In The Studio

In the coming few months I plan to focus on my Off Circle vessels again.  There is something about the organic shapes and thick lips that keep me coming back to these forms.  It has been a long time since I have sketched out my ideas.  I was having fun in the studio with my large pad, favorite pencil and a hot cup of tea.  It's nice to just sit back and sketch.  Trying out a form quickly on paper is much easier than building it in clay!

In The Studio

I got a request to produce my tableware set in a color scheme of pale blues and greens.  I had been wanting to explore these colors myself so this little nudge was all that I needed to get going.  I like to add color both to my clay and to my glazes and you never know what the right percentage will be.  This leads to lots and lots of test tiles (or in my case mini test bowls).  I am testing 6 different stains at 1%, 3% and 5%.  I can't wait to see how they all turn out.  Sometimes the most beautiful ones are the ones you least expect.

Out Of The Studio

This past weekend was a long one with Monday off for Mercè.  I took a much needed break from the studio and relaxed for 3 full days. (Well, there was a lot of cleaning and laundry to be done at home, but let's just ignore that)
I am a huge fan of Japanese food and I love anything that combines fish and seaweed.  I decided to make my own version of sushi with quinoa.  The final rolls were far from anything that actually exists in Japanese cuisine, but I must say they were extra yummy!
On Monday, the clouds cleared and we had a beautiful blue sky.  The gorgeous day was just calling for a walk and that is exactly what we did.  We climbed the hills behind Barcelona and walked around Tibidabo.  And we even took some photos to prove it.

New Studio Space

I moved my workspace to a new location within the same communal studio.  The square footage is less, but the space flows much better.  I love the feel of my new spot, it's like my very own cocoon.

In the Studio

Today was my first full day back in my Barcelona studio. I am working on expanding the visual vocabulary of my Off Circle vessels.  I have been experimenting with fully hand-building them, instead of throwing the pots on the wheel and then altering them.  I think with this change in method I am able to create pieces that have a stronger organic feel.  Each new piece seems to be getting closer to the image I have in my head.

It's great to be back!

New Studio

At last my studio is done and I can begin to create!! I have so many new ideas I don't know where to begin. I guess my first task is to find some clay.

If you are a ceramist from Barcelona please leave me a comment and let me know where I can get clay.

The last image is my amazing view of the RENFE tracks!

New Studio

My new studio in Barcelona is slowly coming along. After many tiring hours I have finished painting my shelves. Now I have to put together the shelving unit, along with 4 tables. I hope to have images of a finished studio soon!

Slowly Discovering Barcelona

Two months have passed since my last day at the Museum of Arts and Design, but I have only had a week to sit back and reflect on my time there. During the past two months I packed up my life in New York and transported it to Barcelona, Spain. Leaving a city so full of life was difficult, but I can't wait to be influenced by my new home.

During my residency at MAD I used Central Park as my inspiration for a new line of jewelry. I collected a variety of leaves, twigs, buds and seeds from the Park. Each piece of jewelry was inspired by a specific natural element. For instance, I based a brooch on the dried veins of a leaf, a pair of earrings on the frayed edge of a blade of grass, and a necklace on the linear form of a twig.

(Finished pieces from this new line of jewelry are on display on the 6^th floor at the Museum of Arts and Design and on my website at this link: http://yashabutler.com/section/211499_Stem.html)

In Barcelona, I want to continue the creative exploration that I began in New York. I have already started to collect visual snapshots from around the city. Having grown up along the Mediterranean, I'm thrilled to be reunited with the sea and sun again. I spend a lot of time on the cold winter beach, recording images of water and sand. I have also been staring out over roof tops, photographing the city 6 stories above the ground.

Above, I posted some photographs taken this week.