New Box

I fired a glaze load over the weekend so I thought I'd start off by showing this rectangular box.  This is the first box I've really put some time into and I'm happy to see that these have some potential.

6 1/4 x 5 x 6 1/2"

It's decorated all around on all 6 sides.  This is a time consuming pot to make and then even more time is put in with all the decoration.

I've been thinking for some time about making more 'exhibition' type pots.  Ones that are more showy, more time consuming, collectable, and  more expensive too.  I think this sort of box fits the bill.

I did have a few minor issues on this pot.  One small crack around the place where I attached the flange and the slab for the top.  I also had a small pop out on the lid.  I see where I need to pay particular attention to attaching these seams in the next one I make.

I'm not sure if I'll sell this one since it has those problems. It's always tricky to price a pot that would be quite expensive if it was first quality.  I'll have to think about it I guess.

 

How did this Happen? And I Learned Something New.

Why in the world did I decide to make this giant dish of baked pasta on a hot, steaming, Sunday evening?

Well, I'm going to blame it on Hannah.  We were chatting this afternoon about her bike ride, (well done Hannah), when she mentioned that after the ride she had cheese and onion pie, with chips.  Cheese and onion pie sounded yummy and my brain must have started firing off those neurons or whatever they are that are triggered by things and very soon I realized how hungry I was and that I wanted something savory and baked.  From cheese and onion pie I went to the idea of making a steak and Guinness pie.  Or maybe a shepherds pie.  Well, no meat in the freezer for either of those, but I did find some Italian sausages!  Oh, how about a baked spaghetti with sausages?, oh, how about baked ziti with sausage?  Yes, okay I have almost everything in the house to make that with.  So in less than 90 minutes we have this big ole dish of pasta out of the oven.  Looks like there will plenty left over for lunches this coming week.  It was yummy.

Hannah also mentioned to me that she had a 99 cone after her ride. (I think I'd like going riding w. Hannah, the rewards for it seem really nice).  I didn't know what a 99 cone was so of course I headed to Google to find out.  Basically it's a soft serve ice cream cone with a bit of a chocolate stick stuck in it.

Another search let me to this article in The Guardian.  Seems that it is also known as a 99 Flake.  Why hasn't this been done in America?  I'd love to have a chocolate stick stuck in my soft serve.  I'm surprised DQ hasn't done this at some point.

Well, so that's that.  I don't have any ice cream in the freezer and I don't suppose I can talk Sarah in heading to town right now either.  I think I'll enjoy the last of the watermelon that's in the fridge.  Wonder if I can find some sort of candy to stick in my slice?

Pots in Use

Here are a couple photos of my pottery in use.

This first one was sent to me with the following statement:


"I thought you might enjoy this surreptitious view of your mug making its quiet statement in an early morning meeting of a bunch of bureaucrats."

I had to censor out those ladies faces. For all I know this could be inside the Pentagon.

This next one is from my friends Adam and Anne in Seagrove, NC.  Adam makes some really fine home brewed beer.  This is a Goat Stein in action at Blue Hen Pottery.

Get Your Ronware by visiting my Online Shop.

Thanks.

Wednesday is Video Day

So are other days, but I couldn't think of a catchy title so there you have it.

Just a bit of clarification.  I'm not using the paper cuts (see image in  previous post) as stencils or templates for decorating the pots.  I don't think I'd be able to get them to fit around a 3-d form in a way that worked.  I do better with sketching in with pencil and going from there.  I am trying some resist work with wax. (see 2 posts back) to help eliminate some of the scratching that I have to do.

The paper cutting is just something I am doing for fun although it is certainly informing my decoration on the pots.  I'll do a little video on paper cutting sometime soon.

Okay enough of that, here is a clip from the studio.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p37hmUnXc_s

Place Holder

Hi. Happy Wednesday. I am trying to get to the studio but thought I'd share a few images that I've taken lately.

We have a swallow nest on the side of the pottery shop and the chicks are constantly being fed throughout the day. This little one is quite noisy and eager.

I worked on a few small paper cuts on Sunday. Here they are.  The green one was a present for Sarah's sister who celebrated her birthday on the 4th.

'

Local eggs in a dish made by someone who is not so local.

Sketchbook

Current reading materials on the coffee table.

I shipped out a couple pots this week to new homes.  One in Hawaii (a first) and one to San Francisco.  I've gotten a few customers in the Bay area over the past two years.  Maybe I should go out there and do a show!  Or better yet a workshop!  That would be fun.

Well, I'd better go check on the progress of things in the studio.  I have a feeling that all is as I left it last night.

More to come later. Probably a video.

Video of Boxes and Wax Resist.

I worked on some boxes yesterday.  I'd like to have an altered box in my regular lineup.  These with the cut lids are what I'm drawn to at the moment even though I've not figured out exactly how to work my decoration around them.  I have 3 or 4 of these on the shelf right now so I need to just start penciling in and go from there.

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

I've let that waxed pot dry and I'm not sure what will happen with all the beaded up wax.  It will either come off in the firing (fall away or get brushed away afterwards) or stick back to the pot. ??  I'll put a pick up when I come in from the studio again.

