abbie gardiner ceramics – Purposeful playing…

Day 18 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and it’s feelin

Day 18 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and it’s feeling a little strange to talk about my making techniques when there’s so much going on around us. So I’m going to share an approach to making that’s developed in our house over the last couple of years, in an effort to balance the variety of needs at play when everyone’s at home - there’s no perfect answer and it’s really not rocket science I know, but it might help! I’ve found that little and often means I can maintain a constant, if tiny, trickle of making - early in the morning, late at night, beside, around and with my family, little parts of the process, on a smaller scale, that are easier to pick up and put down. This way, it doesn’t interfere with other demands, gives me opportunities to play and experiment and enables me to be present and available. I also hope it will mean that come the time I need it, I’ll have some more stock to be selling! If you’ve got any more ideas I’d love to hear about them. Wishing you all well. Take care. X #worklifebalance #smallsteps #homeschooling #process #clay #play #making #makersgonnamake #handbuilt #contemporary #ceramics #dartmoor #devon

Little lidded pebble boxes starting to take shape.

Little lidded pebble boxes starting to take shape. Exploring a lovely red stoneware with these... #little #tiny #lidded #box #smooth #pebble #newkeuperred #red #stoneware #slabbuilt #handbuilt #tavistock #dartmoor #devon #experiment #explore #express #CREmerging

Day 5 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and I though I was

Day 5 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and I though I was tempted to share a close up image of a beautiful turquoise blue glaze surface I also love the making marks and textures created when a piece of clay is shaped and carved by hand. This is a very early experiment in porcelain back in the day when there was a little more time for true clay play! It’s nice to share an image that’s full of calm and still for a change. #handmade #handbuilt #porcelain #clay #spikes #carved #texture #surface #makingmarks #clayplay #contemporarycraft #tavistock #dartmoor #devon

Day 2 of #marchmeetthemaker and I’m already tryi

Day 2 of #marchmeetthemaker and I’m already trying to catch up! I like to pretend I’m mostly organised and fairly relaxed, but every March I realise this is far from a fact! I’m imagining it’s Day 1 and starting from there, otherwise I won’t get started at all... This image illustrates a significant part of my story, which is that I’m self taught, still in the early stages of my practice and therefore will grab any tool that comes to hand, kitchen utensils included. Although I must stress that this particular knife hasn’t returned to the cutlery drawer. It’s really very useful in my shed. 😋 #handbuilt #ceramics #pottersofinstagram #ceramicsofinstagram #clay #maker #community #makersgonnamake #contemporaryceramics #contemporarycraft #march #spring #story

And another bottle! To be honest, I’m just enjoy

And another bottle! To be honest, I’m just enjoying this new photo backdrop I managed to make today with my big rolling mat stuffed up against the shelf wall. It’s very technical here, honest... 😋 #ceramic #studio #photography #backdrop #funwithfilters #handbuilt #grey #stoneware #clay #bottle #vase #tavistock #dartmoor #devon #CREmerging

One of the new bottle forms I’ve been playing ar

One of the new bottle forms I’ve been playing around with this week... I’m enjoying the impression that it’s been inflated like a balloon despite eventually becoming a hard ceramic surface, so I’m really hoping I can hold on to some of that as it makes its way to completion. Might take a few attempts! #clay #sculpture #process #experiment #bottle #vase #inflated #smooth #surface #handbuilt #slabbuilt #carved #ceramics #CREmerging

Sharing some sensory sponge stuff with you this su

Sharing some sensory sponge stuff with you this sunny afternoon... #handbuilt #blackstoneware #clay #bottle #vase #sponge #fettle #finish #knowwhentostop #ornot #tavistock #dartmoor #devon

First coffee cup carved from a solid block of ston

First coffee cup carved from a solid block of stoneware clay! #stoneware #clay #kurinuki #carved #coffee #cup #handbuilt #handmade #pottersofinstagram #tavistock #dartmoor #devon

A few process shots of the making of the monster s

A few process shots of the making of the monster so far! Working on this scale is feeling so good. Think I might need a bigger kiln. I do have a history of having to trim things before they fit... 😬😳🙄 #ilikebigpotsandicannotlie #big #blackstoneware #clay #bottle #handbuilt #tavistock #dartmoor #devon

Day 2 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and in an effort

Day 2 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and in an effort to emphasise the other side of the creative coin, a healthy dose of destruction for #hands at work 🙈 Turn up for excellent egg cracking sound effect... #marchmeetthemaker2020 #handbuilt #stoneware #clay #pottery #ceramics #mug #makingmess #meetthemaker #noteveryoneisawinner #contemporarycraft #contemporaryceramics

Day 16 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and I’m continu

Day 16 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and I’m continually trying to value and prioritise self care... but I couldn’t ask for a better place to live to help me do it! #selfcare #worklifebalance #mentalhealth #dartmoor #devon #moor #coast #beach #woods #getoutside #nature #naturalworld #local #environment

