I enjoy Monday's. I always think there is such a fresh start to the week and anything I feel like I need to work on, weather it is studio work, something with the kids, or an attitude I've taken that needs to be turned around...whatever it is, I'm always hopeful to start fresh! The sun is out today so what could be better to start the week off on a good note.Yesterday I went ahead a took out my elements that I fused together. It Looked like they stayed together for the most part but once I ripped them out..well that was it. I have no idea how you guys get those pins in that bottom grove of…
Pottery
-
Jen Mecca's Pottery Blog
-
Onto Monday
8 Feb 2010 | 6:31 am -
Good Days
6 Feb 2010 | 7:07 pmYesterday was not a studio day but still what I consider a work day. I had a good morning catching up on pottery talk with my "Pottery Pals", Ron, Amy and Julie. We got some showed lined up for the up coming year and I got to show them my new pots to get some feedback. Its so great to have a group of pottery friends to show my work too and discussion different shows and ways of dealing with customers. Even when you've been making pots for a few years, I find that I still needs lots of guidance each and every step of the way and its so great to get advise or opinions from other folks working… -
Pots
4 Feb 2010 | 7:32 amI have to do a quick post. I'm trying to get my tax information in order today so we can get that out of the way.My kiln came out pretty good. I got some good information from the last bit of pots I made with the new big sprigs. Here is my favorite cup. You can see the colored clay is a nice muted yellow. I kind of like this! I had to use the Iphone camera this morning because I was in a hurry so the next few shots are alittle dark and blurry. Kind of takes me back to the days I had that really bad old digital camera. A few tiles. I really like the orange combination with my greens and… -
Success!
2 Feb 2010 | 8:21 amAs a child when the grass started peeking through the left over snow I knew that spring was on the way. This was most likely in May but here, well its the first day of February and the snow is going away. Yesturday was sunny and nice. I could hardly get the kids back outside! I spent the day glazing while the kids had a snow day. I am happy to report that the element splice did in deed work. I can't believe I've been doing pots for about 14 years and never new that trick! I'm firing everything without my kiln sitter. The small arm that holds up has not been moved yet because I'm in need of a… -
Weekend weather/splicing elements
30 Jan 2010 | 9:48 amI thought I'd start off talking business (even though this weekend has been mostly about fun)!I spent Friday putting in my new elements. While I was pinning everything in, I decided to add a few extras pins to my bottom row that was coming out of the grove. Well..you guessed it, this is what happened to my bottom element. Split inhalf!I'm sure the neighbors heard many #*&$@*#&@ coming from my shed. I do have a show next week and planned firing everything this weekend. SOOOOO...I got on the phone and located the nearest skutt distributor with elements. I found a place in Charleston SC,…
-
Lurearts Pottery
-
I'm heading to New Zealand
12 Jan 2010 | 3:48 pmI guess I'm not actually going to New Zealand, not really. But some of my work is! A good friend of mine moved to New Zealand and she requested some of my jewelry to leave behind with some new friends she met there. I absolutely love when my creations get to travel to destinations far from the Canadian cold.OK Brigette, here are some choices for you. (I apologize for my dusty camera lens in -
New Year Inspiration
10 Jan 2010 | 7:39 amI think that I may have shared this great ceramic blog with you before, but it is time for a reminder. I don't really make New Year's resolutions because I'm a Pisces that tends to just swim in whatever direction suits me at the moment. My mind can never settle into one specific goal for a full year. It needs freedom to wander and get lost only to find something better along the way.I have -
New Gear!
5 Oct 2009 | 2:15 pmYep, It's October already and time to switch from hangin on the beach to hangin in my studio. I've been swamped with the house and studio renos that took up all Sept but I am now ready to go.The best part is that I splurged a little at Tucker's Fall Sale. I came home with a new Pottery Wheel and the coolest chair ever! I have a lot of knee problems and always found my leg going numb after -
Custom Wedding Gift
13 Sep 2009 | 11:04 amIt is always exciting when I have clients with great taste and good ideas! Here is a custom order clock perfect for those newlyweds. Whether it is 9 am or 9pm, this clock always gives you a gentle reminder to fill you time with love! -
New Glazes - Need help naming them
7 Sep 2009 | 7:07 amSo, after a full summer of glaze testing, I have come out with only two new winners and some tweaking to my old favorites. I had a lot of colors look great on those little test tiles but then look terrible once they were on a larger vertical surface. After glaze firing my favorite new test glazes onto real pots, I finally understood that most recipes are for dipping pots into a large drum of
-
Ben Stark Pottery
-
Oops!
8 Feb 2010 | 5:56 pmSo, when you accidentally hit the pedal while throwing a two pound bowl and the wheel speeds up--no big deal. When you accidentally hit it with a twelve pound bowl that is a good 24" wide--not so much. I got a custom order last night for a bowl twice as big as the last that I had made for the customer and I was really excited! I am one of the few potters that can really enjoy a custom order--especially when it pushes me to do something that I hadn't tried. Well, I had tried to make bowls that big, but not so successfully (this bowl was essentially done). Anyway, no big deal really--I'll get… -
No new work
28 Jan 2010 | 6:35 pmI haven't got anything new to show from this week--been spending a lot of time working on the house to get it presentable for the big shindig this weekend! We had to reschedule the oyster roast for Sunday due to weather, and I know it's going to be a blast!! I did get to list a couple of pots to Etsy tonight--I've got lots of those yunomi/juice cups to list--and bowls. It seems all I have are cups and bowls lately. I need to work on some other forms. I'm really wanting to throw some jars soon, so maybe I'll get to that soon.I'm finally to the point where I don't need to take my good pain meds… -
No more toofs!
