Hey. Wow, I'm glad I had a good day today. I've been a bit of a grump so far this week but I made sure that when I woke up this morning I smiled and said, New day, don't be a grump.
Michael Kline and I talked awhile back about working on small groups of pots at a time. I think Michael blogged about it. I'll check for a link on his site*.
That idea about small groups goes back, for me anyway (and MK too I think) to a model that Michael Simon practiced in his studio.
So I've been at it for a couple weeks now and I am enjoying it. For instance, on Monday I threw 12 pots. Four cups, a jar, two knob-and-alls, 3 serving bowls, and I made two slab jars. So that's 12. Yesterday, Tuesday, I finished those pots and got them all slipped.
Working in small groups gives me time to enjoy each pot and give it some attention. I dread putting handles on more than 8 cups in a day. I have more consideration of the pots while I am making them. With 4 cups I can throw them slowly and really putting some feeling into each one. There's certainly something to be said about making large runs of pots and getting in a groove. I know plenty of potters who do that. For me, right now working with a small kiln and doing a great deal of decorating, I feel the need to go slow and steady. I don't really think 'slow' is the right word but what I mean is that I do not feel like I want to be cranking out pots and trying to play catch up, keeping them under plastic as I struggle for days to finish them.
Today I threw 11 pots but one was a teapot so I'm counting it as two. I started drawing on the small square slab box too. I'm really hoping it makes it through the kiln w. no cracks.
I made some super size yunomi last week.
I'm heading to the NC Potter's Conference this weekend. It's going to be a good time. I always like seeing all my clay pals and learning something new from the demonstrators.
Okay, I think that's all I've got for now.
* Here's the link to Kline's post. Clickity Click