I’ve made quite a few experimental bottles now a

I’ve made quite a few experimental bottles now and I’m trying to hold back until they’re fully fired, glazed and evaluated before I make any more. It’s not easy! Next week, boxes that resemble cushions... don’t ask! 😋 #stoneware #clay #bottle #vase #handbuilt #slabbuilt #contemporaryceramics #contemporarycraft #artistsofthetamarvalley #tavistock #dartmoor #devonrexcats

Day 9 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and I’ve spent a

Day 9 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and I’ve spent a lot of time recently cutting tiny tiles to test out/mock up different colours and finishes on different types of clay. It’s a time consuming process. They each need to be stamped to create a textured surface so that I can see how the glaze behaves, have their edges tidied up, dried to bone dry, bisque fired and then painted and fired again. I can never seem to work fast enough to have the info I want before I really need it! #tests #tiles #glaze #bold #colour #surface #texture #ceramics #clay #contemporaryceramics #contemporarycraft #handbuilt #experiments

Well it’s more blue than I anticipated! ☺️ #

Well it’s more blue than I anticipated! ☺️ #bottleform #bottleshape #ceramicbottle #bottle #blue #newwork #wip #contemporaryceramics #contemporarycraft #handbuilt #black #stoneware #clay

Day 6 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and in addition to

Day 6 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and in addition to my lovely Rhode Eco Top kiln (slightly better on the energy front) and reclaiming all clay trimmings to use again (professionally known in my shed as regurgitation 😋), I also collect and recycle old wrapping, packaging, ribbon and string. So if we meet at some point in the future and I’m fashioning what looks like quite a random package out of mismatching and crumpled materials, I hope you understand! ☺️ #recycling #reusing #reclaiming #clay #packaging #smallbusiness #environmentallyconscious #handmade #contemporarycraft #tavistock #dartmoor #devon

Big bottle in the making - the biggest so far... #

Big bottle in the making - the biggest so far... #big #blackstoneware #bottle #vase #handbuilt #softslab #stoneware #ceramics #pottersofinstagram #makersgonnamake #makebig #gobigorgohome#tavistock #dartmoor #devon

Back in the studio today! Just playing around with

Back in the studio today! Just playing around with carving tiny things... swipe right to see the block of clay before. #tiny #handbuilt #carved #clay #spoon #lavafleck #stoneware #backinthestudio #holidaysareover #happyplace #dartmoor #devon

Day 4 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and I’m not sure

Day 4 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and I’m not sure I’m the slightest bit qualified to talk about branding! When I began making and selling my work a couple of years ago it came as quite a surprise and I wasn’t exactly sure where I fitted in the grand scheme of pot related things. I used whatever props I had to hand, (like my lovely blue wheel, the local landscape and my family - all very relevant to my story), kept my visuals and promo materials purposefully simple ( I continue to try to simplify further each time I revisit them) and tried to communicate the key ideas behind my pieces - bold, sculptural, colourful, animated objects that connect with people, engage them and bring a bit of joy. Over time this seemed to develop into what I hope is a good enough (for now!) collection of work and a fairly recognisable aesthetic. There’s been a lot of love for the mini mugs - they encapsulate a lot of the ideas behind the work and so accidentally came to represent it to a degree. It helps that I love photography too! I’ve included a few older images here to illustrate how things have developed over time. Hope it helps! #handbuilt #softslab #clay #ceramics #collection #ethos #story #maker #meetthemaker #small steps #promo #branding #photography #imagery #tavistock #dartmoor #devon

Day 3 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and I’ve been sc

Day 3 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and I’ve been scrolling through my photos pondering on the idea of time - how much I once seemed to have, how much I have now, how many things I have to fit into it, how much the time to make means to me, how it often feels like a malleable material itself, how many unhelpful or helpful feelings are associated with it, how I constantly try to make more of it, how I’m working on my ability to appreciate the present part of it better, how I’ve still managed to find enough of it to write a ridiculously rambling post (apologies) - and on and on and on... until I found my feelings reflected right back at me. 😳😋 Ps. Don’t forget to notice that this post itself is actually and miraculously on time!! 🙌🏻 #time #worklifebalance #mentalhealthmatters #makersgonnamake #contemporaryceramics #clay #play #ceramics

Day 7 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and this is me! I

Day 7 of #marchmeetthemaker2020 and this is me! I haven’t got many photos of myself, especially making in my shed. I just don’t have enough hands or the inclination most days to take any! This was taken a couple of years ago now. Add a few more grey hairs, wrinkles and some shadows and you’ll be closer to the truth! Thanks to you all for following along with me on my making journey. It’s really lovely to share it with you and hear about yours too. 🤗 #me #selfportrait #maker #meetthemaker #creative #making #journey #contemporarycraft #clay #ceramics #handbuilt #supportsmallbusiness #buylocal #tavistock #dartmoor #devon

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