Pots from August Firing

My digital camera arrived yesterday. So now I am back in business with some images from last weeks firing. This firing had lots of work made with this new clay I have been trying out. I mixed up a big batch and I really like the pots that were made with it. It's higher in silica so the pots are a bit more shiny and have great orange peel texure when they get hit with the salt and soda. The incising shows up nicely tooRectangular tray shape I am trying out. Made with the new clay.
I made this big jar at the Folk School. It's made with some clay I got at the Folk School. It got some great marks in the firing.
I really like these bowls. My titanium slip(yellow) looks great on this clay.
This is the other side of that big jar.
More new vases made with my clay. That yellow slip rocks when it gets blasted with salt.

More Pots From August Firing

This oval baker is made with the high silica clay. It is awesome!!
I made this bottle at the Folk School. It got some great marks in the firing. It was made with commercial clay.
New vases made with my new clay.
Big oval. I think you could use this to put your magazines in. See how this new clay allows the incised lines show up? Just what I've been looking for.
Another bottle I made at the Folk School. Trying out some different handles/lugs.

New Camera!!

Yea! Here's a drawing of my new camera.
Pictures from my last firing coming up next.

Pots

I unloaded the kiln yesterday after lunch. I was really happy with most everything. This was the first firing with most of the pots being made from this new higher silica clay that I mixed up last month. It did great. My slips look nice on it and it gets some good flashing and takes the salt well. The atmosphere in the kiln was all over the place it seemed. The front bottom was neutral to oxidized, the front middle and top were nice and reduced and the back was cooler as usual and more neutral. So I had a variety of pots even if they were made from the same clay and had the same slip on them. The best pots were some small vases and some new bowls. I'll be sure to post some pictures once my camera gets here next week.

Today I'll be sanding the bottoms and bringing everything in to the showroom.
Tomorrow my friend Lester from Charlotte and I are heading up to the Penland area to visit a friend of mine who is taking a wood carving class. We will visit some potters in the area too and basically hang out and have a good time. I am looking forward to it

Today is Sarah's last day of her intership! Yea!!!!! No more driving back and forth to Charlotte everyday. She is still on the job search. Next week I am hoping we get to take a bit of a vacation. She certainly deserves one.

Have a good Friday.

Ready to Fire

I loaded the kiln today. At lunch I took timeout to order a new digital camera. Now I'll have a way to get some pics up here again. I don't know when it will arrive but I'll be sure to put up some images from this firing asap.

Friday

Today was pretty low key. I went to the grocery, cleaned up the kitchen and bathroom (both have been neglected), took Karma to the park for a walk, and fired a bisque. I also did some drawing and Karma had her first training session with the invisible fence.

I am looking forward to having a firing next week. It's been over a month and I am ready to see some new pots in the showroom.

Sarah is on her way home from her 36 hr shift at the hospital. It will be a laid back evening here for sure as I am betting she is tired. I am grilling some quesadillas for supper and we'll probably just watch the tube for a while.

Well none of that is very exciting but thanks for reading it anyhow. See ya.
Have an awesome weekend!!!!

Rockin'

I was talking to some people recently about the band I used be in, The Trust. This was back in high school in the late 80's. It was a cover band, Top 40, and we had some original stuff. So I dug out this photo for kicks. Was I a rocker or what!? Too bad I'm not standing up or you could see my spandex pants with the lightning bolts on the legs. Ha! Anyhow we had tons of fun playing out. I still have this drum kit but it's in storage at my dad's house, we don't have room to set it up. Well enough reminiscing. By the way I have some autographed 8x10's for $20 each for the first 100 responses. :-)

Strengths

I read something good in Danny Gregory's book, The Creative License, this morning. It say's, "Don't be obsessed with originiality. Be yourself and you will be originial. Acknowledge and celebrate your uniqueness. Keep burrowing deeper and shaking up you perceptions."

For a long time I worried about having my own style, something that was recognizable as mine the minute you saw it. I would try to come up with things, designs, decoration, this or that. It was frustrating and fake. Somewhere along the line I more or less gave it up and just made stuff. I still hear that voice from time to time but it's not as powerful. I have figured out that I just have to make the pots I like, the way I know how and in the end, after some years, they do become me. And I am usually surprised when people tell me my pots are recognizable because of certain qualities.

My new information, (Play on my strengths), has led me to thinking about my strengths in more detail and actually putting words to them. I have also been trying to put words to things that I like about pots and what I strive for. I know what I like when I see it, in my work and in others, but it is difficult to place a specific word on what it is.

Here's a list I started about parts of pots and what I want to achieve or to examine more closely.

Lips: Comfortable, inviting, lickable, undulating, moving, fat, kissable. (ha, I hadn't realized how sexy this might be)

Feet: Casual, smooth, torn, touched, atypical, inviting, planes,

Bottoms and bottom edges: Touched, dented, patterned, handled, revealing, exposed

Interiors: Voluminous, holding, womb-like, continious,

Exteriors: Movement, planes moving, stretched, skin, torn, exposed,

Handles: Inviting, thin-thick-thin, exciting, atypical, comfortable, spacious, tiny, questioning,

That's pretty fun so far. This is a good list to have in my studio to use when I make stuff, I can look and say, "okay was I able to get some of my desired qualities in these pots?"

