Ceramics 4

Here's an update on my ceramics class. Generally I am really enjoying it. It is no doubt the kind of thing that forces you to just relax and take your time. This is counter to everything our society seems to value and I find it very relaxing. When you rush things you end up fighting with the clay and nothing works. When my friend Freya and I feel like things just aren't working, we tell each other to try and consider it like a meditation. And if I can get myself in that mindset, it works much better. Because of this, it soaks up time. I can turn around and I've been sitting at the wheel for 3 hours without noticing the time pass. Its actually quite amazing. Its nice to step out of my life and have one singular focus in my life that has everything to do with my hands and the clay. Its very rewarding.

So here's what I've been up to. The basic thing you learn to make first is a cylinder, so I've been trying to practice my cylinders.

Here are my practice cylinders

Trying to get the bottom flat, and the sides even

One wonky curved pitcher in the back

I threw these cylinders on Wednesday evening and  came back in on friday afternoon to try turning feet for the first time. Basically, you leave a lot of thickness on the bottom and you let your pieces dry to "leather hard" which in the studio right now took about 2 days. It takes 4-5 days for something to dry completely and be ready for firing. One of the tricky things is re-centering you pot on the wheel so that the foot is centered too. Then you have to try and make the inside and outside the same. Patience is key.

Feet

After I turned some feet I thought that I'd just try and throw a few bowls before I go. My first assignment is 4 jugs and 4 bowls and since I have many more jugs to work with, I need to get some bowls going so that I'll have something to work with. I was able to get these 3 out pretty quickly and they are all different sizes and all rather shallow. I'd love to try and make something a bit more like a deep soup bowl - the kind we all love at home.

So with another gorgeous sunset over Adelaide, I wish you all goodnight.

Kangaroo Island - Part 2

So picking up from my last post, after Admiral's Arch we headed to our second night's residence, a beautiful farm called Flinder's Chase Farm. It was this peaceful farm that had guest houses with large covered common areas/kitchens. The bunk rooms had 8 beds with an attached partially outdoor bathroom. Tom made us an amazing Aussie BBQ - they really are the masters at it. It included Potatoes, Onions, Capsicum (bell peppers), Mushrooms, Beef Hamburgers, Beef kebab, and Kangaroo. Plus we had a spread of salads - pasta salad, potato salad, and cole slaw. It was a fantastic meal.

this is the indoor/outdoor bathroom

The boys try and start a fire in the rain (they were successful!)

Tom and Hatem begin the BBQ

Bit by bit - the order is essential

Everything in its place! Our Feast in the making

Tom offered me a Coopers- a family owned brewery in Oz

The beautiful farm

Vast open spaces remind me of home.

 It was a fun night and we stayed up late chatting by the fire.  The next morning I tried Vegemite for the first (and possibly only) time. It was not horrible but it also didn't leave me wanting more either. It was salty and sort of vinegary - It's a yeast extraction and has nothing on Nutella I tell you! After our own breakfast we went to give the Kangaroos their breakfast. And we got to see all kinds of animals there. Get Ready for Kangaroos on Kangaroo Island!!

Feeding a Kangaroo

Holding hands

so sweet

My friend the Koala

Doesn't he look snuggly?

Oops we woke him up

Wallaby

One of these things is not like the others... Albino Wallaby

Baby Wombats - one is Albino

After the nature reserve in the morning, Tom took us to three amazing secluded beaches before we had to make it back to the Ferry and head back to Adelaide. Here's a little peak.

the walk to beach #1

Paradise

When we got to beach #2 we got to hang out while Tom prepared our picnic lunch of beef sausages and veggies. The weather was finally turning up so we embraced the sun and enjoyed ourselves.

Beach #2

Beatrice and I on the tour bus

Setting up lunch

enjoying the sun

 For our third and final beach of the day we pulled up to a parking lot with Tom raving about how this is the best beach in Australia. That's a lot to claim. Then he pointed out that there were lots of cars (lots here seems to be 6-7) but there were no people? Where was everyone? Clearly we weren't looking at the right beach. So off we went following our fearless leader...

The "fake" beach

This way to the beach

secret pathway?

that gets smaller and smaller

Until you end up here!

That's the exit/entrance

the clearest blue water

me enjoying the sand, surf, and sun

After that, an uneventful and much smoother ferry ride home, followed by a sad but quick drive back to the city wrapped up an amazing weekend on Kangaroo Island.

Australia really is a beautiful country. Not that there ever was any doubt.

