Jay Jasper's Blog, page 61

Daddy Issues

Think you have issues with your daddy?

‘The Eye of Balor‘, tells the tale of an Irish giant, a prophecy, his captive daughter, some serious control issues, a late night rendezvous and a whole lot of famillicide! It was also featured at first solo pottery exhibit (which was pre-pandemic), ‘The Myth of Family, which you can learn more about here.

Raku Pottery Vase – Eye of BalorAccording to Irish legend

A race of giants, the Fomorians, were said to be among the early settlers of Ireland. They even had their own king, Balor. Balor was no ordinary giant king, as he was also the god of death.

Balor would have been an unwelcome patient at an optometrist’s office. He only had one eye. Imagine the frustration of trying to fit a pair of glasses for him. This would be the least of the eye doctor’s problems though, as whoever was caught in his gaze would die instantly.

Fortunately, giants weren’t big on seeing eye doctors.

And Balor kept his single eye closed until this terrible power was needed. Maybe he had a cool eye patch?

According to the prophecy, Balor would be killed by his own grandson. What was a giant cyclops to do? Imprison his own daughter in a crystal tower of course!

That way she can never have any babies and the prophecy would be thwarted.

A crystal tower apparently does not make a great prison. Cian, a minor god was able to find a way into the tower and Balor’s daughter found her self with child not long after. Imagine getting pregnant with triplets from your first sexual experience? That is what happened to Balor’s daughter, Ethlinn. It seems she had terrible luck.

You can see more pictures of ‘The Eye of Balor’ here.

Balor heard about the birth of his three grandsons.

But rather than passing out cigars he threw them into the sea.

One boy Lugh was able to escape his watery grave by finding refuge with Manannan Mac Lir, the god of the sea. The prophecy finally played when Lugh led the Tuatha De Danann (a race of Irish gods) into a battle where Balor would meet his fate. Death by removal of his one eye.

What do you think of ‘The Eye of Balor’ and the associated story?

You can check out another vase story that involves giants here.

Enter to win a raku vase, mug, and two cute little animals
to be drawn before the year wraps up!

Putting It All Together

I wanted to take this opportunity

To share this short video of the story of one of my vases. This is one of my favourite videos that I have uploaded to our youtube channel and a project I am working on doing again.

Connect with us over on youtube and see more videos of my work on the wheel and even some of our sourpuss studio mascat Chairman Meow sitting angrily on a chair while Christmas music plays.

Add yoursWhat did you think of the video?

Click here to get a vase of your own – for no cost – as part of our
Great Pottery Gift Basket!.

The Alchemist’s Studio September 2021 Survey

As you might know, I am working hard to turn my passion of pottery into a career as an artist.

In order to do so, I am hoping that I might get your opinions to help inform how I move forward with my website and social media. Please find a survey included below.

Thanks in advance to all those who are kind enough to participate! (and thank you again for those who have!)

Some have mentioned that the submit button may not be working in wordpress mobile. If the survey below does not load for you on wordpress mobile, or if you have any trouble viewing, please click here to view and submit to it directly.

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Complete the survey above and you will be added in to win our Great Pottery Gift Basket including (so far) a raku vase, a mug, and these two little cuties!

Have a wonderful day!

Before There Were Gods

Regular readers may know

That I have shared many stories of the gods and those whose lives they have touched. In the tradition of the ancients, I have made vases to help tell and commemorate these stories. But what about before there were gods? Well brace yourself, dear reader, as we are going to take a trip back even further in time.

Our raku pottery vase, The Titans, commemorates the gods of old and tells the tale of a paranoid father, a wife’s revenge, a dozen larger than life gods that shared power under their younger brother Cronus and a fiery end in the lowest levels of hell.

Before the gods of Olympus, times were much simpler.

People were unaware of many things. Why the sun rose and set, how seasons changed, where we came from, or even a rudimentary understanding of how their own bodies worked.

As such, the Titans easily held on to their power and grew very comfortable from their godly perch on Mount Othrys. All except Cronus, the youngest of the Titan siblings. He had been told that in the future one of his children would topple his reign. This revelation would shape and change Cronus from a carefree king of the gods to a ruler that was rather wooden.

Rhea, who was also a Titan

Was not very excited about the prospect of marrying Cronus. He wasn’t a very good husband, let alone father. She was so unhappy that Cronus ate her first five children, that rather than hand over Zeus she gave her husband a rock. You might say she committed Nymphicide, as she gave the infant to the Nymphs to care for.

