now I know

Just how I will finish my pagoda. The little test pagodas came out just fine and show clearly how I might get the results I want on the pagoda. I tested 2 glazes, one over a red iron slip, and 2 overglazes. The results are similar but there is a clear winner in my opinion.


On the front of the little pagodas I used Pete Pinnell's "Weathered Bronze" and on the backs I used "AA Cooper" attributed to Val Cushing. In the pagodas on the left in both images I painted Clennell's red iron oxide slip overall before the bisque firing. My preference is the Weathered Bronze over the rio slip. I also dabbed on "Soft Gloss" over the glazes on the roof (front on the WB and back on the AAC. I like the variegated look the Soft Gloss gave to both glazes.
So now I am off to put the slip on the original pagoda. Then I have to get busy on the wheel to have wares to bisque with the pagoda!

working at it

I just got the kiln started. It is loaded mostly with tests. Test pagodas and lots of test tiles. I am working at learning about my glaze materials. therefore have lots of 'buttons' of materials in little dishes, a long line-blend of a glaze with lithium from 0 to 20 gms, and lots of glaze test tiles to enrich my empirical knowledge database! The last time I fired the kiln (bisque) I got very erratic results--underfired on top, overfired on bottom. I think it was because the kiln was very unevenly loaded--lots of empty space at the top. So I worked very hard to try to load the kiln more evenly. We'll see how that goes, too. In this kiln load, I am refiring 2 pieces that were very disappointing from the last firing. Wonder what luck I will have. Others have commented that it is not a sure thing--works sometimes, not worth the effort other times. Guess I am just curious to see if I can save them before I throw them away.

I'm discovering that I don't want all the glazes in the world--but just a couple that I really like. And one that is especially nice and takes various colorants well. Right now I have lots of large and small buckets of lots of glazes and glaze tests. Yet when I get ready to glaze pots there are only a couple that I am comfortable using.

I had my air compressor repaired recently--and I can't get it (or me) to work well. It had preformed so well until it didn't! And now I am struggling with trying to get the regulator set properly (never had to fool with it much before) and also all the controls on the spray gun seem to be off. Maybe I messed them up trying to use the compressor when it was not functioning well. Any way it is very frustrating!

slowly

I am glazing now, trying to get to fire all my tests. Because glazing is the part of the process that I am least comfortable with, least successful at and most dislike doing--I get there very slowly. My temptation is to rush through it all--just pour/paint/spray some glazes on the pots as quickly as I can and get everything into the kiln. But then I always regret it when I open the kiln! Of course!
Besides the little pagoda tests I have lots of test tiles I am eager to see. I am engaged in a glaze chemistry study that I am very excited about getting to do. I've wished for this opportunity for several years and tried to get a small group together to study glazes with and share the testing part of the process, but could not find anyone wanting to pursue the study with me. I have all the books, have read lots but it just has not worked till now. Now I have a programmed study and it is making all the difference! I am suddenly able to look at glazes in a totally new way. Suddenly what is in a glaze has some meaning for me. I have a load of tests related to that study and I am so eager to see what they will show me. I am almost more excited to see those tests than the little pagodas that are also going to tell me a lot--I hope!
For the pagodas I have 2 glazes to test, one pagoda has a rio slip bisqued on all over the other is plain, then I have two overglazes that I am testing over the two glazes. So the pagodas will look like patch-work quilts when fired--each side of each building will have a different variation on one of the two glazes!
So I am off to the studio to see what I can get done today before I fold up from the heat. We are having a terrible heat wave--over 100F everyday for a week. Perhaps we will get a bit of a break tomorrow with a little rain--fingers crossed. Our studio has a little air conditioner unit, which runs constantly when we are there (off when we are not) but it does not get the studio temperature much below 85F. It is great that it does that--but I wish it got a bit cooler!

a brief detour

So many questions and decisions about how to glaze my pagoda led me to make two 'test' buildings.