I've also finished slipping the oval box and I'll have a pic of that too.

Well, off to do some decorating.

Washing Up

The Dish Washing Elf did not show up while I was away in town so I guess it's up to me to do these.

I actually like doing dishes, especially the washing up of nice handmade pots!

More Animal Fun

I made a few more Animal pots/sculptures today.   I am having fun with these,maybe too much fun in the case of that Turtle.  Still, it's good to try something new and I'm not taking these or myself very seriously at the moment.  That can only be a good thing I think.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N40b_4p40Q

Hopefully I can pull off some sort of terra sig finish on these.  We'll see.  For now I just have to make sure I don't knock anyone's ear or leg off!

New Video. Having some Fun in the Studio

Here's a short video of a couple things I worked on yesterday and today.  I am mostly caught up in the shop.  I do have a couple commissions to make so I'll start on those tomorrow I guess.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP02s0f2TdM

Here's the link to John Skelton's YouTube page.  Look under his uploads to see the 3 part video on the Stacked Box Assembly.  It was really good to see this done.  I had no idea how to make these.  John's other videos are good too.

Also here is a link to the current Akar show with my hero Ron Meyer's work.  You can see where I got the inspiration for that animal piece.

Ronware coming to the Northwest!!

I was up early this morning boxing up pots to ship out to Washington state.  My first appearance in the Northwest.  Thanks to Michael Rivkin for asking me to be part of this show at Crow Valley Pottery.

I am sending just over 30 pots out and a very nice selection.  I hope folks out there like what I do!  Nice to see I am in the company of fellow North Carolinian Ronan Kyle Peterson and blogging pal Patricia Griffin.

Here's a shot from yesterday when I was wrapping up pots.

Finished pots

Here is a video of pots from yesterdays unloading.  Many of these pots you have seen getting made and/or decorated over the past week or so.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPvFLsVW8oE

I'm disappointed that the amber glaze had problems.  Most of the bubbles are on the backs of the dishes.  I'll mark them down and sell them as seconds.  Still nice pots.  I'm going to run some tests with a different recipe over the next few firings and also try applying it by brushing.  These low fire glazes are so finicky.   I'd be happy moving up a few cones if the glazes would behave and provided I didn't loose too much of the redness of the clay body.

I'm looking forward to getting back to making next week.  I'll be throwing more bowls with tall feet and I'd like to get back to experimenting with some box shapes.  The boxes are challenging in both the making and getting the deco on them.  I have also been drawing some vase shapes that I'll try.

All for now, thanks for checking in.

2 Earth and Fire Shows

The Earth and Fire Pottery Show opens tomorrow in Kings Mountain, NC.  The reception is from 7-9 pm at the Kings Mountain Art Center in the old train depot.  The show features the works of over 20 potters.

I'm showing along with my pals from the Thrown Together group.

Another show called Earth and Fire is happening but it's way over on the other side of the pond.  My friends Hannah and Doug and Paul are all there along with many other UK potters.  So if you're near Nottinghamshire be sure to go out for a visit.

Pots in use this morning.

This morning I had my tea out of one of my favorite mugs.  This mug was made by Joe Bennion of Spring City, Utah.  Joe's pots were some of the first salt glazed pots I saw when I began down this road.  His pottery and methods of selling pots influenced me greatly.  I have several of his pots that Sarah and I  bought when we visited his studio 5-6 years ago.

The bowl with cereal and blueberries is one of my new tall footed bowls.  I really enjoyed putting it to use.  I like the feeling of the tall foot and it was comfortable to hold in my hand while I ate out on the porch this morning.  I have several more of these coming out of the kiln today.

What was your dinner served on tonight?

I am always taken off guard whenever we go to someone's house for a meal and we get boring dishes that came from a department store or that they picked up second hand somewhere. (Or even worse, paper plates and plastic cups!)  I guess I'm so used to eating and drinking from handmade wares that I often take it for granted.

I'm in the process of packing up some pots that we have had around for several years and I'm going to gift them to some folks who I know will love to use them in their home.  I am also going to give some things to people who may not even be aware that having handmade crockery is an option.  It will be a good opportunity to educate some folks and to pass on the joy of pottery.

Tonight I made tortellini with a homemade tomato sauce.  I sauteed zucchini and yellow squash to go on top.  Delicious, and even better eaten out of some of our favorite dishes.

On the left a shallow bowl by Michael Kline, on the right a dish made by Marcia Tani Paul. In the back cups by Stanley Anderson (left) and Bulldog Pottery (right).

We have so many pots in our home that we use constantly.  It's really does make a difference to use a pot that works so well for it's intended purpose.  Just this morning I mixed up biscuit dough in a large stoneware bowl that I made years ago.  It was neat remembering back to when I'd made it and it held the contents of my ingredients just perfectly.  Pots that we have bought from other potters usually carry a story, from meeting the potter, to visiting them at their studio or at a show, that memory comes back each time I take a pot out to use.

In a world where most objects are bland, poorly made, and carry no connection to other human beings its great to have handmade pots in our home to use and enjoy.  I know it may sound cheesy, but they make life better.