20 Jan 2010 | 5:44 pmSo I got my wisdom teeth out today and it wasn't terrible. Not something I would want to do on a regular basis, but all things considered it was tolerable. I don't remember falling asleep, but I woke up all kinds of screwy. I took a pic of my swollen face right after surgery with my phone, but I can't upload it here. I did get sick a little earlier tonight, but I'm feeling ok now. Really, the nausea is far worse than the pain. Anyway, I've got a couple of days to recover and I plan on doing a whole lot of nothing. I did manage to get the kiln unloaded tonight (bending over the kiln is not a… -
Lazy Saturday
16 Jan 2010 | 11:38 amJust a lazy and rainy Saturday I guess. -
Pots in use
14 Jan 2010 | 6:51 pmWell, really just pot in use, but that doesn't sound right. Today is Lindsay's 25th birthday (Happy Birthday Sweetie!) and I got her these wonderful flowers and put them in one of my new vases. The kitchen is a bad place for taking pictures and I'm no flower arranger, but I think it looks nice. I'm pretty sure I had more to say tonight, but I'm exhausted and can't remember now. Oh yeah! I put up shelving at work today in my office to have somewhat of a gallery there. I should have packed up a bunch of pots tonight to bring down there, but that didn't happen. Neither did cleaning the kitchen,…
-
Sister Creek Pottery
-
not getting there
8 Feb 2010 | 6:49 amI am having trouble getting into the studio these days. Good thing I'm not trying to support myself off my pottery production. I have just a few pieces of earthenware that I am eager to fire--but not enough for a kiln load. I am distracted by the upcoming big events here: Kenny is having surgery--to implant a little baclofen pump which we hope help calm the tremors he is having in his legs and arms that really interferes with his functioning; and 3 days later I leave for a 2 week trip to Madrid, Spain with my sister to visit her daughter who lives there. Kenny will be in the rehab hospital… -
new year, new projects
20 Jan 2010 | 2:16 pmFinally back in the studio this week. It has warmed up here--not just in the studio--it is in the 70's all week with mostly sunny sky and some rain. We must never turn our noses up at rain! After spending so much of the holiday season (Thanksgiving to New Years) in the kitchen I am thinking terms of ovenware--for slow cooking, a new enthusiasm! I made a butternut squash last week that had you roast the squash, onions and apples for an hour in the oven. The soup was fabulous and I think it was the roasting in the oven that brought out the flavors so well. I had a nice chat with Tracey Broome… -
what to do
11 Jan 2010 | 4:55 pmwhen it is too cold to work in the studio? (Disclaimer: I know that other potters, more ambitious than I, would be out there cold or not, sick or not. But not I!)I've gone through my collection of test tiles--tossing a bunch out and organizing others so they are more workable as a tool for me. But that is about all I could figure out to bring inside to do.So I've decided to try to develop a sourdough starter. I've read tens of recipes/directions from the web. Amazing how many variations there can be to one project! I think I've finally gotten it started--not ready for making a loaf yet but it… -
too much celebration
5 Jan 2010 | 7:18 amThe holidays, Thanksgiving to January 2, wore me out. My niece married January 2 and is moving to Georgia. So all the holidays were 'big deals' since they would be her last here....too much! But the wedding was lovely and everything is settling down. I've slept in late the last couple mornings and am beginning to get myself back together.I had the strangest thing happen in my last firing--before the celebrations began! I mentioned making some dinner plates as a test to see if I could make a set that was at least similar. Well, they looked similar when I put them into the kiln--but not when… -
holiday party
21 Dec 2009 | 10:10 amWe had family members--Jim's brothers with mates, his parents and my boys with mates--over yesterday afternoon. I did a bit of cooking--just hors d'oeuvres--for the party and we were inspired to do a bit of holiday decorating outside as well as inside. We have not put up a tree for several years but do have some other decorations to pull out of storage. And we use lots of candles, too.As I was putting out food yesterday in various of my ceramic wares I thought of taking some pictures--but got busy and forgot to do so once the food was in the 'pots'. It really was fun seeing the tables set…
-
Bibbi Forsman
-
frantic days are over
7 Feb 2010 | 5:46 amThe things I made for Stockholm Furniture Fair arrived there all right. Frantic days are over. I will take the train to Stockholm tomorrow myself. It's the first time I show my work like this and I think it will be fun. Hope to give you reports, there are a lot of side events too. I'll stay from Tuesday to Friday, in the KHVC stand A09:02, welcome to stop by! There will be work from 10 Swedish craft artists in the stand, see more here... This is what happened in the studio since latest post, I was busy! -
concrete work in progress
24 Jan 2010 | 2:00 amWork in too slow progress, the pieces for the KHVC stand at Stockholm Furniture Fair is taking shape; to sit on or to look at. These are photos from the last two weeks. Now I've reached the phase of the process when you look at your work and wonder "Who is doing this?".A ceramic seat for the shape. I form an inner shape of frigolite. A layer of fibre concrete on top of a metal net that keeps the concrete in place and makes the shape much stronger. The toothpicks measure how thick the concrete should be put on.A primer is put on before fixing the mosaic.The slabs of mosaic is loosely taped… -
signs of the time
16 Jan 2010 | 2:02 amA collection of just a few of all the pretty shop signs from the Gambia trip.Today Galleri hnoss opens the Hanna Hedman jewellery show and also the possibility to shop online: www.konstepidemin.se/hnossI'm off to see all the openings at Konstepidemin today.Those in Lidköping can visit David Carlsson's opening at Galleri Pannrummet, Rörstrands center. Or his website www.dceramic.seTo all a fun weekend! -
i love snow
13 Jan 2010 | 4:00 amIt's just so rare we have a long period of white snow here on the West coast, like we have right now. For weeks I've been grateful for all the light it brings and soak it in for gloomy days to come.At Konstepidemin this year's first gallery openings happen on Saturday 16 Jan.Hanna Hedman jewellery artist is onehere are the rest: www.konstepidemin.se click "press" -
improvement, finally
10 Jan 2010 | 12:23 pmNot until the little pieces came out I found the direction. I have used all kinds of escapes and excuses from working with the pieces for Stockholm Furniteure Fair. Now it's only weeks left and I'm in a hurry. But in a happy hurry.Mia Mäkilä lowbrow and horror artsom också har en blogg på svenska
-
