Thursday

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Just a quick note before I head out to the shop.
I am finishing up my next kiln load today, putting spouts and handles on a few teapots and hopefully getting some platters footed. More yunomis to make and plates and bowls for my November firing. I think I have made all the pots for the ACC Show and the exhibition at Wooden Stone. I feel kind of 'out of it', like I have reached the end of the cycle and thinking 'what's next?'. It's just a strange feeling of working on two loads at once, I like to work from firing to firing, but I'm not complaining because I am ahead of the game for once.
I'll be packing up pots for the Claymatter's Sale today and tomorrow.
I'll get some pics up this afternoon.

First Dozen

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These are the first 12 cups in my 60 cup order. All different. I made 12 more this morning and will get them footed tomorrow. I feel like I am winding down on my next kiln load. I really have about a load and a half made. I 'll be making bowls and plates next week, but they won't get fired until Novemeber.

Monday

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I have had a good productive Monday. I really love Monday's, it seems one of the days when I actually get a lot of work done and seem to have my act together. From here out on out the week will get more chaotic probably. I got started on my yunomi order, also mugs, some stem cups, and platters. Nothing from today to show here, but I will post some of it tomorrow once I get some feet cut etc.
Here are a few pots from last week. This jar is my second try at this shape, more successful this time. These are some big dishes. 18 lbs of clay in that one with the handles.

60 Yunomi

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Friday I got an order for 60 yunomi. Sometimes I don't really like getting orders but this is different. 60 cups, all different. This will be fun. It will be a chance to sit down at the wheel and make one of my favorite forms over and over. They will evolve as I go, one leading to the next. And then they will all get turned, which is something else I love. I'll probably work on them in groups of 12 at a time. I'll post them as I go.

Here's a favorite from a firing over the summer.

Getting Things Finished. Signature Pots

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I spent today trying to catch up and get things put together, handled, slipped, etc. I worked a LONG time on these seven little pots. Each one of these is made from 7 parts (except that one on the far left with no handle and it has 6). Anyhow who in their right mind makes pots with 7 parts!? I know, lots of people, but not me, not usually. So that took up a big chunk of time and I still have to slip them tomorrow. I like them though. Maybe I'll make more in a year.
I finished off these vases, some ovals and some faceted ones.
 Square mugs, slipped. I got a bisque loaded today, I was running out of ware boards. So I'll fire it off tomorrow. No clay got mixed today. I wish the clay fairies would show up and do that tonight while I sleep.

I had a lady at my last show ask me what my signature item was. She was looking for something for a client and I guess she wanted something unique. I don't know. Anyhow, I don't really feel like I have this one thing that defines me. Some potters do. I have thought about it and at times feel I should have something, but that's not something you can just make up, well unless you go to grad school and then they make you. (right? I don't know. I didn't go.) Anyhow, I feel like my pots all have some sort of good quality that is me. The way I handle the clay, my handles, spouts, feet. my firing process. They are all my signature pieces. I wanted to tell her "Cups!" , which are what I really like to make, but that wouldn't have been what she wanted to hear. She did buy a nice large jar, so that was good. I know what my signature piece ISN'T....something made out of 7 parts.

Proof

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Here's proof that I have been in the studio this week and not hanging out at the Fair. Today's worktime has flown by, interrupted in the middle of the day by a meeting at the Arts Council and now I am off to teach my night class. I guess I am going to have to get in the workshop earlier on Tuesdays. Anyhow I did throw some medium oval bakers and oval vases today. I have tons of stuff under plastic ready to be finished tomorrow...cups, tankards, jars, and I can't remember what else at the moment.
Below are some pots in progress. To the left some cruets that need spouts and handles and to the right some vases drying upside down. These will get faceted.



I am picking up some materials while in the city today so I can mix 4 racks of clay. I need to get stocked up. I'd like to mix that much plus 4 more before December. I have felt kind of panicky today with all that I have coming up. It's really under control for the most part, I just need to slow down and breathe. (But for now I have to hit the interstate!)

More from the Fair

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We saw a great show by some acrobats from Kenya. We were right up on the front row.
There were five members of this troop. They flipped, contorted, climbed all over one another, balanced on chairs, layed on a board of nails, ate fire, and ran, flipped and jumped through flaming hoops. It was great and very upbeat with African music playing in the back ground.

This is the legendary water wheel at the fair. It's sort of the known landmark for people to meet.
Okay I'll get back to pots today. Monday is usually very productive. I got some clay pugged last night so I will be all set and ready to throw when I get in the shop this morning.

