2015-12-10 - Wednesday - Goneaway Pottery Holiday Sale

I am having my Goneaway Pottery Holiday Sale this Saturday. There will be work by five ceramic artists on display. If you are in the area, please stop by and see our latest work, have some refreshments and some fellowship. It's supposed to be 70 degrees (F) so it will be a nice day to hang out in the sun.

You can find out more about it here and here.

Come see us!



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2015-11-12 - Thursday - New pots

I finally got around to photographing some pots from the September firing. You can click on the image below to see the rest of the pots in this group.

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2015-11-08 - Sunday - Recouperating

Thursday I went to the hospital for a procedure.

I have a hereditary varicose vein condition and I've been seeing a doctor about them for several years. We have removed the problem veins from my legs, but my left foot has continued to have recurring ulcers. My doctor said the blood was getting to my foot well enough through the arteries, but it wasn't getting back up to my heart through the veins, causing excess pressure in my foot.

Since we had taken care of the veins in my leg there must be a blockage or a narrowing above my leg. This meant we had to run a catheter up the vein and widen any narrow points with an angioplasty balloon. Once it was widened a stent would be inserted to keep the vein open.

Thursday was the day it happened and the doctor put three stents in.

I spent the day in the hospital from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm and Karen stayed with me the whole time. My wife has supported me every step of the way and as busy as she stays I can always count on her to have my back.

Below is a photo of the expensive jewelry I wore at the hospital. Every single one of the nurses in recovery said they had never seen the type of IV on my right hand with all the hookups before.

Now I've been at home for a few days on the couch. I have a small puncture wound on my leg surrounded by a HUGE bruise. Both my hands and both my wrists are bruised. I've been sore, but do you know what? My foot feels better than it's felt for a long time. Part of that is from staying on the couch, but I'm sure part of it is due to the blood now being able to leave my foot.

I wanted a photo of my fine "jewelry" since I will be paying for it for quite some time. Let's hope it was worth it.

2015-10-29 - Thursday - Renaldo

I am honored to have a piece included in this year's Evening of Earth & Fire fundraiser for Clayworks. This is "Renaldo" and you can bid on him and lots of fine ceramic art on November 14, 2015 at Elder Gallery.

"Renaldo"

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2015-10-27 - Tuesday - New forms

Tuesday I started experimenting with some new forms. I don't know where these are going, but I'm enjoying making them right now since they are a bit of challenge because they're new.

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2015-10-26 - Monday - Bisque kiln

Monday I started a bisque kiln since I have a bunch of pieces to get moving.

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2015-10-25 - Sunday - New pots

On Sunday I threw some new pots and while the forms weren't new I'm thinking of new glaze combinations on them. We'll see.

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2015-10-24 - Saturday - Fortunate fortune

We had a meal at a local restaurant and I found this fortune in my cookie.

I have been offered the dream of a lifetime, and I am living it.

I have...

• a wonderful wife, two great daughters, and a loving family
• been self-employed doing the computer consulting job I love (solving problems) since 1989
• a fulfilling second career of making ceramic art
• an amazing support system of friends, mentors, and fellow artists
• had some phenomenal opportunities handed to me
• a roof over my head
• food in my belly (sometimes too much)
• sunshine
• laughter
• the stars at night

• everything

and I try to be thankful for it every day.

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2015-10-22 - Thursday -Pottery 101 and Futo Buta

Thursday Ju-Ian and I went to Pottery 101 to drop off some work. I was pleased to place a bunch of pots with Cheryl. She has a beautiful gallery full of wonderful work and I am honored to be represented by her. My work is in very good company.

When we got back to town we went to Futo Buta for ramen. The food there is very good and tastes even better because it's served in bowls made by Will Baker. Will is a friend, fellow potter, and he builds kilns. He built our salt kiln at Clayworks.

After lunch we ran through Ciel Gallery and Lark & Key Gallery.

It was a good day and I still had time to get some work done.

Dropping off work.

Ju-Ian likes the bowls (and the ramen).

I have no idea how to eat this.

Looks delicious.

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2015-10-21 - Wednesday - New pots

Wednesday I finally got back to making pots again. Don't ask me what that one of he left is about; it started out completely differently and I'm not sure I'm keeping it. The middle one will be stretched more once it firms up a bit and the one one the right will have handles added to it. As usual, I'll see where they take me.

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2015-10-17 - Saturday - Muddy Fun

Saturday I taught the Muddy Fun class at Clayworks. It was a small class of five students and Chris helped out so it went smoothly.

