Jay Jasper's Blog, page 29
March 8, 2022
Women: 90% More Right Than Men
‘Tiresias’ Prophecy‘ tells the tale of blind creation, an ancient oracle, an instant gender reassignment, a spat between gods, and a lesson all men should be sure to take heed of – the woman is always right.
Tiresias was a blind prophet and oracle and has a very interesting story of what it is like to be at the whim of the gods.
You can see more images of the raku pottery vase’Tiresias’ Prophecy’ here.Our story starts with Tiresias On a mountain journey travelling through Mount Cyllene in the Peloponnese. He came upon a pair of mating snakes and hit them with his staff. Hera, was not impressed with this. Perhaps she had a special fondness for snakes since she sent two of them to kill Hercules in his crib.
Hera decided to express her displeasure by turning Tiresias into a woman. Our story could have ended here. Tiresias was quite good natured about their circumstances and soon settled down, married a man, had children and even became a priestess for Hera.
But the gods are a fickle lot. Tiresias would happen upon another pair of mating snakes seven years later and this time would leave them alone. As a result he was transformed back into a man. There is no record what his husband thought of this.
You can see more of our raku pottery vases here.
These unique circumstances would place Tiresias in yet another predicament.At the time Tiresias was one of the few people who understood what it was like to live as both genders.
What he did not understand was to stay out of disagreements between two powerful and married gods. Sometime after his second gender change, Tiresias was drawn into an argument between Hera and Zeus.
For the godly couple it was a regular day on Olympus. They were arguing, as they often did, but at least it was not about one of Zeus’ numerous affairs or offspring from other mothers. This time the topic was who experienced more pleasure in sex – the man or the woman.
Of course Tiresias was uniquely positioned To render an opinion on this matter. Was it the man as Hera suggested, or the woman as Zeus asserted? Tiresias had an answer and it did not sit very well with Hera. His thought on this matter – ‘Of the ten parts (of sex), men enjoy but only one’.
Hera was less than impressed that he should take Zeus’ side in the argument, and given his history with Hera you think he would have known better than to take any other side than hers. Given his thoughts on the question at hand, maybe he was hoping Hera would turn him into a woman again.
His sexual enjoyment would remain a one out of ten. Hera would blind him and there was nothing Zeus could do to stop her. Zeus could however give him the gift of prophecy, and a much extended lifespan.
This pottery piece also has an interesting back story, though not quite as interesting is our protagonist Tiresias. This particular piece was thrown while I was blindfolded.
March 7, 2022
An Era Of Non-Stop Communication
Alexander Graham Bell Day is celebrated on March 7 every year. It was on this day that Bell was granted a patent for “transmitting vocal or other sounds telegraphically,” and on March 10, Bell made the now iconic statement, “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you,” through a transmitter. His assistant Thomas Watson, who was in the next room, received the ‘call’ and heard the voice clearly — thus, the first telephone call was made. In honour of the day, he was granted the patent, people around the world celebrate March 7 as a day of innovation and invention.
The holiday is even recognized by an official act of the legislature here in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Interestingly, it is also Be Heard Day, which seems rather appropriate considering the celebration of communication. And it also gives opportunity to include one of our favourite over-communicators!
The Tale of Larunda – Gossip Girl‘Gossip Girl‘ pays tribute to a nymph renowned for her beauty named Larunda. Larunda was also known for another trait. She talked a lot. Her parents, try as they might, could not curb this trait and her love of gossip.
Jupiter would provide an answer to solve this dilemma.
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As seen at my art exhibit ‘The Myth of Family’
During one of her many gossip sessions, Larunda could not hang onto a very juicy tidbit of information: she ended up revealing Jupiter’s affair with fellow nymph Juturna to Jupiter’s wife Juno. She could not keep such a juicy tidbit of information to herself. So much for the girl code.
That proved to be a very bad idea.Jupiter was king of the gods in Rome. You mess with Jupiter, you better don’t mess with Jupiter.
His answer? Cut out her tongue and order her escorted by Mercury to Avernus, the gateway to the underworld.
Our story does not end there.
Click to read what happened next
Meanwhile back in the present . . .We have more communication options than ever before. We share, overshare and in the end, don’t often listen to each other. Just like Alexander Graham Bell speaking into the void until it was finally received by Watson, people of today often are communicating into the ether – longing to connect.
So on this day where we celebrate communication, perhaps it is time that we as humans look to shout into the void less – and listen more.(also noting the irony of posting this on a blog ha!)
Mugshot Monday – Magic
patiently waiting for our senses
to grow sharper.”
The Magician Tarot Mug$44
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― W.B. Yeats what is some everyday magic that
you have seen in your life?
March 6, 2022
Lying In A Pit And Looking At The Sky
Prepping the pit before the firing beginsPottery was considered a great milestone in the development of civilization – in part because people were tired of drinking their wine out of wooden buckets.
Pit-fired pottery in particular fascinates me with its ethereal smokiness and small splashes of texture and depth.
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I find looking at them is a relaxing experience akin to laying on my back and looking at shapes in the clouds.
It’s meditative.
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What is something you like to do to connect to our shared human story?
View our selection of pit fired pieces and see how it is made here.
This Week At The Studio In Photos (And Videos!)
Closeup of a tree from last week that looks like it was hit by lightning, but is splitting due to it’s own weight.Attempting to share the size of these trees with you.
Did it work?
