This and That

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It looks like today is going to be another sunny day here in NC. I am looking forward to getting out to the shop and making some pots and slipping my cups.

I put my window AC unit in yesterday. I may as well be comfortable at work right? Last year I thought I be a tough guy and just sweat it out, that lasted until around July and I noticed I didn't even want to go out there after lunch. I'll get more work done this way. I've also decided I'm going to invest in a decent set of computer speakers so I can put those in the workshop and listen to NPR or whatever. These little laptop speakers just aren't getting the job done.

Tomorrow I'll be out on the street in Charlotte. No, not begging for change, but making pots. The Mint Museum of Craft and Design is continuing their "Taste of Art Fridays" and tomorrow I am the guest artist. Come out if you can! 11:30am till 1 pm

I am getting ready for my Summer Pottery Sale. I'll order the post cards today. The dates are June 28th and 29th. If you'd like to be on the mailing list just send me your address to ronpots2 at yahoo dot com.

Gotta go. Have a good day.

Today

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I'm not much of a happy-go-lucky guy, although I probably fool most folks who I come into contact with on a daily basis. I'd like to be, really I would. There's no reason I shouldn't be more optimistic. It just seems like a lot of work. Ha, that's kind of stupid, but it's how I've trained myself to think about it. At the moment I am feeling pretty good though. My bisque firing was a success and I'm looking forward to getting these pots glazed and fired soon.

I think these new pots with the drawings are some kind of attempt to connect with the fun part of me that lurks inside and comes out on occasion. There is a reason this stuff is stirring up thoughts of how I feel and how I perceive myself (and how I want to be perceived by others) (and if that last part really even matters). I think as artists we struggle to make work that is our own, at least I do. I struggle terribly with it. So is this me, or just another attempt at figuring it out? I don't know yet. Being in the question is hard, but I am finding that it's a better place to be than being comfortable.I had a good talk with my pal Julie last night. She had just unloaded a great firing and her pots were exceptional. We had a little "pot on the spot" critique and went over many aspects of Julie's work. Of course the whole time I was asking myself, what questions do I need to be asking myself about my pots? How can I improve this or that? Talking to Julie about her pots allowed me to talk to myself about mine. Of course I'm looking forward to having a day soon with some of the Circle of Eight crew to come out and go over things with me.

Sorry if I do the whole psycho-analytical thing here a lot on the blog, but it kinda helps me out. blah, blah , blah....

So here are some upside down pots ready for slip.

I had a little breakthrough this afternoon that I think is going to be helpful. I have gotten into the habit of slipping the whole pot. Today I made it a point to leave some bare clay on the large jars I made by doing some 'controlled, random, pouring' of the slip. I can now use these areas to draw in, or in and out of.

After I figured that out I felt really good about continuing on making more of those jars, up until that point I had no idea how I'd proceed.

Well that's all of that. Good night.

Future Customer?

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My new pots are a big hit with the 1 year and under crowd!


This is Emily Murphy's nephew with a cup I gave Emily when we met in Minnesota.
Emily is having a Pottery Sale this weekend. If you're in or near the Chicago area go by and pick up some great pots. Details HERE.

All Stocked Up

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Becky and Elaine from Clayworks are planning a barrel firing next week. Becky, knowing I live out here in the country, asked me if I would be able to get them any 'cow pies' for the firing. Well I'm not stranger to cow pies. We had cows growing up and played in the pasture all the time, eventually someone would pick up a dried pie and throw it at someone like a Frisbee. Good fun those days. So yesterday morning I walked around the surrounding pastures picking up a couple buckets full of dried cow poop. It was nice to get back to my childhood. I even found a really long snake skin that had been shed recently. I gave that to Becky for the firing too.

As a gift for my cow pie picking Becky presented me with this great selection of green tea. Boy, did I come out ahead on that deal! Thanks so much Becky! Sarah too was happy as the jasmine pearls are her favorite.

So if anyone out there is in need of cow pies just let me know what you to trade for and I'll get you a big box shipped out ASAP.

Confusion

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Does my green slip have 6% or 3% copper? I think it's 6%. No that's my green glaze. No, the green glaze has 4 % copper. I've got this here in this notebook somewhere....don't I? Okay right, 4%. That's the glaze not the slip. What does the slip have? I've got it here somewhere. I think it's 6%. I'll have to make some tests to be sure. God, I thought I had this all written down. Why does this test look the wrong color. It's not the same color as the one in the bucket. Did I use copper carbonate or black copper oxide? I'm a good note keeper, really I am. No you're not! Shut up. Okay so it must be black copper oxide. Yes that's right I remember, and it's 3 %. Here it is in the note book. Okay that's the slip. What about the green glaze? I think it's carbonate. Yes. That's right. Okay how much? 4% right? Right. Sure? Yes. Maybe. Shut up, it's 4%, see right here in the margin? You've got to keep better notes. Quiet! All sorted out now? Yes. Maybe. Yes, maybe.

