Check Your Bearings

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I spent the better part of the morning tearing down my pugmill to replace a bearing. I had noticed it was completely worn out about 3 weeks ago. It took longer than I had anticipated; I ended up having to unbolt the motor so I could drive the shaft through till it was free. As you can see the old bearing was completely worn out and fell apart when I took it out. (I got my moneys worth out of that one for sure).
All fixed up and reassembled. I should have probably went ahead and replaced that back bearing too but I was too cheap to buy two new ones at the same time. It seemed to be in good condition so maybe it'll go another year or so.
So since I had the machine apart I decided to clean out the stoneware and pug some red clay. It was really wet but I went ahead and made a couple boards of soup bowls. I pugged out more clay to leave to toughen up for tomorrow. Maybe I'll make a few pitchers. I also mixed up a bigger batch of black slip so I can use it in the next go round.
All for now.

Last Ones

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I like drawing through the slip with my finger. It's very spontaneous and direct. The timing is important.I could apply this drawing through slip to my salt/soda glazed ware. I would probably darken up my body a little and switch to a palette of lighter slips, a whitish one and maybe a yellow. I am going to give it a try in my next firing (which I have put off for a week or so). I also know of some iron glazes that I could use in that high fire range that would be a honey or amber color. I would want to try some greens too.
I do like the shine of these pots. After doing sort of a muted surface for so long it's fun to have some shiney things.

Another reason that this earthenware work has appealed to me is that my fuel costs have gone up considerably in the last few years. Firing to a lower temp would be a good economical decision. However, the pots are what matters most, I must like them and be excited about the whole process. There are alternatives to propane for high temp firings. Wood, oil, and cooking grease/oil are all possibilities. For lower temps I could still use propane (but less of it per firing) or electricity, or again wood (which would be cool).
I have always kept my prices pretty low so locals could afford my work and so that folks would be more inclined to use the pots. Maybe I should re-evaluate this. I know it's kind of a dogma with me.
I had these two cups left over from a class demo. They got dry and I had no idea how to decorate them so they got dots. Easy.

More Pots

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Again the amber glaze. I liked the variation on these pots.
These trays ended up being tests in some ways. My black looks pretty good. I had made some corrections on the chicken and they showed up as whiter areas. So it's a bit blotched but okay. The white over the black was good. That tealy green is kinda weird.
I want to make more of these hump molded bowls.
Okay that's it for now. I have one or two more to show later. I guess out of the whole load I had about 10 rejects, 20 keepers and 5 or 6 that may be good enough to sell as seconds.
My goal is to have three slips: white, black and green and one or two variations on the amber, a dark and a light. I could do tons of things with these few materials. Also I am going to get Leon to help me with my glaze calculations.

I'll have a post later about how this all may translate to my salt/soda work.

Disappointed but Excited

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Well I may as well show you the rejects first. I have made this mistake before. I'll do a test and it will come out okay on a little tile. Then I'll mix up a small batch and proceed to glaze about 1/3 of the load with it. And of course they always never come out right. So here they are. I'm bummed they didn't make it but it's not a big deal really. I am still excited about the ones that did come out. So from here on out you can see I had pretty good luck with the glaze I had originally used in the last firing. It was darker this time. I fired hotter and longer. Of course I still have the crazing and some minor seepage but not like before.



I like these a lot. I am going to focus on this glaze that works and try some variations on the iron content as well.
I had a good conversation with Michael Kline over the weekend and he gave me the idea of maybe firing up to cone 1 or 3. That may be something I consider after weighing the pros and cons.

Unload, Glaze, Reload,Fire!

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I unloaded my earthenware from the kiln at the Arts Council today. I didn't blow anything up this time! Yea. It was a bisque firing and you can see I had some bigger bowls and some slab dishes. I also had some luncheon plates (which are off camera), a few tankards and pitchers.