Josie Goes to Pot
-
Ah...CUBA
16 Jan 2010 | 7:44 amBack from a week in Cuba. LOVED every minute though it was quite cold.Magic land. Time stopped soon after 1959.This is a REALLY GOOD Thing. -
See you in C U B A
2 Jan 2010 | 7:49 amWe are taking a little trip to Cuba. We'll be gone a week, adventuring and meeting new family (my daughter Susannah's husband's). I'm planning on taking lots of photos, hoping I get to snap images as beautiful as this (lifted from the wunderground site):Adios. -
Ready for 2010
31 Dec 2009 | 7:17 amTime to dust off your fancy dress and P A R T Y... Me? I'll probably be happily tucked into bed by 10:30, dreaming of the new pots I will be making this year. H A P P Y N E W Y E A R. -
Gumby Inspired
21 Dec 2009 | 8:21 amWhile you are wrapping your presents and finishing up your last minute decor you can watch this really cool little piece made by the creator of Gumby - Art Clokey. I found it most inspiring: -
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like....
19 Dec 2009 | 7:39 am....I'm going to make it! Christmas approaches next week. The tree is up, my presents are made - well almost, tonight is Cookie Making Saturday Eve for my daughter Susannah's cookie party tomorrow. This is fourth & clay's last weekend to be open during the Holiday open studios. If you haven't been by yet and are in the area please come by for a visit. Next week my daughter Molly and her soon to be husband Rafael arrive from Brooklyn. The very best thing for me this time of year are the cozy, busy days before Christmas shared with good friends and family. I'm wishing you all Good Yule.
-
Brampton Pottery
-
Aquamanilia
4 Feb 2010 | 2:43 pmToday I picked up a wonderful book from the library on aquamanilia. These amazing objects were made from the 12th century through to the 15th century. Although all the vessels in the book are made of metal using the lost wax casting system there would have also been pottery aquamaniles. I imagine that it is only the metal ones that survived. As with many other objects I suspect that richer families had these fabulous metal ones and poorer folk had copies in pottery. Anyway, I would like to make a slipware one when I can spare the time from my usual production. They come in a vast array of… -
Plates
28 Jan 2010 | 9:38 amCan't quite get blogger to to what I want today!!I returned to the V and A yet again the other day as I was meeting someone for lunch in China Town. It was a Saturday and to my amazement it was even busier than on the previous Sundays. It's beginning to get the air of Barry Island on a miners' bank holiday!!The pot below is quite odd it's an upside down pot. You can only set it down when you have drunk your ale because the bottom is the man's hat. A novel idea.I am working on plates this week but as I cann't get any more pictures to upload will have to post them another time. -
Santa braves the snow !
14 Jan 2010 | 6:41 amThe snow has really persisted here and even yesterday the children were sent home from school! But never fear Santa made his way to our house! It's unheard of for any post to reach us before lunch time but Santa knocked on the door first thing in the morning. I was still in the bath and before I could even dry Mark had opened the parcel. He immediately took possession of the bowl saying it was perfect for cereals! As I don't eat cereals (and he does) I think I can see where he's going with this!!Lovely bowl by Ron. I have been studying the foot which is beautifully turned and I may have to… -
Defeated?
31 Dec 2009 | 5:55 amDefeated - by a birds nest! I found this birds' nest in a climbing passion flower right outside our front door. I was so taken with its delicacy and intricacy that I thought I would record it. But it has proved very difficult to capture its complexity.I've also recorded a few fragments from the garden.A couple of days ago we made a trip to the British Museum again. Here's the new Chinese Ceramics gallery.They certainly do embody it with a sense of the sacred and inspire an atmosphere of awe and preciousness. I don't think anyone spoke in more than a whisper. The shere number of wonderful… -
Glazing today
14 Dec 2009 | 1:52 pmI have been working with the Kent clay again. These jugs are thrown from the clay with out any processing. It's got all sorts of bits in it- some of them quite large. (When they sliced the clay up at Babylon tiles they took out a lizard! That would have given me quite a surprise when I was throwing!) Of course this makes the finished pots quite rough and robust.Nevertheless it throws beautifully and is a joy to work with.I still have another batch of the clay left which I slatted down and sieved. It was a lot of work to yield a fairly small batch of clay. I kneaded it up today and it's a…
-
Tracey Broome
-
Love to Haiti
8 Feb 2010 | 11:27 amI don't have a lot of money to send to charities, but I do have time I can give, so I will be doing a clay workshop for the Artscenter on Valentine's Day. Since Gerry is in Vancouver, what else am I going to do on this holiday!? Come on over and make something if you are in town and help out Haiti. -
Wish I was there
8 Feb 2010 | 4:48 amVancouver, I think I want to move! Gerry photographed Katerina Witt yesterday. Remember her? She was huge in the ice skating events a while back. Gerry had such a crush on her. He watched all the ice skating that year as I'm sure most men did. He called yesterday to say she was standing right in front of him and he was there to photograph her. Who would have thought...I painted some long neglected rooms this weekend, so no pottery. Must get busy this week, 12 by 12 every day!!!! (right....) -
Vancouver
6 Feb 2010 | 4:06 pmGerry is already kickin' ass in Vancouver. If you go here http://www.apimages.com/and enter Gerry Broome Vancouver in the search box you can see some images he has shot. Sorry I can't post any of the images here but AP doesn't allow it, hopefully he will send me some that aren't published and I can put some up.This is a photo of the Randolph Tech photo class early 1980's in Asheboro, NC. Gerry is the one on the right end near the tire rims. They were all there photographing the one and only Richard Petty. Boy, he's come a long way since those college days! That's exactly what he looked like… -
"Hand" building
4 Feb 2010 | 2:42 pmMy pottery sampler class started today at the Artscenter and I am so excited about my new students. This might just be the most diverse group I have ever taught. I have a tiny little woman from Thailand named Payong who is adorable and the most excited clay student I have ever seen, there is a french woman that is a professional french pastry chef, and her assistant/friend, and they chattered all morning to each other in French, so cool. There is my new friend Bridgett who took the class last session and made that wonderful Raku platter, there is a very tiny quiet woman that I don't know much… -
Twelve huh?
