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Working up some stoneware

If you watched yesterday's video I mentioned that I was working up some stoneware reclaim and that I was going to go over to the cemetery near our house and get some local red dirt to add.

The cemetery has a big pile of dirt from when they dig graves.  I brought some of that dirt home and ran it through a course screen to remove the roots and rocks.  Below you see the screened dirt alongside 2 buckets of reclaim.


I added all the dirt to one bucket and this was the result.


I want to throw this clay fairly soon, so I needed to add some more dry material to stiffen it up a bit.  I added some ball clay and dumped it on the cement floor so I could wedge it up.


Below is the result.  So I'll let these balls sit for a day or so under plastic before wedging it up and making some pots.


I'm not sure how that local dirt will effect the color of the clay or the glazes or slips I will be using.  The pots are going in a wood fired soda kiln.  I didn't really measure anything which was part of the fun.  I will fire some test bars to make sure the clay will go to cone 10 before committing the pots to the firing.  I'm pretty sure it should be fine as the main reclaim body is high in Goldart clay.


Still waiting on the kiln to cool.  New photos should be up by tomorrow morning at the latest.

Hey!

I've been on a bit of a blogging break.  Back now but not much to write yet so here's a video.  More tomorrow probably as I get my head back on right.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aD83fCldBQ

A Few New Pots

This load was mainly serving bowls, small plates and bowls and some cups.  The blue Bird plates were an order for 5.  I made 6 and one had the crawly blue problem.  So that's good.




I had some smaller yunomis in this kiln.  We have a few smaller ones that other potters have made and I enjoy using them so I thought I'd try a few.  I haven't done any fish in a while.


Here's the blue glaze that crawls.  It's a thickness issue.


I loaded up around 30 Animal pots today for a bisque.  Banks and Jars.  Tomorrow I'm packing pots to ship so I'll get to use all my supplies that I ordered last week, boxes peanuts and such.  By the way the free Hall and Oates CD from Uline was horrible, those two need to hang up the towel.  It was a live recording from 2008.  Next time I'm offered a free gift I'll get the calendar.

Indecision

The thing that paralyzes me most in the studio is Indecision.  The Indecision comes from Fear.  It usually plays out in my head along these lines.

I have to use this blue glaze on these bird pots.  Sometimes it crawls, I hope it doesn't this time.

It's gonna crawl.

I wonder if I could just use a cobalt carbonate wash?

It may be too strong.  You'll ruin them all.

I don't know what to do.

Don't do anything.

I'll just wait.

You're a loser.

I'll wait till tomorrow.

You need to get this order glazed and fired.

What if they all come out with crawled glaze?  What if I use a different glaze?  Maybe I should call X and see if they have a good recipe.  What if I wait and do a test with the cobalt carbonate.

Ha!! Okay, it's really silly when I put it out here like that but you know when I'm in my studio and this crap starts up then I just get lost in it.  I have gotten better with dealing with this sort of thing, but its amazing how often it creeps up on me.  I think just identifying and naming the Indecision parts or the Fear or Whatever it is can help.  Also that " What If..." question.  That is a big Killer.  It can do just about anything in.  I mean really there's just no way to do battle with What If, other than telling it to get lost.

So all that aside I kicked butt in the studio yesterday!  I made a list (always a good thing).


I got plenty checked off of it before unloading a bisque kiln and then turning around and glazing that load and reloading.

It was  a full day but I felt amazing when I was finished.  I just love having a good day.  I made some new bowls (I decided not to make the 6 Tall Footed Bowls on the list and made 6 bowls with fat rims instead).

Glazing went fairly quick but it was still 7pm when I finished so I took myself out for a cheeseburger!

Here's a shot of the ladle.


I really like using it.  It came from Bailey. Here's the link. I got the Large one and it holds 8 fl. oz.

Well that's all for now.  Thanks for reading.  I'll  have some new pots out tomorrow, hopefully without any crawling glazes!

Clary Illian Jar

UPS arrived this morning bringing the jar I bought from the Clary Illian exhibit at Akar last month.

I LOVE it!!!  Clary is Amazing and she has switched to earthenware in last few years.  We have several of her stoneware pots and soda fired pots but this is the first piece of her earthenware we have.  I really like how she is leaving much of the clay bare and unglazed.   The knob is classic Clary.  It's a great jar.  I'll be filling it with cookies soon.
Clary Illian Jar.   8.25 x 11.75"


I had also ordered some supplies from Bailey Ceramics.  Among them was this cool glaze ladle.  I'll be putting it to use soon.


Dawgs

Very short video showing the dogs on the jars that I made on Friday.  Cats to follow soon.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXITPqI9eek

A bit of a odd day.  I spent a good part of the morning looking online for a supplier of shipping materials.  I am tired of scrounging for peanuts and boxes and bubblewrap.  I know a lot of folks do find these things for free and I have too but often it amounts to a large amount of time and in the end I'm not happy with the hodge podge of sizes of boxes that I end up with.  I found last year that if I have the right supplies on hand then I have no problem packing up a shipment of pots.  What drove me crazy was when I didn't have what I needed or I had to 'make' a box out of another box so things would fit, or so I could double box.

So today I ordered 10" , 16", 18" and 20" cubes.  I have a local supply of 12" and 14" cubes.  I ordered a big roll of 1/2" bubble wrap and a huge bag of packing peanuts.  I should be set for quite some time.  I  even ordered some "Fragile" stickers!  I'm tired of writing Fragile on the boxes in red magic marker.  It was just over $200 with delivery but I think it's money well spent and I can spend my time making pots instead of dumpster diving.

I know some folks will ask who I ordered from. I used ULine.  They had the best prices I could find.  I do find THIS a bit disturbing, and also the fact that I got a free Hall and Oates CD with my purchase!  What the heck??

