Waiting, Waiting

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I have spent the morning waiting. First off I had to be at the court house at 8:15 am to appear for jury service. After spending almost 2 hrs there we were all dismissed as we were not needed for a trial today. I still have to go back in the morning again and may get selected to serve on a jury.
Now back at home I have been out to the studio and uncovered all of the pots from Monday and Tuesday. None are ready to have handles attached, feet cut, or whatever. I decided to pack my pots to take to the Clayworks Sale while I waited. There's not much sense in getting too many new things made today, I'll be overwhelmed when it gets all leatherhard at the same time. So I think after lunch I'll mow the lawn and then hopefully get to turn the feet on my plates.
That's my quick update. If you wait a little while there will probably be more....

Back to Work

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It's been a good Monday. After a quick trip to town this morning I got into the studio and made 5 boards of plates (four shown here). I am working towards a dinnerware order that is due in October. I'd like to go ahead and knock it out early. So I got those made before lunch and then threw some 3 lb pitchers and worked on a slab tray. This tray is going to be a challenge. It's a special order and they want it to be pretty big. I don't know if I can pull it off but I am going to give it a few shots before I have to call in my handbuilding consultant. These jars were demos from last week's class and I got the birds added to them today, almost a week later. I've never made the tall, faceted one before. I am finding I'll try things for my students that I normally wouldn't do in my studio. Often this leads to new pots for me, or at least some play time that helps generate new ideas.


Guild Pottery Sale

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I had a great day at the guild sale yesterday. A fellow potter shot this photo of me as I was finishing setting up my booth. The weather held out until about 3pm and then everyone packed up a bit early to avoid an approaching thunderstorm.

I had good sales during the morning hours. Thanks to everyone who came out! My animal pots were especially popular. I sold a nice platter and lots of other pots too.

This next week I'll be digging in and getting back into throwing mode. I have a dinnerware set to make and I need to make some animal jars, I am down to one.

I will be at the Clayworks Studio sale this coming weekend. I'll post details this week.

Friday's Images

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I took these images today as I was getting ready to pack up for my show tomorrow. I did more decorated pots in this kiln. I haven't made these star mugs in a while. I had to throw in that white one. These plates were fun. I went through a 'dot phase' a few years ago, I brought it back on these plates and included some crossed lines. A simple pattern and pretty effective.
Luncheon plates.
Spouted mixer. I like that the blue slip can also be this black color if it gets little salt. Most of this load was on the lightly salted side. I am really fond of that look although I tend to go back and forth between light salt and really juicy orange peel. The cool thing is that I can get both in one firing.
So tomorrow, May 12th, I will be at the ClayMatters Pottery Guild Sale in Charlotte. The location is 8300 Monroe Rd and it's from 10am till 4 pm. If you are in the area please come out and see me.

Noodles

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I was too lazy to cook tonight so Sarah went out and picked up some take out at Chen's, our favorite Chinese restaurant. We had vegetable lo mein. Sarah claimed the bowl on the right when she got home from work. I liked this yellow one. I may have to make us four or five more of these for the kitchen.

Firing

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I was very pleased with my firing. I had some great color. I think doing a longer body reduction has really helped in that area. The slips had some great variety. I want to shoot some close ups tomorrow that will show this. There were lots of cups and bowls and yunomi in this load. All my tall bottles came out great as did my new wide bowls. I'll be posting images over the next day or two so keep checking in.
I didn't have many blue pots in this load. I did have quite a lot with the slip pours. The one blue baker I had sold about an hour after it came out of the kiln!

Pots

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There were a lot of these cups in this firing. These are a few of my favorites. Tall neck bottle. These all came out great too. This is a new shape of teapot for me. I think I like it. That long spout is pretty cool. I haven't tested to see how it pours yet.
These wide bowls are new. I made six, each with a different rim. Sarah claimed one as soon as she got home.

Thoughts (random) on Pots

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I feel like I have pretty much made the pots I've wanted and not compomised myself for the sake of selling or trying to follow fads or the market. My customers know what to expect when they come out here. When I had my little electric kiln early on I was using glazes that we had at the the community college. I also came up with a blue and a cream glaze. I saw some of these blue pots at my sister's the other day. They aren't bad, well not too bad, but I am glad not to be making them. I've always had this adversion to blue pots. Leach didn't have nice things to say about blue, and I none of the potters I really liked early on made blue. So I was in the anti-blue pot crowd for a long time. Blue seemed a sell out. 'Cash flow blue' was the name of a glaze. That to me said enough. Sometimes I'd give in on my salt glazed work and add some blue dots. They sold. Even on a bad pot.

