2018-02-10 - Saturday - Bisque kiln

Saturday I loaded some cone 5 tea bowls into my kiln for a bisque firing. I loaded another level on top of this one, but didn't take a photo.

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2018-01-11 - Thursday - Clay and climbing worms

Thursday night I went to Clayworks and trimmed some more tea bowls (I've been making a lot of tea bowls). More to come.

When I got home I saw something on the garage door --earthworms climbing the door! I was amazed and thought I had found something crazy. When I got in the house I googled it and apparently it happens quite often. Who knew?

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2018-01-09 - Tuesday - Around

Tuesday I started out with a late breakfast (that was actually lunch) of beans and rice. Since it was brunch I put a fried egg on top. It was good.

Yum.

Later, for supper, we went to Taipei South and I got another fortune. I have news for the fortune writers: I have already been called to the high honor of raising two wonderful daughters. I can't think of a higher one.

Fortunate.

After supper I went to Clayworks and trimmed my tea bowls.

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2018-01-07 - Sunday - Surprises

My friend Ju-Ian has left the studio to explore other art. When she left, she put her eye on my shelf to keep an eye on me.

She also left the portrait she did of me. Needless to say, I was surprised.

I hid my surprise by making more tea bowls, this time in cone 5.

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2017-11-15 - Wednesday - Kilns and pots

On Wednesday the gas kiln was being loaded, so we should be firing soon.

I bisque fired some pots in my own kiln for the gas kiln firing.

Bottom level.

Top level.

In the evening I trimmed some tea bowls and put handles on some other pots. I've been trying some new cuts on my tea bowls lately and I like where they're going.

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2017-10-17 - Tuesday - Tea bowls

Tuesday I trimmed some of my tea bowls. I really enjoy making them and each series is different then the previous ones. I started out years ago with very stiff, formal-looking tea bowls. I delineated each part: the rim, the hip, the foot, etc., but they had no life in them. Since then I've played with shape and surface in multiple ways and they're getting looser with each run.

Stay tuned. Let's see where these go.

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2017-07-26 - Wednesday - Mugs

Wednesday I started some new mugs. I need to make more and some tea bowls too.

I also need to get those tumblers done.

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2017-05-25 - Thursday - New pots

Thursday I got some of my pots back from the kiln. Kimberly fires it beautifully with lots of reduction in our shino-centric firing schedule.

I'll get better photos taken soon. Until then, here are some snaps.

A cart full.

One side of the snorkel pot...

...and the other.

This guy.

Abstract.

Tea bowls.

Mugs.

Detail of the bottom of the snorkel pot.

Different detail of the snorkel pot.

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2017-04-11 - Tuesday - Trimming tea bowls

Tuesday I was trimming tea bowls using a temporary chuck. It works well with the wavy edges on the tea bowls.

Center a lump of clay and over it with plastic.

Trim tea bowls on it.

Happy tea bowls.

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2017-02-24 - Friday - New tea bowl

The other night I saw John Britt holding one of these Robin Mackay tea bowls on Facebook and after I got my breath back, I clicked over to her website and ordered one. When I was ordering it I had some questions about the shipping so I called her and we had a lovely conversation. Potters are generally pretty nice people, and Robin is no exception.

I couldn't wait to get that cup in my hands and it arrived on Friday. It was everything it was in the photo and more.

Beautiful work, Robin!

Go to her website to check out the cups and while you're there look at her other work. I especially love the cairns.

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2016-09-28 - Wednesday - Tea bowls and barred owls

Wednesday I trimmed the tea bowls I made. I like the feet on these.

When I got home I heard some barred owls creating a racket while I was in the driveway so I turned on my phone camera. It's hard to hear, so turn up your volume. They made some of their regular calls and then there were some jungle noises too.

Since YouTube won't let you upload and audio only file, I borrowed this photo from the Carolina Raptor Center's website. If you get a chance to go there, please do. It's a great experience.

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2016-09-22 - Thursday - Tea bowls

Thursday night I made a bunch of tea bowls because that's what you do. I like making them since they are small and somewhat easy to make and are great glaze tests for new ideas.

And you can drink from them.

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2016-09-08 - Thursday - Teapots and fish

Thursday I made spouts and lids for my teapots. Teapots are quite a bit of work, with lots of individual parts and connections. I don't think people sometimes realize how much work goes into them. I also threw some tea bowls.

I loaded the fish into the bisque kiln along with some of my other pots and a bunch of students' work.

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2016-04-12 - Tuesday - Trees, Chips, and Tea Bowls

Our neighbor one house away is having some gum trees taken down and my next door neighbor wanted the chipped wood. He got more than he bargained for when they dumped a whole load between our houses. It was a lot larger pile than he expected. It'll take a few days to get that pile hauled away.

They used a large crane.

Jay and his large pile.

This carpenter ant is interested in the pile too.

Later in the evening I went to Clayworks and threw some more tea bowls to replace the cracked ones.

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2016-04-02 - Saturday - Cracks

I pulled a rookie move on my first group of tea bowls. They were thrown "off the hump" and I didn't compress the bottoms enough. Live and learn, then learn again, then re-slake the clay and start over.

The front ones cracked and the back ones didn't.

I'm more talented than just "S" cracks.
I'm going for the Mercedes emblem!

Interesting patterns.

Back in the bag with ya'!

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2016-03-17 - Thursday - Glazing and slipping

Thursday I glazed some test tiles that will be fired in Hal Dedmond's wood kiln. Can't wait to see the outcome.

I slipped the tea bowls I've been making to give them a bit of an accent.

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2016-03-02 - Wednesday - More tea bowls

Tonight I threw some more tea bowls. I want to build up my inventory for upcoming shows and I like glazing these guys so I will make a bunch.

Yup, tea bowls.

2016-02-24 - Wednesday - Tea bowls and a happy little guy

Wednesday night I started remaking the tea bowls I began before the holidays. I let those get way too dry to trim so I slaked down the clay and started over again. I threw them off the hump and was pleased that I actually had some siblings. Sometimes you make siblings, sometimes their cousins, and all too often for me they are neighbors.

I plan on making more in this cycle.

I was the last person to leave (as usual) and when I checked to make sure the door was locked in the front classroom, I saw Amy Sanders' stuff out for her Thursday morning class. I couldn't resist leaving her a little present for the morning so I made this little guy.

He was happy, I was happy, and I hope he made Amy smile when she found him.

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2014-05-15 - Thursday - New work

On Thursday I carved and decorated the two-piece pot and made some tea bowls, but I'm not really thrilled with any of the forms.  I may or may not keep them when I go back and look at them again.

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March 4 - Handle it

Sunday I put handles on the jugs and made some more tea bowls.  I'm not sure about the handles since my jugs have a very broad shoulder and not much neck.  I think I should have just curled the end of the handle under instead of out to make it a bit more graceful.  Learning as I go.

Still trying to get the jugs ready for loading on Friday and firing on Saturday.

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