Christi Class Day 2

The polymer classes were held during our "at sea" days.  That way, when we are in port, we can leave the ship and take an island tour, go have fun on a sailboat, snorkel or explore on our own.

The claydies (+ one gentleman) were divided into 3 groups.  Each group meet with a different teacher on class days.  I was in Group C, and my first class was with my favorite clay lady ... Christi Freisen.  I have been lucky enough to take numerous classes from her and she has never failed to entertain while instructing.  We had several people new to clay in our group, so it was great that they started their intro into the polymer world with someone who makes learning so easy.

      The first time I met her was on the 2009 Polymer cruise. I was having so much fun, that I hardly wanted to leave the classroom to go into port.  Lord Opuson talked me into it one morning, but it was sooo hot and humid, that we quickly went back the ship.  I went back to the classroom and my hubbie got bored without me. Christi  was in the classroom too and  she actually talked my husband into trying his hand at clay sculpt. First time out, he made a dolphin! So impressive, as my hubby is NOT physically artistic ... he can use words like a paint brush when he writes,  but give him a real paint brush, and all the paint will end up on him, the walls, the floors ...  anywhere but the canvas.
    I ramble, but the gist of what I am saying, is that if you want to learn clay and be successful the first time out ... take a class from Christi Freisen.

Christi's theme was aquatic life.  We made little underwater themes.  (I apologize for the picture quality - I have taken better pix now that I am home, but can not find my camera's download cable anywhere. These pix were taken in the classroom with room lighting)

Love this technigue for making jelly fish

Christi's instructions for Octopi are sooo good, I made this
cutie first tme out  

 The instructor's moved from table to table each night, so everyone would get a chance to eat with them.  This was Christi's night at our table.  If you look closely a my neckline, you can just make out my Leopold necklace that I made from her focal.

As I alluded to in previous posts, the ship was chocked full of art work.  I must have taken hundreds of pictures.  Ispiration everywhere! Doesn't this piece look like it was created from extruder cane?

And every night we would come back to the cabin to be greeted by the wimsey of Andrew, our steward....

He DOES listen!

I got the greatest surprise yesterday.  I discovered that my hubbie really is the sweetest guy.  Sure, he puts on the act of being all bluster and macho, but he really does listen.
   I have been having a lot of minor health issues of late.  Carpel tunnel and shoulder/neck pain have really limited my time in the studio.  He noticed that instead of heading straight there after work, as was my usual "gotta destress from work by making something' habit, I was reading, or watching TV or just going to bed.
  He had heard me mention in the past that there were such things as Pasta machines that came with motors.  He researched and ordered me a Mona-sized Altas (180 even) for a birthday surprise.  I was soooo blown away.  I immediately set it up and went to work for the first time in a month.

I got the Controlled Marbling Tut from Lynda at Diva Designs and have been itching to try it out.  I did not have Pardo translucent or the other color she recommends for her base mixed, so I had to improvise.  Just used some scrape clay I had on my table.  This is my first practice piece and I have to admit I am not that happy with it.  I should not have made my two yellow streaks so close together. Live and learn.  I was able to find one brick of the color she uses all the time at Joannes, so maybe able to do the tut as written (except for the Pardo).

 So, I wondered what a bead made from these colors would look like. I cut the veneer in half and made two beads (one of which I promptly lost somewhere in my studio).  This bead I like, so am going to use the remainder of the veneer to make a few more.