County Fair

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We have had a good weekend. Sarah and I worked on Saturday painting windows and doors in the new renovation. Later that afternoon we headed to the Cleveland County Fair. Our county has the biggest county fair in the state. I have been going since I was a kid and it's always an adventure and lots of fun. This year we went with our friends from Charlotte, Amy and Brian Sanders. I had told Amy about the fair on Friday night during our Circle of Eight meeting.
The first thing we did was go watch the pig races. Check out these little guys rounding the second corner. That little girl is really rooting her favorite on!
Here is another group in a later race.
And ducks too! I didn't get a shot of the goats but they were really cute.
There is a ton of stuff to do at the fair. We ate lots of unhealthy food...corn dogs, vinegar fries, fudge, caramel apples, and I had a big cheeseburger just before we left to drive my cholesteral into the red. I also played my favorite midway game, Fat Albert. We visited the exhibition halls and watched crazy people on the rides. It's easy to go through a pocket full of cash so we had to get home before we went broke. Around the time we left the evening crowd was piling in.



New Cycle

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Here is part of this weeks output so far. There are also plates, soup bowls, animal jars, bird dishes, and oil cans. All this stuff is ready to be slipped which will happen after lunch. Some of you may be asking why I have not filled up these boards. It's all part of sharing the studio with Karma. I have to push things to the back so she doesn't get her paws on them while I am out.

Sale Weekend

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I had a great turnout for my sale over the weekend. Many of the pots from the last firing went to new homes. I hardly got to spend any time looking at them before they went out the door. Thanks to everyone who came out. I had lots of returning regular customers, some who hadn't been here in a while as well as some new folks who saw the sign on the highway and even a couple of my new students from Clayworks made the trip out. It's aways fun for me to see everyone and catch up and share my work. Now it's time to get back in the workshop and make more!

Thanks again for coming out, I couldn't do this without all the support of my customers and fellow pottery lovers. Thanks also to everyone who visits this blog and supports me in that way. I hope you'll pass word of my work on to others who you think may be interested. Have a great week.

More Pots

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Two beaky pitchers. I'll probably be making more of these too. I need to check out how they pour. Sometimes I do blue.
 New deep soup/cereal bowls. I'll be keeping one of these for myself.
A good stack of plates.More mugs and some yunomi.

Unloaded

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Good firing! A little on the light side but that was expected. That's due to this clay body and no body reduction. I think things look really nice. I had good soda coverage and just a few things that will become seconds, mainly due to glaze issues. So I am very happy. All this stuff now has to get priced and moved into the showroom. I'll put up some more pictures soon.
Below two pics are overviews of the entire load.
A new big dish. There will be more of these in the Oct. firing.
My new lobed cups. Fun.
They are designed for those mornings when you are only half (or less than) awake as they pretty much direct your coffee right into your mouth.

Old Vase

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My neighbor Risa came by today to show me a few pots that she recently acquired. This one was given to her by her mother. I think this is a great pot. I really love it. I was probably made in the Catawaba Valley region of NC and fired in a groundhog type kiln. It is definitely made with native clay. It has an alkaline glaze on the inside only, which I think is unusual. This glaze is made from wood ash, glass, and the clay body. I can't say how old it is but I would say at least 65 years, maybe much more.
It has a great handle, just an ovalish, over the top sort of thing. No fussing on this pot! It was made so casually. I wish I had taken a shot from another angle, maybe I'll get Risa to bring it back by sometime so I can look at it again. I have a feeling this pot will inspire some new forms from me.
My kiln is cooling. I will unload tomorrow, check back in sometime after lunch for pics. I peeped in this evening. It looks okay just on the lighter side colorwise. I can't wait to get in there. I made a nice dish for supper tonight. I am getting lots of cooking ideas from 101 Cookbooks. I made an asparagus and brown rice dish tonight. Sarah loved it, she has gone dairy free and we are both eating less meat, we were almost vegetarians anyway. It's fun trying some new things, I have been having a good time in the kitchen.

Firing

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The kiln is firing, probably up to around 1600 degrees F. I'll be in major studio/showroom cleaning mode for most of the morning, up until it's time to put the soda in the kiln. I've got to get this place whipped into shape for my sale this weekend.

I have a good load of pots in the kiln. All the work in the picture from the previous post made it in except for one plate, one tankard and one bottle. I love loading the kiln, it's a big, 3-D puzzle.

Gotta run.

Monday

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The Circle of Eight show was great. We had a beautiful day and lots of folks came out to buy pots. We all had some really nice work, it's fun to see what everyone is working on. It seems there's a lot of transition going on, gradual, but sure movement. Thanks to everyone who came out! Below is a shot of my booth.



I have a big week ahead of me. My Home Sale is Saturday and Sunday. I'll be finishing glazing today and cleaning kiln shelves. I hope to load tomorrow and fire Wednesday. There will be pictures of finished pots up on Friday. I have to clean the showroom and studio too. Whew, I better get to work soon.

Keep checking in over the week, I'll post pictures of the loading and other happenings. Have a great Monday.