Looking back on a fox’s view (it would have been walking toward the camera)This dam helps manage the filling and emptying of the saltwater marshes as the tide of the Bay of Fundy comes in and out, twice a day.
A mama tree brings some colour to late winter.And That’s been the week here. How has your week been?
March 5, 2022
What Happens When You Are Serenaded By A Prince Or Symbol, While Making Pottery? This.
Do you ever Listen to music while making things (cooking, writing, knitting etc)?
I know I do and sometimes that has an impact on how the pieces turn out!
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And so I owe a big thank you to
the incredible artist Prince/Ƭ̵̬̊
for the inspiration of this vase
So here is to you, Prince/Ƭ̵̬̊ !
Purple RainWhat Music are you listening to today?
Jewelry From Spaaaaace!
George Lucas
once said Yoda is the
“Illegitimate child of Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog”?
And while I love the Muppets and Pigs In Space, Yoda is definitely closer to heart.
So in celebration of Yoda and all I have learned from him,
I have created these pendants.
Tattooine Yoda Pendant$28
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Intergalactic Yoda Pendant$28
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Chromium Yoda Pendant $28
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Are you a fan of Yoda or the muppets?
What do you think of Yoda’s Quote
“Luminous beings are we,
not this crude matter.”
Does it resonate with you?
March 4, 2022
Extra! Extra! (Don’t) Read All About It!
It is with great irony that I learned online about today, March 4th, being
National Day of Unplugging.And now here I am sharing it with you!
Online!A Canadian ClassicAnd while it may not be raining on my wedding day nor am I stuck with spoons when what I really need is a knife, I am going to take it to heart and after this is posted I will be heading out for a walk.
And I am leaving my phone behindto ponder leaving it behind more often.
Hope you have a great day and are able to take some time away to disconnect from the internet
Intergalactic Buddhaand connect
to our planet 
🤢 Uggghhh! This Milk Is Sour! 🤢
‘Argus‘ tells a story that could have been a script for the Real Housewives of Olympus! It tells the tale of betrayal, a jealous goddess, a many eyed monster, a beautiful reward and livestock. Okay, maybe livestock is not be a common feature on the ‘real’ housewives … YET!
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A Humble Priestess
When your father is a cult leader and you’re a woman in the ancient world, your career paths are very limited. It seemed almost natural that Io would end up as a priestess in her father’s cult in Argos dedicated to Hera. She may have thought she was in the land of milk and honey, but all that would change when she was the one producing the milk.
A lustful GodWhen you’re an ancient god there’s so much to keep you busy. Watching down on everyone, maybe paying a little extra attention to the younger and prettier women, can sure get the hormones flowing. And Zeus wasn’t just any god. He was THE god. And when he saw young priestess named Io in a temple dedicated to his wife he knew he must have her.
You Know Your wife is My Boss, right?We often think of workplace harassment as a fairly modern development, but Io would have valid reason to disagree. Io worked as a devoted priestess at Hera’s temple. Zeus was Hera’s husband. Do you see where this is going?
It must have been no easy task to say no to the head honcho god, but Io did. She refused him over and over again. Of course Zeus grew tired of this, so he convinced her father to throw her out through his Oracles.
Meanwhile, Back at OlympusNo one knows exactly how Hera found out that her husband was once again lusting and chasing after someone else. A mortal no less! I’d imagine she was sitting around with some of the other goddesses and one of them ‘let it slip’ that her husband was up to his old tricks.
Whichever goddess let the news slip, must have known that Hera could become viciously jealous ( #frenemies. )
This ain’t the county fair!Right then and there Hera would have summoned Zeus immediately. And knowing Zeus, he would take his time getting there, he must have had some idea what was in store. You know the other goddesses would wait, glued to their seats for the impending events about to unfold.
Straight away, Hera wasted no time once Zeus arrived. She demanded Io be brought before them. And once she was? Hera immediately turned her into a cow. Talk about Hera ‘milking’ the situation.
Rightfully concerned that her husband would not let this end here, she had her loyal servant Argus keep an eye or a hundred on the now bovine Io. Argus was literally a monster with 100 eyes, and the namesake of our vase.
If goddesses wore hair extensions, this is when Hera would flip her hair satisfyingly.
A womanizer gets a case of conscienceHera was not wrong about Zeus not letting go of the mortal of his desire. Perhaps his role in the transformation of poor Io into a cow impacted his conscience. Or maybe it was he still hadn’t gotten the girl after all this trouble?
Zeus decided to send messenger god Hermes to kill Argus, which he did by enchanting him into a deep sleep by playing his flute and then smiting him.
But Hera knew! And prior to the smiting she had all of Argus’ eyes transferred to the tail of a peacock. She told all her friends it was to honour his loyalty and thank her friend.
Did I mention she had a chariot pulled by peacocks?
Enter to win a raku vase of your own here before the year is out!
March 3, 2022
Reminder – Name That Vase – Winter 2022
‘Name That Vase?’ invites YOU to create a story, poem or prose (thoughtful writing) along with a name for one of our raku vases that just came from the kiln!
Help our vase to know their story!
Consider this a chance to be inspired – a writing prompt or a creative cue.
Here’s our winner from last time!
Congratulations to Juliette Turrell for her winning entry, Aerugo!
And now to our new nameless and storyless vase!
hmmm 
. . . What do you think?
What is this vase’s name and Story?
Please Share a name
and bit of writing
as your entry in the comments!
What’s my story??Looking forward to reading your submissions!
