I usually only make functional pottery. My one exception to this is a little fish I make from a bottle form that I alter and add to so  that it becomes a fish that can either sit somewhere (like in a fountain) or hang somewhere. I’ve been making these little guys for years and each one gets a name which I display on a name tag. Labor intensive to make (and to glaze) but fun!

Felix

During open studios, one of my very good customers asked me to make a pig (actually two pigs) for gifts to her relatives that have pig collections.  I figured I could come up with something and she is a very good customer so I agreed to this order. I started with the same bottle shape as my fish but a little larger and I did not flare out the top.  When the bottle is a “soft” leather hard, I trim the bottle a bit at the bottom, create a flat spot on the side so that the bottle sits at an angle, cover the top of the bottle with a slab (the snout), impress rings for the snout openings, add eyes (multiple round layers), ears, a mouth, two flat disc rear feet, two front feet by attaching  a triangular wad of clay to prop up the front of the bottle and carve out an opening once the feet are attached. I also strategically pinch the bottle bottom front and rear sides to make a piggish body shape. And last, but not least, add the curling tail!

Ferdinand

So the first two came out so cute, I made 4 more. And there are two more larger bottles that I think I’ll turn into banks.  Hope the little pig tails don’t turn out to be as much of a problem as the tails on my fish. Need to be very careful when loading the bisque.  Sure would hate to lose any of these guys. Probably need to name them, too.

We need new homes!

This is a good shelf!