Kangaroo Island - Part 1

This past weekend my flatmate Vicky and I hopped on a tour and ventured out to Kangaroo Island. We went with Tom's Tours and embraced the laid back Aussie vibe. We had a blast and if anyone ever finds themselves in this area- I highly recommend his tours. He knows where to go and when, keeps you moving with out feeling like you're on a rigid timeline. The food was great, the accommodations were comfortable and the memories will last forever.

We started by getting picked up at our apartment at about 12 noon on Friday and then drove to a couple other spots to pick up 8 more people in total. We really represented a broad spectrum of the world. I made some new friends too: Beatrice and Nic from Italy who are here for a year on a Working Holiday Visa joined us first. Then at the South Australian College of English we picked up Kanako from Japan, Hatem from Saudi Arabia, Daniel from Switzerland, Dean from Korea, siblings Carlos and Claudia from Peru. A 2 hour road trip from Adelaide to songs like this and this made us a party bus full of high energy and ready for a good time.  

Vicky and I just got picked up!

Our crew for the weekend L-R: Vicky, Kanako, Hatem, Claudia, Daniel, Dean, & Carlos

Nic and Beatrice

With rather poor weather we arrived at our hour long ferry ride to be met by crazy back and forth waves. EVERYONE was sea sick! Tom took us into the captains cabin to drive the boat and we could not stay standing in one place the rocking was so bad. But we got to see how the boat is driven (automatically with the use of satellites) and then headed out to get some fresh air.

Driving the Ferry

When we arrived on Kangaroo Island we went and dropped our bags at the YHA hostel and headed out to see the Pelicans feeding. So much fun and such strange animals! 

Everyone's listening intently

Hey why are you feeding the other birds first?

We are beginning to lose our patience!

Your fault for making us wait!

Our Hostel and Bus

The rain has a perk - a beautiful rainbow

That night we had an easy Pizza dinner before heading out to try and see the penguins. They come out of the water about an hour after sunset and go back in about an hour before sunrise every day. We headed out there and sat in near silence for an hour waiting to see them. After about an hour we started hearing chirping from the trees behind us and realized we'd missed them. Silver lining? It was lovely to sit outside under the stars listening to the waves crash against the coast. A beautiful first night away from the city.

The next morning, after an early 7:30 am breakfast we packed up our bags and headed out for an early morning walk/hike to see Wallabies in the wild. A wallaby is part of the marsupial species and are essentially small kangaroos.

Kangaroo Island Landscape

Heading out on our walk

Vicky and I braving the wind

Beautiful View

Wallabies!

They burrow and hide in the shrubs

Next we headed to the ferry to pick up 3 girls who were just coming on the 2 day tour version (turns out they didn't know there was a 3-day version). Annika, Vi and Rosalie - all medical students from the Netherlands joined us. Off we went to Seal Bay to see the Australian Fur Seals down on the beach.

On our way down to the beach to see the fur seals

Amazing views everywhere we went

Its pupping season and she was so pregnant she barely made it out of the water before she flopped down for a snooze

These seals spend 3 days out on the water and then 3 days sleeping. They are pregnant for 18 months before giving birth to their pups.

In the winter some come up into the bushes for additional warmth

Enjoying the scenery and seals

After the seals we headed to another picturesque beach where we explored while Tom set up our lunch spread.

After a great lunch and a little peak at Kevin the Koala hiding up in a tree, we headed to some adrenalin rush - Sand Boarding in the Little Sahara of Kangaroo Island. Think tobogganing on the snow except the snow is a giant sand dune!

Beginning the long trek up the dune

Still going...

Almost there!

Getting ready for my first ride

 

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Look how far I went!

Adrenaline Rush!

With the day still young and everyone worn out we headed to our next stop, The Remarkable Rocks. Yep that's their name. And they were in fact remarkable.

There they are!

They were massive!

With huge spaces defying gravity

Surrounded by a phenomenal view

Natural occurrence

We enjoyed ourselves so much

Hiding in the rocks from the rain

Cave like spaces

Not done yet! Next we went to Admirals Arch and saw the New Zealand seals. These seals were darker colored, not in danger the same way the Australian Fur Seals are, and have a gestation period of 12 months instead of 18. There were tons and tons of them on the rocks and the new little pups were playing with each other. Its amazing that they can get so high up on the rocks with such little agility. And the waves were aggressive, it amazes me that they can survive the weight of the water slamming against the rocks.

On our way to see the seals

Wooden pathways and stairs overlook the water and rocks below

This guy climbed so high to find his bed!

Can you see the seals on the rocks?

Here's a closer look

The pathway wrapped way down and around the rocks

For a gorgeous view of Admiral's Arch

I'm gonna leave it there for now. The second half of the weekend will have more photos and more stories.