I did get in the studio to work a bit and also to sort out pots that will be going to galleries soon.  I will be sending work to Lillstreet Art Center as well as Mud Fire Gallery for both of their Holiday events.  I'll probably be delivering new work to Pottery 101 in Salisbury soon too.  Southern Pottery in Columbia SC has new from me on hand so get down there in you can.

Okay, it's supper time and time to get off the computer.  Hope you all had a good start to the week.

At the End

End of the week, end of my workday.  I'll be putting in time on Saturday though after throwing  these pots today.


I got an order from a shop this week for 12 animal jars and 12 banks with animals.  I'll be modeling the animals tomorrow as well as cutting the lids on those jars.


I'm whipped from sitting on the treadle wheel for so long.


Happy Friday.

In the Middle

Here it is, the middle of the day, in the middle of the week.  I haven't felt very much like blogging, I've barely done much of anything this week really.  I did make a nice run of pots on Monday and they are all finished up now.  Sarah has been out of town so my days have seemed  long and lonely.

I did decide that I need to get with the program on my Etsy site.  I've re listed some expired things and shot photos today of pots that I'll be listing over the next few days.  I'd like to build my inventory back up.  Hopefully in time for folks to do some shopping for the Holidays.


Speaking of the impending Holiday Season, I'll be sending 20 pots or so to Lillstreet Art Center for their 35th Anniversary Holiday Show.  I'm very happy to have been asked to show at Lillstreet during this time.


I'll soon be starting a project for a historical house in Shelby.  I'll be making a number of tiles for the kitchen area.  I'll keep you posted on that.


Sunday Note

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Claymatters Fall Sale yesterday.



It was a beautiful day and there were many shoppers out.



I saw lots of my pals and we got to catch up and chat.  Pots went to new homes and I'm all set to start a new making cycle tomorrow.

I get so many good responses from people who come into my booth.  They come in and start smiling and talking about the pots and it makes me smile and I know they can just tell I love what I'm doing.  People always comment saying the pots are fun, that they love the clothesline (and can remember the days when they hung out clothes), they ask,  'is this a dog or what?' , and just all sorts of things.  I had a young girl and her mom come by.  The girl told her mom, he's got tee shirts, he must be famous.  Ha!  She was cool and of course she got a tee shirt.

Sarah is away in Maine doing a workshop on IFS therapy.  Lucky her.  She's in Kennybunkport and I'm pretty sure she's eating lots of lobster and having some fun between workshop sessions.  She deserves some good time away. She works so hard and I'm very proud of her.  I wish I was there too though.

I'm looking forward to the coming week.  Come on back and see what I'm up to.

Happy Birthday Tom!!

Tom Gray is the person who has most supported and encouraged me during my career as a potter.  I met Tom at his shop in Seagrove in the early 90's.  I think it was '92 or '93.  Since then we have become such good friends and I am so thankful to have him in my life.

Today is Tom's birthday.  I won't say what number, but it's a big one! Ha.

This is the first pot I ever bought from Tom.  It's a beauty.

Pottery Weekend

There are quite a few pottery events happening this weekend.

I'll be at the ClayMatters Pottery Guild Fall Sale on Saturday Oct 9th from 10 am till 4pm.  8300 Monroe Road Charlotte NC.  You've seen most of the pots that have came out of the kiln lately here on the blog.  Come by tomorrow and see them in person.  I'll have tee shirts too!




Ayumi Horie is having her annual fall Sale this weekend in Cottekill, NY.  Her guest is Kristen Kieffer.  If you are in that area then that's an event not to be missed.


Also the Spruce Pine Potters Market will feature many of my pals from that NC mountain region.


Try to get out and support your local potters this weekend.

Fired Jugs. And Candle Holders

Okay here are the jugs all fired up.  And some tankards and candlestick holders.  Enjoy.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC_AwQ68Lhc

Have I said lately how happy I am with my pots?! Ha. Well, I am, and it's cool because I'm having fun and I just really like what coming out of the kiln.  It's been ages since I made any pitchers that I liked and I think these two are well made and that the deco goes well to boot.

Thrown Together Pottery Sale

Thanks to all those who came out Saturday to the Thrown Together Fall Pottery Sale.   It was a beautiful day and everyone had really fantastic pots.  I have to say we are fairly undiscovered by the larger pottery buying public.  The quality of our work along with the guests we bring in is very exceptional.  (Sorry, but someone has to brag on us, it may as well be me).

We do have a good group of collectors and friends who are loyal and come to our sales to buy our work and support us.  I feel very fortunate for all those folks.  I do wish I knew how we could reach more people and get them out to our two shows.  Maybe with time.  We certainly do our best to advertise and get the word out.

Thanks to Kyle Carpenter and Allison McGowan who were our guests this year.  It was a joy to hang out with them and their pots for the day.


I was pleased with my pots and many left to go to new homes.  I still have a good selection and most of them will be in Charlotte again this coming Saturday at the Carolina Claymatters Pottery Sale.



I will be back in the studio tomorrow making pots.

Warming Up. What do you do?

If you haven't had a chance to read the discussion going on in the comments section of the Working post then try to check them out.

Carter had a good idea.  Here are some excerpts from his last comment.

"I would love to see a survey of the kinds of things that we potters do to set the right tone in the studio."

"I am absolutely convinced that the more we understand our own process the better we will be able to put ourselves in a position to succeed. Going in blind, or cold, or unprepared, or with unrealistic expectations is a recipe for failure."

"Dylan probably smokes a pack of cigarettes and takes a couple of shots of whiskey before walking out on the stage. What do YOU do to ‘warm up’?"

So what do you do to "warm up" or set the stage for your working session or day?  Leave your response in the comments of this post.