Jay Jasper's Blog, page 35
February 5, 2022
Urning It
Their 18 year old house cat had headed out on the rainbow road and her essence left this earth. From my past experience, when one loses a pet, it is like losing a family member. The loss of a pet leaves a hole in one’s heart and sadness in the soul.
My friend inquired if I had any urns that would be appropriate for pets as they wanted to purchase one. I had only made one urn before, but I volunteered to make them one. Looking past their grief, they suggested that I should be making them for others who have lost a pet. So while I was making an urn for their beloved kitty I made this prototype to add to the site:
I am really pleased with how this piece and and I will be adding it for sale and am in the process of making others. I hope to provide people with a beautiful, one of a kind, and affordable alternative in their time of grief to the commercial urns that are on the market. A cherished piece of beauty, much like the beloved they’ve lost.
Last TimeWe asked our readers for suggestions of a colour to “help people find peace and comfort after losing a cherished four legged family member” and
Blue was the most popular suggestion
The experience of making urns is surprisingly beautiful, and of course a little sad but I appreciate that I am able to
bring a little bit of light to people in their time of loss.
I also made this one
What do you think of the urns?Please let me know in the comments below.
Thank you for reading this post, and for all those who have lost a petmay you find healing and peace.
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!
February 4, 2022
You Can Do Anything
Whether you are young or old, or in the midlife stream all things are possible. Do what you love, and you can do anything.
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!
What do you think of my story about how I became a potter?I would love to hear your story about how you found or fell into your creative passion and/or about your creative dreams and aspirations!
February 3, 2022
“Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.” – Yoda
on a number of topics
And I find there is always something deeper to what he is saying. In celebration of Yoda and all that I have learned from him, I have created these Yoda pendants.
Tattooine Yoda Pendant$28
Free Shipping In US and Canada
Intergalactic Yoda Pendant$28
Free Shipping In US and Canada
Chromium Yoda Pendant $28
Free Shipping In US and Canada
You can get one now for $28 including shipping or at least until they head off to a galaxy far far away! Do or do not, there is no try (but DO send an email to us if you have questions).
Stay up to date on all of our creations, project, exhibits and special offers by joining our community and subscribing to our newsletter here (plus you can win The Great Pottery Gift Basket!).
Do you have a favourite Yoda quote?Thorsty Thorsday
Thor’s Fight With The Giantsby Mårten Eskil Winge
The word Thursday is derived from Old English Þūnresdæg and Middle English Thuresday (with loss of -n-, first in northern dialects, from influence of Old Norse Þórsdagr) meaning “Thor’s Day”. It was named after the Norse god of Thunder, Thor.
And so we have Thor’s Day.So what day could be better day than that of Thor to reminisce about ‘Thor’s Veil,” which happens to be the name for this vase.
Thor’s Veil$148
Includes Shipping In US and Canada
“Thor’s Veil” tells the curious tale of cross dressing gods, an attempted force marriage, a missing hammer, giants and a wedding you will be happy you missed. Thrym, a giant, stole Thor’s hammer and would not return it unless he was allowed to marry Freyja. What was Thor to do? Dress up as a bride of course with Loki the trickster in tow as his handmaiden. Giants must have bad eyesight as they bought the disguise regardless of the many jokes from Loki alluding to the brides manliness.
I guess Thor was no RuPaul.Our story ends with Thor killing his groom and all the guests in attendance.
Good thing he did not have to go through his wedding night with a giant.
Ouch. That would probably hurt.
A number of these vases are also written about in our first book, “A Potter’s Dream: Myths and Legends” which collects stories across cultures and centuries, adapting them to our pottery with wit, love, compassion and joy. “A Potter’s Dream: Myths and Legends” is a decidedly modern take (as seen above) on the traditional topics of pottery, healing, community – and what it means to be human – all interwoven with the magic of raku and stunning pottery.
Thanks for reading and we hope you have a Thriving and Thunderproof Thursday!February 2, 2022
❄ Knee Deep In Winter ❄
Here in Nova Scotia, we have Shubenacadie Sam.