A Few Pots

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Today I finished up some decorating, made a few experimental jars and got some things slipped. These 4 jars got the feet turned and also slipped they will get the deco rotation tomorrow.I've made a few money boxes. After seeing Doug's and Matt's I've been inspired to try some of my own. There are some really wonderful ones on the Museum of London's site

I had a leak in an underground water line and I had to work on that for part of the evening. It's still not resolved but I've got it under control until tomorrow. So tomorrow I'll be playing plumber as well as going to an Arts Council Board meeting and then to Charlotte to teach. That won't leave too much potting time unless I get an early start. So we'll see.

My bisque is still going, it's almost 10pm so I hope the cones are down soon. I am in bad need of seeing some finished pots. Hopefully I'll get a glaze firing in this week. My critical voice has been giving me quite a brain full lately and I'd like to feel good about some of this new stuff.

Well I best go check the cones and then maybe do a bit of sketching before turning in. It's good to be back home.

Back Home

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We had a great time at the beach. The weather was nice and we did nothing but relax.
I gave a big wave to Doug over in Devon but I'm not sure if he saw me or not. I think he may have been at the Pub.
Today I'm firing a bisque and finishing up things that have been wrapped in plastic for the last 4 days.

Have a good Monday. I'll post again soon.

Catching Up.

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I've been trying to catch up on the pots I made yesterday and Monday. Things are in different states of completion. These two little pitchers are ready for the rack.Most of this stuff needs slip or deco. Those plates in the foreground are finished. I have some small jars and a board of mugs that will get taken care of tomorrow along with wrapping all this stuff up. We will be heading to the coast sometime tomorrow afternoon so I doubt there will be a post until Monday.

Finishing a Square Dish

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Gay asked how I finished off the square dishes so I thought I'd put this sequence up.

This first image shows the bottom of the pot after it has reached the leather hard state.I basically hand trim it with a loop tool. Just cutting away the clay on each side in turn. I don't do this with the wheel turning, I just use the tool to remove the clay. A Sure Form rasp would be another tool you could use.
The finished pot. I smooth the edges with the side of my thumb.

Keep Practicing

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Well, I tried to do the traditional zig zag pattern on my platter but it didn't quite turn out. Wrong motion with the trailer. My practice run on the batt turned out better. Putting it on the real pot makes it risker, and I probably panicked a little. So it is what it is. Not bad really I guess.

Monday. Holiday?

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Well today is a national holiday, but my boss said I had to get in the studio and at least make a few pots. It went rather well for the first half of the day but went downhill when I tried to make pitchers after lunch.

This is platter no. 4 on the left. I am throwing the feet on these. I did some slip squirting on the ones I made last week.I am trying to square off some dishes on the wheel using the 'Briscoe Technique' of pushing the floor with a board while still on the wheel head. It seems to be working and makes for a loose pot. Also a few 4 lb. bowls.
I got these luncheon plates thrown before lunch and then made about 10 pitchers in the afternoon. I only kept those five on the right. (I've all the spouts pointing toward the wall).
Anyhow the boss let me kick off at 3pm. What a generous fellow.

It's getting hot and humid here in the South. Today was the first day I've really felt it out here in the shop.

Sarah and I are taking off for the coast on Thursday. I'll be working steady between now and then so check back often. Thanks!

Spring Fling

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Looking for something fun to do this weekend?? How about a nice drive around Scotland visiting artists in their studios? Sounds like a great time. It's the annual Spring Fling.


Hannah and her studio mates are #54 on the Red Route, just below Castle Douglas. Hannah's got her studio space all in order. You can see a little video clip here.


Okay , here's the map....get going!

Did That Really Happen?

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One of the first things Julie and I did when we landed in Minneapolis was to go to The Northern Clay Center. It's an amazing facility and and gallery. Now, most of you know how hard it is to get Warren Mackenzie pots these days. He's shut his showroom and only sells through a few galleries. The Northern Clay Center puts out a pot of Warren's every so often for sale. On the day we were there I was lucky enough to spot this little green bottle and snatched it right up. $10! Yea for me.

As I was paying for the bottle a man came in and asked if I was buying that pot. I told him 'yes' and we got to talking about pottery and that Julie and I were visiting from NC and there to work for the Potter's Tour.

Then he said, "Well , can I give you a pot?".

Okay now this is strange indeed. I didn't know where this was going. Did this man have a trunk full of pottery? who was he? what am I getting into? are we being abducted (candy little boy?)?