I was not as careful as with the 'real' pagoda and I had my patterns from the original, so these went together quickly. I really did not want to take the time to make them or to fire and glaze them before getting to finish the original. But I want to test a couple glazes and also am considering applying a stain or engobe to the pagoda before bisquing it. In spite of how dark the clay appears when wet, it dries very light--not white but a light buff. So this seemed the way to go.
Now I've got to get busy and get a kiln load of ware made so I can do the bisque firing and then glaze these 'tests'.

a good day

The first of the month, Jim and I went to Maine to visit my sister and her husband. We had a wonderful, restive, restorative week with them. I came home resolved to get back into a regular routine in the studio. Yesterday was my first 'working' day. I threw a couple bowls, some small vases off the hump and a small pitcher to warm up and get back into the swing of things.
Today I decided to tackle a project that I have long wanted to do but did not have the psychic energy to attempt. I am enthralled with a couple 'pagodas' that are in San Antonio Museum of Art's fabulous collection of Asian arts. I have longed to make one similar. So that was today's work--and I am very happy with it so far. Just hope I can be this happy with it after it is glazed and fired!

I worked on it from about 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, am dog tired--but it feels so good to be back in the groove again!

brighter

Things are looking up for me these days. I did do a bit of re-organization in the studio and some clean-up. That was good! But the most helpful thing I did was clear out a lot of pottery that I was not proud of but was hanging on to 'just because'. About half of what was on the shelves 'got the hammer' and the other half was boxed up and sent off to GoodWill. The empty shelves look GREAT! Don't know why it is so hard to give up the stuff that feels so good to be rid of! It feels a bit like the start of school in the fall--clean slate and new beginnings. And so, back to the potter's wheel.

Dale Neese, local potter, brought his Chinese friend, Jiansheng Li (alias Jackson Li), to San Antonio this past week. J Li offered us three opportunities to learn something of the heritage of Chinese ceramics. Tuesday evening he showed a film he made of men working in traditional (ancient) methods making and firing huge storage jars. J Li is dedicated to preserving the traditional crafts that China is know for both through a school he has established in Jingdezhan and tours he offers to visit other craft sites in China. ( If I were younger I'd be on my way to join one of his tours!) On Thursday he led a group from our potters guild through the Asian collection at San Antonio Museum of Art. The museum has a wonderful collection of Asian art--Mr. Li was very complimentary of the collection. I have spent a good deal of time wandering through the collection and I found J Li's remarks were very enriching. He also offered a workshop at University of Texas at San Antonio on Saturday which I was not able to attend. All and all a very stimulating week.

blue?

I am a little bit. Friend and fellow blogger, Judy Shreve, asked if we like the color blue and wondered why is has such a bad reputation among potters. I do like blue--one of my favorite glazes is blue and some of my favorite pots are blue. It is said that if you paint it blue it will sell. Not sure that is really the case.

Well, back on topic. I am a bit discouraged from the last firings. I am pretty sure I have figured out the problem and that should mean I don't have to suffer that failure again. But for some reason that does not lift my spirits any. Guess I just need to roll up my sleeves and get busy filling the kiln again. Maybe I can lift myself out of the dumps by making some great stuff!

I spent a couple hours Thursday and again today at SAMA (our art museum). We have a terrific collection of Asian art--lots of ceramics, ancient and more recent. For the first time I sketched pots that I particularly liked. I am not a 'drawer' and do not keep a sketch book of ideas as so many other potters do. I found it very agreeable. I look much closer, see much more when I am trying to draw the object. I suspect that it might have a significant influence on my potting--possibly in ways I won't be able to recognize. I am very attracted to the older, more primitive pieces-- pieces that depend on form and glaze for their success. I am not so attracted to the more refined work with intricately drawn/painted designs.

One of the pieces that I am happy about from the last firing is a salt & pepper set:

They fit into the tray like this:


I am pleased with this serving bowl:

It is nicely squared and seems to fit the red/black color combination.

So, back to the wheel. Happy Spring--we are buried in leaves! And it is so windy, they fly everywhere and in any opened door.

Oh, my gosh

I've been very reclusive lately. Not just with this blog. Let's see if I can't get back in touch with life!

Kenny is doing very well. He functioning as independently as he was when he first moved in here last year. Around Thanksgiving he discovered Legos and the little box sets they have for building vehicles--his life long love. He has put in thousands of hours working on his Lego projects. We are all amazed at his enthusiasm for constructing with the tiny blocks because of the restricted use he has of his hands--especially his right hand. He spends his mornings in the studio (week days only!) and the afternoons and some evenings working with the Legos. His TV watching is greatly diminished--a good thing!

