Jay Jasper's Blog, page 26

🤜 Thursday Throwdown March 2022 🤛

It’s time for this Month’s
Battle Of The Vases!

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!

Last time, Perihelion and The Nephelai battled to the death!
Your vote has determined that

Perihelion survives and
The Nephelai head back to the sky! The Nephalai
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The Series so far Gorgeous Vases of No Contact Wrestling Vase Name

Gossip Girl
Phoenix Reborn
Pillar of Atlas
Evangeline
Ogopogo
Iris En Ciel
Original Twin
Kermit The Vase
Haring’s Dance
White Walker
Sobek’s Tears
Mount Olympus
Argus
Draupnir
Grandmother
Old Soul
Make It Work
Hope Rising In Springtime
The Eye Of Horus
The Eye of Balor
Electra
Mother of Dragons
Father of the Sea
Madame Pele’s Flow
Elysium
Flora’s Hope
Venus And Adonis
Forged Seating
Perihelion
The Nephelai

Wins/Losses

0/1
3/2
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6/1
0/2
4/2
0/1
1/1
0/1
1/2
1/1
4/1
0/1
0/2
0/1
1/1
0/2
1/1
4/1
0/1
0/1
1/2
5/0
0/1
0/1
0/1
0/1
0/1
2/0
0/1

Can The Eye of Horus stare
at the sun and survive?

Or will the sun leave him
fully without sight?

You Decide! The Eye of Horus
$140
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‘The Eye of Horus‘, tells the tale of a feathered god, an 80 year struggle for power, avenging the death of a father, a missing testicle and eye and a race down the Nile. Did your parents ever say ‘It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.’? Horus’ mother might have wanted to mention this to him.

Horus was depicted as a falcon, or a human figure with a falcon’s head. Fittingly he was the Egyptian god of the sky. His right eye represented the sun god Ra, and the left eye was symbolic of the moon. One could literally say he had stars in his eye, or at least a star.

That would be fitting because Horus was kind of a big deal, as he was a contender for the throne of Egypt. But he was not alone in contention for the throne!

His rival and uncle Set, who had murdered Horus also wanted the throne of Egypt, and both of these gods liked to fight dirty. Their battle would last for over eighty years and would include many contests arbitrated by the other gods and battles between the two.

In one such battle, Horus would lose his left eye, ripped out by Set, but Set did not get off lightly. He lost a testicle. Eventually Horus would recover his eye, and the god Thoth would heal it. Thus the Eye of Horus has come to represent, healing, restoration and protection.

And some people worry about laser eye surgery!

At the time it was commonly believed that an evil eye could cast a spell on the heart with just one glance. To counteract this the Eye of Horus often acted as a protective symbol.

You may be wondering how this 80 year old battle would end? In a boat race and some trickery. Tired of the constant fighting and upheaval the gods decided a boat race would determine the victor for the throne and the end to this conflict. Horus somehow convinced Set to use a stone boat. He had painted his own boat to look like stone as well, only his was made of wood.

As you can imagine, Set did not get very far. His boat sunk. Horus had avenged his father’s death, and many of the future pharaohs of Egypt were thought to be his reincarnation.

Perihelion
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Perihelion day occurs about two weeks after every December Solstice, and on this day, Earth’s center is approximately 91,402,500 miles from the sun’s centre.

Our sun appears the largest in our sky as it will be for the entire year! So to celebrate our sun, here is a bright yellow raku vase!

Who will be your victor? Be sure to get your vote by adding it in a comment BELOW! Their fate is now in your hands!We will share the winner (and update from last Time) next month!

See even more raku vases.

Chairman Meow’s Worst Nightmare

Around here, Chairman Meow calls the shots – but today, things are different as it is National Puppy Day and so we must celebrate all that is wonderful about the very kind and zen-inspired Alchemist’s Studio Doggy

Ms. Maya Pupaya Cuddling with our fearless leader Chairman Meow (did not last long) Investigating the goods Posing among the autumn leaves Having Fun Relaxing by the fire Enjoying the outdoors in the magical forest near the Alchemist’s StudioAnd one last photo of her special day saying Na Na Na Boo Boo
at Chairman Meow Sorry, Not Sorry Chairman Meow!Do you/have you lived with a dog?

What is/was it like?