3 Feb 2010 | 2:45 pmWell, I liked Michael Kline's challenge over at the Sawdust and Dirt blog to make 12 of something today before noon. Wellllllll, here's how that went: I went into my studio around 9am and thought, hmmmm.....those bottles in my window would be so cool saggar fired and I could make a set of twelve, right, I made one and realized I needed to put terra sig on the plates and bowls I made yesterday, so I made one bottle and moved over to the coil bowl and slab plates .They turned out rather nice...........Then I thought, oh yeah, I need to make a bunch of small dishes because I have sold all of the…
-
A Devonshire Pottery
-
Saturday ramble
6 Feb 2010 | 10:03 amI went to the workshop this afternoon with Joe, the younger of my two sons. It's a most pleasant way to spend a Saturday afternoon, with good company, the woodburner lit, the kettle warm and listening to Exeter City playing football on the radio. Joey took these pictures of me.This is one of the big jugs I'm working on at the moment. There's still a long way to go with it yet.A blurred photo of the applied decoration. It takes its inspiration from a decorative technique employed on medieval pottery, whereby small pellets of clay were applied to the surface of the pots - so simple - and from… -
Little lambs
6 Feb 2010 | 1:38 amLittle lambs in a field near the workshop. -
Big fat jugs
4 Feb 2010 | 3:54 pmWell I've been a busy, busy boy, working late into the evenings.Today I got making my favourite thing - 8lb fat jugs. It felt good to be making fat, generous, earthy, country pots with plenty of grit in the clay. I made six, I'll make another six before the firing. They vary in height and proportion - I didn't try to make them all the same as I would have done once upon a time. The first couple were based on a medieval jug that took my fancy on the internet, the rest gradually slipped into North Devon Harvest jug form, rounded and low bellied.I've started making the big pots during the last… -
Evening all
2 Feb 2010 | 5:24 pmEvening all.A brief post as it's the middle of the night and I've worked a long, long day. I'll post pictures of new things that have been happening in the workshop, later.I've listed some pots on ebay, so please forgive me if tonight's blog post is more like an advertisement. If you click on the titles under the pots, it'll take you to the relevant page.Large jar Large 'Medieval' jug Harvest jugWell that's it for now, I need some zzzzz's, goodnight all, have a good Wednesday. -
Saturday
30 Jan 2010 | 8:55 amTonight the curtain goes down on the pantomime for the last time and life will go back to normal. It's been good fun - a lot of hard work, but a really good giggle and I shall miss the evenings rehearsing across the road at the Methodist Chapel - not to mention the ciders afterwards - well I guess there's no reason why that tradition can't continue. In the picture, Mrs Semolina Sinbad and in the background, the hero, Sinbad the Sailor her/himself. Here are a few pictures from yesterday. This is the stunning little Nuthatch that comes to the workshop birdtable daily.Three jugs, handled and…
-
Around and About with Bulldog Pottery
-
The Next Generation - Seagrove Potters under 40
8 Feb 2010 | 11:12 amThis exhibition is on display at the North Carolina Pottery Center. The reception is this coming Friday, Feb. 12th at 5:30pm. I will post tomorrow the images of my pieces that are part of the show. The receptions at the Pottery Center are fun and it is great to check out what is new, and what is old. We always like to take a stroll through the North Carolina Pottery Center's Museum. Hope to see you there.Also of Note there is a STARworks Glass open house the night before on February 11. For only $25 you as an individual or you and a partner can make your own glass heart or flower! If you just… -
Space
5 Feb 2010 | 1:18 pmSpace is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction.Outer space, inner space, space suit, space shuttle,space ship, space invaders, my-space, space man, space walk, space time, space station, empty space, green space, parking space, spacial distortion, space balls, blank space, common space, positive and negative space..........Our new spaceNote: These pictures were taken in September 2009. -
Art on A Cup / The Decorated Yunomi
21 Jan 2010 | 1:17 pmThese images are details of Samantha's Yunomis.Searching around for different ways to decorate my pottery is still a fascinating focus that I have enjoyed since I started in clay. These glazes that Bruce and I have been working with recently have kept our attention, interest, and enthusiasm. They are fluid, rich, sparkly, and can vary from series to series. They have a lot of action jackson to keep us on our toes and our minds occupied. After taking these detailed images of the two Horse Yunomis, they sparked my memory of the Expressionist group called Der Blauer Reiter (The Blue Rider), and… -
Marketing Art : Two Workshops at STARworks