On the pottery side of the studio, I just completed a glaze firing--first since my last post. I was so disappointed in the last firing it was hard to generate enough enthusiasm to get started again. Unfortunately, this was not very successful either. At least I understand what happened--something I caused and can control next time. I made a mistake in the firing schedule--something I thought I had read but maybe I dreamed it up all on my own! Anyway, on one glaze in particular, but to a lesser degree almost everything had a 'gritty' feeling surface. It was not grit but tiny craters with rough edges on my glazes. Everything with the new black glaze was covered with this 'grit'.



My 'red' glaze held up the best through the bad firing. I am particularly fond of the compote.



I made another of the gratin dishes with a bit higher side (deeper dish). But really messed up the inside. I thought I'd like the inside colored--not white like the last one--so I painted on a slip at the leather hard stage. The slip was supposed to be a medium green. After the bisque it looked black but it was supposed to be medium green so I put a green glaze on the outside and a clear liner glaze on the inside. Weill the slip came out BLUE and clear liner glaze left a white ring around the inside edge--where the wall meets the base. Boo Hoo.



Well, back to the studio. I am going to try refiring the black glazed pieces to see if they will smooth out--I don't have great expectations but do have big wishes! And I'm still trying to think of some way to save my gratin dish...

before and after the fire

Some of the little tests that were not so satisfying:

a tale of woe

So much for new year's resolutions. I guess it has been about 3 weeks since my last post. I was disappointed in the fruit of my last glaze firing and did not want to talk about it! There were a couple of pieces that I am happy with but mostly it was diappointing.
I like the 3 pieces that were made on wooden drape molds:


The smallest (6.5X2.5X1") accomodates a package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese or a stick of butter.


The middle sized one (9.75X5.5X1.25) is a nice size baking dish for the three of us.


The largest (11.5X9X1.25) holds just under 2 quarts. I filled it with a wonderful "Zucchini & Summer Squash Gratin" last night. I should have photographed it before we dug in--it was picture perfect! I wish these two casseroles were a little deeper. I want to figure out how to extend the sides of the mold so I can make them deeper.

The biggest disappointment was this small yellow bowl. The glaze crawled badly on the outside and the inside was unevenly colored. I had painted the glaze onto the bowl because I had very little of the glaze--not enough to dip the bowl into the glaze.


My attempt at adjusting my claybody was unsuccessful--there was no change in the rate of absorbency. I'll just keep experimenting with that for a while.

Meanwhile, I'm back at the wheel working on another kiln load of greenware. I have several bisqued pieces that need to be glazed and fired--but not a kiln load yet.

tortoise here

Glad there is no race! I'm slow--but hopefully I'll get there finally! I have just started a glaze firing--first in a long time! It is full of 'tests'--squares of clay to see if I can improve the vitrification of my clay by the addition of some material to lower the maturing temperature; also several small pieces with some glazes I mixed up a while back and had tested on tiles.

I also painted some designs on the small test pieces to see how the stain mixture I have will work on the glazes. Hope there is some success in this firing--I was not happy with much of anything in the last glaze firing. In the photos below the test tile shows the underlying glaze and the design I applied.





The lesson I am trying to accept and work with is that I am not going to have lots of time to be in the studio. My work is going to be piece-mill. I just have to find a way to work within the constraints I have here. I just have to be more disciplined about my time that I really want to be!

I wish I could get a handle on my glazes. I wish i had a palette of glazes that I am comfortable with, that I know how to combine/overlap. Right now I have about a dozen large tubs of glazes and about 2 dozen small tubs (2 cups) of test glazes. But there are very few of these that I feel attached to. It seems that I am a glaze junkie--always looking forward to the next great, perfect glaze!

Well, so much for apologetics!

clay work

I have spent a few hours each day in the studio--no long blocks of time--but enough to feel like I am back! Did some trimming on pieces I made Monday and Tuesday--but I had done such a good job of covering everything that they really were not ready for trimming. After struggling with 3 pieces I just covered the rest and will get back to them tomorrow.

