Winter time

leather hard stage

I didn't write for ages, but I did work a lot in all kind of techniques

painting

sgrafito

mixing glazes

Before and After

I am acctually in the mood of BIG things, thus I am putting more and more clay on my throwing-wheel, so my dishes become wider, and higher.

in process

Winter is here

it's already cold and windy outside I hope the rain will come too

Spring is in the air



spring is in the air



Time passes so quickly; the spring is already here; each day brings different weather; one day is cold, one day is hot, one day is cloudy, and the other day is hazy;

all of these changes are very similar to my mood which gets high and creative one day, or low and sad in the next, nevertheless, the spring also brings with it so many colors; the new growth of the fields, the countless flowers and the tiny little buds which all of them have enormous affect on me…

sgraffito

My father, who is in his 90th year, and is very ill, wants "more years to live", but I do not think he is really enjoys his days anymore. That makes me wonder about the gift called life, and the surprise that is waiting under the next layer.

sgraffito

Each day I attend my studio with enough strength to create new things. It goes a bit slower than I used to, but I still have made many new works.

mishima

I am trying to cope with taking photos of the works, at least for a memoire; but sometimes they're being bought before, and that's makes me very happy, but then I do not have any remembrance of them.

playing with glazes



Still have a lot to learn

slip with 3% cobalt oxide

I started with tiles so I can do some ceramic work, even when I am tired. I thought it is like painting which is my second nature, and therefore it must be easy for me.

Well, it isn't exactly like painting, and what's came out of the kiln, wasn't exactly what I have expected.

I guess that like other things, there are no shortcuts, and I have to learn about layers, about the quality of the lines, about the different colors, and what's happening to them during the fire.





slip with different oxides












New year, new look of the studio, and some new works

My daughter and some of her friends are celebrating the New Year eve in the dining room, and since I am "forced" to stay in my study room, I found it as a good opportunity to write a few words.

First of all, Thank you so much for your comments, and wishes. I feel much better now, and am ready for the new year.

I also would like to congratulate you all for the new coming year, may you all have a great creative year, lots of joy from your work, and lots of health.

For the last couple of weeks, I am working again; although not yet with a full engine, but a few hours a day. At first I reorganized the studio which looks now much more like a gallery.

Since people starting to come in, I must make as quickly as possible enough works, to fill again the shelves.

When I get tired I draw on tiles; not sure yet how they will look after firing them...

Recovering

I have been away from the studio for too long, not because of laziness, of course, but due to health problems. After almost 2 years of unbearable headaches, and many tests, I was diagnosed as having a tumor in the right frontal side of my head. On August 4th I had a surgery that called Craniotomy, it was successful, though a month later I suffered from a severe infection in the same place, and had to be operated again. On September 7th, the second operation took place, and another period of hilling had started again.

It was a tiring voyage, suddenly everything looked unimportant; studio, work, day life… I had many rethought about the way I have lived my life, and the way I wish to live in the future, I had many, too many days of being unable to do anything, but thinking, and crocheting (as a way of therapy). I had days in which I thought about leaving pottery; in fact, leaving everything that needs to be done out of home, but in other days, I was eager to get back to doing and living.

All the arrangements I had to do in the new apartment, pushed aside; although I did emptied the boxes, things are not in their place yet. (Talking about boxes, reminds me now, that there are still unpacked boxes in the studio from the last pottery exhibition in May…)

I have to start "doing"

Today, after visiting the surgeon, and getting a permission to get back to work, I have no more doubts; I want to be able to work as soon as possible. I am planning to start working a few hours a day, till I feel strong enough to work a whole day.



My new apartment

boxes all over

The project of moving to my new apartment in Haifa, on top of the Carmel mountain, was a huge effort in all aspects, and took almost a whole month. Because of the need to adapt everything to the new relatively smaller size of the apartment, it was harder than ever before. I had to get rid of furniture, and much other stuff which I've collected through the years. I had to give 2 of the 3 dogs I had in the yard, which means one dog and one cat are still with me.

Nana on the porch

The good side is the location of the apartment; the view is breath taking- I can see the sun rises every new day (if I could have woken up at this hour…). Since it is around 450 meters above sea level it isn't too hot and humid as it was on the sea shore where I used to live, and most of the time there is nice wind, which could  even be a little chilly at nights.

- Haifa Bay  view to west/north

Nazareth hills, the view to the east- over the vally of Izrael

Although not everything is ready yet, and there is so much to still do, I am going to start working again tomorrow; it really has been too long and I do miss my studio.

another view to the east Menashe hills