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Crawling.

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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

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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

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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.

Harvest Jugs

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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.

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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.

Tomato Sandwich

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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.

Sunday's Pots

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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

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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.

Visitor

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This little guy has been coming over for the past two days to play with Karma. He lives up the road in the neighborhood. I don't know his name, but I heard some kids call him Stubby so maybe that's it. He and Karma have a blast chasing each other around the yard, or just hanging in the studio.


I'm firing the kiln tonight so I'll have some new pots out in the next couple of days. I have enough pots for a bisque waiting in the wings so they'll go in on Friday I think. I'll be announcing the site for online shopping on Friday too.

Look Around

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I tend to be pretty observant. Sometimes to a fault, like when I'm driving and Sarah catches me looking way back at something we just passed. She has to keep reminding me to watch where I'm going. (and "to drive faster grandpa", but that's another story).

I like to point out things I'm seeing, 'they poured the curbs on that driveway.', 'did you see that big, white dog?', 'what's up with that guy's hair?', 'look at THAT (pointing frantically).'

Anyhow, Sarah gets the worst of it and sometimes I feel like I should just shut up and keep things to myself. But I can't. I like noticing things and I can't help but say something. I just want to share I guess.

I think a lot of folks live in a world with their blinders on and never see the good stuff. I take joy in the small flowers on the side of the road, or watching construction workers placing tall poles on a slab of concrete or catching a glimpse of the guy cooking noodles in the kitchen at the Vietnamese restaurant.

I'm not sure how I use the information I see, or if it benefits me in any way. I do like to make up stories about total strangers, and maybe being observant will keep me from getting hit by a falling piece of space junk or allow me to witness a small miracle. (Although I have to say I could be in a 3 acre, well mowed field and still step in a pile of dog poop. I'm doomed in that way.)

Anyhow I'm thinking about this because I noticed that Keri Smith has a new book(click that for a little tour of the book, be sure to click the arrows when you get there) coming out in October and it seems to be about being an explorer, an observer, and how to take the things we see and use them or analyze them and make them part of our art or life or whatever. You may remember Keri from the entry I did on Wreck This Journal.

Keri is pretty amazing and I just feel like she oozes creativity. Anyhow, I'll probably have a copy when the book comes out.

So I am observing that it is time to get back to work. Lunch hour over. I'll be back later.

Just a Blip

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I'm off to load the kiln this morning. I was pretty grumpy yesterday when I finally got finished glazing and figured it would be no good to try and even post. So hopefully today I'll have something to share. Check back later.
PS Remember several weeks ago I mentioned that I'd be selling online? Well it's getting ready to happen. Stay tuned for that too.

Another Platter

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I like decorating these platters. I have one more to do tomorrow and then I'll probably make a few more. This one has the tall foot. You can see where I lightly penciled in my design before doing the incising.

Cutting a Plate's Foot

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I shot these images Friday while cutting feet on some dinner plates. I thought it may be helpful for someone.
This first image is the plate upside down, re centered on a foam batt.
I first define the outer side of the footring and cut away clay towards the edge.
Next I make a cut inside the edge of the footring. I usually ere on making the foot ring wider at this point, I will come back at the end and narrow it up. If I try to get it just right at this point I may mess up and cut it too lean.
Then, working from the center outwards I cut away the excess clay. This takes 3 or 4 passes. I try to do all of this in as few of moves as possible to keep it fresh and unfussy.
I've also started adding some holes in the foot rings so my customers can hang the plates if they choose. Five years ago I would have scoffed at this practice, thinking if someone bought a plate they certainly should eat from it. Now I give them an option. Many people tell me they have no more room for dishes, so here's one way for them to put it up on the wall and enjoy. Since I've started decorating more I can see how my plates may end up on the wall.

I like to cut the foot when the pot is at a medium hard leatherhard state. If the clay is shaving away like chocolate then it's too dry. If the clay sticks to the tool it's probably a bit too soft.

Michael Kline has a good video of foot cutting on his blog here.