Lemonade?

I have the wonderful pleasure of being a member at AMOCA's (American Museum of Ceramic Art) new ceramic studio.  It is a great space for me to create my work and there is never a shortage of feedback from other members and artists.  A new tradition has been started by the studio to hold a potluck during Pomona's 2nd Saturday Art Walk.  People can stop by, try their hand at clay, eat food and just absorb the positive energy of the studio community.

This past Saturday found me at the most recent potluck trying my hand at wheel throwing bowls after a few glasses of wine.  Those of you who have seen my work know that I've been focusing recently on hand building techniques, so the combination of red wine and less recent practice wheel throwing produced some interesting results.

My bowls (not all of them even survived to be pictured!) turned out a little warped, off-center and not quite as perfectly round as one attempts to achieve when throwing.  So, I decided to "fix" them.  The first couple I squared-off the corners to disguise the warping.  However, when I went to do the same for the third bowl I kind of tore the newly formed corner.

Never fear!  I "fixed" it!  The quotes are added since my fellow studio members got a huge kick out of my continued attempts to save each piece.  There is much debate about what the shape on the third bowl is ... a beak said one person ... some of the other suggestions are probably not fit to print!  I'll let you make up your own mind about what it might be.  I have no idea, so feel free to let me know your thoughts!

All of my efforts remind me now of the phrase:  "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."  Not so sure if I was successful creating lemonade, but all this "fixing" ahem altering, sounds more intentional doesn't it, has given me some ideas to take back to a hand building series I've been working on.  Hmm ... maybe I'll make lemonade yet.