I finally got to pick up the two bowls I made.

Remember, my daughter gave me ceramic lessons as a substitute Christmas gift because the glass-blowing studio shut down.

And then, after they were kiln fired, I went a little crazy on the glazing, not knowing how it would turn out.

Well…

They turned out freekin’ awesome!!!

I took the first pictures in the shade, because look what happens in the sunlight!

Whole new layers of colors appear.

They might be a tad primitive, but I think of that as being a good thing. Ceramics let people carry and store and and cook and eat things they couldn’t before. It is one of our earliest, most useful inventions.

China advanced that knowledge to some incredible levels, making porcelain you could see through.

When I did the blacksmithing, I was working with fire and air and metals and minerals. Glass blowing felt the same way. Now, I was working with earth. I mean, these were basically mud when we started.

To make the elements dance for you is amazing.

You can’t just force air and water and fire and minerals and metals and earth to do things for you.

You have to romance them into it.

I honestly had no idea if these would be any good at all. But I am very happy. I might have to do it again, now that I know a little about how the glazes work together.

So thanks, Jessica. Also, I might get out my digital microscope and take a really close look at my glazing genius!

Jessica’s bowls came out very nice as well. Her mom did the glazing, because Jess is back in Mew York.