"Sure." (Note: never turn down free pottery)

We went out onto the side walk and he introduced himself as Bob Ellingson. We proceeded to have a big talk about Warren and another MN potter Mel Jacobson, whose work I know also.

Bob said he had had a near death experience some time ago and afterwords decided that he would begin giving pots away from his Warren Mackenzie collection. Wow!

We got in our car and followed him into downtown Minneapolis and he led us up to his office. Once inside we saw about 80 Mackenzies displayed around the room. Mostly cups, bowls, some large jars, a couple teapots, vases, and a stack of 3 large platters in the corner. There was a beautiful large bowl on the corner of Bob's desk too.

Julie and I handled all the pots in the room. Bob had said we could have our pick, but of course I had my own ideas about what that meant. I mean there was no way I would have asked for that large covered jar. Right? Well? Right. And after a while he did say that if we picked something he had the option to say no. Fair enough. Surely we were being tested.

That didn't stop me from getting down on the floor in the corner of Bob's office and dragging out all 3 of those large platters! And drooling over them and caressing them, and wowing over the kaki trailing.

After much more story telling (about an hour in all) I picked out the yunomi pictured above and Julie picked a nice cereal bowl with a tall foot, shino glaze.

Bob is such a good soul. We had a blast talking to him and he even insisted that we take a short drive down to the river district to see the waterfall as he told about the history of the Twin Cities. He invited us to have dinner with him and his wife at their home, promising a more varied and larger collection of Mackenzie pots to be seen there. We were however on a bit of a schedule and expected for supper at Briscoe's. We declined with the promise that we would visit next time we were in town.

Now how amazing is that?! We drove away saying, "Did that just really happen?" . "That Bob, what a generous soul." It was an surreal beginning to our weekend in MN.

Thanks Bob!!!! Look forward to visiting with you again.

Not in the Groove Yet

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I am having a hard time getting into any kind of making groove. The week is almost over and I feel I have little to show for my efforts in the studio. Well I did get some feet thrown on these platters. I guess they are more like pedestal dishes now. They won't be hard to put a wire on if someone chooses to hang them on the wall.I made some med. bowls and a few mugs. Also a 16 lb platter and had a go at a few big jars, which all got squashed.

I think part of the problem is that I haven't made my "Make List". It's helpful to have a plan. So I'll do that tonight and see what happens.

Just a bit of thought

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I sketched out these two shapes last night before bed. They became the background for the beginning of this morning's journaling and drawing.

So I am out to make some stuff. I am having fun these days. It's a bit sketchy, the way I am working. Still figuring out what I want to make in this clay. Thinking of forms, deco, what works, what doesn't. Learning along the way. I've got those 3 platters to slip and decorate today. That should be a challenge.

I'm happy to be doing something new.



I still have to tell my story about how a stranger I met on the street in Minneapolis ended up giving me a Warren Mackenzie pot. So stay tuned for that.

Just a few pots

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from today. No big runs of anything, just a few cups, platters and the odd bowl and jar. I'm not quite in a production mode, just trying some new things here and there. The platters will get added foot rings, as opposed to cut feet, those cups are loose and new, and that small jar with feet is a shape I'm working out.
I also had a couple jars that I didn't photograph. I'm wanting to find a large-ish jar shape I like. I'm not really wanting the typical full belly round shape. I'm more into something like a tea ceremony water jar, or ... well I don't know. Maybe someone has something historical for me to look at. Suggestions welcome.

Quick Post

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My blogging and potting pals Doug, Hannah, and Matt have posted about their weekend at ClayArt Wales. It looks like they had a great time, although they all came home exhausted. The bottle kiln they fired looks really fantastic. I've never seen one in real life. It would be fun to have the experience of firing one. Brad Lail, who is from Shelby, was in North Wales during the event and was able to meet them. I'll be looking forward to hearing about Brad's adventures when he gets back home.

My class at Clayworks loaded the gas reduction kiln last night. They did a great job. Becky has some images on her blog.

Well I'm off to make pots. I'll get some images up later. Exciting news...I'm getting an electric kiln to fire my earthenware in and also for bisque for my salt kiln and small gas kiln. I'll keep firing some of the earthenware in the gas kiln until I get it figured out too.

Tuesday

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I still have some Minnesota stuff to report. It will have to wait till later though as I need to get to work. I'm saving the best for last. Stay tuned.

I had a nice little visit with Ron yesterday. Sarah really loved the new jar (which is great since I bring so many pots into the house).

Out to make some jars, teapots, and hopefully a platter or two. Just a couple pages from my journal to leave you with for now.

Have a good day.