I have another 'project' at the same time. I have become unhappy that my clay is not vitrified at cone 6 but I am attached to the clay: Black Jack clay from East Texas. My mother was from East Texas very near the source of the BlackJack clay, I was born nearby, and spent the years my father served in WW II living with my grandparents in East Texas. I've thought "I am working with the bones of my ancestors!" And besides all that, I really like working with this clay. BUT it is sold as a "cone 6 - 10" clay--and it really is not vitrified at ^6--as one might expect--vases leave rings on the table! Another reason for my attachment is that I have a LOT of this clay on hand! So I began wondering if I could adjust the clay to increase the rate of absorbency (or decrease--not sure how to express getting it more vitrified.) I queried Clayart discussion group for some suggestions and now I am trying a couple of the suggestions. I added some Nephline Synite to see if that lowers the maturing temperature. Another suggestion was to wedge in some earthenware clay to lower the mature temperature. I am making tiles from both these experiments to run tests to see if either works--and what negative changes it might bring about at the same time.

So, really, with not so much time, I do have a lot going on!

opened, but not as imagined

I did spend most of today working with clay--hooray! But it was not just as I had imagined. I went to bed especially early last night (~9:00)as I was determined to get an early start in the studio. Kenny does not get to breakfast until around 10:00 because it takes that long for him to shower and dress. So my plan is to get up early and go right out to the studio and come in for breakfast when he was ready. But last night Kenny called for help at about 10:00. He was not feeling well and was showing some baffling symptoms. We got him to bed and back in our own beds by 11:00 but then spent a bit of time worrying about him--maybe we should have called EMS?? There were a couple more calls for help during the night. So I did not hop out of bed as early or as energetically as I had planned. But I did go out while he dressed, then I came in for breakfast with him, and back out after breakfast. Kenny decided to spend the day inside "taking it easy". He did need some help mid-morning but after that he was fine. I was able to work until about 3:30--so I got some good time out there.

I made 2 slab pieces that I am optimistic about--a large oval casserole and a smaller rectangular casserole (sorry the pictures are not very clear)--from wood forms made for me by my friend and fellow potter Herb. Those are drying slowly now under cover. Then I put about 7 pounds of clay on the wheel to do some work 'off the hump'. There was no 'theme' to that work--just getting my hand back into the work. It felt good getting back to work!



Tomorrow Kenny goes out to the medical center for the first of 12 therapy sessions. That punches a hole in the middle of the day three times a week for the month of January--Jim is going to share the taxi service with me. I don't know if I go tomorrow or not yet. Then I have a doctor's appointment with my eye doctor at noon on Wednesday. Gosh, life sure gets in the way of doing what I want to do!! I'm sure I'm not alone in that experience. And I am luckier than most given the support Kenny and I have.

I have restarted my meditation practice. Jim and I began regular meditation practice and study in 2000. We had incredible experiences in that pursuit. Yet, a couple years ago, I dropped my commitment to my meditation practice. I have regretted that failure but have not had the fortitude to get back on the cushion. So I am very happy that with the new year I am back on the cushion. My experience in the past was that meditation was a very empowering practice.

on schedule

I spent some time Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday getting ready to "open" the studio tomorrow. By gosh, I am ready! Took several hours on Thursday just to get the leaves swept out of the studio! (Our studio--formerly the garage--is also the laundry room and the thorough-fare for getting to the cars--now parked in the added-on carport--so that even when we are not using the studio the space is in use. Every time either of the doors is opened leaves blow in if there is any wind at all.) Then I went through my part of the studio straightening out and organizing tools and paraphernalia. I pugged clay this afternoon so the clay is ready to go and I laid out some molds that I want to use tomorrow for starters!

Last week I found some plastic 'boxes' designed for tree ornament storage that I am excited about. I've been wanting to make some 'cubby-hole boxes' to put tea bowls into. I have even wondered if I could make them. The plastic storage boxes looked just like a great substitute--but, alas, they are a little too small and, of course, not as nice as wooden boxes. I am going to use these to hold my small glaze test bowls--most of them fit in the little cubbies. But it still leaves me wishing for the wooden boxes that would hold tea bowls.



Compare that to Betsy Williams' in her studio/gallery in Dixon, New Mexico:

She built her's. I am a great fan of Betsy's work.

