I feel a change a coming....

Something is up! I will post it later- there is a change coming.....

Is production a dirty word?

In the past few weeks I have had a mind snap.

Snap! I could feel it.

My mind clicked out of the stress of last year and begun to simmer or settle down enough to throw pots again.

I was having trouble staying at the wheel and I believe it was just all the stress of last year's fire and other things as well.....

Then one day- snap it was if I could really think again.

And since then I have been in the mode of making pots.

On the wheel and off.

I try to throw in the mornings and after lunch.

Then I switch over to the slab roller to roll out clay for tray's and bread bowls.

It seems to be working for me.

So here is some of last weeks work.

Mark was on vases, casseroles,large spoon crocks and mugs.

I was on tumblers, jars, cruets, small crocks, trays and bread bowls.

This week I will add in some time for loading up the bisque kiln and getting pots through for another glaze firing.

So about production.

We both trained as production throwers.

We weigh out our clay, knowing what we are going to make.

We make multiple items, using a pointer for size.

We try to hit the shape over and over.

Then there are items which we don't do this with.

Those items can take on their own shape and be played with.

I still find some comfort in throwing production. It is like an old friend who allows me to just hang out.

I also find through production a new item will start to form in my mind.

What if.......

Comfort in clay,

Focus and stability.

Raku the bunny

Yesterday I was wondering what to post and all I could think of was the letter P.
P for pottery
p is for peaches
P for purple eggplant ( cheating a little here)
P for purpose
P for well you get the picture.
Today I have moved past the p's and wonder if I should go straight to the R's.
( you noticed the rabbit didn't you- we'll get back to him.)

The pots, note the p, have all been glazed.
All we have to do is load them up to fire.
But- we need to take a break.
So we are leaving Beverly in charge for today and tomorrow while we get some non pottery things done. Then we will load the kiln next week and fire.

Beverly came to me a year or more back to ask if I would teach her to make pots.
I said," no- go to school. "
We have two program close by at the community colleges one south of us and one north of us. There is another west of us, not as close by.
They will, for the price of tuition, teach you the basics.
They all have a wheel for you, clay, glaze materials and an instructor.
That is what Mark and I both did.
You get what you can from the classes, learning from other students and then move on to a better program, an apprenticeship, or strike out on your own.

I ran into Beverly while I was at a show this past spring.
What are you doing?
I am taking classes.
How is that going?
Good-
Come see me now and let's work on some hand building together.
She did and we are still working on some hand building when she can take time away from her job.
Why wait you ask?
Well, now Beverly knows how to handle clay.
It is the first step in making pots in my book.
The clay is it's own beast.
Some clays need to be handled with gloves, others just need a little push.
And still others just need to be avoided at all cost.
I don't have to start at the beginning . She knows the language and we can move on.
She is still taking classes and I am encouraging her to move to the Community College with a bit more structure to the classes.
Last week she sent me a picture of her bunny, Raku.
In the email she said she let's him out to exercise and he runs all over the house and then settles down around the base of a vase made by Mark.


How can I not love this rabbit? He is a fan.
So keep your facebook fans- We at, Whynot Pottery, are ready to adopt Raku as our number one fan!.