A Tuesday in October

First off , as I resurface, I want to thank Tom Starland of Carolina Arts Unleashed who was our media sponsor for the show Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story.
Tom went recently to view the show and did a very nice write up with some great pictures.
You should go read the article here. 
Tom and his wife Linda are those people who work very hard behind the scenes.
They in many ways make our lives easier.
If you get the information to them in a timely manner- they do all they can to get the word out there.
Thank you Tom and Linda!

There was a service for Jay tonight and we could not get there.
Instead my sister Leslie went to represent the family.
Instead we raised a glass to brother Jay tonight and had our own memorial service.
Safe passage......

And today we just worked.
We did what most potters do daily.
We took balls of clay and they hit the wheel heads.
I spun out on sugar jars and bowls.
While Mark worked on big bowls, Mugs and Pitchers.

There were moments when all you heard were the wheels and the thwack!
music.....

I walked by the mushroom logs on my way into the house and guess what ended up on the stove.

 All in all a good fall day.
I am looking forward to another one tomorrow.
Cheers,
M

Just working, because that is what we do.

Thank  you to all the folks who posted advice about buying a new kiln.

We have made the decision to buy a new kiln this year, just not right away.
We put it on the high priority list of things that need to happen.
Mark did tighten up some connections on the kiln and it just worked like a charm today.
In fact we had to hold it back it was going too fast.

But an 8- 10 hour bisque is better than the 18 hour one.

We were cooking today.

Good thing since we are hearing news about more weather coming our direction.

This week has been a lot of start and go, interruptions to our flow.

I always get up on Mondays with my list of goals for the week.
I think this week I will reach a small part of those.

With the bisque chugging along and an unexpected trip to the doctor, that I am happy to report was nothing major, we did get back to turning some pots.

I have mugs made and covered for handles tomorrow.

Plates, one batch trimmed and more made.

Then I started a round of small jars.

Mark has vases in the works and bowls.

Some days the slap of the clay on the wheel head sounds like music to the ears.

I hope tomorrow’s weather comes and goes quickly.

I could you a whole hunk of sunshine!

Spring tasting

After a few days of 60 plus days we southerners are ready to pack up the blankets and get out our sandals.
But, sadly, it is still winter.
I was reminded the other day that winter runs until mid-late March.
Sigh, really?
I really enjoyed those warm days.

But in honor of winter still hanging around and breathing down my neck and tickling my toes and nose, I made chowder bowls today.

These bowls are great for a nice bowl of soup, stew, pasta or my favorite, a big summer salad!
While I was filling up my cart with bowls, I made smaller ones as well.
Mark was making mugs, oil lamps, pitchers and one big bowl.

Show off.....

Brazilian Fish Stew
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups mix of red and yellow peppers
¾ cup or 1 bunch green onion
3 cloves minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 28 ounce can tomatoes

¼ cup fresh cilantro
3 cups fish stock
½ cup coconut milk

Sauté’ onion, peppers, green onion, garlic and bay leaf.
Add tomatoes cook 10 minutes.
Add fish stock
Cook 10 minutes.

Add any type hot pepper or dried hot pepper.
I add some oregano and basil.

Cut off and cool.

Meanwhile:
Place seafood or fish in bowl.
Add juice of one lime, two garlic cloves minced. ½ tsp. salt, black pepper
Let marinate no more then 20-30 minutes.

Puree soup base in a blender or whatever you have.
Heat and add ½ cup coconut milk .


Add  Seafood to hot soup and cook until just done.
Top with fresh cilantro.

How much shrimp or fish- well let's see about a pound to a pound and a half of both.

Just be cool

You have heard the expression, "never wake a sleeping baby?'
That is how I feel when the big kiln is cooling.
We tend to walk around it the first 24 hours, tip toeing around, slipping past it's radiating heat with out so much as a glance in it's direction.
In other words, we ignore it completely for the first 24 hours.

I remember the early days when we would melt flashlights trying to see the results almost as soon as the burners were turned off.
We would look in the kiln with such anticipation and expectations.
Then we learned not to rush things. To give the kiln the time it takes to work a bit of magic on the glazes.
I am like the ball player who wears the same socks or shirt all season.
If we wait, it will all be good.
If we don't take any bricks out too fast...
You know the drill.
It is as if we have some control over the firing after it is done.

We all know that what is done is done.
The good will be good, the bad , bad and the so so - well so -so.