Resolved, studio opening January 5

By hook or by crook, we will be working in the studio--on a regular basis--beginning next week!
It has been a long haul, but it seems that things are settling down now and with a bit of discipline we can be in the studio regularly again.
I am so eager to be working again. I have really missed getting to spend time with my hands on/in clay. I have so many things I want to try out--but watch me get there and not know how to begin again!
This weekend I intend to spend time getting the studio back into working order. It is pretty disordered right now and I can't work in that. It may take a couple days to get everything ready to go--but I want it ready by Monday!
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY DEAR FRIENDS!

Happy Holidays, dear friends

Detail from Kenny's Christmas painting 2005.
Click on picture to see full painting. In real life it measures 96" X 54".

my country

I just have to tell you how proud I am of my country today!
I have great hopes for US again.

inspired/discouraged

Randy's workshop was so inspiring. And probably being away from the studio this past month has also stirred up some fire. So with great enthusiasm I got into the studio on Tuesday to get my hands back into clay. The night before, Jim had commented that we need a/some platter/s for serving as we don't have any to use with the plates I've made and that we enjoy using. So that was my mission--make some platters to see if I could get one that I would be pleased with. Well, too bad. I had much trouble trying to get a plate big enough to be a platter! And of course it will shrink lots before it gets to the table--if it makes it through the rest of the process. I threw three pieces. One I tried altering into an elipse shape by cutting out a section in the middle and pushing the sides in. It does not look promising but is still on its way...
Well, the end of the story is how discouraging the whole process was/is. I've trimmed them and they are drying, slowly, under wraps but I have very low expectations--but high demands! Such is the life of this potter. I should have started my venture back into the studio by throwing 500 rice bowls--that might have warmed me up enough to tackle platters with more success.

Kenny is coming home Saturday

He has such great spirit! He has remained so positive through all of this.

Randy Johnston workshop

I’ve been trying to find a way to describe the Randy Johnston workshop this past weekend in Houston. I enjoyed it so much and was so impressed with Randy himself that I’d really like to share some of it with others.
Randy started both sessions with a slide show: Saturday morning he gave a broad overview of the history of ceramics in Japan and the pottery lineage from Leach/Hamada/Yanagi to current potters in the US by way of England. Randy studied under Warren MacKenzie in the 1960s and worked in the Japanese pottery of Tatsuzo Shimaoka in the 1970s. He had interesting stories to share of his work there and his acquaintance with Hamada whose pottery was next door to Shimaoka’s. Sunday morning he showed of some of his work and some of his wife’s work (Jan McKeachie Johnston) with references to the inspiration for his work and what he learned from it. Randy gives great attention to detail and keeps detailed notes that serve as reference for development of new work. He wood fires his pieces and is very attentive to variations he gets based on placement of the pieces in the kiln.
Following the slide shows Randy demonstrated techniques for making several of his best known works. These sessions were 5 and 4 hours long—which amazes me, now that I calculate the time, as we never became tired, lost attention or wished for a break. Perhaps because he was so relaxed and comfortable with what he was doing. He stressed the importance to him of drawing in preparation for new works. He demonstrated how he transformed his 2D drawing into a 3D piece, quite literally, by constructing patters, from the drawing, for a handbuilt coffee pot using geometric principles!
Here are the pieces cut from the patterns. (Sorry about the dark picture.)

And here is the coffeepot, without lid, made from the pattern pieces.

update

Kenny's surgery went well. He was pleased--and surprised--to come out of it alive! He really expected that he would not 'wake up' after the surgery. He has asked several times if I have told 'so-and-so' that he came out OK. But he has experienced a serious set-back--from the anesthetic, I understand. On the thrid day he could not take even one step forward even with assistance. He could not feed himself. But he is at a rehabilitation hospital and receiving 4 sessions of therapy each day. On Thursday--8 days after surgery--he walked about 150 feet with his walker taking only one rest stop in the middle. That is a huge improvement. He is feeding himself now. I think he will be in the rehabilation hospital for another week. I am optimistic that he will be back to 'normal' by then. He looks forward to being 'normal' so he can help me when I need it!

