2014-04-23 - Wednesday - Tree and pots

At about 4:30 Wednesday morning we heard a huge crash outside and jumped out of bed.  Our neighbor's tree had fallen on our fence.  We went outside and checked for damage, then went back to bed.

I took these photos later in the morning.  We were very lucky that the only damage that happened was to our fence.  As you can see it just missed my van when it landed.

That evening I went to Clayworks for class.  I wedged vermiculite into some craggy crunch clay and threw some pots that I plan to raku.

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2013-11-20 - Wednesday - Soon to be raku pots

We (the class) decided to raku on Monday so I made some quick pots for the firing.  I wedged vermiculite into some craggy crunch I had left and threw some pots.  I'm hoping to get these dried and bisqued before Monday.  I may have to crank up my own kiln to do it, but I should make it.

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June 3 - More pots

Saturday I made some new pieces, decorated some others, and carved the big pot.  The new pieces have some looseness to them, which I've been working toward.  I sometimes want my pots to be a bit looser and more organic and it's an effort when you've been working at making them clean and precise for so long.

I put some wonky handles and decorative banding on the two phoenix pieces destined for raku and I'm planning on slipping them before the bisque to start with a white canvas.

I carved the big phoenix "castle" pot to remove some of the weight from the bottom third and also add some visual interest and remove some of the rigidness from it.

I made two pots from recycled clay and had fun playing with them, putting four accent handles on one of them.  I have some interesting plans for the glazing on those.

The last pot I made has a simple form.  It is made with craggy crunch and I wedged vermiculite into the clay before I started.  It's destined for the raku kiln and while I want the pot to be blackened with carbon, the vermiculite should add some gold highlights.  We shall see.  In the meantime I have something to add to that pot in the near future.

It's all about the process...

Mess 'o pots.

Two decorated pots and one pleasantly wonky one.

One traditional, one wonky, and one simple.

As if the craggy crunch wasn't rough enough,
the vermiculite adds more.

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