Nailed

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Paslode Framing NailerToday I started building a walk in closet upstairs.  (Don't ask Sarah how long I've been promising to do this). Any how it was going well until I shot myself in the finger with the nailer.  Ouch!  I was framing a wall and the nail shot through the board, out the side of the other board I was holding and WHACK!!

It was pretty exciting with the blood and all.  Oh well, that's it for today.  I'm obviously not injured too badly.

First Real Post of 2009

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Jar with Washline

Here we are several days into 2009 and I don't feel like I've taken any time to reflect or look back on 2008.

I've been obsessed with getting things right here on this new site, but I still have things to work out.  I'll get it, but it's kept me from making a post of any worth.  So I'm just going to dive in here and move forward.  I'll work the kinks out as I go.

It's funny that just this time last year I was mixing up my first big batch of earthenware clay.  In a short time I was hooked and moving right along.  I have made good progress with this work this year and I look forward to what's to come.

2008 was a year of growth for me in many ways, I think I came accept myself for who I am a little more (still a ways to go), I tried to put myself out there and be honest, and I took some risks, in my work and in other parts of my life.  Risk taking...that would be  good post (maybe later).

I feel more happy and content right now than I have in a long time.  Which is nice, but also worrisome.  I don't want to feel too comfortable you know. Ha.

I'm looking forward to 2009.  One day at a time of course.  I certainly hope to visit my pals over in the UK this year and to do some travelling around the States.  Sarah and I have plenty of work on the house to keep us busy.  I'll be teaching at Clayworks, doing some shows and hanging out with the Circle group.  I hope I can be more attentive to my vegetable garden this year too.

Well enough already, plenty of posts to come.
By the way I had 477 posts in 2008, that was up from 287 in 2007.

Getting There. ?

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I've been a bit preoccupied/ obsessed with getting things on this site just right for the past couple of days. With little avail. I can't seem to get the Blog Reader to do what I want. I'll just have to take it a bit at a time and I'm sure I'll learn how to do it. In the mean time I'm going to go on with business as usual.

So please update your bookmarks, links and Reader to come to this URL
http://www.ronphilbeckpottery.com

I hope to redirect my Blogger site here soon. (I have to figure that out too)

Okay here we go.
PS Comments, feed back welcome.

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Fish Serving BowlStill working away here.  Getting some materials together to send off to a fellow who's publishing a slip book in 09.  I hope I make it in.  I'm running a bit behind in getting things together (nothing new).

I'll be looking back at 2008 in the days to come.  As you know it was around this time last year that I made my first earthenware pots.  I've been happy with my progress but feel like I have a ways to go.

This is one of my favorite pots from the recent past.

I am still adding to my Pottery Links.  So be patient if you don't see yourself over there.  I've really go to figure out how to do a Reader instead. or whatever it's called.

Have a safe and joyous New Year's Eve.

Welcome

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me_med

Hey there, what's new?  This site!!  Well it's been in the works for a while and I still have some tweaking to do but I'm really excited to be moving here from Blogger.  All my old content has been imported so you're not losing anything.

I have more room to do things here.  Notice the 'Pages' on the right.  I'll be adding new content to those over the next month.

I'll also be adding my blogroll in the next day or two.  So if you were with me on Blogger then I'll be bringing you on over here too.  I hope you'll do the same for me by updating your blogroll to this new URL .  Feel free to leave the old one up, or just delete it.  I really want folks to find me here so anyway you all can help me I would appreciate it.

I'll continue to add new folks to my blogroll as I find you.

I'm still working on how I want this site to look.  So the header may change or even the overall layout.  We'll see.

What else??  Well maybe that's enough for now.  I'll be making my last post on Blogger on Jan. 1st.  Mostly I'll be working here, so check in often and leave me some feedback or a comment.

Thanks!!!!!!


Sunshine

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Thank goodness the sun has finally decided to come out again. Blue skies, Yea!

Well, all the family have left. It's been a long Christmas for the Nantz family (Sarah's side). I am looking forward to doing some healthy eating this week and getting back to some sort of normal routine.

A Few Pots

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A few images to keep you going till I get back to work in the shop. That roasting dish I am esp. fond of. It's sold now so I'll have to make some like it soon.

This is the jar from the video that I posted a while back. It turned out fairly well (except it has no bottom....oops! Ha.)
The beaver has been at it again.

