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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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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June 2 - Moon revisted

When there's a full moon (or even close) I can't resist snapping some photos.  I took a bunch of these at 80x zoom while standing with my back to my van for stability.  If you take about thirty of these while holding your breath, you can get two or three that are useable.

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May 29 - More pots

Tuesday I made a couple of phoenix pots that I plan on using for raku.  I will do some surface decoration on them later.

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May 23 - Raku firing

Wednesday was a raku night.  We fired several pieces and were generally pleased with the outcome.  Greg knows how to make that kiln sing.

Rich and Greg running the first load.

Those are my people.

Robert, Greg, and Rich discussing a job well done.

 Just in case you thought I was kidding about Greg making the kiln sing...

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May 19 - Emily Reason workshop

Saturday was the Emily Reason workshop.  Emily started with a slide show of her trip to China and then shared a lot of her knowledge and experience with us, showing us many great tips and techniques.  I have already incorporated several of her ideas in my own work.  We broke for lunch and then it was right back to the second half of a great workshop.  Thanks Emily!  Thanks Clayworks!

Emily Reason.

Attendance was good.

Some of Emily's work for sale.

Lunch with friends.

Back to work.

Yes, that huge bowl is made of porcelain.

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May 18 - Emily Reason reception

Preceding the Saturday workshop, there was a reception at Clayworks for artist Emily Reason on Friday evening.  Attendance was light, but lively.  Everyone got to meet Emily and have a snack and some libations.  After the reception a group of us went Akahana Asian Bistro and had a wonderful meal and lots of fun.

The reception.

Emily, Julie, and Dave.

Good food.

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