We can all agree that 2020 was the craziest, most mixed up year in our lives.
I turned 65 this year so I have seen many years. 2020 was by far the one that will go down in history.
I was one of the lucky ones since I had already retired. I didnt have to go to work, or do zoom meetings. For Ben and I life didn’t change all that much. We tend to be loners who prefer to be in our respective studios and workshops making things. It was always our dream when we retired to explore our creative side and we went into it full force.
So while everyone was quarentining at home I was quarentining in my studio, along with Max and Emily!
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So how did 2020 go for me?
Actually it wasn’t too bad for Ben and I!
We decided to build a small cabin on a lake lot we purchased the year before. Originally it was going to be just a cool place to park our small RV (21 ft) and “Camp” but after a few rainy days, hanging out in a tiny RV with a husband and three dogs no longer became fun.
We loved the property and the lake so we took the plunge, bought a 1 bedroom floor plan on Etsy and built a cabin. Its a pretty basic 1 bedroom, one bath and its pretty small at 760 Sq ft but its perfect for us. A big picture window looks out to the east over the lake so we get to witness some gorgeous Sunrises and Moon rises!!
Plus we have a Heron that hangs out on our dock almost every day. We named him Harry.
All my shows had been canceled because of fear of spreading Covid so I didn’t feel as pressured to make a whole lot of stuff. I also now had the time to be more deliberate with what I made and how I decorated it.
I continued to explore Sgraffito Carving. According to my photo album it looks like this Tree of Life Bowl was one of the first things I carved in 2020
My first thought was “dang, now what do I do” followed quickly by “Hum, now I can concentrate on creating new works!!
And create I did.
Looking back on my gallery of photos from the beginning of 2020 I was happy with my work. And since most of it had sold by Christmas I guess you were as well.
I could take a look back starting in January 2020 and see what I did.
Lets take a look
Sgrafitto was very prominent in 2020
Hummingbirds were an element that showed up in a lot of my work in 2020.
I played around with plate making!! A lot of folks think making a plate would be easy but its not. There are so many things to think about; size, thickness, wall height and the hardest part….making it flat!! A true challenge!
Black and Red showed up alot in my work in 2020 as well. Its so vibrant!!
But with all the time on my hands to be “Artful” I still found time to make my normal items that you all love so well. Butter Keepers still turned out to be very popular and still one of my best sellers. I reintroduced Jewelry Bowls again. These handy bowls hold all your jewelry tastefully and organized. 2020 also brought forth the humble Garlic Keeper which I had never heard of before. I made a few of those but won’t spend much time on them in the future!
I also embraced making Vases, Bowls and Utility jars in all sorts of sizes and Shapes.
It sure was fun tripping down memory lane. It brought to my mind many pieces I had forgotten about. There were even a few that I want to try again, so 2021…. HERE I COME.
Mijello Airtight Watercolor 18-Well Blue Palette
I do a lot of underglaze work and having all these open jars all over the place drove me nuts. I had a round Watercolor palette that I was using but the underglazes were drying out day after day, even when I stored them in air tight bags. I found this watercolor palette that is air tight, has lots of room to mix colors and has plenty of wells to hold more colors. The underglaze stays moist but does dry out slightly. A spritz of water solved that problem! View on Amazon
Blunt Needle Tip Applicator Bottle Set
I purchased this set of Blunt Needle Tips with Squeeze bottles to apply Underglazes with. I will probably get another set!! I love that it comes with caps to seal in the underglazes. The tips are the same size as slip trailer tips so you can interchange them. View on Amazon
Detail Paint Brush Set
These brushes turned out to be a huge blessing in my studio. They are very fine-tipped and pretty small for that fine detailed work. There are liner brushes, Rounds, and flats in a decent variety of sizes!! View on Amazon
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My name is Dani and I am the potter behind this page! I am retired and having a ball being the artist I always wanted to be. My studio is located in SE Oklahoma and I share it with two cats, Emily and Max. Have a look around!
Loved seeing this! You have brought such beauty into the world, and in particular into my home!!