I have educated my customers about salt glaze and about functional ware. I hope most of the pots that leave here are being put into use. I feel like that is the case. I would like to think I've challenged my customers in some ways too. In this day, pots aren't really necessary. They are a luxury. I feel they improve our lives and bring beauty in our homes and to our everyday rituals of eating and drinking.

I make some blue pots now. I have a blue slip that goes all wet and juicy on a high silica clay when bombarded with salt and soda. It looks good on certain pots, cups, small jars, low bakers. I tried it on a pitcher once. Once was enough. I love Jane Hamlyn and Walter Keeler's blue salt glazed pots. I use blue now, sparingly, not because it sells, but because I like it, and I think I've matured a little. A whole kiln load would seem daunting to me though, of course a whole kiln load of 'brown and round' pots is probably a nightmare for some out there.

After lunch I'll be unloading such a kiln. There will be some nice flashing, some reds and oranges and creams in this kiln. Some pots will have blue and white and yellow pours. I'll take these pots to a pottery sale this weekend where they will be in the minority. Actually there is no one in our guild making salt glazed pots. I will stand alone among the bright and shiney blues and greens and reds and purples. (Purple...don't get me started.) I will talk to people about my work and how it is quiet and not too demanding. How it works in your kitchen or for morning coffee. I'll show them my long spouted mixers and how fun it is to use them for mixing eggs on Sunday mornings. These are pots (hopefully) that will stick around for a long time in people's homes. They have a timeless feel and are comfortable to use, they challenge the Wal-Mart mentality, and the bland cheesy coffee cup with 'world's best mom' printed on the side. They are this and more. These are my pots.

Freer and Sackler Galleries

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Need some inspiration? Look no further than this site. The Freer and Sackler Galleries have an awesome website. Be sure to click on the current exhibitions, 'Parades' and 'Taking Shape' are awesome. If you are a fan of Gwyn Hanssen Pigot be sure to see 'Parades' this is an exhibit of still lifes but instead of using her pots she chose from the gallerie's collections. It is quite amazing. There is a good short video on the 'Taking Shape' page too.
By clicking on "The Collections" you can browse through tons of artwork, much of it ceramic. I'll be spending lots of time here for sure.

Unloading

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I think my firing went well. I will unload tomorrow and get some images posted. If anything I could have probably put more salt in.
I have been at the Arts Council most of the morning and afternoon helping install a sculpture show. It opens on Thursday and looks quite good.
I am off to teach shortly. Sorry for the slack posts lately. I have been reading some interesting essays on Rob Barnard's site and on www.artistpotters.com Maybe if I re-read one or two of them I'll share my opinions.
Check back later tomorrow for some images of new pots.

Pots in the Kiln

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Today was a perfect day to load the kiln, it was sunny but not too hot with a good breeze blowing. I finished up in a few hours and most of the pots made it in. I am really looking forward to tomorrows firing. It's good that after years of doing this I feel like I am still as excited to fire my kiln as the first time back in 1996.

I'm Still Here

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I'm falling behind on my posts here aren't I?
I have been thinking lately about how much time I spend on this machine. I admit I can get sucked in and even use it as sort of a distraction from reality. I would like to cut back my daily computer time and try to be very intentional about what I am doing while online. Not just spacing out and wasting time.
Last week I tried to draw everyday. I did pretty good. Mostly simple things, my morning cup of tea, some books, things around the house. I would like to post some of these if I can figure out how again. I'm having some issues with my scanner.
I have a strong desire to use my free time in a more creative manner. I want to be drawing, reading, spending more time out in nature, writing, making pots, cooking....things that nuture me. I find I have to really put forth an effort to do these things, otherwise I am zoning out or just rushing mindlessly through my day.
Tomorrow I plan to load the kiln and to fire on Monday. So you can expect some images.
I'll leave it at that for now. Check back soon.

Feet

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I had a request asking to see an image of the feet I cut yesterday. So here they are. This first one is from the tall footed bowl shape. Those are thrown with a solid stem of clay for the foot with the top being the bowl. I use an L-shaped turning tool to get way down in there. Here are a few of the yunomi feet.
And here is a paddled bottle shape I made for a demo for my class last night. I threw it a little thick and later fluted it with a Dolan triangle shaped trimming tool.


