Saturday, October 15, 2011

Stuff is happening

This week Mark is back in the wet stage of pot making for another small gas load to be fired soon, with better results. We think we know what the problem was with the firing. We think it was the mix of gas to air. We have ordered new gas gauges that we hope will help with the reading of the gas to air.
For the crown some pitchers and jars.
This week was crunch week for many local potters after we were asked to produce a painting of some kind for a fundraiser at the NC Pottery Center.
The Potter's Palette.
We were given a 12x12 canvas to paint, draw, color or do anything you want on it.
Some of them are quite nice.
I dropped mine off yesterday and took a little look at them.
It was interested to see what the potters did and hopefully they will post them on line for folks to look at.
I thought about Judy when I was sitting there night after night drawing and scraping one idea after another and thinking of the wonderful things that Judy has been creating.
But with time getting away from me I went to what I know- and of course it looks like it should be a tile.
Maybe it will....
I did like the bold colors but there was a point I had to think Christmas colors- good grief!
I hope the yellow toned some of that down.

Then I was on to  working on some frames for some mirrors that I wanted to do since last fall.
I did some as gifts for my girls last Christmas and they are so nice I wanted to do some to sell.
Here is the start.
Mark cut some Walnut and put some frames together for me that I sanded and put two coats of wipe on poly on, then a coat of paste wax to bring it all out. I love wood but am not sure I have what it takes to put the time in it. The making of the frames is as much work as the making of tiles.
Yesterday I placed the tiles with quick set and today I need to get my mirrors in place and then it is grout.
I will take a few more pictures for you.
But this is all I have for you today.
The weather here is divine so come on out and stop in to see us.
always working,
M

5 comments:

Judy Shreve said...

I love your painting! - the colors are wonderful. And aren't you sweet to mention my stabs at 2-d. I start a month-long online encaustic class tomorrow. Hope that learning about wax brings me back to clay. Want to use them together.
Love Mark's jugs - and I hope the new burners solve the kiln woes.
Enjoy this beautiful weather!

Linda Starr said...

Beautiful colors in your painting, bright is good, you and are were thinking along the same lines with the red and yellow. that's a great covered jar there too

Anna M. Branner said...

I didn't even think Christmas till you mentioned it! What kind of board do you use for setting your tiles for the mirrors? The ONE I've done I used MDF and it was a booger. If I ever do it again I will definitely use something else....

cookingwithgas said...

Hi Judy! I can't wait to see where you take all of this.
Linda- Thanks!
Anna- there are several steps to how we do this and I think I will explain it all in a post.
But we use backer board- we tried plywood but like this better.
More details coming.

Quietly Otaku said...

Nice I like the stripes on your jars so pretty, lovely! Look forward to seeing them finished : )