Clay

 Many of the people who visit our area see our red dirt and assume that is our clay. No, that is our hard as a brick dirt that won't grow a weed without some help.

We decided a long time ago to use a good commercial clay body and not go out and dig our own. Many folks think we all dig and process our own clay.
We do not.

We did try a clay we found on the property and it had too much sand in it and glazes just sheared off.

The ease of buying clay can move things along in the production of pots by saving the steps of process your own.
Originally the potters here did dig and processing  their clay bodies. Those, like their glaze recipes, were kept close to the breast and not shared. A real don't ask don't tell.
We once asked Nell Graves of JB Cole Pottery to try her clay body and she looked at us and said," You try this and you will never go back. You will never find a better clay".
 

 We did try it and it was fine as silk.
But- I went right back to that stoneware.
I have tried many different clays but have always been drawn back to stoneware.

I pugged up all the clay the other morning and Mark was quick to use a lot of it up with the lamps that have been ordered.

I took a picture of this one while it was slowly spinning on the wheel.
These are made in sections.

Today or tomorrow this one will be stamped and carved.

Here is another one waiting to be finished.

I have been making some of those smaller pots that help fill the kiln while Mark works on the lamps.
Now to figure out what else will fill up the rest of the kiln.
Do you ever find yourself with so many choices to make that you just don't know where to begin?
I used to always start with mugs.
A good round of mugs seems to get me in the mode.
But this time I went straight to cruets and some small colanders. Heck- why not?
I am going to start next week with those mugs.

We had the most marvelous winter day here yesterday and it reminded me once again of why I love the south this time of year. Today 50's.
Yeah!

Time to get cracking!
M