rat

Rainy day but the pots are looking good.

It's been a monsoon here for the past two days.  I hope all this moves out before the weekend.

I've been kicking it in the studio since we got home from vacation.  I'll unload my second glaze kiln tomorrow.  I've got some really sweet pots coming out of the kiln.   I had to laugh out loud at some of the drawings on the cups when I unloaded the other day.  That's pretty cool, getting a response from the work like that.


The pots I used to make in the salt kiln were more subtle and quiet, these drawn on pots are direct and often elicit responses from people as soon as they pick them up.  I know I've heard (and probably preached) that pots that tell it all right up front may loose their appeal quickly.  I don't think that is necessarily always the case.  I have found that I enjoy these pots day in and day out.  Hell, I even talk to them sometimes.  And they make me feel good.  The forms have a good bit to offer too and may be the part of these pots are more subtle and casual.  Whatever the case, I am happy with them and at the same time I want them to keep getting better.  I want to keep asking more of them and see where it takes me and the work.  A good place to be.


I'm listing some new pots in the Online Shop today.

Very Happy Thursday

Piglet thought that they ought to have a Reason for going to see everybody, like Looking for Small or Organizing an Expotition, if Pooh could think of something.
Pooh could. "We'll go because it's Thursday," he said, "and we'll go to wish everybody a Very Happy Thursday.
Come on, Piglet." 
I love Winnie the Pooh.  I think he could teach us all something.  That part above is from The House at Pooh Corner. Chapter 8.  In which Piglet does a very grand thing.

Well, I'm having a cup of tea in my new Rat cup as I wait for my oatmeal to cook.  I think it's my new favorite cup!  I was very happy with that last kiln load and look forward to some of those pots going off to new homes.

That book there by Gregg Levoy is very good.  The title is Callings.  I'm only 50 pages in but I'm really enjoying it.  It's about learning to hear/recognize and follow (or not) callings in our lives.  With the hope that this will lead up to living a more authentic life.


I worked on a few rectangular boxes yesterday.  They are fairly time consuming pots, each made up of 8 parts total.  Then the deco is pretty intensive too.

This first shot shows the three bodies, thrown without bottoms and then gently shaped.


And here they are now after I've shaped them a bit more and attached the tops and bottoms.

They are currently under plastic to allow everything to even out before I cut the lids and attach the feet.  That's probably not going to happen until tomorrow as I have a full day of getting ready for the gallery crawl in town tonight.  I'm in charge of the reception at the Arts Council and I have pots on display at a local shop.  Looks like I'll be in the kitchen most of the after noon.


Here's a paper cut sign that I made for my display at 2 Doors Down.

  One thing I learned while making this, be careful when working on paper cuts because if you poke your finger with the scalpel and then bleed all over your paper it pretty much ruins it and you have to start again!


This next part is for Anna but may be helpful to others too.

This is a close up of the tools I use for sgraffito and carving away excess clay.

 I want to mention that the working ends of the tools on the right should be filed with a flat edge as shown below. (As opposed to a knife shaped edge).


I keep a small file on hand when decorating and give them a sharpen when needed.


Okay that's quite a lot of info for today.  Breakfast is ready so I'll sign out, have a great Thursday!!