Black Madonna

 My next door neighbor puts her hair up like this when she cleans her house and I've always thought she looked like a princess with a fabric crown.....so I borrowed her look for this Madonna.  I was having a bit of trouble with her hair...it kept looking more like Medusa's snakes than princess hair....... then I remembered my garlic press...perfect!
Of course I'll be mincing garlic with a knife from now on but I think it was worth the sacrifice.

New Tree Of Life Icon Box

I'm really liking the windows I decided to add to the sides of these boxes...this one is going to have a little bird hanging in the bottom window [it's sitting on the floor of the box in this picture]...I ought to get some cool colors on the sides now that flames can get through the windows...well, that's what I'm hoping.

In The Kiln

Almost ready to bisque! [the red bowl on the bottom shelf is an experiment with a new clay]  I've got a few more pieces to add but...it's filling up!

Small Tree of Life Icon Boxes

I love making these small icon boxes! They each seem to choose which season they want to be when I raku them.

 I've tried a new hanger design on the back of two of these...we'll see...sometimes my ideas are brilliant and sometimes not so much.

Yemaya Icon Box

I've finished the box for the swirly, spiral goddess.....who [ thank you, Debra She Who Seeks ] has become Yemaya, the West African ocean and new year goddess. It seems I've made some rendition of her each new year for the past several years...I just didn't know her name!
This is the first time I've added windows to the sides of an icon box. I like the way it lets light into the box and I'm thinking some beaded sea creature charms will look most fine hanging in them.
Now...... just waiting for the weather to cooperate for a fine raku day!

Spiral Goddess Picture

This is the picture of the swirly goddess I made yesterday.  Eventually she will be in a large icon box that might have cutout spots with beaded thingys hanging from them....I haven't quite decided yet.  She reminds me of ocean waves, so most likely she'll have sea things incorporated into her design...... somehow.

Spiral, Swirly Goddess

I don't have a picture of this new goddess idea because...well....I have no idea what she looks like....but I will tomorrow!  And so will you because there will be a picture!  Be patient....I think this is going to be good.

I spent new year's eve cleaning up the shed (studio).  It felt so good when I went in to work on 2012's ideas today...and I must confess it also felt good to shut the door tonight on a bit of a mess.  New ideas are seldom tidy...at least in the early stages.