But tomorrow is day two.
The flashlights will come out.
Mark will sneak over and take a look and so will I.
Sometimes we find ourselves both at the kiln, flashlights in hand, pulling a brick for a little look.
Fingers and toes crossed.
Tomorrow we peek.

Ain't no mountain high enough....

It's Sunday in November and while many folks go to church, eat a nice dinner with the family or watch football, we are in the studio working away.
Now don't get me wrong I am not complaining.
Well, maybe a little.
We did talk to both kids on the phone, who are doing great thanks for asking.
And I did go sit through a board meeting this afternoon at the North Carolina Pottery Center.
The good new from the center is it is stable for now.
the bad news from the center is we can not stop raising the money it takes to keep the place going.
The NCPC is a wonderful place.
The exhibitions are always worth the trip and the latest one opens this Friday.
So if you are coming our way be sure to stop in and see what this place is all about.
I only got a foothold on the mountain of pots today, but the plan is to get in there early tomorrow and knock them out!

So here's some of Allison's tiles.
Enjoy!

Pinch me, it's November!

Rode wet and put up hard.

Run over by a Mac Truck.

Dog tired.

Pick any of the expressions above and you will know how the time change, quick trip to VA. and right back to work have me feeling today.

Hit by a ton of bricks.

Too many nights up past my bedtime.

But- today is a new day and after dreaming about trying to get somewhere over and over we are heading back into the studio to glaze the mountain of pots.

We did get a good start the last two days and we are both excited about unloading the bisque with the variety of vases that Mark decorated.

I want to get as many as possible in this firing.

Making something new is always exciting.

Yet- putting it through all the stages is nerve wracking.

Will this work- but what if we did this.

Have you tried this- I wonder if........

Meanwhile sweet Allison was here yesterday to clean up her tiles and put some lines in the back to make them easier to set later.

Now it's all in the drying.

I like the slow method for tiles. Long and slow.

So back under the plastic.

Yesterday she hung out to watch us glaze and ask questions.

It is interested to see what you do through someone else.

We just go on automatic pilot and glaze.

Zipping through the production line but slow waltzing through the one of a kind works.

I find glazing one of the hardest things to teach.

Keep the glaze stirred, all the time, hold the pot in this glaze to the count of 3, but that one to the count of 6 and that one just in and out.

Don't over think it but don't under think it as well.

Other news in and around Seagrove.

Everyone here is gearing up for the Celebration of Seagrove Potters. The Friday night Gala is selling tickets and getting great response. We have our booth number and somehow picked the same number as last year.

B-12. We are on vitamin row.

We won't be hard to find if you remember where we were last year.

The building has some changes which will allow folks to stand inside to check in. Come on in out of the cold.

Also the NCPC's last fund raiser, "Craft in America", after expense was just over 20K.The house party which raised the most money was the one here in Seagrove.

The potters could buy a membership for 20.00 that night, but many went beyond the call and added money to their membership.

As I looked over the list of house parties and donors, again I am stuck by how supportive the potters are.

We don't make a ton of money and times are tight, but they reached in again and gave.

Thanks to all who attended a party to support the center.

I am off to climb that mountain of pots.

Cheers!

Saturday in Whynot

I was asked to be a mentor for a High School student.
I thought about this and it was just too good of a chance to pass up.
I would not only be working with someone in High School, but she is the daughter of my best and longest friends in Seagrove.

This week Allison and I meet to talk about her project.
We decided she would take two of her designs and interpret them into clay tiles.










The first one she did was cut to 7.7 inches.

The second to be 4 -4x4's.

Thursday we rolled clay to cut for tiles.

Then Allison set to work to draw out her designs to fit her tiles.
First on paper and then on plastic.

Today she used her plastic templates to transfer her design to the clay.
I gave her some carving tools and about a ten second explanation of how to use them and she was off!
I was amazed at her confidence with the clay and the tools.
After carving today- we have them wrapped up tight to dry slowly.

She will be back next week and I will keep you posted on how they come out.

Meanwhile; pots are in the finally stages of drying.... more bisque coming up and then glaze, glaze, glaze!

Cream and sugar?

Yesterday as I was making Cream and sugar sets I was thinking, there I go thinking again, about how some items just stand the test of time.
How many items come and go. Honey pots? do people still make Honey pots?
They use to be top on the list, yet, I can not tell you the last time I made a jar for honey.