19 Jan 2010 | 5:16 amI thought I would pass this on to the artists that live nearby here. See you there!There are two marketing workshops scheduled to take place at STARworks in Star, NC.Jan. 21: 6:00 pm Jan Lukens will talk about "Art as Business"Jan. 28: 6:00 pm A panel of artists : Samantha Henneke, Debby Thompson, and Mac Metz will talk about their art businesses. The open forum will explore needs of local artists and strategies to create a brighter future for all.To register call 910-428-9001 or e-mail marla@centralparknc.org -
Art on A Cup / The Decorated Yunomi
10 Jan 2010 | 3:13 pmThis past week we shipped our Yunomis to AKAR's Yunmoi Invitational, which opens online on March 26 and continues through April 16, 2010. Around 200 potters have been selected to send 5 Yunomi's each. We find this show always fun to participate in, and we look forward to seeing the other potter's Yunomis. If you have not purchased from AKAR yet, it is a wise idea to sign up on their website before the show opens, and be ready-because this is a very popular exhibition.On one of Bruce's cups, he played around with collaging skulls with the bodies of seahorses. This method in the clay world is…
-
Clay Club
-
Golden Shino
9 Feb 2010 | 11:08 amHere is another sparkler!John Brittwww.johnbrittpottery.com -
Shino
9 Feb 2010 | 11:04 amHere is a nice Shino that I got out of the last load. Will be discussing it at the Gulf Coast Clay Conference on Thursday!John Brittwww.johnbrittpottery.com -
FEBRUARY CLAY CLUB CANCELLED!
9 Feb 2010 | 8:56 amThis month's clay club is canceled due to inclement weather. (Funny , the same thing happened last year...wonder if this is a pattern?)See announcement below: -
Mug Party postponed until March 3
9 Feb 2010 | 8:30 amHey y'all! I've decided to postpone our amazing Penland Auction Mug-Making Party Blow-Out until our March club meeting. There's no telling how icy Penland Road will be tomorrow evening with the gloom and doom forecast bearing down on us. You might find yourself unintentionally at the bottom of the mountain. Let's reschedule for Wednesday, March 3 at 6:00 in the Penland clay studio. There will still be stoneware and pizza. Thanks everyone! -
Support the NC Pottery Center & Save Shipping Costs
9 Feb 2010 | 8:09 amIt's once again time to ask for your generosity on behalf of the NC Pottery Center. As you know, the Center truly needs your support. If you have not received your letter asking for donations of your fabulous work for their April 25th annual fundraising auction, then here's the request.To save your shipping costs, by Monday night Feb. 15th, or Tuesday noon Feb. 16th, at the latest, please bring a piece to donate to Cynthia Bringle's studio or to Gay Smith's barn. Include with the piece: its title, technique, your name, and retail value.The Pottery Center is formatting their fundraising more…
-
pottery blog: emily murphy
-
Studio work table
19 Jan 2010 | 11:21 amThe last table for my studio was finished this week. It can be wheeled back and forth between the glaze room and the throwing room depending on what I’m working on. I designed it with a fairly large overhang so it’s comfortable to work at. I hate sitting at studio tables when you can’t really sit at it with your legs under the table. Storage is good, but not at the expense of a comfortable working space. The top of the table is covered in canvas. If you’ve never stretched canvas before, here’s a little tutorial on how to do it. It’s something that I… -
New clay trap for the studio sink
16 Jan 2010 | 10:18 amIt’s been a busy week setting up the final details of my studio. I know once I’m deep into the clay, it’s hard to find the motivation to take care to the remaining items on the to-do list. I really don’t want to mess up the plumbing, so I was anxious to figure out some sort of clay trap for the sink. Whenever I think about a clay trap, I have the image of a box trap trying to entice the tiny clay clay particles from escaping down the plumbing. But that doesn’t really seem like a realistic solution! I had been planning on putting together my own trap, but then I… -
Trimming splash pan
14 Jan 2010 | 11:12 amOne of the things that I knew I wanted to build in my new studio was a nice big splash pan for my trimming wheel (I have a separate one that I use for throwing). I often use a large foam bat or a Giffen Grip, so a regular splash pan just doesn’t work. Plus the clay trimmings can sort of fly all over the place, so I needed something with tall sides. Over the course of the studio construction, I’ve been brainstorming different designs. Mostly, I’ve been over thinking it and over designing it. Suddenly last week I had a moment when it hit me- and the solution was the simplest… -
My new pottery studio, so far.
4 Jan 2010 | 12:08 pmThanks for the warm ‘welcome back’ and all the congratulations and well wishes! All the comments and messages make me feel like I’m at a reunion of good friends that I haven’t seen for a while! I’m full of warm fuzzies. As promised, this post is all about my studio build out. A few months ago we finished the walls, ceilings, lighting and flooring in my studio, but more recently, we’ve been building out the space: customizing tables, shelves and storage to suit my needs. The project is still a work in progress, but you’ll get a sense of the space from… -
Become a fan on Facebook.
