A smashing morning

About a year ago I made an oil lamp. I was pleased with the form, and even pleased with the pretty blue glaze on it, but unfortunately, it was a bit too thick and a drip on one side set the lamp off kilter after the second firing.

Other such objects have been hanging around my table gathering dust. Pretty things with absurd drips. Victims of the ugly rough glaze I just can't quite give up on: In one out of 5 objects, it produces something volcanicly lovely.

This morning, I've put these things to use. In my courtyard there is a bath tub that I'm planning to convert to a planter. I decided I'd line the bottom with pottery rubble so that it will drain better. I got the hammer. I got all my unloved drippy or rough misfits. And I set to smashing. Soon, bits of teapot graced the tub:

Then I got around to hammering into the belly of my oil lamp, with a tiny pang, because I really liked the way the blue met with the clay body. There's a slight orangy-brown tinge where they merge.














But it was like hammering into a piggy bank. On the inside: treasure. Isn't that a delicious blue?















And now, things are in full swing. Pottery shards on the courtyard floor waiting to make it into the tub. Tub waiting to be filled with rich earth. Banana plant slowly coming back to life after the cruel winter. Seeds thinking about sprouting. Strawberries in bloom!!

All in all, a smashing morning.