2017-07-11 - Tuesday - Bottles

Tuesday night I made some more bottles using riverside grit. I haven't used this clay in ages and it throws pretty nicely.

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2017-02-22 - Wednesday - Bottles

I finished trimming and slipping the bottles from last Wednesday.

Now they remind me of penguins.

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2017-02-15 - Wednesday - Bottles

On Wednesday night I made some bottles using craggy crunch. Not quite the forms I was imagining, but fun.

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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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2009-10-08 Thursday - Clayworks

I went to Clayworks on Tuesday and Wednesday to handle some phoenix pots.

Thursday I was ready to put them on the greenware shelf for bisque firing and took a few pictures.

I then threw some new pots using orangestone. I am still working on some of those closed, flattened bottles. I also threw a fun bottle with decorations, a toothbrush holder a friend requested, and another form I just couldn't get to close. Instead of pressing the bottles when they are wet I am going to wait for them to set up a bit and try paddling them.

Still looking for a mug shape.

Small bottle from a small piece of leftover clay.

A casserole.

Another casserole.

The whole group for scale.

Fun bottle and toothbrush holder.

Ran out of clay on closing the first one.
Second one closed.

2009-10-01 Thursday - Lids

I went to the Clayworks on Thursday with the sole purpose in mind of making some lids for the casseroles I threw the other night. I was also thinking about attempting some more of those flattened bottle shapes and I wanted to finish the lid for my crackle pot.

I threw one of the casserole lids three times because I kept ruining it. I guess third time's the charm... I wasn't overly thrilled with them, but I think they'll do better with a little finishing work. At least they are thin and light.

I had some clay left over so I threw some small, wonky bottles. I hate putting wedged clay back in the bag --it's like I failed or something.

The winning lid.
It raises the pot up whereas the crackled lid
didn't do anything beyond "ending" the pot.
(I'm going to fire the crackle lid too.)

(Beer bottle included for scale reference.)

Lid foreground, casserole background.

Same lineup, different pots.
On the right is the latest flattened bottle that ruptured.
I pushed the break back together.

Wonky bottles.
I hesitate to tell you that I started with an attempt
to make a small, traditional jug with a handle...
Oh well, at least they're light and even.

2009-07-29 Wednesday - Studio Time

Got to the studio Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Finished up the first batch of bottles Joe showed me how to make. Thanks Joe! I really like these forms. I also threw a neck on my stretched pot to finish it off.

It is mighty warm in the studio at this time of year. I keep hoping it will lead to weight loss, but so far it hasn't helped me or my pots.

Bottles a' la Joe.

My stretched pot with a thrown neck.

Storm clouds at sunset in back of the studio.

A 20x zoom can capture quite a lot (even at ~240,000 miles).
Click on the image to see the detail.

Joe's raku pots

Joe graciously took these photos upon my request so I could show you what his finished bottles look like. Trust me, this is no slam on Joe's photography, but pictures just don't do these pieces justice. You really have to hold them in your hands and see how the light dances on them.

Thanks, Joe!

Busy, busy, busy

On Monday night I threw two large-ish pots using craggy crunch. I really like this clay as it's very toothy and almost gritty. It dries quickly, but Joe tells me that it regains it's plasticity easily by wetting it a bit. By throwing a cylinder, decorating it, and then only pushing out from the inside I can achieve a rough or rustic look. To finish it off I give it a smooth lip to contrast the roughness of the body. Look for more of these in the future.

Two from Monday night.

I also threw two bottle bodies on Monday using orangestone. Once these are bisqued I'm hoping to put them in one of Ron's salt firings. (Thanks, Ron!) On Wednesday I threw necks on the bottles and they came out ok.

Adding a coil of clay to the top of the bottle.

After adding the necks.


After paddling one of the bottles.

Wednesday I made another one of those
craggy crunch pots (the best one yet!).

What's this bowl doing here?

I'd better sneak up on it...

There seems to be something in the bottom of it.

Ta-Da!
I slipped the bowl that was the 100th pot
to document the piece.

I am so taken with this latest craggy crunch pot
I couldn't resist one more shot.

This week's thought: Try making something new using a different material to shake your thinking loose.