Uncategorized

Two New Pots and a Goat

in
These are the two latest additions to our collection. Tom Gray send me the blue ash mug in the post last week. Tom hardly ever makes mugs anymore so it was nice to get one from his latest firing.
The gigantic tankard was a gift from Doug. My friend Fredia was in England during Hatfield event and went by to see Doug. He warned me not to fill it up with beer as it may 'give me a bad head'.
This guy was out in the side field this morning. I think he escaped from the livestock yard just up the road.

Rice Noodles Made by Hand

in
I have several food blogs that I regularly check in on and Eating Asia is one of my favorites. I think if I had the chance to do anything I'd travel around the world meeting people, eating and learning about food. It would be amazing, hard at times I guess but just think of all the great stories and experiences to be had.

Sarah and I went into Charlotte for part of the day and had lunch at Lang Van, it's our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. I had pan fried noodles with broccoli and tofu; Sarah had vermicelli with bean curd that was marinated with lemon grass and more (that I can't remember). Anyhow of course it was delicious, we also had summer rolls and Vietnamese iced coffee.

Anyhow I was just looking at Eating Asia and saw this post on making rice noodles. Not in a factory mind you, but by hand. Check it out. What hard work this is. Most of us have it so very easy, we go to the store and get what we want. In some ways the process the lady is using isn't unlike making clay and pots. Speaking of pots, look in the background of the 12th photo down. Nice jar!

Tonight it's tomato sandwiches for me again. No, I don't seem to tire of these throughout the summer. It won't be that long before fall and winter and there are no more fresh tomatoes to be had for awhile.

I'm Here Somewhere

in

Karma made a huge mess in the shop today by knocking over a bucket of muddy water. That didn't make my day, but what's a little more clay and water in the floor right?

I have to confess I've become totally obsessed with working on my WordPress site. It's like learning to throw, slow and frustrating. I'm not going live with it for a while, but I think it will be a bit of an improvement to this Blog. However i have to say I can get on here and do pretty much what I want to. I guess I'll get better at the WP thing too. Getting the look all set up is hard, mainly b/c I can't make up my mind and also b/c sometimes I'll get it all like I want it only to discover a problem.

Sarah has about had enough of it, she told me yesterday I needed to get it finished so I'd pay her some attention. That was a little harsh but I got the message.

Out of clay! I'll have a bisque firing tomorrow and then fire a glaze kiln over the weekend. Hopefully I'll have more clay next week.

If you've asked me a question in the comments lately and haven't gotten a reply you may have to try again. I've sort of lost track, but will be happy to answer.

Gotta go.

Getting Over the Hump

in
Wednesday is here! A new day, a hot cup of tea, and it's been raining heavily since midnight. I may have to get Hannah to float over here in her ark to get us if this keeps up .

Mixed up a batch of clay yesterday with plans on making more next week. I would like to start to get ahead of the game on my clay stock. I don't like mixing in winter.

I saw Leon yesterday and he had worked up two new glaze bases for me on his software. I'll be testing them in my next firing.


Regarding my last post, I think a big part of my ups and downs could be the fact that I work in isolation most days for most of each day. That gives me LOTS of time to be in my head. Being in there with all those voices is not the most healthy place sometimes. But by knowing that I can allow myself to step back and see what process is all about. I can try to observe it without reacting to it. Either that or play lots of loud music in the shop.

I realized I had a little more clay than I thought when I went in to check on my reclaim last night. I may get to make a few more big jugs before this next glaze firing. So, I'm off to work. Have a soggy day!! Smiles.

WWHD

in
I've been meaning for years to make a tee shirt with this image and WWHD on it. "What Would Hamada Do?"It's late, I need to be in bed but I've been working on my Wordpress site which may end up happening sooner than I thought thanks to some progress tonight. (Thanks Cynthia!)

I just read a great post by Joy Tanner. Check it out here.

I often end my days in a slight funk, feeling like I need more time, or that I wish I had spent my time better or even had a different kind of day or sometimes a different life. In the mornings I am upbeat and ready to go again, but ending up in bed staring at the ceiling thinking how things could be different is telling me something is missing in my life. What is it?

I think I can safely say that a big part of this is that I've gotten away from living in the present moment. My meditation practice has ceased to exist. I think about it often. Then my guilt kicks in and then shame and then I decided it'd be easier not to think about it so I go to work, or get on this machine, or something. Maybe just putting that out here just now will help me. I guess I should go now.

Test

in
My comments do not seem to be working. I think the haloscan site is down too. Hopefully it will be back soon. I haven't been able to see if anyone got the correct answer on the "Who Made This"

Who Made This?

in
I have been enjoying Patricia Griffin's 'Famous Potter Challenges' so I thought I'd put up some pots now and again to challenge my readers. Below is a luncheon plate that we have in our cabinet. We actually are lucky enough to have 4 of these. Can you guess who made this? Leave your answer in the comments.

Getting Low

in
I didn't realize I was getting so low on clay. Today after making some 6lb oval bakers , a couple platters and this big dish my clay bin was relatively empty. So tomorrow will be mixing day and finishing these pots up. I got a call over the weekend from a friend asking me if I'd make something special for a wedding gift. So this platter will get a foot thrown on tomorrow and then decorated some how for that occasion. Probably birds.

I have some reclaim drying out that I will be able to make some cups with and then I guess it'll be about time to fire again. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and my clay won't take forever to dry in the racks.

Unloaded & Tests

in
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!

in

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

in


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.

A Little More

in
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

in















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!

in
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

in
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).