2017-11-17 - Friday - Raku night

Friday was one of our studio raku nights where everyone at the studio is invited to participate and share some food and beverages. We had a good turnout and lots of pieces got fired.

I'm usually in the middle of everything, but Ralph had it well in hand so I kind of sat back and enjoyed the festivities.

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2017-11-16 - Thursday - Kiln accident

After the bisque firing finished I wanted to unload the kiln, but the band on the lid had burst apart. It seems the hose clamp type tensioner had given up. It was riveted in place and as you can see in the bottom photo, they were pretty rusted.

I used my rotary tool (think Dremel) to grind off the rivets and took both pieces of the tensioner to the hardware store. There I found a stainless steel hose clamp I could modify to the task.

Now to find time to do it...

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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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2017-11-13 - Monday - Glazing pots

Monday I glazed more pots for another gas kiln firing.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

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2017-11-11 - Saturday - Cups In Common

Saturday was the closing day of Cups In Common and our fall fundraiser at Clayworks. I was stationed in classroom three doing demos (and you know how I hate demoing, being as shy as I am).

I was left an apron to wear for the demo. Since I don't normally wear an apron, I put it on backwards, like a cape. It's all fun.

My friends Edson and LuAnn stopped in and Edson took some great photos, as usual.

Photo by Kira Campbell.

Photo by Edson Scudder.

Photo by Edson Scudder.

Photo by Edson Scudder.

Photo by Edson Scudder.

I made some pots during the demos.

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2017-11-03 - Friday - Coyotes

I almost missed this one since it was misfiled in the wrong date.

Friday night when we got to the Mountain Brook Cottages in Sylva we were sitting quietly reading and suddenly the coyotes went crazy somewhere out on the mountain. I ran out on the front porch and only caught the end of the ruckus when they were moving away from us. It was much louder in the beginning of the episode.

Turn your sound up.

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2017-11-04 - Saturday - Cabins, pottery, and mansions

Friday night we went to the Asheville Ceramics Gallery. One of the reasons we went was to meet Martha Grover and see her work in person. She was in town for the opening because she was going to be teaching the following week at Penland. 

The artists that make up the co-op are all very talented and it was fun to see everyone's style. We hung out with Joey Sheehan for a while and then it was off to Sylva.

In Sylva, we stayed in the Mountain Brook Cottages, as we have several other times.

Then it was off to Dillsboro for the WNC Pottery Festival. We parked in a business parking lot and waited for the shuttle.

Waiting for the shuttle...

 The show was great. There were 40 potters there with a wide range of work.

Ed and Kate Coleman.

Ron Philbeck demoing.

Ron Philbeck.

Joey Sheehan.

We went to the Haywood Smokehouse for lunch.

Matt Hellgeth demoing.

Later, we had dinner reservations at the Stable Cafe at the Biltmore House. After dinner we went on the candlelight holiday tour of the mansion.

The Stable Cafe.

The largest single-family dwelling in the U.S.

Decorations on the front lawn.

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