Gotta go for now. More later maybe.
Ron

Confidence

A couple weeks ago I was hanging out with another potter at the Folk School. He has been making pots about twice as long as me or more and has lots of experience traveling and working in the field. He had a pot I wanted and I offered to buy it. He said he'd trade. I said okay, but as we weren't at a show I had nothing for him to pick from. So he tells me just to send him something. I felt awkward and asked what he'd like. "What do you make that's good?" he asked. Well my low self esteem kicked in and I said something like 'I don't know'. This went on for a minute or two and finally he said, "Be confident, send me something you like. That will be fine."
I think that is the first time someone had told me to be confident. (Actually awhile back another potter had told me that some of the new work I was making looked more confident.) Anyway this has stuck with me. Be confident.

Later as we were in the workshop looking at some pots I asked the potter for feedback on some bottles I had just thrown. We decided some of them were too generic. He pointed to some other pots and said "you do this well, and this", identifying specific parts of the pots. "Play on your strengths and see where that leads you." Good advice. I have kept this in mind as I have been working.

So my two new pieces of information are: Be confident and Play on my strengths.

I have more on all of this but it will be in the next post. Stay tuned.

Mid Week

I have finished making pots for my next firing. I have another bisque to fire and then I'm all set. Yesterday I had some fun playing around with some figurative ideas. I made some small sculputures, 6-8". I feel like I had some good and orginial ideas with these. They were fun and not at all serious. I finished up some mugs and plates and got some things glazed.

Karma's invisible fence is all set up. I have to put the flags out today and I guess I'll begin training her this evening. My neighbor also got an invisible fence. I helped him trench in his wire last evening. We have some neighbors that aren't so considerate. I wish this county would pass a leash law.

I still haven't bought a camera. I would like to post some pics soon.

New Journal

I got a new drawing journal last week while I was at ASU with Sarah. I did this drawing of the bookstore while I was there. I didn't know how to handle the building on the right which was mainly a plain brick wall. It was fun drawing out in public, something I haven't done much of yet.

Catching up

The last few days have been busy. I had to be somewhere almost everyday last week for a meeting of some sort. I did manage to get started putting Karma's invisible fence in but the ground is hard as a rock so it's slow going. I will finish up tomorrow.

Today is Sarah's birthday. Right now she's exercising here birthday right to relax and nap on the couch. She needs the rest after being on the go during the week. I made her Eggs Benedict for brunch today. It was my first time poaching eggs and making a hollandaise sause. She said it was great, and I thought so too. We'll have to go for a long walk later to work some of that butter off. Last night we went out for sushi, much better for the arteries.

I will be back making pots this week. I need to knock out a couple bisque firings so I can fire the salt kiln soon.

Last night I had a dream about doing these great drawings of buildings seen from above, and a drawing from a high angle of cars in a parking deck. I also dreamed about doing some lettering forming the name 'George'. I don't have a clue what that's about. Maybe I'm being brainwashed somehow.

Donation

A while back a local customer asked me if I would donate a pot to a HIV/AIDS gala in Washington DC. Her son lives in the DC area and is a supporter of the Whitman Walker Clinic there. He was in charge of this banquet and was looking for centerpieces to be auctioned off to raise money for HIV/AIDS. I was happy to donate for this cause.

Yesterday I received a letter from him saying that my vase went for $575.00 and was bought by the editor of People Magazine. Wow! I can't tell you how good that makes me feel. He went on to mention that he recently visited the editor in NYC and that my vase was on her desk full of flowers.

I am glad I was able to help with this benefit. I am also glad I got the letter yesterday, it was really a boost to my self esteem and brightened my day.

Sawmill

I did this drawing of the old sawmill while I was at the Folk School

Monday

Got back in the studio today. Made some things and as the day progressed I had to make some of them over as the first ones were failures for one reason or the other. I tried making some bigger pieces on the homemake kick wheel I brorrowed from a friend a while back. It was near impossible. There is no splash pan on it and as I use copious amounts of water I soon had a mess on me and on the fly wheel below. No traction ensued. So I gave up and got back on my treadle. I finished it but it was a bear. I am now on the look out for a used electric wheel to make these bigger pots on.

There was an incident with Karma after lunch that launched me into a frenzy and I felt like my brain swelled up and was about to explode. That deepened and to relieve some frustration I came in and wailed on the couch cushions with the whiffle ball bat. That was I little trick I learned back in my therapy days. I know people think I am calm and centered and all that ,but I gotta tell you I lose it some days. No shame in that.

Tonight I made some more pots and Karma and I had a nice walk and play time. Sarah went to her mom's for supper and I finished firing my bisque kiln.

I am looking forward to some reading and then to bed.

Back Home

How nice it is to be back home. I had a good time assisting Leon at the Folk School last week. The weather was nice and it was wonderful to be in such beautiful surroundings. We had a class of 11 students so I did lots of assisting. Leon worked hard teaching and we both gave lots of personal attention to all the students. I think everyone went home happy. Of course it was also exhausting and I did not take much time for myself. I would have liked to have done more drawing. I did manage a few drawings of some of the buildings on campus.

The Folk School is such a great place, the food is good, there are nice people from all over the country and even the world. The gardens were in full bounty, I felt inspired to do better in my garden in the future. I highly recommend going sometime and taking a class.

I made a few pots, I didn't get to my umbrella stands, but I think I'll be able to soon. I mainly enjoyed working with the students during the days and just hanging out socializing during the evenings. I made lots of new friends who I hope to keep in touch with.

Today I will be in the studio working on some cups and other small pots. I am bisque firing today also. I have several meetings this week so my time in the studio will be limited. I did install my window unit air conditioner yesterday. It took all of 15 minutes to do. I don't know why I've waited. I will be more inclined to work in there during the day now I think.

Have a great day.

