2017-03-11 - Saturday - Feathers

I took the sticky bands we use to stop canker worms off our trees on Saturday. I saw the images of canker worm moths on the bands, but no insects. I assumed the birds picked them off and I guess I was correct. I found three feathers stuck to the band in one place.

I feel bad for the bird since it was stuck there until it pulled out it's feathers to get away.

I guess there truly is no such thing as a free lunch.

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2017-03-10 - Friday - Empty Bowls and raku

Friday was a busy day for Clayworks.

South Charlotte Middle School was here for a raku firing class.

The mud daubers were making pots in the courtyard.

Adrienne, Kimberly, and I went to the Empty Bowls event at the convention center. It was larger than ever and I forgot to take photos inside the ballroom, but I got some of the line outside.

People picking out their bowls.

It was quite a long line.

Really long line.

I was demoing.

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2017-03-09 - Thursday - Refrigerator

Thursday our refrigerator arrived. We really like it but are a bit concerned that the right door is unable to open or close without the ice maker hitting the other door. I've tried adjusting it with no luck. It might just be bent. I think we need a replacement.

That is not a combination lock on the refrigerator, just a magnetic timer, but I think it looks pretty cool.



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2017-03-08 - Wednesday - Assembly

Wednesday night I started assembling the two-piece pot, which had two more pieces added as a rim. I'm not finished with it yet. We'll see where it goes from here.

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2017-03-07 - Tuesday - Pots

Tuesday night I went to Clayworks and made some new pots.

The two pieces on the left will go together, middle is a snorkel pot, and a textured pot on the right.

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2017-03-06 - Monday - Mint Museum Tour

Monday Brian Gallagher gave the Delhom Service League a tour of the Delhom Collection's American Ceramics. Brian gave a great tour, as usual; full of interesting information about all the factories, materials, artists, subjects, and circumstances of the creations.

There were many interesting pieces, but my favorite by far were these two "egg" vases. Amazing.

Ott and Brewer, Trenton, New Jersey; Isaac Broome (designer, modeler), American (born in Canada), 1835-1922. Pair of Vases, 1877, Parian porcelain. Museum Purchase: Exchange Funds from the Gift of Harry and Mary Dalton. 2003.97.3.1-2

On the way out I really enjoyed this David Leach "cylinder". I would like to try making a similar top on some of my pots.

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2017-03-05 - Sunday - Looking around

Sunday I was looking around in the yard. It's good to look around occasionally; it allows you to notice and appreciate things.

The hostas are making their annual emergence, fragile, and new.

These fir trees are another yard away
but I am often struck by their height and girth.
They are mighty.

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2017-03-04 - Saturday - Busy, busy, busy

Saturday was Muddy Fun day at Clayworks. As usual we had a nice group of students and volunteers.

At the mid point of the class I usually sit down, finish something on the wheel and tell everyone, "This is our next project...". It always gets a laugh.

Saturday I threw a bottle and we laughed.

I left the room for a while to handle some other things and when I returned several people had copied my bottle! Most of these students had never thrown before and they managed to make bottles with narrow necks. We were amazed.

My bottle.

Student bottle.

Later Karen and I went to the Southern Spring Show and after that to Burton's where we sat at the bar and had some hamburgers.

When we got home I pulled the molding off the kitchen doorway and removed the pocket door so we can fit the new refrigerator through it when it gets here. Yee-ha.

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2017-03-03 - Friday - Refrigerator

We are replacing our ~27 year old refrigerator and because of that I cleaned off the old one. Without all the magnets and photos it looks like we already have a new one, albeit an almond one which rather dates it.

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2017-03-02 - Thursday - Empty Bowls finished

The Empty Bowls came out of the kiln on Thursday and I was very happy with them.

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2017-02-27 - Monday - Glazing

Monday I glazed the rest of the Empty Bowls. I did a lot of different processes on them and ended up the decoration with some fun doodles.

Sanded.

Waxed.

First dips.

Second dips, waxed, sprayed, painted, doodled.

In the kiln.

Overflow.

A while back I posted a photo of my sad little rosemary plant. It's still in water and it's blooming again. I really need to plant it in the ground somewhere.

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