I managed to get all this glazed and back into the kiln. I had to employ some creative stacking, but thanks to my years of packing my salt kiln I have lots of good knowledge. I recently bought some plate setters too and they came in really handy. Everything made it in except one small soup bowl.

The firing will be complete tomorrow afternoon and I hope to unload on Sunday.

Professional

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Earlier this week Sarah received a very special envelope in the mail. It contained her license accrediting her as a Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC. This is the icing on the cake for many years of hard work for her and she was beside herself when she opened the envelope. I am so proud of her. It was quite an adventure when she went off to graduate school for two years. We got through it and she graduated with a 4.0 grade point average.
She's been working in the field for a year and a half and is enjoying what she does. Being a therapist is what Sarah is meant to do. She will help many people along the road of life. I know she has enriched my life for the last 8 years. Congratulations my sweet wife.


On a side note re. therapy, HBO has a new series that aired this week. In Treatment. I caught two episodes this week so far. I'm hooked. I've had years of therapy, so this kind of thing appeals to me. It's well cast and the concept is really cool. You can find out more by following that link above.

Homemade pizza

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I made a couple pizzas last night using the pizza/flatbread dough recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. They were very tasty. I can't wait to have some fresh tomatoes and basil this summer. I also made up some homemade ginger beer/ale. It was pretty good too, but my recipe could use some tweaking.I'll be heading over to the Arts Council to unload the electric kiln later day. I'll glaze those pots and get it firing overnight. So I should have some pictures of earthenware no later than Monday I hope.



My friend Doug has started a blog on Blogger. He has had a blog for quite a while linked up to his website but you can find him here now, click on images, and leave him comments.

Welcome Thursday

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I started out with a post going on and on about how crazy yesterday was. But I'll just spare you the details and say "Welcome, Thursday!"

The workmen laid the tile in the kitchen yesterday. It looks good and will look even better when it's grouted and all the stuff is back in there.

I finished reading Danny Gregory's book Everyday Matters last night. I want to approach my drawing in a more relaxed way. Just have fun. I sometimes put off doing a drawing because of some lame excuse like, "there's nothing here interesting to draw", "it will take too long", " I have to get up off the couch". Lame, lame, lame. Danny once again has inspired me.

Hopefully I'll have some glazed earthenware to post by Monday!

I downloaded a trial version of Insight glaze software the other night. This could get addictive. It's one of those things that would keep me up till 2 am.

Time for breakfast, a drawing, and off to the Arts Council to check on my bisque kiln. Thanks for checking in. I promise to post some pottery images soon.

Tuesday Pottery Post

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Okay so today is basically a day to get ready to fire. I have to work out my schedule so I can fire a bisque and glaze load of earthenware at the Arts Council and a bisque and salt kiln load here. Both bisques will probably happen tomorrow and the salt kiln on Saturday (I think).

I have a workman coming tomorrow to lay ceramic tile in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry hall. We have moved everything out of those areas so the house is in total disarray. Hopefully we'll be back to normal by Saturday.

Well I must get to work. I have to teach tonight so it's gonna be a long day ahead.

Get This Book

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My copy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day arrived yesterday. I am so excited to finally get it. I've been making the basic bread using their recipe for about 3 or 4 weeks now after hearing about the book on NPR. Now I can expand my repertoire.

If you want to make homemade bread I highly recommend this book. The method is easy to learn and truly takes only minutes a day of hands on time to bake a fresh loaf of bread ( and much more). As a matter of fact I baked a loaf this morning right after I got up. The house smells great.

I'll be trying out their pizza dough this weekend and I can't wait to make a loaf of rye.

Thanks to the authors, Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois for a wonderful book.

Having Fun

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I decorated these earthenware trays today. They are around 4" x 6". I have a group of pots drying on the wood stove tonight including these. I'll be bisquing on Wednesday and want to get everything good and dry.

