25 January, 2012

Ceramic Tink!

Gertrude's Lid


ceramic tink!
holding teapot handle
with no teapot

9 comments:

Hobbes said...

The haiku comes from a time when I picked up my water jug (a big green thing, used to store water for boiling), except that the jug stayed where it was, and only the handle wanted to join me. The jug has been glued (twice) since, but is otherwise doing well. I don't pick it up by the handle any more.

The image is from a similarly traumatic moment, near the end of last year, which marks the end of the working life of Gertrude, my pretty celadon gaiwan. She was beautiful indeed! My mother so kindly tried to glue the various shards from the lid back together, but it was hopeless, such was the degree of the shattering. You can imagine how the tiny fragments of the celadon matrix split apart into hundreds of tiny pieces...

I rather like the image, however, if not the destruction of the gaiwan lid. It shows a (thankfully rare) cross-sectional glimpse of celadon.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Jakub Tomek said...

Poor Gertrude :( She was different from gaiwans one usually sees.

Any chance of getting new lid?
Bye!
Jakub

Hobbes said...

'Tis a Maliandao special. Oddly enough, we bought two, but rid ourselves of one, leaving us Gertrude. I'll have to wait until we return. At least I'll have an excuse to go to Chayuan. :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Anonymous said...

Poor Gertrude. So sad to see this picture. But as with everything each sad ending has a happy beginning (makes me think of one of your predecessors talking of mass and force...)

Hope your Year of the Dragon gives you much success and happiness.

(bandito)

Hobbes said...

Likewise - best wishes to you and yours for the New Year, Bandito.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Chris C. said...

Long time listener, first time caller...Your post reminded me of a recent article by John Britt, glaze guru, detailing the 'snowflake glaze'. Your photo is amazingly similar to some of his. Check it out: http://ceramicartsdaily.org/ceramic-glaze-recipes/mid-range-glaze-recipes/crazy-beautiful-crazing-uncovering-the-mysteries-of-snowflake-crackle-glazes/?floater=99

Hobbes said...

Dear Chris,

Thanks for the comment - and welcome!

The last photograph in the article that you linked is, as you say, precisely the same range as that from which Gertrude came. It made for interesting reading, so thanks again!


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Anonymous said...

Gung Xi, Hobbes,

Alas, my own version of Gertrude suffered the same fate - along the same fault lines - last week.

Deep friends in short life
A partial break ends
Connectivity, alas.

(bandito)

Hobbes said...

Dear Bandito,

A poem! Much appreciated.

I'm sorry to read about your own incarnation of Gertrude; their kind are sweet, and short-lived, it seems. :)

(Perhaps I'll buy a few, next time, to account for my clumsiness...)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes