Koi birdbath (in progress)

Approximately 16 inches in diameter

I build these in a cement birdbath top that's lined with an old T-shirt. When the piece is leather-hard, I'll lift it out of the mold and allow it to dry completely. Here are some photos of the early process:

I throw the slabs by hand,

score, slip, and lay them together.

Then I pound 'em with the heel of my hand

which compresses and smooths them.

Hopefully the birdbath won't crack as it dries or fires.

Cichlid plate (Discus) in progress

Here's the front

and the back.

The plate's in a glaze firing right now... Stay tuned for pics of the finished piece.

Anglerfish number 2: "Football Fish"

She's fairly small... about the size of a grapefruit.

Another koi lantern

 I'm trying to make these not need four feet.

Thought I'd try using the "frill" as a support.

Cichlid family (in progress)

 Here's my latest "fish cup." I still need to glaze it.

They're South American dwarf cichlids (genus Apistogramma).

Dr. Herbert Axelrod's Atlas of Freshwater Aquarium Fishes

As you can see, they're very attractive fish with many color variants.

Cichlids are attentive parents, more so than most other fish. Momma (the yellow fish) guards her eggs and herds the fry once they hatch.

"Momma! (fish)" Copyright Angela Joy Oster

I'm convinced my latest acquisition is of a cichlid. Love this painting!