But, cream and sugars are still on the list.
I do enjoy making them and then lining them all up to see which dance partner will go with the jar.
Are you too tall or too wide to make the cut?
This is one of the few items I sell as a set.
Oh, sure you can twist my arm and I will break up the pair, but I prefer not to.
I like sending them off together and I always hope they are used.
I use to use a sugar jar in my kitchen for salt.
Then once a visiting friend keep asking her two year old why he was spitting out his cereal.
Whoops, that was the salt jar!
Bleck!
I switched jars and keep the salt by the stove now in a different jar I started making a few years back. A great suggestion from my daughter.

I enjoy making this jar because no two are alike. I can have a bit of fun with them and go off in any direction the shape calls for.

Of course you can use these jars for anything.

Jars are so useful because they hold things.

What goes in a jar?

Anything you can think of including your imagination.

Making pots for Christmas and the giveaway

I was on the wheel yesterday making bottles one right after another.
You know the gig.
Thump, whirl, center, pull up, shape, off.
And another,
And another.
There are times that throwing production gives you that same feeling that you get when coming home.
You ,the clay and your wheel.
Just humming along and making some pots....
Then there are times that an idea begins to shape and you think of another shape you want to make.
If you don't watch out you will look down and your bottle will be a bowl or a mug or a vase.
It is where the mind thinks and the hands take over.
I love how potters learn to make a pot, let the mind take over and the hands do all the work.
There was an older potter here, Waymon Cole, who use to say, " If I had any brains, they was in my hands."
I love that expression and think of it often as I throw, or turn pots.
Thunk, whirl, center, pull up, shape, pot.......

Today is the last day to go over to the Women's Colony and leave a comment to win one of Mark's oil Lamps.
I have the lamp all packed up and ready to ship for the lucky winner.
So go- it might be you!
Me- I am back on the wheel today.
Making more bottles for a Christmas order.

We are back and a wee little give-a-way over at the Women's Colony

The trip to Crozet went very well.
The weather threaten rain and cold, but it turned out to be great weather with the exception of some sprinkles on Saturday, which gave way to sun and warm weather as the day moved on.
Sunday morning started out cold, but soon turned beautiful and warm.
One of the best parts of going to this show is I get to see my youngest sister, Leslie. She and her husband and daughter live very close to Crozet and give us a place to stay and food to eat.
How is that for good planning?

Picture- Leslie, me and friend Pat.




My sister and her husband took us out to a great brewpub on Friday night for beer and bar food.
We sat outside and the night was beautiful with the mountains all around us.
Sigh.... where was my camera? Tucked away safe at their house....
The place went went was called "the Devil's Backbone."
It is out near Wintergreen just in case you have a need for beer and some skiing.

When we drove in Friday morning the trees had bits of color in the leaves.
But- through out the week-end, with the cool snap, the leaves went to reds and yellows over night.
By this morning it was a spectacular drive through the Va. mountains back to the Piedmont of the Carolina's.
Plus- I will get fall twice.
It's like having your cake and eating it too!
Yummy.
The great weather did bring out some buyers and we came home a bit lighter then we left.
That is a good thing.

Last week I offered to put one of our oil lamps up on the Women's Colony website as a give away.
Go over and make a comment on the page and you could end up with one of our oil lamps.
Also take time to read some of the pages- it is a blog which I enjoy and hope some of you might as well.


Time to unpack and get right back to work.

Crozet Va

We are almost packed and ready to roll out of here tomorrow for a craft show.

We are headed to Crozet Va. for the fall show.

It is a beautiful spot in the Va. mountains.

I am looking forward to seeing some Va. mountains and with a little luck there will be some color in the leaves.

I love fall....

The display is packed and I am doing the last minute things that need to be done.

Oh, don't forget the --------whatever.

Last time we did a show I forgot to pack the cloths for the tables so we ended up at a fabric store.

The store here in Whynot will be open and running as we leave Beverly here in charge while we are gone.

There is still a lot to do and I had better get cracking.

I hope you all watched the Craft in America last night.

It was really good.

If you could not see it I hope you will find a copy to watch.

The viewing party I helped with last night raised about 1500.00 for the North Carolina Pottery Center.

I hope to have a final count when we get back.

And, if you are in Seagrove, the North Carolina Pottery Center needs to be on your places to go list. ( along with Whynot Pottery!)

M

Just a few more

It is Monday and time to get right back to glazing tiles.
Below are a two trays and some oil lamps from the last kiln.
If you live where we do you need an oil lamp for those times when the lights go out.
Two and you can still play a game of cards.

A few pots from the kiln.

The vase fresh out of the kiln.




Mark- tray



Three of Mark's small egg vases







three of my jars


three of my bottles

It's a plan!

