Total Eclipse of the Sun.... On a Cup
Last week I pulled my potter’s wheel outside onto my studio porch to throw in the perfect the end of the summer day gentle breezy warm temperature.
Mostly I make tile and throwing is a love that I don’t indulge more than a few times a year when I need to make some gifts, or have an idea to pursue. Right now I have both. August is big-time gift season for me with at least 10 birthdays of family and friends and my idea has been to make some cups to commemorate the historic full solar eclipse that’s passing through Oregon later this month.
As you may have gathered from the excited chatter floating around, here in the U.S. we will witness the rare occurrence of a full solar eclipse on Aug 21, 2017. This will offer us the first total eclipse of the sun visible from coast to coast in the United States since 1918, so it is indeed worthy of note. Furthermore, those who have witnessed full eclipses report that it is an extraordinary experience to behold.
Personally I’m pretty excited about the eclipse! A friend from college is coming here from Baltimore for a visit and to view the eclipse together. Our plan is to take a chairlift up on Mt. Hood where we can view the eclipse from 8,000 ft on this magnificent mountain through our special NASA protective glasses.
Anyway, back to the cups…so at the end of each of my work days I’ve been immersing myself in the bliss of making pots while the sun sets. I started with some espresso cups as gifts but quickly moved on to these limited edition “eclipse cups” - the small porcelain tumblers I made in the spirit of celebrating this momentous eclipse. They are perfectly sized for eclipse toasts of spirits, wine, tea, port, whatever and I plan to use them up on the mountain!
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Above I tested out how to use glaze to show an eclipse which helped me decide how I wanted to do this on the cups. All in all these cups have been a fun little project, and I’m tickled that I sold 30 of them the first day I put them out for sale.
2.75" x 2.75", glossy blue glaze with the eclipse rendered in cobalt, white and silver luster Want a pair?
Eclipses come in pairs…yesterday’s full moon was partially eclipsed and it’s said that this 2 weeks between the lunar and solar eclipse is a super-charged powerful period of time during which we can all soak up that extra energy to see ourselves more clearly and shine brightly!
Very pretty. I'd buy one.
Thanks for showing the test-glazing, I love seeing the process.
you're welcome and thank you!
I love them!
thank you ;-)
Those are delightful. Beautiful on their own independent of the eclipse and even cooler knowing that they are an homage to it. To be "solar toasting"(I like that term) at 8k feet on a mountain with friends...how specifically cool is that? Very cool. Sounds like a great time.
solar toasting...I like it too! And thanks, I'm glad you like them!
Hello of corse that I would like one but I am very far,
however I congratulate you for such wonderful work, success with your cups with eclipses
thank you and I appreciate your desire to have one, but yes it doesn't make sense to ship so far.
wooow nice well done
oooooh ..... :( 'this item does not ship to Denmark' :(((( also I wanted to ask if they both have the sun and you just show the different sides on the picture, but it's useless now since I can't have them :((((
oh yes, sorry about that. For such a small item, the shipping cost will likely be more than the piece and the paperwork is nuts for int'l shipping. It would only make sense if you were going to buy 4. If you want that many let me know and I"ll change the settings on the etsy shop for you, but NO PRESSURE at all, just giving you options. Thank you for even trying and for wanting some though, I really appreciate it!!
Totally understandable indeed :(
Well, it depends though... This is going to make the different now: Do both cups have the eclipse on them or only one out of two? I wanted to give it to my boyfriend for the day (don't know if we have time for shipping though) but I saw that this particular one won't be visible in Denmark :( Everything is against me this time! Regardless, I really really like them and want them, so let me know please about how they're made (where's the eclipse) :)
All cups have the eclipse, I was just showing the back with the other cup.
I think you're right - don't think we have time for int'l shipping, maybe there is someone local in Denmark making eclipse cups?
I thought so but I wanted to ask anyway! I won't even look for that, I want yours! And it's ok if they're late - anyway the eclipse is not visible from Denmark but I'd like to have them to remember that! :D
Ive only done coil vessels and pinxhpots as well as aslab japanese scroll but and havent done any wheel pottery yet bur willing to learn
All ways of making pots are pleasurable I think! Best wishes with the wheel, it's fun but takes patience.
Really beautiful!
thank you @princesspriya!
If this post was written by you I want to congratulate you! Is very well done!
Yes all of my posts are written by me! If you read more than one you'll see the consistency!
Tienes toda la razon al estar emocionada, hace muchos años tuve la experiencia que porcierto se puede decir es la tenemos una sola vez en la vida quiero pedirte que observes la naturaleza como toda ella es obediente al ciclo de noche y dia, veraz las plantas dormir las aves acurrucarse no quiero adelantar esta pelicula natural solo quiero orientarte para que disfrutes al maximo de esta emosion unica que la disfrutes al maximo¡
I translated your words here and they are beautiful and poetic (according to google translate!), thank you! I really look forward to this beautiful event