Off to the Folk School

I will be leaving in a couple hours to go to the Folk School. The class I will be assisting with is called Making Big Pots: Throwing with Fire. The throwing with fire part has to do with heating up the pot with a torch that Leon has designed. Basically you throw the pots in sections that are heated up and then joined. That way you can make big pots in one sitting. Leon Nichols was one of my first instructors at the Folk School. He makes very large classically shaped pots, some up to 6 ft tall or more. I am looking forward to assisting him this week. Leon lives in Charlotte and we have been friends ever since I took his class back in the early 90's.
I am hoping to make a few pots while I am there. I would specifically like to make some umbrella stands.

Sarah and I went to the last night of the Real to Reel Film and Video Festival in Kings Mountain last night. I went on opening night on Wednesday. This is the 7th annual and it keeps growing. It's an awesome festival with films coming in from all over the world. There are amateur and pro divisions in feature length, shorts, animation, and documentary. Some of the film makers even come. This year we had two films from Israel, and one of the film makers came to speak. These two films were shown last night and were very moving and inspiring to me. If you are a film buff then this is a great festival to know about, check out the website for more information.

Well that's gonna be it for a while. I don't know if I'll have access to a computer this week or not. I'll catch up when I get back home.

A day early/My blank cell

Guess what? I'm not supposed to be at the Folk School until tomorrow. I was all packed and ready to go this morning when my ride didn't show up, so I gave him a call and low and behold we are leaving TOMMOROW! So right now today feels like a blank comic cell, nothing filled in, nothing planned, just space. That's a new feeling for me. My brain is saying...do this, and this and this and this. I am just doing nothing which feels good for the moment.

Here's something I have been thinking about: As I've said before I've been journaling since 11 grade. I've never really gone back and read any of my journals. I don't intend to either. I do know that for the last 7 or 8 years my journaling has dealt with my "issues", things I've wanted to improve about myself, my co dependancey, guilt, worry, family stuff, work stuff, in general lots of psychological dealings. This has been good in many ways and has provided much personal growth. But after a while it seems it's all I write about. I am getting tired of it and I think I'm getting ready to change the way I journal.

What will be different? Well for one there will be more drawing, listing, playing, cutting and pasting, maybe even some color. It will (hopefully) be more positive, about living in the moment, and about being creative. It will be about accepting where I am at the moment. How awesome and healing that will be? Lots I imagine. It will be Fun. There will be NO judgement. I will banish the little voice in my head that says, 'someone will see this someday', or 'that's no good, better not do it'.

I think now is a good time to begin this, there are some things changing in my life, slowly. Much of it is just acceptance. Other things are: Sarah finishing school, us deciding to live here for several more years, making new friends, drawing and doing more creative work other than just making pots, looking forward to travelling, having a new dog, getting ready to lose another, and taking action in general.

So today I'll enjoy my blank cell for awhile then I'll begin to fill it in alittle at a time.

Wrapping up the week

Wednesday and Thursday ended up being great days in the workshop. I made some good teapots and I feel like I got back in the swing of things in general. Today I finished up the pots I made since Wednesday. I feel good about getting back in the groove and I'll probably be ready to fire the kiln the first week in August.
I am heading to John C. Campbell Folk School for a few days so I'll be away from the computer. I'll catch up on my blogging when we get back.
Have a great weekend.

Sweat

My teapots bit the dust, all but one. I don't know what I was thinking when I made these things but they were way too big. They were so big and gawdy when I got the handles and spouts on them. I kept one just because it didn't look too terrible and I have a customer who keeps asking about a big teapot. Maybe this one will be for her.

So tomorrow I'll make some smaller ones, same shape and they will be good I bet. I have to learn these lessons over and over it seems.

It's so hot here I can hardly stand it. I have a window unit for my studio, but haven't put it in yet. I'm trying to be Mr. Tough Guy. I had some customers come by today, I was sweating like a horse the whole time they were here. How embarrassing.

I made some really cool bowls today with incising. I can see this leading to my next tangent.

I sure hope gas prices level out or something, I'm not going to be able to afford to fire my kiln. I guess I'll have to find some new outlets for my work to offset the costs.

Well this wasn't a very interesting entry, hope I didn't bore you to sleep.

be me

Yesterday I finished up my dinner plates and bowls and made some teapots. I made 8 and kept 3. I don't do well when I try to make stuff that 'isn't me'. The first couple teapots I made we one's like some I had seen recently at a gallery. I thought they had a cool shape and I was going to try and copy them. No luck. They looked very contrived and out of place. Not me. So I went on to do a few more just out of my head (I don't have a standard teapot shape at the moment) and came up with a few that felt right but were sort of heavy and dumpy. So I trashed them and threw 3 more that were a bit lighter and stood up and didn't look so flabby around the bottoms. I haven't put handles or spouts on them yet. I'll see today if I have any keepers.

Drawings are of this mornings cup of tea, in my favorite Joe Bennion mug. And yesterday's cereal.

being

Well maybe I couldn't be a brain surgeon, but I could prob. be some sort of doctor or highly respected individual. In Japan potters are valued as much as lawyers and businessman. Here we are hardly noticed by society as a whole. Pots don't have the history and importance here like they do in the East. The Japanese eat differently than Americans do to. They eat as much with their eyes as they do their mouths. There are all kinds of pots for food in Japan, and of course the tea ceremony prizes the ceramics used. Us Americans are happy with food wrapped in foil and tea served in styrofoam cups. We are often in a hurry, eating in the car or in front of the television. Cultures in the East have a deeper sense of what beauty is all about too I think. Maybe it's a connection with nature or just the way the world is viewed. It's fairly early for me to be going on about all this. Something to think on for the day though. Maybe I'll get back with more insight later. I think the whole issue of beauty would be good to talk about. Look around today, what do you see as beautiful in your surroundings? Is is possible to slow down enough and appreciate the scent and sight of a flower in bloom, or the clouds in the sky? Can we see the beauty in one another, in children, animals, insects? There's beauty to be found in the crack in the sidewalk or the paint peeling off of side of a door.