The Titans $250
Free Shipping Included In The US and Canada

You can read more about the original ‘kids meal’ and how Cronus ate his own children here. Personally I could not do such a thing, but to eat their own. Cronus wasn’t the type to complain about an heir in his soup.

Cronus and many of the other Titans would end up in the lowest level of the underworld called Tartarus and be punished after their saucy behaviour in a ten year war where they were overthrown by Zeus.

If you like this glaze, you can see more pieces in this it here. As well, if you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, you can buy a whole book of them here!

Have a wonderful week
and thanks for reading!

Sign up and get your very own raku vase, a mug and two animals –
but only until year end!

🤜 Thursday Throwdown September 2021 🤛

Welcome to 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, Iris En Ciel and Draupnir battled to the death! Your vote has determined that

Draupnir is heading back to hell! Draupnir– $74
Shipping included in Canada and US
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

Wins/Losses

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3/2
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5/0
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1/1
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1/1
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1/2
1/1
4/1
0/1
0/2
0/1
1/1
0/1
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4/1
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1/2
5/0
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Can Iris en ciel stay high up in the sky?

Or will it be time to RAin Bow out?

You Decide! Make It Work– $88
Shipping included in Canada and US

This shapely vase, titled ‘Make it Work’ is named in honour of Tim Gunn of Project Runway fame and his ever popular and perfectly timed catch phrase, and all those who mentor and support artists. Thank you for many years of laughs and entertainment. Emerging artists need mentors like you, stylish experts like Heidi Klum, and critics who can tell you ‘no bueno’ when you are going in the wrong direction like Nina Garcia.

Iris En Ciel – $80
Shipping included in Canada and US

‘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!

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.

win your own raku vase (and more!)

– click here to find out how –

Making Space

Three pieces have
made it on to the site.

We have a feeling they won’t last long! Intergalactic Buddha Pendant
$28
Includes Shipping in US and Canada
A planet I (made) discovered last summer Intergalactic Yoda Pendant
$25
Includes Shipping in US and Canada

Take a look at even more jewelry over on the Jewelry page or
sign up to win this year’s Great Pottery Gift Basket!

What do you think of these pieces?hope you have an excellent Day!

On The Wheel Wednesday

Opening up Creates more space From the inside out are we so different?

Win your own raku vase (and more!)

– click here to find out how –

Owl Show You colour

“Earth laughs in flowers.” Floral Owl – $75
Shipping Included In US and Canada
– Ralph Waldo Emerson Flowers at the Studio

Click here to see more owls or
here if youd like to get a vase of your own for free!

Name That Vase – September 2021

It’s time to share our winner and feature another vase in need of a name! Welcome to ‘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 our previous winner for their name and write-up!

Congratulations!

SUEZ

You could call it “The Canal” or be specific about what canal because it looks like desert on both sides, so maybe “Suez”. I’ve never been there.

Thanks Chris! While we have also never been to the Suez Canal, we thought the name really fit while also connecting it to a historically (and currently!) important part of the world. In so many ways, whomever controlled the Suez Canal, controls trade in much of the world!

In fact, the Suez Crisis is part of Canadian History back in 1956 and is seen to have helped bring Canada’s peacemaker role more to the forefront and the modern invention of peacekeeping by then Prime Minister Lester B. Perarson.

You can read more on the Suez Crisis (from the Canadian Encyclopedia) here or watch this video of a ship stuck in the Suez Canal in March!

A combination of peace and history with a bit of absurdity thrown in.

Pretty perfect for a raku vase from
The Alchemist’s Studio I would say! Suez – $98
Shipping Included in Canada and US
And into our new month!What do you think
this vase should be named?Please add what you think the name should be for this month’s vase and any associated poetry or story in the comments below. Looking forward to reading your submissions!

If you would lke to get your very own raku vase (and more!) sign up here!

What’s Happening in the Studio

I am excited to report

I have finally got out from under the rock of depression and I am back to my happy potter ways. You can read more about my experience with depression here, but you can read about what we are working on this week in the studio!

Our plans for this week include:

A raku firing of more vases and owls

A pitfire firing for some new vases. Don’t miss our 10 percent off sale on previous works! You can check out those pieces here!

A few prototypes of a new mug series based on punny mythology.

And making a larger sized vase that I have been dreaming about!

Growing my newsletter subscriber base, by enticing you with a draw for a gift basket stocked full of pottery!

I hope everyone’s week is off
to a good start! What do you have planned
for your week ahead? Let me know in the comments below!