As usual, everyone had Muddy Fun and the students made some surprisingly good pots for their first time at the wheel. It never fails to amaze me that some people just "get it" on their first outing. I wish I had done that well on my first try.

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2015-10-10 - Saturday - Hilton Head Island

On Saturday it rained quite hard in the morning, but cleared beautifully in the afternoon. We went on a dolphin watching cruise and the while the weather was glorious, the dolphins were a bit shy.

On our way to the boat.

The only photo I caught of a dolphin.

The view from the room.

Sunset at supper.

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2015-10-09 - Friday - Hilton Head Island

We enjoyed a short trip to Hilton Head Island for Karen's planning retreat. Friday night we ate at the waterside and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

If you've read this blog from the first post you will know how much I love a good sunset. I took all these photos with my phone since I didn't bring the "real camera" with me.

Good stuff, and as I've always told our daughters, "It's the best free show in town".

 

Karen and me.

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2015-10-03 - Saturday - Liken the lichen

If you're a regular reader of this blog you will probably know that I really like the lichen (and moss) that grows around our yard.

Saturday it was cloudy and the lichen looked almost luminescent. I've heard it lights up under a black light, but I've never tried it. I just enjoy looking at it in all the different natural lighting that nature provides.

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2015-09-26 - Saturday - Festival in the Park with the Carolina Raptor Center

Saturday morning I had to run out to Mint Hill Arts to pick up my pots from the Earth, Fire, & Water show. It was a beautiful show and I'm looking forward to the upcoming Scary Creativity show.

From there I was off to the the Carolina Raptor Center booth at the 51st annual Festival in the Park. I have garlic pots in the gift shop at the center and the gift shop artists were invited to participate in the festival booth.

The rain kept the crowd numbers down and most people seem to come to Festival in the Park to only look at art, so there were only a few sales while I was there and none were my pots.

On the plus side, I enjoyed meeting the folks from the raptor center and the other artists that were there. It was a good couple of hours with interesting people.

While I was waiting for Stephanie to pick me up
I noticed this cover and thought it was pretty cool.

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2015-09-24 - Thursday - Fixed The TV

The boards came back from California on Thursday and I replaced them in the TV... and it worked! It's nice to have it back.

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2015-09-23 - Wednesday - Kiln opening

We unloaded the gas kiln on Wednesday night. Kim says it was the best firing she's ever done and I can't argue with her. To say I'm happy with my pots would be an understatement. I'm in love all over again.

I'll get some nicer photos taken as soon as I get a chance, but even in these quick snaps these pots make me smile.

People who don't fire kilns only get one Christmas a year.

Family photo.

 Some highlights...

Pensive.

Purple and juicy.
(Hint: I didn't use any purple glazes.)

Another side.

Trees on the bottom.

A partially formed quartet.

Small garlic pots.

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2015-09-22 - Tuesday - Waiting for the kiln to cool

Tuesday night I was at Clayworks working on a couple of garlic pots and waiting for the kiln to cool. I checked the temperature on the way in and the way out and it should be ready to unload tomorrow.

Can't wait! Always a treat to unload the kiln and see the magic.

At 8:30 pm.

Garlicky goodness.

At 11:00 pm.

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2015-09-20 - Sunday - Glazing, loading, firing

Sunday I was back at Clayworks, glazing like a madman to get finished before we had to load the kiln. As always, it took several hours to get finished. There were a few more things that I wanted to add, but skipped them to stay on schedule.

Kim and I packed a pretty tight kiln and got most of the scheduled work in it. We started the candling process and Kim will fire it on Monday.

The back stack.

The front stack.

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2015-09-19 - Saturday - Full day

Saturday was a big day at Clayworks. We had the Arts & Science Council's Connect with Culture program. Events were happening all over town and for us it meant three Muddy Fun style classes from 9 to 3 and four children's classes from 1:30 to 5.

To say things were hopping at the studio would be an understatement. The classes were great fun and the students were naturals at the wheel.

In between classes I unloaded the bisque kiln and after the last class I started waxing and getting a first coat of glaze on a lot of the pots.

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2015-09-17 - Thursday - Bisque kiln

Thursday morning I went to Clayworks to load the big oval kiln with Kimberly. We filled it, set it to candle for eight hours (some of the pots were pretty damp), and I left to do my day job.

Thursday night I went back and made a face column and some bottles out of craggy crunch clay.

When I left, I checked the kiln and it was way past candling, into the firing schedule and up to 782 degrees. If those damp pots were going to explode they would have done it when the temperature got past 212. Cross your fingers...

Bottles and a face column.

Climbing kiln.

It's pretty large.

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