Unloaded & Tests

I unloaded my glaze firing this afternoon. I had mixed up a new base glaze and ran some tests with my colorants. It 's a fine base but it did craze in a way that I don't like. So back to the drawing board. (Don't worry I'm going to tone that green down a bit, and add some iron to it)I hadn't made up any proper glaze test pieces so I had to break up an old pot, kind of sloppy but it got the job done.

I'm getting my plate inventory build back up. Some of these will show up on my Etsy site. I'll announce it here when that happens.

Busted!

I went out this morning to scrounge up some boxes. I needed some small ones to ship some mugs and bowls away. I cruised around town behind the shops with little luck. Then I happened upon a pharmacy with a big dumpster that said 'cardboard only'. I couldn't get the side doors to open so I just threw open the lid on top and climbed in. Jackpot!
Well until some lady from the store came out and said 'Can I help you?'. She had brought a young male store clerk out with her too, they must have thought I was dangerous. So I peeped out of that little slit in front to let them know I wasn't rummaging for needles or old drugs or whatever they thought I was after. I threw out all the boxes I wanted, climbed out and left. I guess next time I should wait until after hours.

Morning Tea

I'm having my tea this morning in this mug made by Blair Meerfeld. I got it a few years ago when Sarah and I traveled out to Colorado. Blair's salt glazed pots are like none other. I love the color and I especially like his handles. This mug performs flawlessly. Your index finger fits just inside the handle, thumb right up on top, with the ....well wait I'll take a picture....
There you see. Good leverage, just tilt and drink.

My tea of choice this morning is Singbulli Estate Darjeeling. I'm hung up on the Darjeeling's at the moment, we have about 4 different ones on hand.
In the afternoons I usually have some green, right now my favorite is Gyokuro from Asahi, Japan. It's amazing. Becky turned me on to that.

The kiln is going so I'll have some pots out in a couple days. I sure hope some of that crawling is improved by my reglazing and refiring. We'll see. I'm also testing a new base glaze that has no Gerstley.

Worldwide

A Little More

I realize I am stringing you all along with these jugs. I slipped them this morning and did the finger wipes , the plan now is to draw some flying birds in those open spaces. The lesson learned with this finger wiping business is to do it and leave it alone. No fussing about or touching up. I did the middle jug first and then fiddled around with my lines, which didn't help. The next two were better, but I probably need to practice on about 50 more before I get it right.

Okay, that's that. See ya later.

A day in the City

I literally spent all day in Charlotte yesterday. Amy and I got our Circle of Eight postcard designed and ordered and also wrote a press release to send out to some places. We are hoping for a good turnout for our Fall Sale. We feel like doing a home sale like this gives people the opportunity to come out and see a large selection of work in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. They can meet us, browse for pots, catch up with friends, learn more about what we do and why we do it. I think these kinds of sales allow us to connect with our buying public. After all we make things to be enjoyed and used and I think that experience can be enhanced by meeting the makers. Our group is really making some outstanding work so hopefully that too will be recognized and we will be able to continue to do what we love.

After meeting with Amy I dropped off some work at Clayworks where I teach and then had supper with my pal Julie Wiggins. We talked about the sale and how we want to change the way the work is displayed at the sale.

I needed some frits for my test glazes so I zoomed over to the clay store to get those and hung around for Leon's class. He bragged on my pots to his students and got me to show one of them how I make my cup handles. Finally I got home around 10:30. A full day of pottery related activities. (Didn't get any pots made though.) Better get out to the shop.

Monday. Ready, Set, Go!

Monday. Ah a new week, fresh start, tons of stuff to do.....
So the veterinarian is coming this morning to give our 3 pets their annuals and any other thing they need. I am trying to get ready for that, later on I'll be heading to the city to meet with Amy to work on some advertising for our Circle of Eight Sale which is Sept. 20th.

My harvest jugs now have handles. I am putting off the slipping because once I do that I'm going to have to decorate them somehow. Scary.

The pots that needed refiring along with some freshly glazed ones were enough to make up another kiln load. I will fire it off tomorrow in hopes of improving some of the crawling. I'll also be testing some new glaze bases that have less Gerstley or none at all.

That's all for now...along with these two pots from the last firing.

Tom's Pots

My good friend Tom Gray in Seagrove just fired a kiln load of pots. Check out his blog for pics. He should have a fully stocked showroom now, so get over there if you can. Tom's work is first rate. He loves to cook and garden (and eat). Tom has always been a utilitarian potter, his work has inspired me for years and he has taught me a lot since our first meeting back in the early '90's. (like how to get my teapot spouts under control).