Here's another experiment, eat in silence today, one meal, no conversation, no tv, no newspaper. just you and your food. Be present, taste it, what's it like? what are you thinking about as you eat? food or work? maybe draw your lunch before you eat it. Experience your lunch; think about where each component of the food came from, who grew it, who harvested it, packaged it, transported it, prepared it, served it. Think about the rain, soil, sunlight it took to grow it, about the clothes the farmer wore when he planted the seeds, about the fuel his machinery used, where that fuel came from. You get the idea.

Have fun today. Be present. I'm gonna be a potter.

Potential

Today I managed to get back in the studio for a while and make some pots. I made some slab square bowls and a large rectangular slab bowl on a hump mold I finally made last week out of plaster. I have been wanting to do this since seeing some nice pieces of this nature in a book on David Leach that I read awhile back. I also made some dinner plates. Tomorrow I expect to get in there and make some more plates, and attempt some teapots.

My drawing today is of a cupboard in the kitchen.

It's hard to eat a fudgesicle and type.

I was thinking today of what it would be like to live in a huge city in a tiny apartment. How would I decide what to keep? I could probably do without a car. I'd miss being able to walk out the front door in the middle of the night and pee under the moon and stars. I bet I'd get overstimulated from all the people and noise. I thought that I could get a job as a garbage man. That would be a nice job. Get up early. Collect the garbage, ride on the back of the truck. No worries to take home after hours. Sarah said I wouldn't be living up to my potential. Heck, I'm not doing that now. I could be a brain surgeon if I wanted to. Who needs to live up to their potential, that's gotta be highly over rated. I just want to be happy, do what makes me feel good, have a nice life, and be healthy. Which is sort of what is going on right here and now, so I doubt I'll be going to NYC or Chicago or Boston or where ever anytime soon. It would be fun to try it out though.

Family Picnic

Yesterday Sarah and I rode up with her parents to Banner Elk for the Ramsey family picnic. This is Sarah's mom's side of the family, most of whom I know and love. We had a good time visiting with everyone and had a great meal. The weather was awesome, probably in the mid 70's and Sarah and I had a nice hike in the woods.

Last night we watched Everything is Illuminated. Great movie. The main character, Jonathan , travels to the Ukraine to find the woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis in 1942. This is more of an independent type film, great camera work, beautiful scenery, interesting characters, including a cool dog...Sammy Davis Jr., Jr. Watch it!

Speaking of dogs. My 11 yr old lab is not doing so well. According to the vet he is having some neurological problem that causes him not to be able to control his hind legs very well. If this gets worse we may have to have him put donwn.
Kharma is doing fine. To relieve some of the stress of keeping her contained in my studio and worrying about her running out of the yard, I ordered us an invisible fence on Friday. It should be here next week. I am hoping this works for us.

Sarah is off to a yoga class in Charlotte this morning. She has a job interview tomorrow. So put out some prayers, positive energy, cross your fingers and toes, or whatever you feel appropiate, we are really hoping she gets this job. Thanks!

Challenging subject

The toilet is really difficult to draw. Especially head on like this. The whole foreshorting thing totally throws me.

Scanner

I went out and bought a printer/scanner last night. So get ready to be bombarded with drawings. Ha. I am sure the newness of this will wear off. Maybe after I break down and buy a new camera there will be some pics of pots that I am working on. Or maybe I'll just draw them and scan them in.
Anyhow, I have been drawing a lot, but I have also been journaling on my drawings. I don't really want to put all that out here so I am going to start keeping the two separate. As you can see I cropped this lamp to get rid of the text.
I also got a couple sepia pens.

Be here now

I'm always looking at my work and wanting it to be better. I often want it to be entirely different than it is. I have had thoughts of switching to earthernware, or doing more color, or drawing on the pots. When I have tried some of these things I am usually not happy and I go back to making the pots I know how to make. Salt/soda fired, loose, minimal decoration, good handles and feet. These are good pots. I think the longing for new ideas or forms or whatever is healthy in that it allows the pots to grow. Although it is slow. I admit that I have a problem of comparing my work to other's work, usually potters who are well established and have been in the field for 30+ yrs. It's no good to do this, it just frustrates me. I have to allow myself to see my work where it is right now and let it grow. I do give myself problems to solve, like right now for instance I'm working on a new baker shape, thinking about new slab vases, and a way to make a large, slab, rectangular dish. Also I need to find a teapot shape I like to make. Yesterday while trying to solve some of these problems I made pots and threw most of them back in the clay bin. I was frustrated that I had nothing to show for my efforts, nothing physical anyhow. But I did learn some things. Maybe today I'll put some of that into some keepers.
It seems most of my struggles, pottery or otherwise, are the same things over and over. How to learn to get out of this pattern is something I'm trying to look at. Breaking out of my conditioned thinking and living in the present would be helpful. I am still drawing and finding that that practice helps me to tune in and be in the moment. I am also noticing that I am beginning to look at things differently and really 'see' them.
I need to buy a new camera, anyone have any suggestions?
Have a great day.