Last Pots for This Load

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I finished up these yunomi this morning, cutting the feet and... well I still have to slip them but then they'll be ready. I made these five from my fireclay body which I am happy to be returning to. They threw nicely and the feet cut well too. These have all been squared and decorated in different ways...stamped, sprigs, roped, finger mark, and a plain one with just the marks from the rib.
A while back I bought a jar from Rock Creek Pottery that had a nice tall foot. I thought I'd make some pots with tall feet too. I had intended for all of these to be baskets but wasn't sure how to solve the handle. So there's one with a clay handle, one with lugs that will get a wire handle, and for the other two I gave up on the basket idea because I thought they might look good with a bird on the rim. I am sure I'll be making more tall footed pots, it's very dramatic. We'll see where they take me.
These are the last pots for my upcoming firing. Things are drying out quickly so I'll get in a bisque soon and then fire the salt kiln next week.

New Day, New Week

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Quick Monday morning post before I get going. I had a good day of rest on Sunday. Today looks like it is going to be a beautiful day, I plan to do some yard work and some last minute work on pots in the studio. I will be firing soon. Either over the weekend or in a week from today. My next show is with the Claymatters Guild in Charlotte on May 12th, so I want to fire before then. I have some platters that are made to hang as well as a few new teapots, jars, and bowls. All the clay I mixed came out of the racks over the weekend. So I am all set on that end. My first pots of May will be a dinnerware order that is to be delivered in October. I want to get it knocked out now so I won't be stressed at the last minute.
Have a good start to the week. Check back for more later.

18 Hour Day

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Yesterday was long. I got up at 6:15 am and headed out shortly thereafter to set up for the art show in town. We had to be set up by 8:30 which is early I think. The show started at 9, again too early, should have been more like 10. Anyhow, it was a beautiful day and the show looked lovely all set around the historic courthouse square in Shelby. I wish I had taken my camera. We do have one of the best courtsquares I've ever seen. Anyway, I saw lots of friends and had fun visiting. Unfortunately sales weren't too grand. And the show ran until 5 (too long, should have ended at 4). Sarah and her mom came out for a while and let me take a break for lunch.

After breaking down my booth, I came home for a quick shower and then drove 1 hr to Charlotte to participate in 'All Fired Up', the fundraising event for Clayworks, where I teach once a week. It was a good party, my part was to help in the 'extreme throwing' demo. Five instructors, including myself, threw parts for a large basket sculpture which we assembled at the end of the night. By 9 o'clock I felt like I might fall over, (I only had one and a half beers), and we still had an hour and a half to go. Honestly I didn't feel like myself most of the night, maybe it was exhaustion, or just being up in front of a group of people. When I crawled into bed at 12:30 I was out like a light. I had dreams of big slabs of clay, and of rolling out sheets of tofu (I have no idea what that's about). Anyhow it was fun to hang out with friends, I just wish I'd had more energy.

Today I plan to do as little as possible.

Long Bottle

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I finished these bottles up today. It's a new shape for me. I like this long skinny neck. The handles were the hardest part.
Tomorrow, Saturday, I will be at Art on the Square in uptown Shelby. This is a first year event and is coinciding with two other events happening uptown. Honestly, I have never done well that this kind of venue. I'm going to give it a shot again tomorrow. I will try to have postive thoughts between now and then, maybe that will attract some sales or interest.

More Studio Pics

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This is the corner of my studio where I sit and clickity-clack on the treadle and make pots. The window looks out toward the wooded area and creek behind the studio. A big stack of batts that need to be scraped off.
 Six bowls I made yesterday and got slipped today. It's a new open shape that is slightly altered.
A few tankards with the Toyko pattern.

Where I Live and Work

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My dad and I build the house (which was originally the pottery shop) and tractor shed in the early 90's. It's the structure to the far right. I had the pottery workshop in the downstairs with the upstairs mainly unfinished but with plans on living there. I worked there for several years and when Sarah and I decided to get married in 2000 we finished the upstairs and took over a third of the tractor shed for a kitchen and bathroom. I continued to work in the pottery up until last year when we built the new studio (just to the left). It's nice to have all the clay dust out of the house and we are working on converting that area into living space.


The new studio sits where the kiln shed was originally. That shed was 16 ft square. We added onto the concrete slab to make it 20 by 36 and built the studio and showroom. The kiln was moved to a new shed (far left).

We sit about 400 ft off the road which is nice. To the east is a large field that is farmed, usually corn or wheat. Behind us to the north is a creek (where I played as a child) and a large pasture. It often has cows in it but seems to be vacant right now. To the west is my dad's house, about 300 ft away and then a small cemetery and church yard.

I am very fortunate to have such a beautiful place to live and work. I am thankful to my father for giving us this land and for all his hard work with me in building what is here now. Of course there were others too who helped with later projects.

(Just in case you are wondering...I LOVE to mow grass!)