2016-03-18 - Friday - Kiln loading and car repair

Friday I went to Hal and Corine's to help load the kiln for Saturday's firing. Hal has to crawl into the kiln and we slide the pots across the firebox on two boards in a laundry basket. It works well.

I had to pick Stephanie up at H & H Automotive after having her starter replaced and she decided her next vehicle needs to be this truck. I don't see it.

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September 14 - Loading the kiln

After catching up last month I have fallen woefully behind again.  I have too many things to make one big catch-up post so I am going to throw these posts up quickly to get current but not leave out any fun stuff.  Hang with me, here we go.

On Friday we loaded the wood kiln at Hal and Corine's place in Lawndale.  Hal climbs in the groundhog kiln and loads the pots using a very sophisticated transport system:  a laundry basket that we slide back and forth over the firebox on two boards.  Hey, it works.

There were a lot of pots to load but he got them all in and the basket made many trips.  After that, it was time to shovel the old ash and charcoal out of the firebox so we could fill it up again when we fired it.

After everything was done it was time to go home.  We'd be back tomorrow to heat it up.

Hal loading the kiln.

Chad taking a bucket of ash from Hal.

Hal digging out the ash.

Yup, it's really Hal.

You can see him standing in the firebox.

That's a hard-working man.

That's a finely loaded kiln.

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March 3 - Jugs

I've had an exciting invitation to participate in firing a ground hog kiln. This kiln is fired using wood as fuel and creates a unique surface on the pots.  My friends, Hal and Corine own the kiln and have given me this great opportunity.

Since the ground hog kiln is a traditional type of North Carolina kiln I thought I would make some traditional pots.  I have never made a large jug before so I thought this would be the perfect time to try.  As you can see from the photo, I ran out of clay on the third one and didn't have enough to make a proper rim so I have two jugs and a pot.  Live and learn.  The trick is to get these handled, dried, bisqued, and glazed before Friday.

Wish me luck.

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2010-11-21 Sunday - Guild Meeting

Sunday we had the November meeting of Carolina Clay Matters at Carolina Clay Connection.  Hal Dedmond and Corine Guseman did demos at the meeting.  They make very different styles of pottery and they compliment each other well.  They did the demo in a tandem style by throwing it back and forth as they created their pieces.  It was very effective and it made for a lively and informative demonstration.

I would like to apologize to Corine that I didn't get a picture of her since I was too busy talking to her and forgot to take a photo.

After the demo, the customary covered dish was held.

Hal with his candle holder face jug.

Supper in progress.

The line forms here.

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2010-05-08 Saturday - Part 2: Barn Sale

After visiting Renfrow Hardware and the Matthews Farmers Market, we returned to the Spring Barn Sale.  It was a beautiful day and I understand sales were pretty good.

Sylvia Coppola of Duck Creek Pottery.

Becky checking out Verna Witt's work.

Rae and Becky in Rae's booth.

Ralph (right) in his booth.

Corrine in her booth in the barn.

Missy and Lib Moss.

Ron and Sarah watching the crowds.

Ron making a fashion statement.

Ron's SmartWool socks.

Becky helping birds fledge from her booth.

Lisa in the other half of the booth.

Ro, Ron, and Ju-Ian.

Light through shotgun holes in the barn roof.

2009-11-14 Saturday - Carolina Pottery Festival

My plan on Saturday was to unload the gas kiln and then head out to the Carolina Pottery Festival. When I got to Clayworks the gas kiln was at 386 F and it needed to be under 200 F before we cracked the door. We removed the peeps and the temperature began dropping so S-L-O-W-L-Y that Ralph suggested we go to the festival first and then come back to unload later. (Good idea, Ralph!) As we were preparing to leave, Kim arrived and we convinced her to join us. (It wasn't a tough sell. :8^)

We had a great time seeing all the amazing work and visiting with all our friends. On the way back we stopped at the famous Red Bridges BBQ (locally known as "The Lodge") where Ralph treated us to lunch. Once sated we high-tailed it back to Charlotte to unload that kiln.

Andy Smith
who assured us he was working
on a new saggar workshop!

Gina Van Dyke

(Kim, Ralph, and Gina)

Brad Lail

Adrienne Dellinger

Julie Wiggins

Ron and Sarah Philbeck

Hal Dedmond

Corine Guseman

2009-09-26 Saturday - Piedmont Pottery Festival

Saturday Minke, Melissa, Joe and I went to the Piedmont Pottery Festival in McConnells, SC in Historic Brattonsville. There were many traditional potters in attendance with a big emphasis on face jugs. It was a drizzly, soggy day, but it didn't seem to affect anyone's mood as everyone was in good spirits and buying and selling pottery.

I checked in with Adrienne Dellinger, Corine Guseman and Hal Dedmond. I stopped by to talk to Chad Smith whom I met at Hal's recent firing. I finally got to meet Michel Bayne and see his pottery in person. I talked to Michael Ball whom I met at the Mint Museum sale and I regret not getting around to check in with Brad Lail whom I also met at the Mint.