Mucking along

I got back in the studio this morning and made a few pots. At lunchtime I met up with some local artists at Synergy Studios in town and had lunch. We had homemade pie and ice cream for dessert. It was nice to hang out with some likeminded people. We need to do it more often. I made a few more pots after lunch, some faceted vases and then worked outside some. I have been reorganizing my clay storage shed and I think I've got it all finished.
Not much else report. I feel like I'm just mucking along from one thing to the next really. I haven't had any real routine or full day of any thing since my sale. I have clay drying in the racks, I hope it will be ready to bring in by the middle of next week. Right now I'm using some commercial clay I had bought a while back. I think once my clay is ready then I'll be rocking along again in the pottery.

Two more

Drawings

Here are some drawings I've done over the last few days. I'm trying not to be too judgemental about any of this or worry what others think. So I'm putting them up.

Independence Day

I am feeling really guilty today because I absolutely do not want to do anything. I have gotten totally sucked into Danny Gregory's website. There's way too much info and drawings and things to read. I did a few drawings yesterday and a couple this morning.
I did manage to make a few pots yesterday and I finished them up this morning. I then mowed the grass. That's plenty of work for today don't you think? Man I wish my camera wasn't broken I want to post some images.
I am also having an urge to go shopping. I need some new shorts, tee shirts, and a pair of low top Converse. I'd also like to replace my camera, and get some art supplies (damn Danny G.). I don't even know what's open today and anyhow my frugal, guilty mind is holding me back from leaving here.
Oh yeah, my pie turned out pretty good last night. I think I'm more of a cobbler or crisp guy though. I'm not really into crust. It's sort of opposite with pizza. I am totally into crust there. I think with fruit pies I am more interested in the fruit.
Sarah is at work. I guess I am going to just hang out for awhile. Maybe I'll go do a few more drawings. It's hot out again today. No need to over do it.
Later, Ron

Picking and drawing

I managed to get myself out of bed at a decent hour this morning (who decides what is a decent hour anyway) and walk and feed the dogs. After that I headed up the road to pick some blackberries. We have a nice patch that I discovered late last week. Sarah and I picked about 6 cups yesterday and I picked about that much or more this morning. I am planning on baking a cobbler or deep dish pie to take to a family cookout this evening. This is all new to me so it is fun. Being out early this morning picking berries gave me lots of thoughts about primitive man (or probably woman) out gathering food. It also made me think of snakes, bees, and chiggers. My dad told me recently that my grandfather had loved to pick blackberries and would be out picking as the sun came up. I thought about this as I picked this morning and how I miss my grandfather and how much I could have continued to learn from him. I bet he'd really be interested in my pottery and kiln. I need to talk to my dad more about these things.

A friend recently turned me on to Danny Gregory. If you are interested in drawing or journaling you should check him out. I am getting interested in visual journaling. Some sites to visit are 1001 Journals and Tessha Moore's site. Some of these are really fantastic. I have been journaling since 11th grade, writing anywhere from 1 to 6 or more pages a day, usually in the mornings. I'd like to explore drawing as a journaling tool. I think expressing emotions and feelings in a visual way is sometimes easier and goes deeper than with words. It can be very engaging and freeing. Danny Gregory also speaks of drawing as being medatitive, slowing him down to the present moment. This of course would help lots of people. Read his short essays on his page under 'Recent Matters'. He also mentions this list of weekly challenges, things to draw. It would be a good place to start.

Out with myself

Yesterday I went to Brevard to Judith Duff's kiln opening. I wasn't really sure if I'd go or not. I was battling guilt and negative voices up until the time I walked into her studio door. I kept thinking to myself I need to stay home and work on pots, or in the yard, or something. In the end I got in my truck and left after taking care of the dog's morning needs. I knew Sarah would be sleeping in late and resting most of the day since she worked a 36 hr stint at the hospital. Anyhow once I got to Judith's I was glad I had not stayed at home. She had some really wonderful pots. Awesome shinos and pots from the train kiln and anagama. The first pot that caught my eye was a cereal sized bowl with a rich crackle red shino glaze. I thought to myself, this pot is probably $60 which I cannot spent today. I picked it up and saw that the price sticker read $400. Whoa. Well I guess I certainly WON'T be getting that one.
So I found a shino cup that looked like snow and ice, pink in places with iron spots coming through the thick feldspatic glaze. (My camera is busted or I'd put up an image.) It was $24. Much more in my price range for the day.
It was good to catch up with Judith and have her show me her new kilns and talk about all the great pots. If you get a change to visit her studio it is worth checking out. There's lots of good work in a wide price range.

I decided since I was already so close to Asheville I might as well go on up to Highwater Clay and pick up some supplies. I needed some grog and other materials for clay mixing and tests. Everything went fine until I got on the interstate about 15 miles outside of Asheville. Bumper to bumper. Oh yeah it's a holiday weekend! Well I managed to get off the interstate and go the back way to Highwater.

I got home about 4 and later Sarah and I went out with our friend David for pizza at Doc's.

I was glad to get away from home for awhile. Seeing Judith's pots was inspiring and I am all set to mix clay today and make some pots this week.

Back to work?

I guess it's about time I get back to work around here. The Monday after the pottery sale weekend I went to visit some friends in the mountains. It was nice to get away and have a change of scenery. It had been raining for several days so the streams were running heavily and all the trees and plants were green and lush. I enjoyed my visit with my friends, hanging out talking about pots, politics, food, clay, travel and other odds and ends.

Back at home I now I need to do some general clean up, mix some clay and get some pots made. I will be firing again in July with a potter from SC. We are splitting a firing in my kiln. I have some special orders to fill and more clay bodies to test.