Crawling.

I checked in my copy of The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Hamer and Hamer this morning regarding the crawling problem.

This particular glaze I am using has 55% Gerstley Borate as an ingredient. Gerstley Borate is a variety of colemanite. H&H states that, "Colemanite encourages crawling by loosening the glaze layer during the firing prior to fusion. Colemanite contains water as part of its crystal structure. Decomposition between 1292 deg. F and 1472 deg. F liberates this water and the vapour loosens the glaze layer. When the glaze melts, it's surface tension pulls the glaze into separate areas leaving bare patches."

I am almost 100% sure this is the cause of my problem. So I will start running some tests with some glazes that get the boron from a frit instead of the Gerstley.

More fun.

Pots

Well you'll just have to turn your computer monitor up on edge until I can get Blogger to load this image correctly. I'll try again later. This is the general overview of the firing. I had some plates too but forgot to shoot them. Most had crawled glaze anyhow. Bummer. I'll get some individual pics up later on.



The fish platter came out well.

Crawling

About 1/3 of the pots in this firing had glaze crawling. So that's a bummer, but I can put some more glaze on them and fire them again. That usually works. I have to find out why this is happening. I usually damp sponge my bisque and also blow it off really well with the air hose to get any dust off. It doesn't necessarily seem to be happening only where the glaze is thick either. Those two things, dirty bisque and thick glaze are what I think normally cause crawling. If any one has suggestions leave me a comment. I'll be consulting my books in the mean time.

Jugs pt. 2

This is as far as I got on the jugs today. I'll let the tops set up and get the handles on next.

Harvest Jugs

Tomorrow, if all goes well, these will get necks and handles and will become jugs. Then I have to decide how to decorate them. That's getting a bit ahead though.I should have some new pots out by mid afternoon tomorrow. Also I'll be posting some new pots on my Etsy site.

Deco.

This is a first. Inspired by Hannah. This could develop into something interesting. Better get the sketch book out.More of the usual style.
I'm really having fun making plates and mugs. I think I could just do those two things for a long time.
Better get back to work.

Professional Photos

I met with my photographer on Monday to shoot some of my slipware. It's really nice to see the work shot in a professional manner. Here are a couple of the images.

Randy McNeilly shoots all my images. I've known him since I was 15. I'm lucky that he likes my pots too.

Wed. Morn.

Glazing today. Firing tomorrow.

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Wade.
Wade who?
Wade a couple days and you'll get to see some new pots.

Tomato Sandwich

Tomato sandwiches have been my staple lunch (and sometimes supper) for the past couple weeks. Here's how we do it in the South.
I like a good, soft whole wheat bread for tomato sandwiches. For other things a crusty bread is okay, but not for this. I have a nice, ripe, homegrown tomato ready to go. I like to peel mine and you can see I have my trusty Global serrated knife there for that job and for slicing.
Dukes brand mayonnaise is a must. No substitutions. None. Ever.
Here we are all piled up. Mayo on both slices of bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and you're ready to go. Better get a napkin.

More from Last Week's Firing

These are your two salt jars Big Al.

I hardly ever used to make covered casseroles but I really like these and plan to keep making them provided people buy them. (which they have been thank goodness)

Sunday's Pots

Just finished off a bisque firing, well I didn't really have to do anything but make sure it didn't over fire (that electric kiln sure is nice). I worked in the shop a few hours this morning making mugs, plates, salsa bowls and 6 diamond shaped dishes. Not bad for a Sunday. I felt guilty for doing hardly anything in the shop yesterday.
Karma and I went for a ride out and about and stopped by the store for a Sunkist Orange soda (which I haven't had in years) and Karma was given a couple doggie treats by the lady at the counter. We're pretty much chilling out at the moment. Sarah is off visiting family today.

So that's a little update from my end of the world. Sorry it's not too exciting but I thought I'd better put some thing up here.

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

New pots out of the kiln this week, hopefully by Thursday. So come on back. Some of the new pots will show up on my Etsy site.

Pots for Sale. Now Online

As you can see on the right, I've posted my Etsy shop here on the Potter's Journal. You can click the link there to go to my Etsy shop and buy my pots online. How cool is that!!? I'll be adding new work from time to time so please visit often.
Be sure to tell your friends.
I haven't put this out to my mailing list yet, you all get the first look. So check it out and have fun.