Independence Day

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I am feeling really guilty today because I absolutely do not want to do anything. I have gotten totally sucked into Danny Gregory's website. There's way too much info and drawings and things to read. I did a few drawings yesterday and a couple this morning.
I did manage to make a few pots yesterday and I finished them up this morning. I then mowed the grass. That's plenty of work for today don't you think? Man I wish my camera wasn't broken I want to post some images.
I am also having an urge to go shopping. I need some new shorts, tee shirts, and a pair of low top Converse. I'd also like to replace my camera, and get some art supplies (damn Danny G.). I don't even know what's open today and anyhow my frugal, guilty mind is holding me back from leaving here.
Oh yeah, my pie turned out pretty good last night. I think I'm more of a cobbler or crisp guy though. I'm not really into crust. It's sort of opposite with pizza. I am totally into crust there. I think with fruit pies I am more interested in the fruit.
Sarah is at work. I guess I am going to just hang out for awhile. Maybe I'll go do a few more drawings. It's hot out again today. No need to over do it.
Later, Ron

Picking and drawing

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I managed to get myself out of bed at a decent hour this morning (who decides what is a decent hour anyway) and walk and feed the dogs. After that I headed up the road to pick some blackberries. We have a nice patch that I discovered late last week. Sarah and I picked about 6 cups yesterday and I picked about that much or more this morning. I am planning on baking a cobbler or deep dish pie to take to a family cookout this evening. This is all new to me so it is fun. Being out early this morning picking berries gave me lots of thoughts about primitive man (or probably woman) out gathering food. It also made me think of snakes, bees, and chiggers. My dad told me recently that my grandfather had loved to pick blackberries and would be out picking as the sun came up. I thought about this as I picked this morning and how I miss my grandfather and how much I could have continued to learn from him. I bet he'd really be interested in my pottery and kiln. I need to talk to my dad more about these things.

A friend recently turned me on to Danny Gregory. If you are interested in drawing or journaling you should check him out. I am getting interested in visual journaling. Some sites to visit are 1001 Journals and Tessha Moore's site. Some of these are really fantastic. I have been journaling since 11th grade, writing anywhere from 1 to 6 or more pages a day, usually in the mornings. I'd like to explore drawing as a journaling tool. I think expressing emotions and feelings in a visual way is sometimes easier and goes deeper than with words. It can be very engaging and freeing. Danny Gregory also speaks of drawing as being medatitive, slowing him down to the present moment. This of course would help lots of people. Read his short essays on his page under 'Recent Matters'. He also mentions this list of weekly challenges, things to draw. It would be a good place to start.

Out with myself

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Yesterday I went to Brevard to Judith Duff's kiln opening. I wasn't really sure if I'd go or not. I was battling guilt and negative voices up until the time I walked into her studio door. I kept thinking to myself I need to stay home and work on pots, or in the yard, or something. In the end I got in my truck and left after taking care of the dog's morning needs. I knew Sarah would be sleeping in late and resting most of the day since she worked a 36 hr stint at the hospital. Anyhow once I got to Judith's I was glad I had not stayed at home. She had some really wonderful pots. Awesome shinos and pots from the train kiln and anagama. The first pot that caught my eye was a cereal sized bowl with a rich crackle red shino glaze. I thought to myself, this pot is probably $60 which I cannot spent today. I picked it up and saw that the price sticker read $400. Whoa. Well I guess I certainly WON'T be getting that one.
So I found a shino cup that looked like snow and ice, pink in places with iron spots coming through the thick feldspatic glaze. (My camera is busted or I'd put up an image.) It was $24. Much more in my price range for the day.
It was good to catch up with Judith and have her show me her new kilns and talk about all the great pots. If you get a change to visit her studio it is worth checking out. There's lots of good work in a wide price range.

I decided since I was already so close to Asheville I might as well go on up to Highwater Clay and pick up some supplies. I needed some grog and other materials for clay mixing and tests. Everything went fine until I got on the interstate about 15 miles outside of Asheville. Bumper to bumper. Oh yeah it's a holiday weekend! Well I managed to get off the interstate and go the back way to Highwater.

I got home about 4 and later Sarah and I went out with our friend David for pizza at Doc's.