2 Jan 2010 | 5:18 pmOne of the best parts of writing this blog is connecting with other people. When I first began writing it 5 and a half years ago, I had no idea that it could be such a back and forth dialog. I created a Fan Page on Facebook to help continue the conversation! I just started the fan page this weekend, and it’s been a great start of a conversation. I’ll be using this page to share what I’m doing on a day to day basis in the studio and I’ll ask for advice and try to have an ongoing conversation with the group. I hope you’ll join in! And you can still find me on…
-
Art Pottery Blog – History, Marks, Buying, Selling Art Pottery
-
Ephraim Faience Pottery
5 Feb 2010 | 8:34 amAs all Ephraim Faience Pottery fans know, this art pottery company still releases its hand thrown and decorated vasesand other pottery in limited edition.The photographs you see here just reinforce our appreciation of this modern art pottery line, each one with a striking background, courtesy of fellow Ephraim collectors Steve and Rose. Steve has masterfully managed to incorporate elements of nature and used it to highlight the intricacies Ephraim Faience art pottery is so well known for.Notice the Ephraim Trillium vase - this is one that remains as popular now as it was when it was… -
Just Art Pottery New Arrivals
30 Jan 2010 | 7:22 amEvery couple of weeks, we like to take a look at the new arrivals at Just Art Pottery. You never know what treasures await you - Roseville Pottery, Rookwood Pottery, maybe a hard to find Teco Pottery vase. Greg and his team have once again wowed American art pottery enthusiasts with the latest inventory additions. If you're a big fan, as I am, of Ephraim Faience Pottery, then you have to see the latest additions from this varied but always lovely line of studio pottery. Be sure to see the Ephraim Faience Pottery Panther Vase. This experimental piece is in mint… -
A Peek Into the Just Art Pottery Bargain Bin
14 Jan 2010 | 11:40 amJust before the holidays overwhelmed us all, we announced a fun new way to own American art pottery.The Just Art Pottery Bargain Bin has been a big success and has proven even more fun than we could have anticipated.We thought this would be a good time to take a quick peek into what the bin holds this week. Those most passionate about Scandinavian pottery will appreciate the Bing and Grondahl Art Deco Vase.The darker, or mustard, brown glaze only adds to the elegance of the art pottery piece.It's an 8" tall vase that won't remain a part of the bargain bin for long. I'm… -
Is it Roseville Pottery?
11 Jan 2010 | 12:46 pmThe Cherub Cameo collection has often been attributed to the Roseville pottery; however, there are some collectors who believe the pattern was made by Weller or Owens.It's a beautiful line with a matte fern color base and gold leafs that extend upwards.White columns provide symmetry and the faces of white cherubs are placed in raised circles on the pieces. The result is an elegant collection that stands strong on its own or as part of the Roseville line.There are umbrella stands, window boxes, jardinières, fern dishes and other various shaped bowls.Depending on its size and condition,… -
Fulper Lamps
3 Jan 2010 | 4:19 pmAs with most American art pottery companies, Fulper Pottery had a wide assortment of wares, each with different shapes, glazes, sizes and values. One of the most significant productions from Fulper Pottery was its collection of lamps. They have remained the most expensive of any Fulper pottery collections over the years. The shades were made with a heavy lead, along with either glass or clay and each Fulper lamp had incredible intricate detailing, the rarest of the designs being in 1910 when Fulper made available touring cars etched into the shades. Many collectors…
-
Mountain House Studios
-
First firing - terra sig photos
8 Feb 2010 | 6:35 amSince I have been discussing my surface treatments these last few months, I thought that I would post photos of these pieces of their journeys in the kiln.I first posted pictures of these at their leatherhard stage. Once they became dry (greenware) I applied terra sig and burnished slightly after each application. This terra sig is made with OM4 that I've added colorants and/or oxides. I learned something this past week that has really helped -- I bought a rock tumbler. (A ball mill just isn't in my foreseeable future.) But a $30 rock tumbler & some glass marbles works wonders to mix… -
Results - last glaze tests
5 Feb 2010 | 6:45 amHere some quick photos of my last glaze testing. I solved the splotchy glaze coverage. You really need at least 3 layers of slip & glaze.The small pitchers have (colored OM4) terra sig & Stroke & Coat highlights. And the final covered jar has been fired twice so far - first firing is the green terra sig & next I applied underglaze. This will still need to be fired one more time - at least - with a clear glaze. I am now satisfied that I have enough information to start making work -- in fact I'm excited about delving deeper into all the possibilities this earthenware has to… -
Forms -- terra sig is next!
3 Feb 2010 | 9:30 amThese forms are ready for me to begin their surface treatments. The small soy bottles will get some terra sig on the outer surface. After they are bisqued, I may add some Stroke & Coat color highlights. And I will just pour some clear on the inside & glaze the spouts & stopper lid. The small plates will mirror what is happening with the bottle. I'm thinking about just glazing the round covered jars -- but I'm unloading a kiln tomorrow & if something I tried is successful, I may try & repeat it.It's been great to get my throwing list out again. I have Fired Works coming up… -
Finally!
2 Feb 2010 | 7:53 amFinally, I'm seeing some evidence for all the work I've been doing in surface treatment testing -- glazes, slips & terra sigs. I've spent so many years learning about form. I am mostly self taught with a few workshops & classes -- but I haven't had much experience learning about surface and the various ways to create interesting surfaces. In community taught classes not much emphasis is given to glazing. I have taken a fabulous workshop with John Britt & read lots of books -- but when I was working at ^6 or ^10, I could get away with just dunking my piece in a bucket of glaze. -
Wasted Monday
25 Jan 2010 | 11:48 amI spent the morning having my car serviced. It was it's scheduled service time. There aren't many Mini dealerships in this area & it's always crowded even with an appointment. What's funny is they guarantee 90 minutes or less & I've never been there less than 3 hours. I scheduled the appointment for first thing thinking it wouldn't take as long. I had to get up at 5:00 am in order to get there by 7:30 am. Whew that's rough on Monday.Also this weekend some friends from Florida were in town & supposed to come to dinner Saturday night. They spent the day mountain biking & inline…
-
Joy Tanner Pottery
-
Oh handles...
