Vuvu Ceramics

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Isn’t the journey of a caterpillar amazing? In its chrysalis the caterpillar doesn’t merely shift into becoming a butterfly- it actually liquefies and then a butterfly is slowly formed from the “soup”… You know what is really amazing…? The butterfly actually retains memories from when it was a caterpillar. Just when things were darkest and life seemed to be ending for the caterpillar, it slowly rebuilt into a butterfly. It’s a beautiful lesson for us- dark times bring incredible growth, and we can emerge transformed, spreading our beautiful wings. The butterfly tells us that a difficult change or hard times can bring something better. This little ceramic dish celebrates the butterfly. A tiny butterfly sits on a blue-purple hydrangea leaf, a cute little trinket dish or jewelry holder. I start with clay that I roll out flat; then I press a leaf into the clay. The leaf leaves a beautiful botanical impression, with so much intricate detail. I cut out the shape and then give the leaf a curved shape. I add a tiny butterfly while the clay is still soft. The colors I add are ceramic stains and diluted underglazes, topped off with glaze. The dish goes into a pottery kiln and is slowly heated to 2200°F/1200°C. The high temperatures of the kiln vitrify the clay and melt the glaze - the glaze transforms into a layer of glass that seals the ceramic and creates the shiny surface #butterfly #pottery #handmadeart

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"The flower doesn't dream of the bee. It blossoms and the bee comes." (M. Nepo) To me this quote is about being yourself, the best version of yourself as *you* see it. To blossom where you are without chasing the things you hope for. Not worrying about who notices, but focusing on becoming who you are. When the bees move from flower to flower in my garden, each flower is blooming beautifully to its fullest without waiting or wondering or strategizing about the bee. Sometimes we can be too focused on chasing something or modifying ourselves to fit a desire, reach a goal, or please another person - whether it's a writer looking for an agent, an artist looking for a patron, a person looking for a partner, anyone seeking happiness, or meaning, or work, or love, or wealth. The flower is a beautiful reminder to bloom, to bloom the way that is most beautiful to you, and trust that the rest will come. The yellow flower here is a fennel flower, the purple is lavender, and the pink is a daisy- the bees love them all and I grow my garden for all the small beings that visit or call it home. During the summer months, the yellow fennel flowers are covered with bees- it's one of their favorites, and I love to hear the hum of the bees whenever I walk by. For this ceramic dish, I start with soft stoneware clay that I roll flat and then press leaves and flowers into it. After I press the plants into the clay, I remove them, revealing the intricate plant imprints. After forming the dish shape, I add the sculpted tiny bee. The texture on the bee wings is actually from a leaf! After the piece dries, I fire it in my kiln to firm the clay. Then I add color to the leaves using stains, and I add yellow and orange underglaze to the fennel flower. The piece is coated in glaze and fired a second time in the kiln, this time to a much higher temperature - over 2200 degrees F. This vitrifies the clay and melts the glaze to the glass/glossy surface you see. I add real gold overglaze to the piece by hand accenting the textured rim. I fire the piece a third time to melt and bond the gold to the ceramic. #claylove #arttherapy #createart #pottery #botanical

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In this little corner of the forest, magical woodland spirit sits on sprigs of evergreen. Foxes always seem magical, like they walked out of a fairytale. Beyond their storybook charm, they are also timeless symbols of resilience, resourcefulness, good luck, and protection. Evergreens have their own spirituality and magic - they represent the powerful spirit in all life- rebirth, eternal life, and a hopeful future. Thriving throughout cold winters, evergreen trees are a beautiful symbol of standing strong even in dark and difficult times. Together, the fox and evergreen remind us to be resilient, resourceful, and to hold onto our own personal magic as we navigate the world. The piece shown here is ceramic clay that is colored, glazed, and then fired in a pottery kiln. I start by pressing leaves into the clay using a simple rolling pin, capturing the intricate texture of the plant. I sculpt the fox by hand from the same clay, joining it to the dish while the clay is still soft. The fox becomes one with the dish through the kiln firings. The fox sculpture is painted with orange and black underglazes, then glazed and fired in my electric pottery kiln. In a separate firing, I paint the 22kt gold accent on the edge of the dish and on the fox. The gold is real gold which is also fired on in the pottery kiln. This video glimpses stages of the art process from the start to the finished piece. It’s satisfying to press the leaves and then watch them fill with color. I always hope the process is relaxing and soothing to watch. Vuvu Ceramics is actually named after the scientific name of the red fox, Vulpes Vulpes. (Vuvu is pronounced Voo-Voo) And since I get asked about my own name also, Deana Coveney, it’s pronounced DEE-na KUH-venny. Deana is an Old English name meaning a wooded dene or small valley (a perfect hideaway for a little fox) 🦊 #foxart #sculpture #ceramics #satisfying #pottery