back in the saddle again...

Sometimes, when I've been at the wheel for a long period of throwing, I feel like I'm getting off the saddle--and I am not comfortable on horseback!

These last week has been very busy with family commitments and responsibilities. So that besides the slow-down from fatigue I've also had trouble finding time to be at the wheel. None-the-less, I've managed to get a kiln load ready for a bisque firing as seen in the photo. Mostly these are pieces for the upcoming Empty Bowls event on November 12--hopefully! And I have a group of glaze test bowls which I threw off the hump and most have 's' cracks in the bottoms because I have not learned the trick of compressing the base on the hump.

Yesterday I spent wandering through the exhibits at the Texas Clay Festival in Gurene, Texas. A beautiful day, cool and sunny, and wonderful work on display. It was so stimulating that I felt myself wanting to race home to get to work in my studio. Of course, it was too late by the time I did get home. But not too late to open the DVDs I bought from David Hendley on extruding! I don't have an extruder, yet! But I just love watching someone work with clay and he is so comfortable with the clay and his processes it is great to watch. I bumped into a friend yesterday and she mentioned that she has had to close down her studio for a while and has an extruder she would loan me. So I'll get to try out some of David's suggestions and see if I will want to invest in an extruder.

So I'm back in the saddle again...