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Handbuilt Gardenware – Leaf Imprints in Clay
Over the past year or two, I’ve been using vintage lace doilies to make handbuilt pieces. Before this, I used some garden herbs to make spoon rests, but had not used them in a few years and had never used them with an underglaze on white clay. With the garden booming, I’ve tried different foliage to see what turns out well. Some leaves like pumpkin and okra are huge, which is why I need a slab roller or at least a day at Pullen Art Center with one. Two weeks ago, I took in a bucket of garden clippings, a bag of clay and tools, and made 6 platters and…
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Kiln Unloading
Well… I just unloaded the kiln, and there were some real boogers in there. I used an earthen red clay that I was told could be pushed to cone 5 that didn’t perform well with the glaze. The indigo float pulled away from the clay. The small platter that I put on stilts completely slumped. A few pieces were okay, but still weren’t everything I had hoped they would be. I will definitely not be using this clay with my current glazes again. I may end up just using the remaining clay to make more tiles to protect the kiln shelves. One of those got some severe runs from a…
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Progression of a Mug
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Why Did My Bowls Bust?
Today I opened the kiln after a bisque firing and saw an exploded 12″ bowl. It was a gorgeous piece, and it was disappointing to see it shattered on the top shelf. As I unloaded the rest of the kiln, I found the other large bowl and 17″ plate also shattered. A few years ago I might have cried at such an infortuitous firing, but I just inspected each piece to try and understand what caused each one’s failure. The only thing better than getting a perfect firing is learning important lessons, as painful as those may be. Usually my lesson is PATIENCE — as in get more of it.…
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Progress on Home Office Organization
I tore into my office, which may now be called “the study” as my son has tried to take it over with his music stand and new viola. After trying out a few configurations to include him in the space, I chased him out and moved his stand to the dining room. I’m fine if he wants to practice in here, but it’s too had to navigate with a music stand and an extra chair when he’s not practicing. So after several days of cleaning and organizing, The Study has come a long way. There are still some piles spilling out on the floor — stacks of books and pottery…
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Throwing Big
Last week I drove to Durham and returned with supplies and 150 pounds of clay in three different shades. I have torn through two bags of Little Loafers and have been making large 12″ and up bowls. I’ve scrapped some of the work and have been reusing the clay for plates. I don’t have the best plate skills. It seems that maybe 30% of the ones I throw make it through the whole process. My biggest struggle is getting the thickness right so that they can be cut off the bat. The second biggest struggle is letting them dry slowly enough so that they don’t crack in the middle. There…