I was glad to get away from home for awhile. Seeing Judith's pots was inspiring and I am all set to mix clay today and make some pots this week.

Back to work?

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I guess it's about time I get back to work around here. The Monday after the pottery sale weekend I went to visit some friends in the mountains. It was nice to get away and have a change of scenery. It had been raining for several days so the streams were running heavily and all the trees and plants were green and lush. I enjoyed my visit with my friends, hanging out talking about pots, politics, food, clay, travel and other odds and ends.

Back at home I now I need to do some general clean up, mix some clay and get some pots made. I will be firing again in July with a potter from SC. We are splitting a firing in my kiln. I have some special orders to fill and more clay bodies to test.

This Saturday I am thinking about going to a pottery sale in Brevard. I met Judith Duff back in the early 90's at a class at Arrowmont Craft School. She is making some awesome pots. I would also like to check out her new anagama kiln.

This afternoon I'm taking my niece Sophie to the movies. She's here with her mom visiting Sarah's parents. So maybe I won't get too much done around here today. I guess I could go make a few cups.

Have a great day.

Thanks!

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I had a great Summer Sale. Thank you to everyone who came out. It was nice to see some new faces and some who we have missed over the past few sales. I feel very blessed to have such a good customer base, local and from afar. I had a potter friend from western NC tell me a few years ago that she was really surprised that I had been able to make it in Shelby. Well I'm doing it and I hope to continue. Thanks to all of you.
Have a great week. I am off to the mountains today for a visit with some friends.

Sale weekend

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Here are a few images of the showroom set up for the Summer Pottery Sale.
Saturday 10 till 5, Sunday Noon till 4. I hope you'll make it out. If you haven't seen the Summer Newsletter you can get it here.



Coming Soon...

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I unloaded the kiln yesterday. I'll have some pictures up by tonight I hope. I'm running a little behind, lots going on here. I just had a group of 20 visitors from a Rotory Club camp that's going on at the local university. Check back in later for the images. Thanks!

Finished firing

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I cut the kiln off around 2 pm today. In the picture you can see a cup that is sitting on the bagwall and the edge of a bowl on the front rack of shelves. I think it was a good firing, (knock on wood).

Saturday Firing

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The firing is coming along fine this morning. I got up at 1 and 4 am to turn the gas up. I put the kiln in body reduction for 20 minutes at 4am. I am over 2000 deg. F now and will be salting in a couple hours. This is the best part for me. I will probably be finished earlier than I expected. I can't wait to unload on Monday and I haven't even finished firing yet. I want to see my new pots and clay tests. Salt glazing is so exciting to me, the results are always slightly (sometimes dramatically) different than the last firing. Having some glazed pots in this load will be different too.
We are going to a cookout tonight for Father's day so it will be nice to finish up here and then go have a good burger.
Okay gotta go.

Loaded and lit

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I finished loading today around 4 pm. I pretty much took my time and all went well. I got in most of the pots I really wanted for my Home Sale next weekend.
I lit the burners just now (it's 10pm). I'll get up a couple times overnight and increase the gas pressure. I should finish up tomorrow around 4pm.
Sarah and I went to Doc's tonight for pizza. If you make out to the Sale next weekend and want to have some good food I recommend going to Doc's.
Check back again soon. Thanks!







Loading Day

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I will be loading the kiln today. I will get some pics up tonight. I have lots of taller pots this time so it will be a different stack than usual. I am looking forward to this firing. My new pitchers and vases will be in it as well as two big jars which I chose to glaze on the outside as opposed to slipping them which I normally do. I am hoping the gas truck will come today and fill my propane tank up, I called on Tuesday. I may need to call and check. I'd really like to fire the kiln off tomorrow.

This week has been pretty rough emotionally. I hit a kitten on the road Tuesday and had to stop and pick it up so I could bury it. I saved it's brother and found a home for him. Kharma has been good for the most part but really pushes my buttons at times, like yesterday when she ran off. I feel like slamming my head against the wall sometimes. Maybe I need to be on some medication. The truth is I need to be taking some time to meditate, and do some yoga, I am stiff as a board and my mind is all amuck sometimes. I have also been forking out money like crazy this week. All necessary things for the businness, advertising, materials, etc. It will come back in time though.

