Some updates and a Goal

I have abandoned this poor little space, for too long.

Good things have been happening.

This turned into...

 This!

 I glazed all the batter bowls I made this summer, but I think they are a little small.  I think I'll try for a bigger size, next time.

 I made some pretty little bowls, that I really like how they turned out.

 Here is another lidded jar.  This is a Cone 6 glaze that was underfired by about 50 degrees.  hence the dark and orange flashing.  A refire would turn the entire pot a nice Emerald Green, but I can't decide if I want to.

 I really like the effect, but the glaze is a little rough to the touch.

 Here are the First 4 of the little oblong dishes from this summer.
      The Fist two are glazed in Mackensies Shino, cone 10.
                    The glazed cracked nicely, so I inked them.

 They have some lovely little passages of flashing.

These last two i made while at my Conference.  I tried to stick to his model and use his handles.  I don't like them.  I like the little nubby handles on the previous 2.

 This last Pot was my latest Foray into using "Sodium Silicate" to crackle the surface.

 The first use I had for sodium silicate was to re-attach broken handles and lugs on bone-dry or bisque ware.  But this use is fascinating. After a cylinder is pulled, the SS is added, let set, and then the cylinder stretched to shape.  the dry outer surface "cracking" and "floating".

 Goals for the new year are fleeting, but I do plan on updating and recording more here.  Good luck to me!!

Garage/ Studio tour

This is my "Studio", its not much but it works.:)

We inherited this bakers rack years ago, but have never used it for much, it is the perfect place to keep finished work...temporarily.

 I LOVE MY WHEEL.  It is a VL Whisper, made by SHIMPO. 

 It is super quiet, so there is none of the whirring sound that other electric wheels have. 

(so Annoying)  

I use the little plastic drawers to store all my tools, it was actually Coopers First "Dresser"

 This is my Wedging/work table, Nick built it for me when i was in college, it was at the college my senior year when i had my own work space, and it has gone back and forth between the garage and my studio at the school since we moved here.  It is super sturdy and the height is just perfect, since Nick made it for me.

 Super exciting I know, but even though it is small, it is functional.

It is nice to have somewhere to work during the summer.  i will soon be crowded out though as Nick needs more an more room to work on restoring his truck.

Cups, Ding, and Baker

On Saturday, Nick wanted to go out in the garage and watch me throw, so I obliged, but it ended up being me throwing and him working on his truck, which is ok.

Nothing gets me going like some good old fashioned production.  So I started with 6 cups.

This is the motif I was working on at my workshop, (the ones that got ruined).

 A Ding is a ceremonial Chinese vessel on 3 legs, traditionally they can have lids, or not.  My Professor Susan Harris at SUU made amazing dings.
This one did not start so well.  I thought maybe I could use the Knob forms I have been throwing, as feet, but I hate it.  LIKE HATE IT!!  I think they kind of look like udders.

So I fixed it. Today I chopped off the udders and added conical shaped feet, and I like it much better.  It also mirrors the Sprigs I attached to the front.

 This is a large Square baker.  I picture delicious lasagnas, cool shaped loafs of bread, breakfast cakes, and casseroles.  It should shrink to between 7-8 inches square.  It is at about 10 right now.

I enjoyed having Nick in the Garage with me while I worked, and while I was finishing yesterday Cooper was out with me.  He loves to catch the trimmings in long ribbons.

#9 and #10 ...Going Black

It is hard to tell in these pictures, but these 3 pots (#9,#10, and the jar) are actually a Black Stoneware Body called "Black Mountain".  I throw primarily in a smooth/ white stoneware body called "B Mix", but I really like Black mountain.

#9 is short and I pushed the oval fairly narrow.

I love the way the handles turned out, and the cute foot.

 #10 is much taller and super clean.  I like that the walls taper slightly down to the foot

 And the negative space made by the foot is AWESOME!

 And then another jar form.  This jar has similar decoration to #9.  I wish I had brought the line decoration down farther on the handle, and I need to find a way to glaze this to bring out the decor, cause it gets kind of lost.  I do like the way the lid fits on this one better.  I trimmed the lid on the jar, whereas the last one I trimmed on the wheel, trimming it on the jar seems to help me get the look I want.

-Potterymom

#7 and #8, by george I think I've got it.

Ok, now this is better

At my conference this summer, we talked about "Points of Grace", the little marks left by hand, that can't be duplicated by a machine.  Joe uses this to describe the "information about the process" he leaves on his surfaces.  But to me the "Points of Grace" are the small details, purposely added to a pot.

*shadows cast by an overhanging rim 

*the negative space created by carving out a foot

*the shadows cast by a handle that kind of loos like SHREKS ear! ;)

*the angles, and shapes

 * the places where the knife went a little deep, and created a dark line.

  These are more me, and they have a lot to say!!

#5 and #6 a Eureka

Today when I was putting these dishes together I realized what I didn't like about the previous ones...  The rims.  i don't usually leave my rims that plain, or unfinished, so for #5 and #6 I did a rim like I normally would.

 And I don't love the way they turned out, but it is a step closer.

 They feel so much more finished.  The rim now helps to define the space, by giving it a sort of border.  EUREKA.

 Then I forgot to cover them and they died....DUMB

 I also made another cookie jar form.

 It is a lot smaller, and I don't like the negative space under the rim of the lid.  I either need to angle the lid or flatten the rim on the pot.

 But the decoration is really nice and feels very 3 dimensional.