Working. Playing.

I finished my taxes yesterday. I always wait until the last week. It's not that it's really complicated, it's just the dread of it. I am glad it's finished, they will go in the mail today. We'll be getting a bit of a refund which is nice.

I have made very little work this week. I have a good stock for now. I am planning on firing towards the end of the month. I do need to mix up some slip and mix clay. It was very rainy yesterday. I may mix tomorrow or over the weekend.

I liked reading about how Michael approached getting in the studio to work. All the information is in there, you just have to make yourself go in there and work, go in and get it. He said he'd set a goal to make a dozen pots, then finish them the next day. If he wanted to make more than 12 he would, but 12 was the goal. For someone more production oriented it may be more, or less for someone else. I think having that discipline is great, and it's okay to know you can't meet it sometimes. I usually have a 'make list' for each kiln load. I work from it, adding or subtracting as I go. I would like to set aside some time each week or a month each year to just play or experiment. I try to pay attention as I work on my standard ware for anything new that will come up. If something does I'll set it aside or do a drawing so I can pursue it later. I realize that play is important, but I don't do it nearly enough. This past weekend I played with Sarah's niece for about an hour or more making things out of Play Dough. We had a blast and I felt creatively charged when we finished, and lighthearted.

I know another potter who says she makes 4 cups everyday. That's her start, it's a warm up and a place to play and try some new ideas on a pot that only takes a few minutes to make.

I want to spend some time really looking at what my strengths are and what it is I really enjoy doing. I like to make pots on the wheel. I like soft clay and the gesture I get from working on my treadle wheel. I like movement and volume. I want to pots to come out of the kiln looking wet, covered in the thin salt and soda glaze. Sometimes it's nice for them to be a bit dryer too though, with variations in color of the slip. I like handles and feet and torn clay and rough edges. I like the character of the clay to be there. I want to think about this stuff and really start to own it, push it, exploit it, move it around and play with it. It's all out there waiting for me in my studio.