2015-01-29 - Thursday - Bowling for Dollars

Did somebody say bowls?

Thursday night I made 10 bowls for the Cleveland County Arts Council fundraiser. Their Bowling for Dollars event funds their Arts in Education program.

I use the term "Thursday night" loosely since I ended up staying until 1:30 am Friday morning. I was drying them in front of a box fan so I could trim them during the same session.

I love a challenge.

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2015-01-28 - Wednesday - Bowls and such

Wednesday night I got another batch of empty bowls back from the kiln. Once again, I was pleased with the results. I am going to make some of these for myself very soon.

Like he last time I have a photo of the group, followed by individual ones.

Later in the evening I made two garlic pots. I revisit some forms until I exhaust my ideas and I still have more surface ideas for these.

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2015-01-26 - Monday - Glazing and sunset

Monday I had to get some quick glazing done since the gas kiln was going to be loaded in the afternoon. I hurried through the process. I've got it down to a routine of sorts now so while it takes many layers to accomplish what I'm going for, I can move a bit more quickly through them with the help of a box fan.

The kiln is scheduled to be fired on Tuesday which usually means we unload it on Thursday. I'm always anxious to see the results.

Monday evening there was a dramatic sunset. My photos don't do it justice as it was the deepest, most dramatic red I've seen in a long time. Here are a few of the best I could manage. It changes so quickly.

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2015-01-22 - Thursday - Glazing bowls

Thursday I glazed another batch of bowls for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina's Empty Bowls event. I played with slip, underglaze, wax resist, and glazes on the surfaces again. I'm really getting into my surfaces these days.

Before.

After.

I'm looking forward to seeing these finished. If you are too, please check back.

You know I'll post photos. :8^)


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2015-01-21 - Wednesday - Potnesday

Wednesday I made some new forms and an old one. While I am trying out new forms I still go back to some of my favorites. I don't think I've explored everything on the "snorkel pots". That's what I call the one on the left with the elephant trunk neck. We'll see where they go.

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2015-01-20 - Tuesday - Smug looks

Tuesday night I defined the faces on my pots from last night. As usual, they look pretty smug. Someday I'll make some random faces that just look happy. Or not.

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2015-01-19 - Monday - Leaves, sprouts, and new forms

Monday I went outside late in the afternoon to get some more of the leaves up. It was 64 degrees and sunny. It was so warm I had to take off my denim shirt. When I hung it on the lantern arm it blew off twice in the breeze. I finally resorted to putting it over both lantern arms to keep it there and I was struck by the silliness of it.

It's the second half of January, so the daffodils are poking up, and barring any frozen weather, should be blooming by month's end.

I was playing with torqued cylinders tonight and was struck by how human they looked so I decided to add faces to them. They're blanks right now, but I hope to add more detail later.

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2015-01-18 - Sunday - Bowls for me

I have finished throwing empty bowls for this year so I decided to make some for myself. I am planning on making a series of bowls similar to he ones I made for the event since I really like them. Like all my other forms I want to keep moving them forward. The two on the left are made from cone 10 clay so I'll be trying out a different glaze palette on them.

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2015-01-17- Saturday - Empty bowls glazed

Saturday I checked on my next batch of empty bowls. I used slip and underglazes on these and was very pleased with the outcome. I like the way the playfulness I used in decorating these comes through in the finished product.

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2015-01-15 - Thursday - Glazed empty bowls

I got my first group of empty bowls back from the kiln and am very pleased with the way they came out. I'm really learning how to let myself go during the glazing process. I try new things and go with what feels good in the moment. I really like the cobalt carbonate spray I did on these (the blue haze on one side of some of the bowls). I like them so much I have included a photo of each one.

I did different surface treatments on the next batch and am anxious to see them, but I will definitely revisit what I did on some of these in the future.

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