Form and Function with Hasegawa Natsu

Here is a youtube that shows the work of a young japanese potter Hasegawa Natsu

and her methods of work. At the 7:46 mark there is a display of her pieces presenting food. Wonderful, beautiful unity of form and function! And something that I am very interested in developing in my own work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0lBDIVPHD0&list=PLF8D40BC2E9B38E9B

Heaviest snowfall since 1971

December 21th we had a meter of snowfall. That's a lotta snow. Our Tempo collapsed under its weight. We also thought it wise to take some of the load off our roof in case while away from home new storms came with more accumulations. It did storm again on the 27th with lessor amounts for us but Montreal was hit hard with 45cm during the storm and then another 5cm afterwards. Ploughing the streets has been overwhelming for the crews and many streets are still covered and piled high. Here is an image from Global News

These are the working hours in the studio for the next few weeks into January 2013 -KILN ROOM: CLOSED from NOW UNTIL JANUARY 18th -STUDIO: OPEN until JANUARY 6th -STUDIO: CLOSED between JANUARY 7th AND JANUARY 18th. Friday Dec. 21 OPEN regular hours Saturday Dec. 22 OPEN regular hours Sunday Dec. 23 OPEN regular hours Monday Dec 24 CLOSED Tuesday Dec. 25 CLOSED Wednesday Dec 26 CLOSED Thursday Dec 27 OPEN from 1 – 5 pm Friday Dec 28 OPEN from 1 – 5 pm Saturday Dec 29 OPEN from 1 5 pm Sunday Dec 30 OPEN from 1 – 5 pm Monday Dec 31 CLOSED Tuesday Jan 1 CLOSED Wednesday Jan 2 CLOSED Thursday Jan 3 OPEN (regular hours)

Adequately insulated?

This is a view from the uncompleted wood storage shed to the small insulated studio building. We just spent the past week there checking out if our insulation work over the summer was adequate to keep us warm in the winter months. So at minus 15 Celsius we were cosy. Can we remain as warm when it dips to minus 30? Yet to be experienced. Maybe January will throw some seriously cold weather and we will see how well we did our job.

Presenting food on studio pottery

Went on a search at the local biblioteque to find cookbooks that show food presentation. I found a few mostly Asian that were interesting. Elizabeth Andoh published a few tantalizing editions of the sort of thing I was looking for. And a few of the recipes served in various pots.

Along with this is Marcia Tani Paul's blog at http://maashaclay.wordpress.com/ She presents recipes and food on studio pottery created by various artists including some of her own. I really enjoy receiving the posts she makes

I want to really get serious about what I make and how it could be used in daily food preparation and serving.Here is one approach to a banquet feast I found online from Country Homes & Interiors Magazine. I don't know who created the work but it is wonderful.

The Fire has been lit

The fire has been lit and keeping us toasty and warm. There is no snow yet but anyday it will surely arrive. We marked our roadway with posts for snow clearing and might still have the chance to raise a Tempo to keep snow off the car. Here is a picture of the stove with its first wood fire going.