Looking forward to tomorrow morning when I'll pick a favorite mug to have my tea in.  Wonder which one it will be?....

Scratching Away

Here's another video from yesterday.  You'll see all the pots in two stages.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9Z-GuYtnRo

It was really nice to get some actual work done yesterday and to get these pots, plus a few more, into the bisque.  I have felt so unmotivated over the past 3 weeks or so.  I am getting things done around here but not much more than I absolutely have to.  I feel like laying down most of the time.  I don't feel depressed (not like my normal depression) so I'm not sure what this is.  I've had a couple really good days of late so I think that the Chinese herbs my acupuncturist gave me may be kicking in!

Anyhow, once these pots are glazed and out of the door then I will be making again.  I had planned on doing a cone 5 gas firing soon but my glaze tests came out looking like poo the other day so I'm scraping that idea for now.

Well, more later. I may talk a bit more about some of the recent deco when the new pots come out.  Thanks for checking in.

W.I.P.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfO_jEDME78

The Mugs

Remember this post?

Well today the mugs came out of the kiln and guess what?  The lady came to get them and she cried.  That's right, she loved them.  So much so that tears came to her eyes and she hugged me.  She told me how special they were, especially the personalized one and how she knew that they weren't my design but she appreciated how much trouble I went to to make them for her.  She said otherwise she'd have had to track down the other potter and order a mug and have it shipped etc.  She said she knew her husband had other pots of mine but that these mugs (made bigger, with bigger handles) suited him and he would use them constantly.

So.

So am I a jerk for complaining about this?  Naw.  But, it does make me think that there is more to being a potter than just having a style and making pots that represent me.  These mugs were made for the person who will use them.  They will bring joy to his day.  They are good mugs.

I stood there all smiles as she went on about how happy she was and it really made me feel good inside.  (I also felt like crap for complaining to begin with and I also wondered if somehow she had read the post here on the blog)(I don't think so).

Well maybe I learned something today about kindness, and giving, and generosity, and making things that make others happy.

Two Firsts

I baked homemade buttermilk biscuits from scratch this morning.  My first time.  They came out okay I think.  Maybe could have been a bit more fluffy, but they tasted good.

When I was in Seagrove for the Osmosis show I stayed with Anne and Adam.  Adam got up one morning and made biscuits.  I secretly watched him from the dining room and made a note that I'd try it when I got a chance.  I liked that Adam cut his biscuits into squares so I went that route this morning.

I also made sausage gravy to go on the biscuits.  I didn't take a pic, sausage gravy isn't very photogenic.

Another first is this Butterfly dish.  I've put a Butterfly on a tray along with a Bird and Flowers but this is the first pot with a solo Butterfly.

It went up in my Online Shop this morning.

Unloading the kiln later. Stay tuned for more images.

Video: Throwing a Foot on a Bowl

I recently purchased a Stan Anderson cup with a thrown foot ring.  I tried my hand at this and was happy with the resulting cups.

I like the tall foot and the unique statement it gives to the pots.  It's a different feeling from a cut foot ring: having a softer feeling to it.  I like also that it has the opportunity to carry some throwing marks and carry on the feeling of the rim of the pot if you choose.

So I moved on to some bowls.  Here's a clip showing how it's done.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by0kVP-RchE

The bowls drying:

And a slipped bowl ready to be decorated.

I've decided to slip the outside of these leaving the rim and foot ring bare to show the red clay.  The interior will get some deco as well as the exterior.

Regret

There will be no pictures in this post because I'm so ashamed of the pots I'm about to write about that I will not show them!

A week ago a customer called and asked me if I'd make her husband a certain shaped mug like one that they had bought several years ago from another potter.  Evidently they had bought a couple of these mugs and one of them was the husbands favorite.  He had recently broken it and she wanted to replace it.

So I said yes and for her to come by and see me.  When she got here she showed me the mug and I said sure I can do that.  It was a well made pot, not a shape that I'd ever make and it had a handle that I'd NEVER, EVER make, still I said okay.  Well she said that she thought she'd go ahead and order 4 from me.  No problem.  And since father's day is coming up could I do something special on the one for the husband? (They have 2 small children).  Sure I can.  Can you write Best Dad on it? Yes.  Wait, how about Best Daddy?  Okay, sure, what about the other 3?  Well I just want them white, inside and out.  Okay.

Okay we need a picture here, just to break up the monotony of this story.

Right. So I made them and I won't even stamp my name on them.  I really dislike the way they look and I hate the handles.

Why did I do this?  Well, mainly because I like her husband.  Why didn't I just say, "Hey, I think I can make one of my mugs that I think he'll like, it will have all the qualities of the other mugs."?  I guess it was easier to just say yes I'll do them like the old ones.  She's a bit intense and very chatty and I think my submissive part kicked in at some point while she was here.  Sarah even said that she was surprised that I agreed to make them.

So, lesson learned.  I'll be glad to get them out of the kiln and away from here, esp. the Best Daddy one.  It looks like something straight from the mall.  grrrrrrr.