Cathedral Window Bowl by Linda Starr
1.5 x 12 x 12 inches
handbuilt, slip, glaze, cone 10 reduction
1.5 x 12 x 12 inches
handbuilt, slip, glaze, cone 10 reduction
When I was about 12 years old my grandmother tried to teach me a paper piecing method to make a Cathedral Window quilt. At the time the method seemed too complicated and I gave up. Now I wish I would have had more patience to learn what my grandmother was trying to teach me. Years later, in my late 20's, I took up quilting again and used cardboard templates, cutting each piece of material out separately. Nowadays a rotary cutting tool allows many pieces of material to be cut at once.
The pattern on this bowl is based upon that same quilt pattern Cathedral Windows. I used one color of slip which I thought would be green but the color turned out more of an ochre or umber color which I'm glad it did. This color gives the bowl an antique quality. Next time I'd like to try this pattern using a different color slip for each diamond window. Click this link to feast your eyes on more Cathedral Window quilt photos.
Today I am reminded ceramics is an art and a craft. An art and craft requires a lot of patience which is a virtue I have always struggled with. I am an impatient person, but luckily I am also persistent. My persistence keeps me coming back to clay trying again and again to be successful in my attempts for each piece I make. Many of the pieces I made recently were not successful, but thankfully some of them were. With each unsuccessful piece as well as each successful one, I learn something I can apply to my next attempt at art and craft.
Lovely piece! Happy Thanksgiving Linda! Miri
ReplyDeleteThanks Miri.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda! Your notes about quilting intrigued me. My sister creates beautiful art quilts and I've often thought about the similarities between the two mediums.... though I sure can't do mine in the living room like she does!... Your piece looks like it could be part of a whole series based on different quilting patterns.
ReplyDeletevery nice Linda!
ReplyDeleteI always wanted to make a quilt- but I don't like to sew!
How do things look for travel?
Hello Linda,
ReplyDeleteOh I like your piece and the pattern very much!!
So beautiful. Thank you!
I love the quiet colors in this bowl, it's peaceful. Your art and craft comment reminds me that, thankfully, we seem to be narrowing the divide between the two. Of course there are still those "fine artists" who consider "craft" to be less than. You know what I mean, I hope? On the tour this w/e I saw much "fine" art that left me cold,and much "craft" that to me was beautiful "art".
ReplyDeleteHi Patricia, thanks, I hope one of these days to get up to your shop and see both your pottery and your sister's quilts. I have always liked fabrics and am still drawn to them. I hope one of these days to get back into some quilting again. I would love to do a whole series of these and perhaps a quilt block to go along with each piece, that would be so interesting and fun. Another one of my ideas prompted by my blogger friends, we need to get going soon so I can get my studio and get busy.
ReplyDeleteHi Meredith, thanks, I don't like to sew by hand, but sewing by machine is fun to me. We got the springs fixed on the trailer we are pulling and tomorrow they have to fix some other part. Gary had to have a tooth pulled because they couldnt' repair it and he has to go back in two weeks so that has now delayed us, hopefully after that. I am real anxious just to find a place to start working in clay again, I have so many ideas I am busting at the seams (ha a sewing pun) so to speak.
Hi Sapphire, thanks so much, the subtle colors look much better in person.
Hi Barbara, thanks, I think it is a very fine line between the art and craft and if the two can be blended then its a success even in what folks call fine art.
What a neat idea to incorporate a quilt pattern into your design – very nice! Happy Thanksgiving to you and Gary!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI think that art needs craft and craft needs art! Craft without art is boring! Art without craft is chaos!
Hi Jewels, thanks, I hope you had a great holiday too.
ReplyDeleteHi Peter, thanks, you always put such a great perspective on my thoughts, so glad you are there with your words of wisdome. Hope all is well with you, Laura and Ginger.