Tool

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I had some questions about what tool I use to draw with. I use this Kemper wire tool.

I modified one by cutting the end off of and gluing it into a bamboo handle. It's a little larger in diameter than the original handle and also longer. I find it easier to hold and use.

24th

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Christmas Eve, wow I can't believe it's here already. I've got a few gifts to wrap but I'm not feeling too much pressure or stress. I'm glad for that.

Loaded a bisque this morning. Some last minute things that will go to family this weekend.

Sarah shot some images of me drawing on pots this week. I always love seeing process, so I hope some of you like seeing these.

Today I did a bit of painting on cups with underglazes. That was fun and I'll be curious to how they look when finished. It was nice to see the colors on the pots. Who knows where that will lead.

Well that's it for now.

Slipping

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Sarah took a bunch of photos of me working in the shop slipping pots yesterday. Today I'll have her taking a few more of the decorating process.
Below is one of the wavy rim plates I made last week. I like them because they aren't TOO wavy but aren't just straight either.

Jeff Oestreich Pots

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My pal Tom Gray sent me these two cups from his collection last week. They were made by Jeff Oestreich, who lives in Minnesota. Jeff was trained at the Leach Pottery. I'm guessing these were made sometime in the 80's. Jeff is known these days for his soda fired work. I love these two pots and have used them numerous times while visiting Tom. The one on the left is porcelain with incising/combing under a celadon glaze, the one on the right has brushwork over a celadon.
These two pots make a great addition to our collection. Thanks Tom, we'll use them often.

Do I Need More Social Networking?

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So a couple months ago I joined Facebook to see some photos of a potters work. I didn't plan on getting 'friended' all of a sudden and now I've friended people etc etc. I don't really get F.B. like I do blogging. But I'm on there.

Then yesterday I was listening to NPR and caught a bit about Twitter, which I joined up on this morning to see what that was all about. Not much. I mean how many times a day can I log into T and answer the question "What are you doing right now?" ?

I stay on this machine way too much as it is. I need an intervention. I don't know if I'll keep my F.B. account much longer and I just deleted my Twitter account. (Sorry if I Tweeted you today, you're now on your on).

Blogging is plenty for me.

Oh I Forgot

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The main reason I mentioned that show below is because at one point Bittman and C.B. were served a roasted pig in this awesome shallow, oval, earthenware baking dish. It was totally cool. I hoped to find a pic of that but couldn't. So watch episode 9 if you get the chance.


Ha! Found it! I'm a good cyber detective. You can tell that pot has been in and out of the oven a few times. Beauty. (I bet that pork was tasty too)

Thursday Stuff

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I had an appointment with my acupuncturist today in Charlotte. I've been going for a couple months now and I've really seen some improvement in several areas, physically, emotionally and mentally. She is treating my depressed tendencies by changing my diet (no dairy, less acidic foods, etc) and with herbs. I've really felt more upbeat recently and I think it has a lot to do with this treatment. The acupuncture is part of this as well and also for some physical pain in my arms, neck, shoulders, and back. Today I had a cupping treatment. Visit that link to get an idea of what it is. I had 14 of those cups stuck to my back while sitting up. It was pretty cool and felt great. My back looks like it was attacked by a giant squid now though.

Well none of this has anything to do with that goat dish. I just put it up there so you'd have something nice to look at!

I've got pots waiting under plastic to be slipped and decorated. I need my photographer (Sarah) to be around as I'm submitting photos to a book that I hope to be included in. Hopefully we'll get some images shot on Saturday.

Today I bought some containers of underglaze so I can play around with some color. I'm planning on making some small dishes next week and just having a couple play days. Should be fun. I picked up a couple watercolor brushes today too, small sizes for fine lines.

All right that's it. Thanks to Gary for posting about me and Doug and Matt. Hi to all of Gary's army of followers out there!! I'll be returning the favor soon.

Back to Making

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I finally got in the studio yesterday after lunch. I needed to make some cups for family gifts and a few odd pots to shoot photos of the process. Anyhow it felt great to be back on the wheel. It was a quiet, damp day with only the sound of my treadle clicking away. It was nice not to be working in a hurry, towards some show or deadline. I made a point to throw slowly and intentionally.

These plates have a wavey rim. I'm not sure if I like them yet. I'll get the feet cut on them tomorrow probably. Then I'll know more.Today a few more cups, but other than that just finishing up anything that's ready. More later probably.