However, the human world is in great chaos with fears firmly rooted in a deadly virus that is changing the way we live.

An annual ritual here at this time of year is starting seeds for the growing season. This year will be no different:

It has often been stated that planting seeds and growing your own garden is an act of faith and hope. For some reason that seems a little more true this year. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any toilet paper seeds though.

In our house we have been self-isolating in order to protect the health of our community and ourselves. Here we have worked from home well before the pandemic, so things have not changed all that much. Throw in the fact that I am introvert and I am holding up well. Now only, if I could stop checking the number of new cases several times a day and listening to the news.

I hope that you and all of my readers are safe and have everything that they need to get through this unprecedented time. I know it is hard to not feel fear and anxiety during this crazy time, but maybe some of the ideas here may help. Make sure you take care of yourself and others. If you or someone you know are affected by the coronavirus, or you are feeling anxious about it, you can add your intention for healing to our ‘Healing Vase’ project for 2020 here. It is a community based art project that can help bring people together safely at this time.

I am also happy to announce a giveaway that we will be doing here at the pottery. Some of you may know that we have a newsletter that we send out a few times a year to keep people updated on our latest creations and special offers.

Once we hit 300 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 jewelery 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.

How has life changed for you during the coronavirus? Are you self isolating? How are you spending your time?

Yoda Multi-Colour Print

Doorknobs, handrails & taps: I tried to stop touching things, but I just can’t stop touching this!

Clay