7 Feb 2010 | 4:41 pmI've been playing around the studio with some new mug forms, trying a slightly different shape with the carving in a different place. With that brings about some different carving patterns, as well as trying to improve the ever so hard handle. The ends of the handle are where I'm concentrating on improving right now. I'm trying to use the 'dogbone' approach, which usually I start off with a 'carrot' form. This pottery jargon refers to hand forming a clay into a shape resembling a dogbone , with the ends being fatter/fuller than the middle, then you connect this piece to the mug, and continue… -
Bird tracks and potters marks
1 Feb 2010 | 2:24 pmI've been trimming bowls off and on for a few days, which is always a fun thing to do. I love trimming the foot on a bowl, it's a nice way to finish up a form. These ridge bowls below are finished and awaiting a fresh skin of flashing slip for the soda kiln.While I've been at the wheel, I've been watching the birds out the window hop about the snow making tracks all around. I love how the snow hides yet reveals. On a bright sunny day, the brightness of the snow reveals all the activity in the winter woods. As I've been observing all of this activity, I've been thinking about my own track; my… -
Pizza Night
31 Jan 2010 | 5:32 pmImportant things in between pot making: I've eaten homemade pizza two different nights in one week because I've found the best pizza crust recipe ever in the book below! I've been making my own bread for a while now. I use a really easy no-knead bread recipe that you let rise for 18 hours and have enjoyed making different variations of white, wheat, rye, herb, fruit and nut breads. This book pictured below has taken me further into the world of bread baking. Now I'm exploring the use of a pizza peel to carry the bread dough or pizza to a preheated baking stone. It has changed my life! I make… -
Bowls and Surprises
28 Jan 2010 | 2:24 pmSo the first few things I've been throwing back at the wheel are some bowls. It's an easy warm up to begin with. These above are soon to be ridge bowls. I also played around with some new smaller porcelain bowls, trying each one a bit different to see what I like best later.I've been gearing up for another snow event about to hit this weekend, predicted to be like the last one that was almost 2 feet around here. Today I was getting firewoood ready and attempting at cleaning up the yard and gutters from the last storm. But I was immediately distracted by finding these interesting things,… -
Stinging hands
27 Jan 2010 | 5:34 pmToday I made it back into the studio to throw some pots. Since December, I've been doing a lot of piddling around that has kept me from getting there any earlier, as well as knowing of the threat of a cold studio and clay that was waiting for me. Although winter projects have been getting crossed off the list (as more keep adding to the list), I heard the call beckoning me back to the studio and ventured in. And as always, I'm happy I did.As I wedged this extremely icy cold clay, despite my hands stinging and burning with each movement of the clay, I couldn't help but like this painful…
-
Ceramic Erin
-
Electric kiln for sale
1 Feb 2010 | 8:42 amI bought this electric kiln last summer and never got around to hooking it up. Now that I've joined the Guild I really don't have a use for my own kiln and when I do, I'd like to buy a larger one. Do you know any Colorado artists who need a kiln? Craigslist posting here. Paragon model A-66 B, $300. -
Etsy shop
29 Jan 2010 | 9:45 amMy Etsy shop is once again full... well, full as it ever was. Someday in the next few months it will be even more full with not only cups, but teapots and other tea accessories. The Arvada Ceramic Arts Guild is having a tea-themed show in March, so I'm getting ready for that. In the meantime, take a look at my shop here. 5% of proceeds from my bicycle cups will be donated to Wish for Wheels, a Colorado charity who donates new bicycles to underprivileged Denver kindergarten kids.Which design is your favorite?Shop Etsy. -
New bike cups
21 Jan 2010 | 9:33 pmMy cups enjoyed a little photo shoot in the kitchen today... not the best lighting, but it'll do for now. I hope to have these and more pots up for sale on Etsy by Monday. Here are "Lost," "Curiosities" and "To the Moon!" -
Curiosities in 2010
11 Jan 2010 | 8:11 pmThe first bike cups of 2010 in progress:My "Lost" design here has evolved into "Curiosities," with the flower kissing the bike, or sniffing it's nose like two cats greeting each other, and some other flowers remind me of winged insects. I'm enjoying this design most of all! To the right is a new design inspired by a delicious apricot beer at Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora, Colorado, and in the back are "To the Moon!" and "Dive!" bike cups. Someday I'll have my work for sale again on Etsy... for now it's sold at the Arvada Ceramic Arts Guild gallery, Madison & Main in Greeley, and soon I hope… -
Studio update
7 Jan 2010 | 8:57 amI've been a busy little potter this season, making a lot of cups as usual, along with pitchers, jars & teapots. A friend commented on my lack of direction and the fact that I don't stick with one thing for long. It's true, I get bored easily, but I do have plans for a full dinner set, or luncheon set rather. What those pots will look like I haven't figured out yet. At the moment my mind is set on making a cup inspired by my cat Leo. Here he is enjoying a cuppa:We're also experimenting with glazes at the Arvada Ceramic Arts Guild. Connie Christensen is in her glaze testing phase of the…
-
Straydog Pottery
-
Ring Around the Moon
28 Jan 2010 | 8:14 pmThe latest forecast for this part of North Carolina is calling for winter weather - a lot of winter weather this weekend. I have heard predictions from 3 to 4 inches of snow and ice to 12 inches of snow by Sunday! When I got home from the studio tonight, I got out my camera to take a picture of the ring around the moon while I was out walking the dogs. I have always heard that if snow if coming there would be a visible ring around the moon and it was easy to see tonight with the close to full moon. It is hard to believe with the current temperature being around 55 degrees!The pictures in this… -
New Year - New Plans
18 Jan 2010 | 3:53 pmThis year has started off with some changes. Susan and I have signed all the papers to go deeper in debt and have closed on a 100-year old farm house! For me, this means a real place for my pottery studio. I figured I would show the before pictures now of where I am going to initially set up - once I move out the present tenant (a snake that must have eaten a poisoned mouse). I hope to show the metamorphosis as it happens in each blog post. My big goal is to find a place to set up my kiln and start firing some at home, experimenting with cone 6 glazes.I finally got up the nerve to glaze my… -
It's the Most Busiest Time of the Year . . .
