Works in Progress: Pendants, Ring Caddies and an Orca Platter

On the list of New Years Resolutions for 2017 - post progress pics more often!

Last firing, as an extension of the new flatter ornaments, I experimented with a few stoneware pendants and managed to finish one prototype turtle pendant which sold before I thought to photograph it.  I'm hoping this is a sign that my 'make stoneware jewelry' resolution for this year will make sense.

Here is a pic of more pendants in progress, waiting for underglaze and glaze.  Most have a ring for a cord built into the sculpture, some have a hole for a cord or chain to pass through.

Designs so far include turtles, doves, crows, bears, bunnies, flowers, hearts, peace signs, stars, starfish, dolphins, orcas, various other birds, Christmas trees (getting a head start this year) and more.  Whether these are pendant sized or ornament sized, and how best to turn them into necklaces will require field testing, but they will be small, light, handsculpted, and quicker to make than figurines, so therefore, reasonably priced - good for visitors and locals I think.

This finished sleeping fox "pendant" prototype from the last firing doesn't work because the ring in the back means it can't hang properly.  Oops, learning experience.  However it led to the decision that I want to start making brooches as well this year.

Here is the same piece in my hand for scale: 

As a teenager in Richmond there was a cool little antique shop that had all sorts of pretty vintage brooches for cheap, I ended up with a small collection.  Most were metal but I'm thinking stoneware brooches are going to be a lot of fun.

Speaking of jewelry, here are my first ever "ring caddies", animals holding flowers where a person could leave their "precious" for safe keeping.  There's a bunny and a mousie, I'm so excited to see these finished that if the weather stays relatively mild I could actually get a firing done this month.

Bunny ring caddy in my hand for scale.

And finally for this post, this large Orca platter in progress, shown atop my pottery wheel for scale. 

When finished it will be able to hang on the wall with wire, when not in service.  I imagine it as a good serving dish for sushi, smoked salmon or other seafood treats.