A wonderful surprise was meeting up with Peter Lenzo in front of Adrienne's booth. We had a nice conversation and I was pleased to find out that he hasn't stopped at 100 pots, but that he is currently on pot 103. In his words, "Well, I finished 100 and I was still alive so I thought I'd keep going." He currently has a show in Detroit where he once attended school and the pieces were selling well. He also told me that the piece he created at our workshop last year came out great and that he sold it for a good price. I would have loved to have seen the finished piece and I'm glad it sold.

He swelled with pride when he told me that (his son) Joe has developed quite the touch with clay and is making some impressive face jugs. Joe is not self-conscious of leaving features at the gesture stage where most of us would have to tweak it to make it more "finished". I understood completely: sometimes a gesture is enough. Something I still need to learn.

I also told Mr. Lenzo that Greg Scott and I have adopted his name as a verb when adding pieces to a pot as in "Lenzoing". "I'm going to Lenzo this thing onto my pot." He really got a charge out of that. I'm glad he liked it. It meant a lot.

I made two purchases that I will upload later (too tired tonight).

After slogging around in the mud and making our connections and purchases we decided it was time for lunch. We stopped at Groucho's Deli and picked up sandwiches before heading back to Joe and Melissa's for lunch and some of Joe's gourmet microbrewery beers. The food was good, the beer was delicious and the company and conversation was phenomenal. We also got a tour of their pottery collection, their comfortable home, the pottery shed, and gardens. Thanks Melissa and Joe for a great day!

Joe talking to Michel Bayne.

Mr. Peter Lenzo on the move.
Adrienne Dellinger and Hal Dedmond
look on from Adrienne's booth.

Adrienne staying dry.

Melissa, Joe, Minke, and yours truly.

Minke sitting at the coolest table at Joe and Melissa's.
It looks like a sideboard but table
slides out and you add five leaves.

Joe discussing pottery and pictures with Minke.

Melissa, Joe, and Minke eating
and sampling gourmet beers.

2009-09-12 Saturday - Lots of Pottery

Saturday flew by in a flurry of great pottery.

Minke and I went to the 5th Annual Potters Market Invitational at the Mint Museum of Art. It opened at 10:00 am and we arrived at about 10:10 to find it already hopping. Many wonderful artists from our region were in attendance and we visited them all. I'm sure I had a silly (ok, sillier than usual) grin on my face as I made each discovery. Everyone was glad to talk about their process and their vision. I have always noted that potters are a really friendly bunch of folks that love to talk about pottery. Go figure. (I could talk pottery until my wife's ears bleed, so I try to limit myself for her sake.)

I ran into several people that I know and was introduced to a few whose reputations preceded them. It was really fun to catch up with friends and share some of the wonders around us.

I am already looking forward to next year's sale.

As planned, Minke and I met up with Ju-Ian at the sale and headed for Dedmond Pottery in Lawndale for the clearance sale and kiln firing. Before hitting the road we needed to get some lunch and I found out that neither of them had ever been to Mr. K's on South Blvd. We went there and had the Big K with fries. I'm glad I could initiate them to one of the simple joys of Charlotte.



After our repast we were back on our way to Lawndale and Dedmond Pottery for the clearance sale and kiln firing. It was a beautiful day and drive and we had some good tunes on the stereo and some great conversation.

Corine and Hal had quite a bit of great pottery marked down for clearance and I couldn't leave two pieces there. We also went into the gallery and I picked up a mug I had to have. The gallery is actually Hal's grandparents' house and is a great place to show their work. Once I had purchased more than I had planned, we headed up the driveway to check out the kiln firing.

I felt bad since I had volunteered a few months ago to help with the firing, but then I never followed up with it (Me? Go figure). I felt better when I saw Hal had plenty of help for this one, but I do want to help with a future firing. They were at it since 7:00 am and we arrived at 1:30 pm when the temperature was about 1970. They were going to 2300 and it had plateaued for a while, but it picked up again and they were well on their way when we left. I was reminded again what hot work stoking a wood kiln is. If the temperature inside the kiln is 2000 degrees it's probably 1800-1900 degrees at the fire door.

I still want to do it.

Corine showed us the studio, mixing shed, kiln shed, and her new classroom. She is going to hold hand-building classes and already has a waiting list. I wish her the best with it and know she will excel at it.

All too soon it was time to head home again. Corine and Hal truly do have a magical place out in the country and I love to visit them. I want to thank them again for having us out.

Minke at the Mint.

Ron Philbeck and Brad Lail.

Greg Scott at the Mint.

Ju-Ian, Corine, and Minke at Dedmond Pottery.

Bargain hunters on the prowl.

Lots of great pots for sale in a peaceful setting.

The gallery in the house.

Hal keeping a watchful eye on the kiln.

Praying at the fiery altar.
Actually, everyone was trying to see the back cone packs.

Here's what they were looking at.
They were trying to see through all the flames
to the very back of the kiln.

A little bit closer.

The flames change the view by the second.


Stoking and firing.


The butterflies didn't seem to mind the smoke.


The contained conflagration.

The rest of the pictures are here.