13 Dec 2009 | 10:07 amOnce again I have fallen behind in my blog - not a very good way to finish out my first year of this endeavor. There just isn't enough time to do all I want to do!!! At this time of the year, especially, I feel pulled in all directions . . . extra choir practices to get ready for Advent, pottery and craft shows, getting things ready for the change in seasons, and, oh yeah - my job! So, here's a quick update on my life in clay.I bought a box of Loafer's Glory and really like working with it. It is so smooth and I don't feel like I am constantly sanding off layers of my hands when I throw it. -
It's been a long, long, long time ...
11 Nov 2009 | 5:26 pmAlmost a month from the last post! I'm just feeling like I have too many irons in the fire right now.I took a quick trip to Farmville today to drop off a platter I made for the big 50/50 raffle and auction at Fuqua School. It was worth the driving in the "driving rain" to see a lot of old friends and students. Hopefully, the platter will help raise some money for the school.Last weekend was the big pottery open-house at Finch Pottery and it was a perfect day. Warm and sunny, and lots of people who came to look and buy. Susan went around and took pictures of the crowds for me since I was… -
Bowls, Bowls, Bowls! And Cotton Bolls!
17 Oct 2009 | 8:33 amThe cotton fields behind the house are about ready for the pickers - machines now that are like giant vacuum cleaners that suck the cotton up into bins. A lot of the cotton in this part of North Carolina was not very tall this year because of lack of rain, but the cotton in this field is tall. It really looks pretty neat when you look across the fields and see all the white. The dogs enjoy running up and down the rows - all you can see is the tips of their tails.It was a really good week - the kids at school were great, I had the time to make quite a few pieces of pottery, and even had a…
-
the amplified bard
-
Meet Brooklyn’s New Poet Laureate
4 Feb 2010 | 8:34 amThe New York borough, Brooklyn has announced its poet laureate. Tina Chang, the author of Half-Lit Houses, will be the fourth poetic ambassador to fill the position. According to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, “Ms. Chang has dedicated her life to poetry and is passionate about reaching and educating diverse communities.”Chang has been promoting poetry among the community for many years. "I see myself as an ambassador and activist on behalf of poetry," Chang said. "Over the past decade, I've given myself over to poetry completely, engaging students, teachers, writers,… -
Wonderful "Evolution of the Book" Chart
2 Feb 2010 | 11:34 amIf you need a refresher on the heritage of the ubiquitous ebook readers, then you will be interested in checking out this "Evolution of the Book" linear chart. According to Fastcompany, "the chart shows how primitive Clay Sumerian Tablets (3500 BC) and Egyptian Papyrus scrolls (2400 BC) evolved into wax tablet codex (200 BC), Gutenberg's printing press (1440), and more modern dalliances like the Japanese cell-phone text novel." -
Protraits of Poets Exhibition
11 Jan 2010 | 8:27 amNikki Giovanni photographed at her desk in her apartment on November 4, 1975 by Jill Krementz.A poem is a way of capturing a moment, I don't do a lot of revisions because I think if you have to do that then you've got problems with the poem. Rather than polish the words, I take the time to polish the poem. If that means I start at the top a dozen of times, that's what I do. A poem's got to be a single stroke, and I make it the best I can because it's going to live.An exhibition featuring drawings, photographs, collages and oil portraits of distinguished poets ranging from Dylan Thomas, Robert… -
Family Group Day: A Video Poem Featued on Moving Poems
6 Jan 2010 | 8:03 pmA while ago, I posted some behind-the-scenes pictures of the filming of my video poem, "Family Group Day" here. After I posted the final version of the video poem on Youtube, I found out that it was featured on Moving Poems: The Best Video Poems on the Web. So, I thought I'd share it with everyone. Here is the premiere of my video poem "Family Group Day" written and performed by poet Radames Ortiz featuring music by Trills, graphic design artist Alberto Capetillo and videographer Gilbert Camargo. Let me know what you think. -
Poem Published in the Bicycle Review
18 Dec 2009 | 11:42 amMy poem "Lunchtime Sonnet" was recently published in the fourth issue of the Bicycle Review. The issue features poetry and short fiction by Eric J. Brinovec, Christopher Coleman, Ginetta Corelli, C.S. DeWildt, Dave Erlewine, Kimberly Freeman, Ricky Garni, Kirpal Gordon, Radomir Luza, Valery Oisteanu, and Radames Ortiz.It also features original artworks by M.K. Bullock, photography by Charles Hayes and cover art by Rhea Adri-de SalvoThis is a wonderful new journal based out in L.A. which publishes work that is " "unusual, original and downright creepy." For submission guidelines go here.