I had fun trying out a couple new deco methods here. The top right is white slip with some green slip 'hills' and a little incised bird. Below that I dipped the tray in white slip and then drew the chicken form in latex resist. After that dried I covered that in black slip and later peeled off the latex and incised some details. Lastly a few white slip dots over the black slip. The others are pretty self explanatory. That chicken is pretty cool, eh?
They will all get the amber glaze.
Cheers. Ron

New Tests

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I unloaded the test kiln this morning. Sorry that these pics are somewhat blurry. Hopefully you'll get the general idea.
This first image is an amber glaze. I tested a fritted clear glaze with 2, 4 and 6 % black iron oxide. (left to right) All over a white slip. My original amber was fluxed with Gerstley Borate and I thought I'd try a fritted glaze instead. It seems to have crazed less, although I wonder if I'll get some delayed crazing. Anyhow I like the 4% the best for most purposes, but the other two are perfectly acceptable also.
Next I tried these same glazes over a new green slip. These tiles were dipped in white slip and then the new green slip, part way down. Then the new fritted amber glazes 2, 4, 6 % left to right. I like the one with the 4% over this new green slip. The orginial green had 5% oxide so I decreased this down to 3% after looking at Clive Bowen's recipe for green slip. I do think I could put this new slip on a tad thicker and get more of a contrast with the white. (Notice that little thicker drip on the upper right corner of the middle tile).
Here is the fritted amber with 4% on the left, and the original gerstley amber with 8%. Both are nice and I will use both in this next load of pots to see what I like. I should have tested the fritted amber with 8% but it didn't occur to me at the time.
Some things to think about as I look at these...maybe I could have kept the original green at 5% oxide and it would look okay with the 4% amber. Also, my friend Leon suggested I try a white slip that is more vitreous. So I will work on that for future firings. He thought that may help reduce the crazing and I think maybe seal the body more.

Okay that's it for now. I have a few hours in town today...dentist, barber, library, post office and a trip to the hardware store. So I better get to work. I am getting ready to fire the salt kiln and a load of earthenware, so lots to do to prepare.

Nothing Special

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I made a few animal jars out of the earthenware and here are two of them. (I've got to stop stating the obvious). Anyhow, I am doing some more glaze and slip tests in the little electric kiln over the weekend. Hopefully I'll find a green slip that I like and I am going to do a line blend of my amber glaze to see which percentage of black iron oxide I like best.

I may move up a cone in my next firing to see what happens.

Regarding my last post, I know I can over generalize sometimes and maybe take things a little too personally, so don't think I'm some kind of snob or something, although Sarah has accused me of being one in the past.

My friend Will is having an opening in Athens, Georgia. He's an awesome guy. If you are in that area please go check it out.

Rambling On

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Yesterday I had a long phone conversation with my friend Niel Hora. Niel and I met at Penland several years ago. We call each other from time to time to catch up and end up on the phone for at least an hour. We seem to always be on the same wavelength and are able to ask questions of one another freely and bounce ideas or problems back and forth. Or just grumble and complain about how much we still have to learn.

So yesterday we had a big talk about earthenware clay, which is Niel's medium, and how there are certain problems related to it such as porosity, and glaze crazing, and somewhat of a stigma here in the States that's it's kinda wimpy, ie not stoneware or porcelain. ( I have a story to tell on that front but it will wait for a while).

I have found, and Niel agreed, that these days most folks are into slick, no wear and tear, materials. Consumers that is. Kitchens are more and more stainless steel, pots and pans are bright orange, blue, and neon green. There are silicon muffin pans (not muffin TINS mine you). Americans want clean, pristine things. I had a lady return a couple plates she had for years. They were heavily used and she complained that the slip was wearing in some areas. Well that's what happens. I replaced them of course, but maybe I should have shared my believe than pots get better with age. Bakers take on a patina with years of use in the oven. Cups get chips and stains from mornings of use, being filled over and over again with tea and coffee. I have a wonderful teapot made by one of the nations finest potters, the slip on it has faded with use, it even has this 'moldy' quality about it. (Maybe I need to wash it) Ha. No, I love that pot, I love the timelessness of it, I know that I will use for years and one day it will break, and it will be irreplaceable. But I'll remember it and I'll have those years of memories with it.