This Saturday I am thinking about going to a pottery sale in Brevard. I met Judith Duff back in the early 90's at a class at Arrowmont Craft School. She is making some awesome pots. I would also like to check out her new anagama kiln.

This afternoon I'm taking my niece Sophie to the movies. She's here with her mom visiting Sarah's parents. So maybe I won't get too much done around here today. I guess I could go make a few cups.

Have a great day.

Thanks!

I had a great Summer Sale. Thank you to everyone who came out. It was nice to see some new faces and some who we have missed over the past few sales. I feel very blessed to have such a good customer base, local and from afar. I had a potter friend from western NC tell me a few years ago that she was really surprised that I had been able to make it in Shelby. Well I'm doing it and I hope to continue. Thanks to all of you.
Have a great week. I am off to the mountains today for a visit with some friends.

Sale weekend

Here are a few images of the showroom set up for the Summer Pottery Sale.

Saturday 10 till 5, Sunday Noon till 4. I hope you'll make it out. If you haven't seen the Summer Newsletter you can get it here.

Pots from last firing

I finally got these images shot and up. Cassrole and vase. Vase.
Tall pitcher.

Pots

New vase and jar shapes.
Small bottle with Chicken.
Teapot.
Small bottles.

Coming Soon...

I unloaded the kiln yesterday. I'll have some pictures up by tonight I hope. I'm running a little behind, lots going on here. I just had a group of 20 visitors from a Rotory Club camp that's going on at the local university. Check back in later for the images. Thanks!

Finished firing

I cut the kiln off around 2 pm today. In the picture you can see a cup that is sitting on the bagwall and the edge of a bowl on the front rack of shelves. I think it was a good firing, (knock on wood).

Saturday Firing

The firing is coming along fine this morning. I got up at 1 and 4 am to turn the gas up. I put the kiln in body reduction for 20 minutes at 4am. I am over 2000 deg. F now and will be salting in a couple hours. This is the best part for me. I will probably be finished earlier than I expected. I can't wait to unload on Monday and I haven't even finished firing yet. I want to see my new pots and clay tests. Salt glazing is so exciting to me, the results are always slightly (sometimes dramatically) different than the last firing. Having some glazed pots in this load will be different too.
We are going to a cookout tonight for Father's day so it will be nice to finish up here and then go have a good burger.
Okay gotta go.

Loaded and lit

I finished loading today around 4 pm. I pretty much took my time and all went well. I got in most of the pots I really wanted for my Home Sale next weekend.
I lit the burners just now (it's 10pm). I'll get up a couple times overnight and increase the gas pressure. I should finish up tomorrow around 4pm.
Sarah and I went to Doc's tonight for pizza. If you make out to the Sale next weekend and want to have some good food I recommend going to Doc's.
Check back again soon. Thanks!

Loading Day

I will be loading the kiln today. I will get some pics up tonight. I have lots of taller pots this time so it will be a different stack than usual. I am looking forward to this firing. My new pitchers and vases will be in it as well as two big jars which I chose to glaze on the outside as opposed to slipping them which I normally do. I am hoping the gas truck will come today and fill my propane tank up, I called on Tuesday. I may need to call and check. I'd really like to fire the kiln off tomorrow.

This week has been pretty rough emotionally. I hit a kitten on the road Tuesday and had to stop and pick it up so I could bury it. I saved it's brother and found a home for him. Kharma has been good for the most part but really pushes my buttons at times, like yesterday when she ran off. I feel like slamming my head against the wall sometimes. Maybe I need to be on some medication. The truth is I need to be taking some time to meditate, and do some yoga, I am stiff as a board and my mind is all amuck sometimes. I have also been forking out money like crazy this week. All necessary things for the businness, advertising, materials, etc. It will come back in time though.

I had a good experience in town yesterday. I met some guys who knew my dad which in turn led to them being extra nice to me and helping me with some stuff I was working on. I left feeling good about that and thinking that I need to get out of the studio more and interact with people. I also need to let my guard down some and see the good in the world. It's hard for me to do this for some reason.

Well this has gotten a bit long. Check back later for the pictures of the loading and if I get the kiln fired I will unload on Monday and get those pics up too. Have a good Friday!

Summer Pottery Sale!!

The Newsletter is now online. Click here. It has information on my upcoming sale as well as what I have been up to lately. Pics too. Check it out.
My Summer sale is June 24th, 10 am till 5 pm and June 25th, noon till 4 pm. I will have a lot of pots on the shelves. Keep checking back here over the next week for pictures of the firing and unloading.
I hope you'll be able to make it out and bring some friends. I will have a group of seconds and old stock marked down for quick sale.

Finishing up

I think I am finished with the pots for this kiln load. It's kind of hard to put the brakes on and stop making. Today I need to mix some glaze, fire a bisque (which is going already), and clean my kiln shelves. I need to do some work around the house too so maybe that will get done over the next few days. I would like to fire the salt/soda kiln next week or maybe next weekend. That would give me plenty of time to be ready for my sale on the 24th and 25th.
Better get busy.

South Mountain State Park

Sarah and I went up to South Mountain State Park for a hike this morning. We took Kharma along too. We spent a few hours up there, it was nice to be in the great outdoors for a while. The park is only 25 miles from here; I don't know why we don't go more often. There is good hiking, fishing, mountain biking and horseback trails. Maybe we can make it a point to go more often. I could certainly use the opportunity to get in a little better shape.