When we get ready to fire the big kiln I have a board we made for the first kiln load back in 1982.
The board is the same size as our kiln shelves.
All I need to do is fill the board. Unload it onto our carts.
Then I take each piece and examine it for small rough spots, these I sand off, then I wax the pots using hot wax and place it back on the cart for glazing.
The kiln holds 19 to 20 shelves of pots.
We then wheel the carts, which hold the pots, up to the big room along with the glazes and get busy.
The last load was planned Tuesday, while bisque was firing, we then started glazing on Wednesday and we finished on Saturday.
The shelves are clean and tomorrow it will take us about 5 hours to load and brick up the door.

Mark will fire while I start galzing tiles.
Good thing we took that trip away.......





Pots waiting to go in the kiln.

Rosemary

The only plant around the building which survived the fire.

Rosemary still going strong.

In fact I think it has taken over!

How to make it rain

Take one building add paint.

The painters will be back next week when the sun comes back.

Meanwhile pots are being made and are drying .
Bisque kilns are firing.
Rain is good, Right?

Seeing RED!

As most of you know, we had a studio fire July of last year.
We spent a year getting our studio back in shape and getting ourselves back in shape to work.
One of the last things on our list was to paint the building.
Today the painters came and here are the results for the first day.

This is just a primer coat- but the building will be a barn red with a nice blue trim.

We are pretty jazzed about having this done.
And, unless we come up with something else, this is the last thing to check off the list.

That is not just fall you feel blowing your way, it is us taking a deep breath of relief.

The weather

How can we stay inside when the weather calls you outside?
It is not often we get such wonderful weather here.
We get cold and we get hot, but we don't get these great mild early am sweater to late afternoon warm and evenings cool that often.
At least not for days.
Much less a week!
It makes my mind wander.
So we are firing bisque kilns and storing pots for a gas fire.
I'll get back with those cone 6 test glazes after we fire a gas load.
Meanwhile--- I hope your weather is as wonderful as ours.

Clearly we are getting somewhere

When I came out of school and started doing glaze test I did not know anything about testing glazes. I meant not one thing!
I would read a recipe, look at the color and mix it up and I would get yuck.
Then I would quit.
I would rather throw pots.
Now I know there are some factors in getting the glaze you want.
First off what clay body do you want this to fit on?
What atmosphere are you firing in?
What is the color of clay body?
How are you firing and what is the temperature range you are looking for.
With all this in mind I went after the clear glaze.
The clay body I am using is Highwater's Red Stone.
Firing to 2185-2190
I wanted a good melt which would work well with slips.
Before the studio fire I was testing and working with slips at cone 5.
The fire took all the slips with it.( darn fire!)
I have finally had some time, let's rephrase that.
I have made some time to work on slips again and I wanted a really good clear glaze.
I tried Ron's clear glaze and it just did not have quite the melt I wanted- close but not quite there.
Thanks Ron!

I looked at a very old Ceramic's Monthly, 1986, and found a clear there using Gerstley Borate. Good melt, but with that blue tinge which come with Gerstley. Maybe for some thing else....

I then moved out on the Internet to find a glaze for slips by Kate the Younger.

Kate the Younger Clear Glaze
Cone 6
Raw Material
Ferro Frit 3195
70%
EPK Kaolin
8%
Wollastonite
10%
Silica
12%
Total
100%
Add:
Bentonite
2%
And in digging through my notes and such from past workshops I came up with a clear glaze from Ron Myers.
The Kate Younger and Ron Myers have won out.
Both had a good melt with good shine on the clay body.
I will fire yet another group of test today.
Red stone, white slip, color slips and see what comes out.
I'll also post up the other recipes, but I am in the basement office and the recipes are out in the studio.
I have to get them back here to put in the computer file with some notes.
I do have one more clear I came across which we used many years back.
I think it might need testing too.
It has only three ingredients.
3134 frit and something, something.... I'll post it up as well.

Cone 5 clear

So it is fall and we should be doing nothing but making pots.
But then there is that kiln we are working on- and we are testing glazes.
I am looking for a really good clear for cone 5.
Yep- 5 not 6.
I have tested two and I have three others to try today.
What I would like is for the glaze recipe to include what temperature the glaze fires to.
I have a target temp of 2185-2190.
The clay body I use does not like to go to 6 and is happy at these temperatures.
So anyone with suggestions for a cone 5 clear shout them out!
I can add them to my list for test.
Meanwhile- it is time to get back on the wheel and make some pots for the next gas load.