June 6 - Working

Last year Allison McGowan taught a workshop for the Carolina Clay Matters Pottery Guild that I attended.  When it was over I helped her clean up and load out and she gave me some of her special porcelain mix.  She told me it's plasticity would make it throw nicely and I have been looking forward to trying it for quite a while.  I have had to re-slake it twice since it's slept on my shelf for so long.  During that time it has grown what several of us think is algae since it seems too green to be mold.  Allison was absolutely correct, it was wonderful to throw compared to regular helios.  I made a taller pot than I normally can make with porcelain.

I added a large scarab beetle to the simple pot with vermiculite and used nickel chromium wire for the legs and antennae.  I have plans for it later...

Beautiful green porcelain.

Large porcelain piece made from the green clay.

Scarab beetle added.

Still waiting for the "castle" piece to dry.

I have to have music.

Hubert watches the proceedings from his shelf
but chooses not to comment.

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Thursday - Glazing Pots

Thursday night I glazed some pots for the upcoming gas kiln firing.

The pot with the bumps on it (lower left) is made of craggy crunch, glazed with turner's red, the bumps were waxed, then it was dipped in Tom's clear.  It was Greg's glaze suggestion, but the finger marks are mine.

The four yunomi (tea bowls) (upper left) are porcelain (helios), glazed with spotted shino, the "notches" are waxed for emphasis, and the pots are sprayed with a rutile blush.

The "baby pots" (big group on right) are made from craggy crunch, some have white slip pours, all are dipped in spotted shino, Catherine's oribe poured on, rims dipped in Alfred blue, sprayed with rutile.  It's a lot of work for a little pot, but they do come out nice.

Glazed pots waiting for heat.

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2009-08-23 Sunday - Clayworks

I went into Clayworks for a while on Saturday AND Sunday this weekend. I got a lot done (but never as much as I wished to accomplish). It was great to feel productive after being so washed out by the heat in the studio lately.

I finished up most of my orangestone and switched to earthen red to make some more mugs and and "paintable" pots. Unfortunately my reclaimed porcelain (helios) is not quite ready --it still has the consistency and look of vanilla icing. I enjoy working with all different types of clay. Each clay influences the type of pots I throw, but I love to mix it up. I was thinking this afternoon that I haven't seen anyone make really tall pots in earthen red, so I'll have to try it.

Not a bad afternoon's work.

When I got home from Clayworks I went out to put some watermelon rinds in the compost pile and saw some more fungus. It's everywhere this year with all the rain we've had.

The old pallet I use to keep the dog
from running through the compost pile.

It's a whole forest in miniature.

While I was out there I thought
I'd document the tomatoes.

Still in progress.
So many tomatoes, so little time.