The Grand Canyon
Inspirations of a Potter in Nature
Saggar Fire Ceramic wall art tile

A Grand Influence: Vessels, Vessels, Vessels

Mon, Sep 26th, 2016 After returning from a trip to the Grand Canyon, where I spent 6 days white water rafting and then hiking to the south rim, I was inspired by so much of the texture in that ancient cavern. The stones and the score marks, the scrapes, gouges and chattering of rocks that occurred millennia ago are recorded permanently on the earth's surface. As the Colorado river carved the canyon, the tectonic plates shifted and the earth's innards were revealed as they rose to the sky. The Grand Canyon is a virtual still frame you-tube video of mother nature carving into her lands, creating spectacular patterns, colors and textures.

As I sat at the potter's wheel for the last 10 days, I found myself drawn to carving more and more. As much as I love the smooth surface of a burnished vessel, it was texture and repetition that I wanted this week. I have about 45 pieces complete and another 20 in process. Many of these are carved, so they'll take the kiln firing differently than my burnished pieces.

I made a handful of platters too... some small and some large... in anticipation of a twist on my saggar firing using terra sigillata. I'll share the process as I get closer to firing but I"m enjoying venturing down a new path within my vapor fume firing world. Below are just a few examples of a week's work mingled with recent inspirations.



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The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
Art Influence
Ceramic Art Wall Tile Nature Influences
The Grand Canyon
Cavern Swimming Hole
Cavern Swimming Hole
ceramic wall art inspirations
Grand Canyon inspirations
Cavern Swimming Hole
Sunrise at the Grand Canyon
Sunrise at the Grand Canyon
art inspirations in National parks
fine art ceramics
Sunrise at the Grand Canyon
Throwing on the Potter's wheel
Throwing on the Potter's wheel
hand made ceramic urns
art and inspiration in the pottery studio
Throwing on the Potter's wheel
Grand Canyon Amphitheater
Grand Canyon Amphitheater
Mile Marker 65 AZRA white water rafting
Brenda McMahon Ceramics
Grand Canyon Amphitheater
Carving Inspirations
Carving Inspirations
carved vessels saggar fired
brenda mcmahon ceramics
Carving Inspirations
Hiking inspirations
Hiking inspirations
for pottery creations
not unlike trimmings
Hiking inspirations
thrown, carved and burnished
thrown, carved and burnished
pottery studio inspirations
saggar fired brenda mcmahon ceramics
thrown, carved and burnished
White Water Rafting Colorado River
White Water Rafting Colorado River
Grand Canyon National Park
Pottery studio influences brenda mcmahon ceramics
White Water Rafting Colorado River
Trimming on the wheel
Trimming on the wheel
saggarfired ceramics
brenda mcmahon hand made clay pottery
Trimming on the wheel
Trimmings like shredded canyon walls
Trimmings like shredded canyon walls
same texture and natural edge
Grand Canyon White Water Rafting AZRA
Trimmings like shredded canyon walls
Managing the rafts
Managing the rafts
Grand Canyon National Park
90 miles to the base of bright angel trail
Managing the rafts
Hidden jewels in the massive boulder
Hidden jewels in the massive boulder
Art Inspirations and a white water adventure
saggar fired ceramics brenda mcmahon
Hidden jewels in the massive boulder
Bottles and jars and carved and burnished
Bottles and jars and carved and burnished
saggar fire preparations
brenda mcmahon pottery studio
Bottles and jars and carved and burnished
The Top!
The Top!
7.5 miles up from bright angel trail base
Exhausting & Exhilarating!
The Top!
The south rim of the canyon from above
The south rim of the canyon from above
ceramic wall art tile
saggar fired vessels
The south rim of the canyon from above
The Grand Canyon at Sunrise
The Grand Canyon at Sunrise
Nature and Art Inspirations
brenda mcmahon ceramics
The Grand Canyon at Sunrise

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