I had a good experience in town yesterday. I met some guys who knew my dad which in turn led to them being extra nice to me and helping me with some stuff I was working on. I left feeling good about that and thinking that I need to get out of the studio more and interact with people. I also need to let my guard down some and see the good in the world. It's hard for me to do this for some reason.

Well this has gotten a bit long. Check back later for the pictures of the loading and if I get the kiln fired I will unload on Monday and get those pics up too. Have a good Friday!

Summer Pottery Sale!!

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The Newsletter is now online. Click here. It has information on my upcoming sale as well as what I have been up to lately. Pics too. Check it out.
My Summer sale is June 24th, 10 am till 5 pm and June 25th, noon till 4 pm. I will have a lot of pots on the shelves. Keep checking back here over the next week for pictures of the firing and unloading.
I hope you'll be able to make it out and bring some friends. I will have a group of seconds and old stock marked down for quick sale.

Finishing up

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I think I am finished with the pots for this kiln load. It's kind of hard to put the brakes on and stop making. Today I need to mix some glaze, fire a bisque (which is going already), and clean my kiln shelves. I need to do some work around the house too so maybe that will get done over the next few days. I would like to fire the salt/soda kiln next week or maybe next weekend. That would give me plenty of time to be ready for my sale on the 24th and 25th.
Better get busy.

South Mountain State Park

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Sarah and I went up to South Mountain State Park for a hike this morning. We took Kharma along too. We spent a few hours up there, it was nice to be in the great outdoors for a while. The park is only 25 miles from here; I don't know why we don't go more often. There is good hiking, fishing, mountain biking and horseback trails. Maybe we can make it a point to go more often. I could certainly use the opportunity to get in a little better shape.

Easy Day

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Today was an easy day, I did lots of little things, or nothing at times. This morning I went over to my sister's to help her and my niece put up this big swimming pool that they bought. It's one of those with a big inflatable ring at the top rim of the pool. That gets blown up and then you fill the pool up with water and the ring floats and keeps the structure all up. I think it's about 12 ft in diameter and 3 ft deep. My brother in law and nephew are off fishing for the weekend so they will be surprised when they get home.

I had a customer come by for a couple pots. And I got some handles on these two jars. The one on the left is made with about 22 lbs of clay and the one on the right with about 14. I will get them slipped tomorrow.

Played with the dogs for a bit in the yard and read a few chapters in Traveling Mercies. Oh yeah and weeded the side flower bed. I went to get a load of mulch but the nursery was closed, so that will have to wait till next week.

So that's my Saturday. I hope your's was fun.

Goofy

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Sarah was in the studio yesterday taking some photos for the Newsletter. We got some good ones plus a few that definitely won't make publication due to my goofing around. Anyhow my Home sale is June 24 th and 25th. The Newsletter should be going out in about a week. I hope you'll go ahead and mark your calendars now and plan on coming out to see what I've been up to. I will have lots of pots in the showroom plus a selection of seconds and old stock marked down for quick sale.


Kharma's new trick

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Kharma has a new trick. I'll be making pots on the treadle wheel. She will walk over carrying her rubber chicken squeeky toy and hold it over the right side of the fly wheel. Then , at just the right moment she'll drop it on the flywheel and it will be shot out the other side. She did this about 40 times yesterday and continued doing it for a while today until I needed a break and had to confiscate the chicken.

Heat

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I just came in from the studio. I'm beat, my back hurts, and I stink. It's been hot the past couple days, I guess I'm going to have to get used to it being summer.

A good day again today. Ran out of clay though. I didn't know I was quite that low. Anyway, I have some stand by of this other body that I made up a while back. Probably 50 pounds, I'll finish out some small stuff with that. Today I finally got another big jar thrown, or the two parts anyway. This is my third attempt. I was using some commercial clay I bought last week (wanted to test it out). Anyway that stuff was super stiff out of the box. I don't know how people use it. I soaked it and tried throwing it on the kick wheel, still too stiff. Tried again and failed. Today I finally ran it through the pug mill and really got it nice and soft and consistant. Made the two parts on my treadle, and then threw 2 more for a smaller version.

I'm going to get horizontal for a few minutes before having to get the dogs out for some play time.