He is our local groundhog who has predicted 6 more weeks of winter.
When looking outside, I was not surprised.
However, I was (somewhat) shocked to learn that we have a local lobster named Lucy who predicts the weather (and also 6 more weeks of winter!).
So with all that winter in mindI wanted to share some photos of snowy scenes and winter-inspired pottery to celebrate 6 more weeks of playing in the snow. 
Deep snow for an old pup!
A snowy sunset
The White Walker Raku Vase$68
Shipping Included in US and Canada
The Alchemist’s Studio when we had less snow
Closeup of White Raku Tree$80
Shipping Included in US and Canada
It looks like the weather animals are right too as More snow is set to arrive in the next few days!
Are you a fan of snow? What do you think of groundhog
(and now Lobster) Day?
On The Wheel Wednesday – Light
loses nothing
by lighting
Another Candle.
Handmade Candle Holdersmay we each hold on to hope
and light each other up!
On The Wheel Wednesday
loses nothing
by lighting
Another Candle.
Handmade Candle Holdersmay we each hold on to hope
and light each other up!
February 1, 2022
A Real S.O.B. (Spunky Old Broad)
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, for Spunky Old Broads Day, we take an in depth look at the goddess of women, marriage, child birth and family
Hera.
$140
Shipping Included In US and Canada
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.
NOT Hera’s Valentine’s DayPart Time LoverZeus 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 womenHera 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
Shipping Included In US and Canada
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!
A happier-than-thisSPunky old broads’ DAy to you!
may you never forget that life doesn’t stop even after age 3000!
who is a spunky old broad
whom you admire?
“Eat The Rich” They Say? Sometimes They Eat Themselves!
If your last name rhymes with ‘husk’, ‘dump’ or you own a company that misappropriates a mythological tribe of female warriors, you may not want to read this story.
Our raku pottery vase, ‘Demeter’s Sacred Grove‘ tells the tale of of a man whose relentless pursuit of riches, disregard for the environment, and endless hunger of wanting all he and his army of servants could carry lead to not only to a pissed off God, but the origin of the phrase ‘Eat the Rich‘.
$94Shipping Included in Canada and US
Erysichthon was used to getting what he wanted.
It’s not his fault that his parents never taught him to control his appetite for wealth. He was a King after all!
One day, after he had deforested all the nearby parts of his Kingdom of Thessaly, drunk on the power of his wealth, his attentions turned towards Demeter’s sacred grove. He ordered his men to cut down ALL of the trees in this grove.
He would be deprived of nothing!When his men came upon a magnificent oak, that was covered in wreaths to symbolize people’s prayers to Demeter, they refused to cut it down. The rightfully feared the retribution of the gods. Erysichthon was having none of that. He grabbed an axe and cut down the mighty oak himself.
As the tree fell, he killed a nymph who was protecting the grove in the process. Her dying words were a curse, a curse that Demeter heard as a prayer, and one she was happy to grant as she was the god of the fertility, nature, harvest – and sacred law.
The King’s curse was ‘Limos’.Now we are not talking about the ones that come with chauffeurs! ‘Limos’ was an insatiable hunger. So insatiable that Erysichthon sold everything he owned for food. This precious ruby can be yours for a nice souvlaki dinner!
This satisfied his unrelenting appetite for awhile, until he had sold everything he owned.
Well not quite everything . . .You see Erysichthon had a daughter named, Mestra.His hunger did not abate, so he did what any sociopathic hungry dad might, he sold her into slavery. Poseidon – a former lover – took pity on her and gave her a shape-shifting ability so she could escape.
But Erysichthon caught wind of this and sold her over and over again.And not just as a slave, but as anything someone wanted. Can you imagine someone being born into privilege conning people?
One night though, Mestra was late getting home and guess who ran out of food?
You guessed it, and by the next morning Erysichthon was gone as his unrelenting hunger had caused him to unleash his appetite on himself.
He ate a whole Erysichthona Casserole to himself and not a trace was left.Let me know what you think of our story and the raku pottery vase ‘Demeter’s Sacred Grove‘ in the comments!
