sgraffito

Very Happy Thursday

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Piglet thought that they ought to have a Reason for going to see everybody, like Looking for Small or Organizing an Expotition, if Pooh could think of something.
Pooh could. "We'll go because it's Thursday," he said, "and we'll go to wish everybody a Very Happy Thursday.
Come on, Piglet." 
I love Winnie the Pooh.  I think he could teach us all something.  That part above is from The House at Pooh Corner. Chapter 8.  In which Piglet does a very grand thing.

Well, I'm having a cup of tea in my new Rat cup as I wait for my oatmeal to cook.  I think it's my new favorite cup!  I was very happy with that last kiln load and look forward to some of those pots going off to new homes.

That book there by Gregg Levoy is very good.  The title is Callings.  I'm only 50 pages in but I'm really enjoying it.  It's about learning to hear/recognize and follow (or not) callings in our lives.  With the hope that this will lead up to living a more authentic life.


I worked on a few rectangular boxes yesterday.  They are fairly time consuming pots, each made up of 8 parts total.  Then the deco is pretty intensive too.

This first shot shows the three bodies, thrown without bottoms and then gently shaped.


And here they are now after I've shaped them a bit more and attached the tops and bottoms.

They are currently under plastic to allow everything to even out before I cut the lids and attach the feet.  That's probably not going to happen until tomorrow as I have a full day of getting ready for the gallery crawl in town tonight.  I'm in charge of the reception at the Arts Council and I have pots on display at a local shop.  Looks like I'll be in the kitchen most of the after noon.


Here's a paper cut sign that I made for my display at 2 Doors Down.

  One thing I learned while making this, be careful when working on paper cuts because if you poke your finger with the scalpel and then bleed all over your paper it pretty much ruins it and you have to start again!


This next part is for Anna but may be helpful to others too.

This is a close up of the tools I use for sgraffito and carving away excess clay.

 I want to mention that the working ends of the tools on the right should be filed with a flat edge as shown below. (As opposed to a knife shaped edge).


I keep a small file on hand when decorating and give them a sharpen when needed.


Okay that's quite a lot of info for today.  Breakfast is ready so I'll sign out, have a great Thursday!!

Just out of the kiln

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Some of the pots from yesterdays unloading.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGAp61klMKg

Tomorrow, September 1, is the Gallery Crawl in uptown Shelby.  My work is featured at Two Doors Down, 12 Warren Street.  I also have work at ETC Gift shop in the Arts Council and at Buffalo Creek Gallery, also on Warren St.  I hope the locals will come out and support the arts and our local businesses.

Beginning to End. Goat Portrait

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Shot this video yesterday. I really feel like the drawings are beginning to come into their own.  After about 8 cups I really began to loosen up and get some nice action in the lines and expressions.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--RaEi0Ceik

Of course I want to make sure that I'm making good forms right from the start.  I take a lot of pride in my mugs.  With this last batch I increased the size just a tiny bit and as always gave extra attention to making a comfortable, accessible handle.

I'm getting a nice full load in the bisque kiln.  I'll finish up a few more cups today and move on to the bigger serving dishes.

Deco. Videos

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I shot these two clips showing pots getting drawn on, layout and working towards some finished etched pieces.  I'll try and write a bit more about this and what I'm thinking as I do this soon.  For now here are the videos.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X9p3SpJapk

 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZbiF6wnrDs

Good Stuff

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Loads of new stuff arrived today.  Below is a photo and video.


 


httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc_zhI-yWhU


Pretty cool eh?


I first saw Scott Garrett's work on my pal Matt Grimmitt's blog.  Scott did an illustration that had one of Matt's jugs included in it.


Later on I found my way to Scott's website and then his blog.  Scott is in the first stages of learning to make pots.  I love his illustration style and his sense of humor.  That mustache is pretty cool too.  Scott has an affection for folk pots from the American south. It's pretty cool seeing how someone in England is taken with US pottery much like I am with pots from their country.


Thanks for the prints Scott. I love them and they are going to get framed and put up in the house.


I'm pretty excited about my little self published picture book.  It will be a good asset in the studio.  I'll probably order one for my mom too.  She'd like that.


I'll talk more about the Michael Simon book later on. I've looked through it once and read a bit of it.  It really slowed my mind down today, just thinking about Michael, his pots, the way he works etc.  I met him several times, saw him make pots, went to his and Ron Meyers' pottery sales and even visited him at his home once.  Special memories.


Well, Sarah and I are headed over to Ni Fen for some wine and tapas.  It's been a sunny, beautiful day after a long damp week.  I hope you all have a great weekend.

Getting the Bisque In

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I finally got enough pots decorated to load a full bisque.  Good grief I feel like it's taken me all week.  I have to say I haven't been putting in full days so I can't complain.  It will be nice to get this load fired, glazed and fired again.  Many of these pots are going to the Lillstreet Gallery in Chicago.

The last pot I worked on today was this 12.5 " shallow dish.  I got the design penciled in yesterday.  I timed how long it took me to do the 'scratching'.  Any guesses??


Time for a bit of Tai Chi practice (I started a 6 week course last week) and then homemade pizza for supper!!