Easy Day

Today was an easy day, I did lots of little things, or nothing at times. This morning I went over to my sister's to help her and my niece put up this big swimming pool that they bought. It's one of those with a big inflatable ring at the top rim of the pool. That gets blown up and then you fill the pool up with water and the ring floats and keeps the structure all up. I think it's about 12 ft in diameter and 3 ft deep. My brother in law and nephew are off fishing for the weekend so they will be surprised when they get home.

I had a customer come by for a couple pots. And I got some handles on these two jars. The one on the left is made with about 22 lbs of clay and the one on the right with about 14. I will get them slipped tomorrow.

Played with the dogs for a bit in the yard and read a few chapters in Traveling Mercies. Oh yeah and weeded the side flower bed. I went to get a load of mulch but the nursery was closed, so that will have to wait till next week.

So that's my Saturday. I hope your's was fun.

Goofy

Sarah was in the studio yesterday taking some photos for the Newsletter. We got some good ones plus a few that definitely won't make publication due to my goofing around. Anyhow my Home sale is June 24 th and 25th. The Newsletter should be going out in about a week. I hope you'll go ahead and mark your calendars now and plan on coming out to see what I've been up to. I will have lots of pots in the showroom plus a selection of seconds and old stock marked down for quick sale.

Kharma's new trick

Kharma has a new trick. I'll be making pots on the treadle wheel. She will walk over carrying her rubber chicken squeeky toy and hold it over the right side of the fly wheel. Then , at just the right moment she'll drop it on the flywheel and it will be shot out the other side. She did this about 40 times yesterday and continued doing it for a while today until I needed a break and had to confiscate the chicken.

Heat

I just came in from the studio. I'm beat, my back hurts, and I stink. It's been hot the past couple days, I guess I'm going to have to get used to it being summer.

A good day again today. Ran out of clay though. I didn't know I was quite that low. Anyway, I have some stand by of this other body that I made up a while back. Probably 50 pounds, I'll finish out some small stuff with that. Today I finally got another big jar thrown, or the two parts anyway. This is my third attempt. I was using some commercial clay I bought last week (wanted to test it out). Anyway that stuff was super stiff out of the box. I don't know how people use it. I soaked it and tried throwing it on the kick wheel, still too stiff. Tried again and failed. Today I finally ran it through the pug mill and really got it nice and soft and consistant. Made the two parts on my treadle, and then threw 2 more for a smaller version.

I'm going to get horizontal for a few minutes before having to get the dogs out for some play time.

Back in the saddle

Today I got back into production mode in the workshop. Made some serving bowls, soup bowls, animal jars, and a few more things. At the end of the day I had some fun throwing some test clay into pots that were loose and fun. These are pretty much test pots but I did have fun making them while envisioning how perfect this new clay test is going to work and be the answer to my clay dreams. Ha! I do think though that envisioning what I want did sort of allow me to break out of my normal habits and make some things that came out from my more playful side.

Tomorrow I need to load a bisque and go to Grainger in Gastonia to pick up a sump pump for clay mixing. My old one bit the dust recently when my dad and neighbor borrowed it. It was on it's last legs anyhow, I got it second hand so no big loss.

I'll probably have a couple more wet days this week and then get ready for a firing.

Weeks end.

This week has gone by and I don't really know that I got anything much done. Oh well, no matter now. I feel like maybe I've been in a time warp. Wednesday night I got all worked up over some decision I had to make. I think I've gotten it all worked out, but at the time I felt like my head was going to explode. I don't do very well when I have to make decisions that involve other people. I often put them before me and end up regreting it later. I am trying to learn to say "No" and also to give my needs and desires priority at times. I am learning also that it is okay to change my mind and that I don't have to take care of other people's feelings around me doing that. I have to be true to me. Of course I want to do this in a nice way but if someone ends up mad or hating me well then that's not mine to own. Blah blah blah okay I'll not go on with this any longer.

Pots...they don't just appear in my studio on their own, and the potter fairies haven't showed up this week and made lots of work either. Oh right, Wednesday I wasn't even in the studio most of the day! I went to Boone with Sarah. Last minute decision, I wanted to go to the library. I got a couple of pottery books, one on Tom Coleman and one on Cardew. I also checked out another Anne Lamott book. I am totally into Anne Lamott right now, I have 3 of her books checked out, I've finished Operating Instructions, and I'm reading Bird by Bird and Traveling Mercies simultaneously. I've got to do some entries on this reading. Not today though. Does anyone else like Anne??

Okay. Gotta walk Kharma this morning and later my friend Steve is coming up from SC for a visit. I am looking forward to seeing some of his new pots. He got his studio set up a while back and has been working hard.

See ya.

Pitchers: Day 2

So here are the pitchers I made yesterday complete with handles that I got put on today. They have fairly tall necks which is something I kinda like. Below are two pitchers I made today, these have bigger bottoms and shorter necks. I also made a couple vases based on yesterdays proportions. All these will get some handles tomorrow.

Pitchers

Today got off to a pretty frustrating start. I was so discouraged by lunchtime I almost didn't go back out into the studio. Pitchers are a big challenge for me. I do fine with the smaller ones but I really want to be able to make a nice tall, light pitcher that has a good form, and a good handle. That's what I was working on this morning and not having much luck. Anyhow after lunch I had a little pity party with myself and then went back out to work. I managed to make a board of 6.5 lb pitchers that looked pretty good. I threw these in two pieces each. I learned this at the workshop this weekend. I am not sure I totally like the shape of these but I'll work on it. For now I've got a start. I feel like sort of an inadequate potter in that I have to make these in two parts but what the hell, it works. Tomorrow I'll see if I can get some decent handles on them. I'll get a picture up too.

