My energy only comes in spurts, depending on the outside temperature, which lately continues to be too hot for much creative activity. One good thing about the hot weather is that I can bring slabs to a workable leather-like stiffness in just a few minutes of laying on the patio picnic table exposed to the hot sun
However, I have made two more Jotnars, (2 dots over the o; plural), Norwegian Lords of Nature. It was quite complicated getting their legs strong enough to hold up their upper bodies, so, learning about the centuries long feud they’ve been having with Thor, the Scandinavian God of Lightning ,ever since his marriage to one of them didn’t work out, and how he had depleted their population so much, the inspiration came out of the clay to greatly reduce their size (l5 ft tall is more clay than I could handle or afford) and put them living in trees, pearing out cautiously to see if he is sneaking up on them. This way I only have to make their huge nosed and long haired heads and huge hands to keep their hold at the peek hole. I have begun to love the ugly little mythological creatures.
This week a letter came from the Cedartown art league inviting me to enter their fall art show. As I have usually received some ribbon or another from my previous entries, they always boost my ego, as well as did the insert in this envelope stating that, as they were familiar with my work, there was no need to send photographs of the entries to be judged for acceptance.
As I am working on Jotnars to give one to all my grand and great grandchildren who want them, (a possible total of 38, last count. To date I am about l/3 through with the plan.) I have been making their abodes only 4 to 6 inches in height, which is a bit small for an art show, So day before yesterday I made one about l0 inches high this week, but I don’t like it nearly as much as I do the smaller ones. One reason for this may be the fact that I placed in on a rotating platform that required my reaching up to work on it and I ended up with that inherited curve in my spine hurting. Of course that pain always disappears after a 20 minute application of a cold pack, but the experience turned me against this individual Jotunn (singular)
Yesterday afternoon I decided to use the last of this lovely dark chocolate colored clay to make something smaller again and ended up with one about 8 inches high, counting half of the top I raised up to permit a second occupant of that tree house to act like a sentry on duty watching out for Thor. I like this one much better and may submit if, if J.J. can find the time to fire it before the lst of September. When I was finished I didn’t have a handful of that clay left anymore.
I had made the bigger tree home look like it had been sawed off at the top, with shallow indentations of the tree’s rings, but, this morning I wet the center down enough to make a hole like a chimney opening. This way the finished article could hold something or be used as a vase, once it is fired and not be totally useless, despite its occupant being less endearing.
I have noted how many aging females often enjoy being given dolls. Carroll’s mother did. Being such a tomboy I never was attached to them when I was young, although I do remember playing with paper dolls I cut out of old pattern books from the cloth store. I also remember how much I liked to make mud pies. Perhaps this joy I find in making trolls and other mythological creatures is a sign of senility, too.