This weekend I am in the lap of luxury. I am in Houston attending Randy Johnston's workshop here and staying in the lovely home of my friend Toni. I was planning to stay at a hotel--had made my reservations--when Toni learned of my trip and invited me to stay with her instead. Her home is so lovely and I am so fond of her and we so seldom have a chance to visit face-to-face that I could not resist the temptation to accept her hospitality. What a treat it is!

And I am really enjoying the workshop with Randy. Today he took us through a pictorial tour of the lineage of his and Warren MacKenzie's work. Randy was a student of Warren's in the 1960's. They live near one another and maintain a close relationship. I really enjoyed hearing the history of the Mengei movement and how it has come down to us. Tomorrow, before returning home, I plan to sneak in one more visit to the exhibit of Warren MacKenzie's work (and Randy Johnston's along with other of Warren's students) before driving back to San Antonio.

closed

I'm hanging up the "closed" sign on the pottery door--and on this blog--for a while. Kenny is expecting to have surgery next Wednesday. And I am expecting to be very occupied with him and his care for the next month or so. I will put up the "open" sign when we are both back in the studio doing what we love to do! Thanks for your friendship and support!

out to lunch...

Thanks for dropping by. I'm OK but I have not been in the studio since I unloaded the kiln a couple weeks ago. Just got too many 'homemaking' things to do. And I'm getting pretty grouchy these days--probably because there is no time for studio work. Once or twice I have (unintentionally) upset Kenny when he thought he was responsible for my grumpyness. That is not a good thing as he is the sweetest guy who would never do anything wrong or anything to hurt or upset anyone. Hope to get back on track soon--but it may take a while!

carrying on

I have been working in the studio--although not producing much. I don't know why the out-put is so low, but that is the way it is.
I finally completed a glaze firing over the weekend. There is not much from that firing that I am too excited about.
Since the firing took place during the visit of IKE to Texas coast, I have named this bowl "Eye of the storm".

We are only 200 miles west of Houston but we did not get a drop of rain or a whiff of wind! David Hendley, about 300 miles north of Houston, is still without power and had huge oak trees up-rooted and tossed about in his yard! We have a friend in Syracuse New York who told of the terrible rain and wind storm they had when Ike arrived there as a tropical storm.

I am very happy with the house numbers and plaque that came out of that group.

This is not a good shot--bad angle and it does not show the texture on the plaque and mottled effect of the glaze on the numerals. You see that a bit better if you click on the photo to enlarge the view.

And I am fond of these 'serving' sushi plates (about 9" aquare) though I am having trouble being happy with the glaze. It is a combination I have layered many times in the past but this time I reversed the order of the layering and it made a BIG difference.

Below is "Kenny's bowl" that used the same glazes but in reverse order of layering--here light on top of dark glaze. On the shushi plates if is dark on top of light. The colors are true in both photos!

tagged

Patricia Griffin taggedf me last week--along with some of my favorite potters/bloggers. I'm honored--but not too pleased! I am not a great game player and I worry that I may tag others who either have been tagged already OR do not want to be tagged! I do think the 'tagging' should come with a 'tag sticker' to put on your blog to protect against multiple taggings. None-the-less, here I go.

Here are the rules of the dreaded "tagging" thing:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog. (this is what you're now reading.)
3. Write 6 random things about yourself (see below).
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them. (This is only a game.)
5. Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Six Random Things About Me:

1. My sisters are both great game players and get very grumpy when I beg out of a game...
2. I made (stitched-up) my first bra because my mother said I did not need one yet.
3. I have an insatsiable sweet-tooth.
4. I studied Spanish for 4 or 5 years and still can't speak it!
5. In my pre-teen years, my favorite place was the Carnagie Library in a small east Texas town.
6. I am thinking about moving to Mexico if we loose this election.

Six People I Tag (with apologies if they've already been tagged)

1. Joy Tanner @ joytannerpottery.blogspot.com
2. Anne Webb @ annewebb.wordpress.com
3. Deborah Woods @ themudpot.blogspot.com
4. Amy Higgason @ pigeonroadpottery.blogspot.com
5. TS Broome @ tsbroome.blogspot.com
6. Michele D @ wildmagnolia-nolapotter.blogspot.com