I finished up the day by putting some handles on some oval and square bowls and getting them plus some other bowls slipped and incised. I have been having thoughts of doing some slip trailing so tomorrow I am going to make some dishes and see what I come up with.

That's it for now.

Monday:Fresh Start

The weekend was okay. I enjoyed the workshop on Saturday. It was good to be around some clay people and to get away from home for a while. My friend Amy brought me a nice cup made by Warren Mackenzie from her trip to Minnestoa. That was really cool.

Saturday night Sarah and I went to supper at Doc's Pizza in town. Doc's opened a few weeks ago. I have been waiting for months for it get going. I had high hopes for the place as we have no good pizza in Shelby. We've had four pizzas so far and only one has really met my approval. I think the problem is in the cooking time. Three more minutes in the oven would make a huge difference. I judge pizza primarily on crust. I think they have a good dough, but I think they need to cook the pizza just a little longer. I'll prob. mention this to my friend David who is managing the place. Maybe it will get worked out as time goes on.

Sarah's aunt passed away last week and so we went up to Boone for the funeral and burial on Sunday. It was a beautiful day in the mountains and Aunt Margarot was laid to rest on a peaceful hilltop.

I am looking forward to a fresh start in the workshop today. Kent's workshop gave me some ideas for pitchers and I am going to try and make a couple big jars. I hope to finish up this making cycle this week, I need to mix clay soon too.

Well that's it for now. I hope you all have a good start to your week.

Yum

Today for lunch I made myself a panini sandwich on the grill. The top photo shows how I weighted it down with a brick covered in foil. This is a great sandwich. Whole grain bread, fontina cheese, ham, spinach, red onion and then more fontina. The outside of the bread is brushed with olive and then onto the grill.
I worked in a deli for a number of years in my 20's. Sarah says I am a sandwich snob, which is kinda true. I have to do things just a certain way, for instance I like the mayo on the side that the cheese is on, and I like things stacked a certain way. Picky me.

Friday

I plan on getting some work done in the studio today. I am taking Kharma in to the vet to get spayed today. She was a real handful yesterday and tried my patience. Anyhow I need to be working with her on certain things.
Tomorrow I am going to a workshop at Clayworks in Charlotte to see Kent McLaughlin make pots and talk about how he fires his kiln. He fires with used vegetable oil. I am interested in this as propane is getting very expensive.
Sarah did an overnight at the hospital last night. She will be home later today. I imagine we'll just hang out here tonight. I'll prob. cook fried rice for supper and maybe we'll rent a movie.
Well that's it for now. Have a great Friday!!

Wooden Stone

I delivered an order of pottery to Wooden Stone Gallery in Davidson, NC yesterday. It was a nice trip and I enjoyed hanging out at the gallery for a while talking to Drew the owner and his staff. Wooden Stone is really nice and I am proud to have my work there. They have a fully functional kitchen space right in the gallery where lots of fine crafts are displayed.

My friend David the woodcarver went with me and we walked around town a bit. We wandered into the Tom Clark Gallery where we saw hundreds of gnomes and figures. The lady working there answered all our questions about Dr. Clark and his work. Honestly I've never really liked these things but they are well done and highly collectible.
We had lunch at a great Mexican resturant on the way out of town. Don't remember the name but I'll be back next time I'm in the area.

Litterbugs

Walking Kharma today I had some thoughts on litter. It seems most of the folks around here who litter are addicts and in poor health. I make this statement on the observation of what is along side the road. First of all there are lots of beer cans and fast food wrappers. Also cigarette packages. These people must be driving down the road eating a quarter pounder, smoking a cigarette, and drinking a beer. Then when all finished they toss everything right out the window. On top of that they must be cheap too. I mean I never see an empty bottle of Guinness Stout on the side of the road, it's always Coors Light or Natural Light or Bud Light. Hey all these are light beers, maybe they are trying to be calorie conscience. ?? And cheap cigarettes too, Misty's or Doral's or such, I guess the Marboro man hasn't been riding his horse up and down my street. Horse's don't have cup holders to keep your cheap beer in.

You might be...

a redneck if you spend part of Sunday afternoon building an outhouse. Which is what I did for a few hours yesterday with my dad. One of his friends asked him to build an outhouse for him. Apparently this guy has a picnic area on his property down by the river (yeah he's for sure a redneck) and he needs an outhouse for when he has cookouts. So we are building him one. Just one more thing to add to my resume'.

Sunday/Mother's Day

We had breakfast today with my mom and stepfather, as well as my sister and her family to celebrate Mother's Day. Afterwards Sarah and I came home and had a good nap with the cats. I think Sarah needs to catch up on her sleep. She is not used to getting up so early during the week.

The show in Charlotte went okay yesterday. A gallery owner was supposed to get some pots from me there but he gave me some excuse and said maybe he'd wait till later. That was disappointing as I had been counting on this money coming in and then no go. Oh well, I did have an okay show and sold some pots. It was nice to see some folks I hadn't seen in awhile too and catch up. I always get lots of compliments on my work at the Guild show, I am the only person in our guild who is doing atmospheric firing, and what can I say? the pots are good.

It's a beautiful day out today. I need to get out for a bit. It's rather windy. We had a terrific thunder storm last night around 11:40pm. The tin roof was getting pounded, it also hailed I think. Sarah slept through the whole thing but I layed awake and enjoyed it for awhile.

Tomorrow I'll be back in the workshop making pots. I am looking forward to a productive day.
That's it for now.