As Young As You Feel

It’s true!

Whether you are young or old, or in the midlife stream all things are possible. Do what you love, and you can do anything.

We are only as young as we feel and today is literally the day to celebrate that!

I accidentally became a potter.

I had always been curious about working with clay. One day I decided to take a pottery lesson with a friend. Little did I know at the time a sensory love affair started that day.

My first pieces out of the kiln thrilled me. It was the magical transition of the glaze from the firing that got me. Though looking back at those pieces, I am not sure what gave me hope!

The first vase I ever threw is the smallest one in this group photo!

I really had no idea what I was doing. But something lit a fire in me, and it was not the flames of raku!

Have you thought about your dreams lately? Do you still have dreams? In life before pandemic, one of my dreams was to have my first solo pottery exhibition, and thanks to the Oxford Riverside Gallery, and a lot of hard work, I was able to make that happen!

Short video of my Raku Pottery exhibit – ‘The Myth of Family’

Yes, COVID-19 has set some things back (and also some things forward), but regardless, I hope you will continue to join me on my journey as I refine my craft and continue to reach for more dreams.

Raku jewelry is a unique one of a kind gift.One of the raku pottery vases from ‘The Myth of Family Exhibit’A raku owl stands guard at a magical garden door.

Was it a coincidence that in my small rural part of the world I was able to find a pottery class to attend? To me, it was meant to be! And the best is yet to come!

No matter your age, no one can stop you from feeling young and alive!

What is something that you love to do that “isn’t for people of your age”?

I would also love to hear your story about how you found or fell into your creative passion and/or about your creative dreams and aspirations!

In Our Minds-Eye

The unknown can be terrifying.

we can see monsters where there are none but maybe

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.
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.
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we just need to see it a bit differently so monsters can become friends. The Eye of Balor – A monster story for the ages
$288
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It’s National Goof Off Day and Kelly DiPucchio tells us that
“anything becomes less boring with googly eyes on it.”

I agree!

What is something
goofy that you like to do?

A Day For Forests

Come with me into the forest and you will find where inspiration resides. it is in these natural forms,
colours, and patterns Fractal Magicwhere The magic of raku Textures of Rakucan be turned into Perihelion
$88
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a Form I can touch “The clearest way into the Universe is through
a forest wilderness.

– John Muir

Cleaner Air, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Intelligence: today is International Day Of Forests and I express gratitude to the forests for their inspiration.

I definitely agree with John Muir.

What do you think? May your day
be touched with magic!

Mugshot Monday – Feeling Blue

just beyond the grey clouds The sky is blue.Sky Blue Mug
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$44
do you feel that life is similar?Nothing but blue skies

More mugs can be viewed here.

This Week At The Studio In Photos

The place where we all met Moss on Fungi = Flowers Tracking into spring

A few new urn pictures

Leaves soon? Celebrating The Ides of And That’s been the week here.

How has your week been?

The First Day Of Spring

“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” — Rachel Carson

Hooray! It’s today! The Spring equinox!

While we look back on the year so far (and quite a year it has been), it may be helpful to have a bit more inner peace. One way to do that is by bringing a little raku Buddha close to your heart.

Each of these Buddhas has been lovingly handmade and fired at the Alchemist’s Studio and has it’s own unique effects.

To celebrate spring, until the end of the day, our raku Buddha necklaces –regularly priced for $28 are $25 and that includes shipping anywhere in the US and Canada

(please contact if you are outside of this area).

“That is one good thing about this world… there are always sure to be more springs.” — L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea

You can also see a selection of our non-Buddha jewelry here

Laugh!

Some days are hard.

Laughter can help!And what better day for laughter than

National Let’s Laugh Day! What do you like to do
when you need a good laugh?Do you have a favourite funny video?here’s one of my favourites!I hope your week so far has been kind to you and that you’ve been able to get some chortles,
chuckles, Bricky Martin Raku Vasegiggles
or hee-haws in!

Click here to see vases that are decidedly not bricks

Do It With All Your ❤️️

“If anything is worth doing, White Pedestal Buddha Bust – $122
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do it with all your heart.” ~ Gautama Buddha

To learn more about why I create Buddha busts, please click here

simple joys make every day better.

What do you like to do to live a
heart-centred life?

Click here to see more Buddha busts