Susan Paczek's Studio: Rabbits

Showing posts with label Rabbits. Show all posts

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Now Available at The Dart Gallery, December 10th, 2015

Here are the pics of the pieces I took to The Dart Gallery in Dartmouth today:

First, new stoneware ornaments! These are all $25 each (tax free Sat Dec 12 :), handsculpted, handcarved, and hand painted without the use of molds. Each of these comes with an ornament hanging wire, and a tag.

First, two new Sullivan's Pond Geese

Golden Retriever, West Highland White Terrier, and a Pointer

Slug, pterodactyl, brontosaurus, triceratops and frog

four chickadees and two blue jays

bluebird, fawn, raccoon

The Canadian and American icons: beaver and eagle

four festive foxes

four wise owls and their mouse friend

penguin, sled dog, seagull

pig, rooster, calico cat, horse

five bouncing bunnies

two reindeer and a Christmas vulture

four woolly sheep

wren, goldfinch, red-breasted nuthatch, thrasher

nuthatch action shot

last but not least for ornaments, an alien

Five new figurines made it into the box, two bears, two rabbits and a turtle. These are also $25 each.

There are also two new bowls. First, this brown rabbit bowl:

And finally, this relief carved bowl with a fox chasing two rabbits. The glaze on parts of this didn't turn out as planned, but it was a valuable learning experience for future functional stoneware relief carved pieces!

Time is running out to visit Dart this year. The gallery has to close early, and unexpectedly, to address a structural issue with the building so Tuesday December 15th is the last day to visit the actual gallery this month, and to see the awesome Dart Wars group show (inspired by Star Wars).

But to help things along, everything in the gallery will be TAX FREE this Saturday December 12th.

After this, there's another chance for the Dart Gallery experience - at the very first annual "Halifax Lights Holiday Market" in the Historic Properties where Dart will have a display for the fourth and final weekend: Thursday December 17th - Sunday December 20th.

This looks like a very nice festive market. Dart's presence here will be no small table - rather it'll be more of an empty shop turned into a 'pop up' Dart!

Parking will be free at waterfront development lots during the market, details at the bottom of this page.

Market hours will be: Thurs 17th, 4 - 9pm, Fri 18th, 4 - 9pm, Sat 19th - 12 - 9pm and Sunday the 20th, 12 - 4pm. The theme for this last weekend of the market will be "The Night Before Christmas". Sounds fun!

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Works In Progress: Whaleware, A Skulk, and Relief Carved Bowls

I'm still working away getting things carved up for the next firing and thought I'd post some pics.

I've really been enjoying myself! And waxing nostalgic that this fall will be 10 years since I started selling art, back in Regina.

I'm pleased to report that lately I've started feeling as excited about making art as I did back in 2005. Hooray! It is so nice to feel this way again but now with lots more experience..

First up, some sitting fox figurines. Apparently a group of foxes is called a 'skulk'.

Next, 3 Relief Carved Bowls. These are new, and inspired by the happy outcome of the 2 relief carved vases in my last firing. These are each a good size for serving or snacking.

The first is a fox chasing 2 rabbits, with some birch trees:

The second is a fox chasing a pheasant, with some cattails:

The third has 2 humpback whales and 2 peace signs, and is definitely for Jenny Jib in Lunenburg.

On the topic of Whaleware, there is also a sperm whale plate, that will be able to hang on the wall. It's 11.5" long now but will shrink in the firing process.

And four more whale mugs. I have a new blue stoneware glaze I'm excited to try with these!

This next firing will also have a big turkey and ornaments from this last post, as well as some other animal bowls and figurines that I won't photograph until they're done.

For potters, or anyone, who gets tendonitis - I can't believe I haven't had tendonitis flare back up from all this carving! I credit this powdered magnesium citrate supplement I started taking this year, Natural Calm which I picked up at the Healthy Bug in Halifax. Apparently due in part to depletion of minerals in our soil from intensive agriculture, and our poor diets, magnesium deficiency is a widespread issue that can cause all sorts of symptoms, tendonitis being one of them. Google 'magnesium deficiency' to learn more. Eating more anti-inflammatory and/or alkaline food, along with doing yoga is probably helping too!

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Now Available At The Dart Gallery, May 1st 2015

So excited to have new pieces at The Dart Gallery! It's a lovely space, voted best gallery in Halifax in 2014 by Coast Readers, in the hip, happening Portland Street Area of Dartmouth.

For visitors to downtown Halifax, or residents even, this shopping district with great indie shops and restaurants is a short pleasant stroll from Alderney Landing. Accessible by the scenic and affordable public transit ferry that crosses the Halifax harbour, this makes for a fun excursion that doesn't require a car!

The Dart Gallery is currently featuring a beautiful show of abstract work by Amy Corbett, "Comfort Item", until May 13th, and on May 15th there will be an opening for a group show of pieces inspired by everything Jim Henson, which sounds just awesome!

Here are the pics of the work, which are also in this album on Facebook. I managed to get photos of everything except 2 mini white owls, a chicken figurine and an alpaca figurine. All of these pieces are mid-fire stoneware (cone 6) except for a couple of earthenware figurines as noted. All of the 'animal' bowls are food safe, microwave safe and dishwasher safe although hand washing is recommended.

Sullivan's Pond Geese! Inspired by the much loved geese of Sullivan's Pond in Dartmouth... the honking one is saying "What are we doing here, this isn't Sullivan's Pond! Let's Go!"

Getting closer to migrating to Dartmouth...

Goose Close Up


Rabbits! The Dart Gallery's owner, Jane, has a sweet, inspiring, Holland Lop rabbit named Huxley who usually hangs out at the gallery with her. It was fun to make some new rabbits & "rabbitware" for the space; there's a large bowl, a smaller bowl, 5 small figurines and 2 larger figurines.

Close up of large rabbit bowl

A Brown Rabbit bowl - this one is about half the size of the blue/brown one

A pair of real rabbits that appeared and chased each other all over the woods after I photographed the brown rabbit bowl! Hopefully an auspicious omen!