Anyhow, Niel and I talked about all this kind of thing. We talked about how earthenware has had a vast history in other cultures and has been put to use all over the world. We got in this discussion after I expressed concerns about continuing working in earthenware clay. Obviously I had been taken in by the notion that it was inferior, or had problems. Niel assured me that he has had success in using and marketing his wares, as have many others.

So I mention some of this as I explore what I love to do, make pots for use, and as I get ready to make some more red pots and solve my seepage problem. Which by the way, I found was isolated to mostly a handful of the pots I fired. They were probably under fired a bit so I expect I'll have better luck with this next batch (keep your fingers crossed) if I fire a little higher and maybe soak at the end. I still have a lot to learn.

Okay thanks for listening to yet another ramble. Have fun today.

Casseroles

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I finished up my casseroles yesterday. I made 4 and here you can see two and a quarter. They are pretty straight forward pots, purely functional, and practical I think. Those strips of paper are there under the lids so that I could lift the lids off before I got the top handle on. Just a little tip.
Chae asked me about getting my lids to fit properly. I try to measure as carefully as possible but often mine don't fit perfectly. I throw my lids (and bodies) on batts. I leave the lids attached to the batts and don't wire them off. The next day I can turn the lid, batt and all, over and see if it fits. If it doesn't I'll put it back on the wheel and adjust it. Usually this is best if the lid is too large, then I can trim it down a little. It may not work so well if it's too small because you have to throw it out a bit. Try to use as little water as possible. I had to trim 3 out of 4 of these because they were slightly too large.

Below is my flour bin. It was a bit plain and I thought I'd just put this chicken sprig on it but it got further embellished as I went. I have seen Clary Illian use a coil in this manner but I was also thinking of Michael Kline's wonderful sliptrailing. I made three more of these but don't know if I'll decorate them like this or not.
I've got to go load a bisque, but I'll be back with another post in a bit.

Not Giving Up

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I decided last night that I'm going to continue to pursue my earthenware pot making. I feel like I can get somewhere with it and I have really enjoyed the new experience. It's going to be a couple weeks before I can get back into making anything and I still have to figure out how to either fix that clay or maybe just mix another recipe. I think I can cut the clay I have with some commercial earthenware and run it through my pug mill. I'm gonna give that a shot and see what happens. I do have a kiln load of dishes and slab pots made that I will fire soon. I want to work on my decoration and composition. I am going to look at some historical pots on museum sites and try and order a few books. I found one last night called World Ceramics that a friend told me about. If you know of others let me know.

I didn't get those casseroles finished yesterday, but hopefully today I'll wrap those up as well as some tankards and other pots.

More later maybe.

Comfort

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I made Steak and Guinness pie for supper last night. So good.
Gotta brew up another large mug of tea and then I'm off to the workshop (15 feet commute) to finish off yesterdays pots. I'll try and get some images up before I leave to go teach tonight.

Pots from Monday

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Just a few things from today. I've been meaning to make some ramekins. Not for sale but for my kitchen. I like to make chicken pie and shepherds pie and I never have ramekins. I usually just use a big baker but I think it'd be more fun to have these individual servings. So that's that. I could also use these for French onion soup which I make from time to time. I also made a few mugs, simple cylinder shapes that will get some sprigs and handles tomorrow.I haven't made any covered casseroles in a couple years. They aren't too hard to make and I don't know why I've put them off. So I made 4 today (one is off camera), and I also made a tall barrel shaped crock for flour (That's it in the back)
Tomorrow I'll get these lids turned and handles on the bases and lids. Should be more exciting to see then.

Gotta go check on supper.