Potsapalooza

Guess Who is Firing Again?

2011-11-14T05:51:00.001-05:00

In case you have been wondering, I do still exist on the planet. My life is beyond crazy busy now and dial-up sucks. I usually run out of patience before blogs can load, and I'm too busy at work to take the time to read. If the Universe would create, just for me, an extra day or two, maybe a week, I could catch up on gallery paperwork and take the time to breathe. And read blogs.

In the meantime, I've moved my gas kiln and am 95% finished with the shed. I'm calling a friend for back-up before I cut a hole in the roof for the chimney, but after we do that, it's a "go". Propane is scheduled for hook-up on the 22nd, and I'm hoping to have her loaded and ready to fire on Thanksgiving Day. It's been a year since I've fired, and I'm sure I am forgetting how much work I have to do to get ready, especially since the pots are at the gallery, the glazes all need to be re-sieved and the pots, glazes and kiln are all in three different places.

And I have been making work like crazy. I have enough bisqueware for 2 maybe even 3 glaze loads, all cone 6R. I have 4 or 5 cone 6 R glazes I am happy with and 1 or 2 that need some tweaking. I am still stuck on 2 or 3 cone 10 glazes that I love, but eventually would love to do away with the cone 10 altogether in the name of saving time, money and the planet. Not that I have much time for testing, but I just can't seem to help myself, but does anyone have cone 6R glaze recipes that they would like to share? I seem to recall someone (maybe Tracey) who has a cone 6 R black recipe?

So back to busy again. And if the Universe sees fit to comply with my modest request, I can post pictures of the new work in the coming weeks.

Blogging on Dial-Up

2011-09-07T10:04:00.000-04:00

I had a sincere request this week from a dear friend to update my blog. So much has happened over the past few months, some good, some bad. I'm going to give this a go. Stick around. I'm getting my groove back.

After 3 months of living in my car, my business partner's basement and my gallery, I moved into a sweet rental house just down the road from my kids' school. The rent is unbelievable and perfect for the starving artist that I currently am. I have been here for nearly 2 months, finally have a landline and, hold on to your hats, dial-up internet service. I live in a "holler" which means I am rural enough that the phone company doesn't offer dsl here. Satellite internet is too costly, so the obvious alternative is to go back in time to the 1990's.

I moved my electric wheel, slab roller and electric kiln to my gallery where there is a small space for a studio. The Bailey now resides at the Mushroom Factory, a former shitake mushroom factory turned artist studios. I still need to put a roof over the kiln and hook up the gas, not to mention make enough work to fill her up. However, the coup de grace is my kick wheel on my front porch.

In other news, Kyle Carpenter included me in Mudfire's Asheville in Atlanta exhibit, opening later this month. I am so excited about this exhibit, especially since I haven't done much clay work since last fall.
Still trying to honor his requests for privacy, I won't talk too much about my estranged husband. He and I are on civil speaking terms. The kids live with me during the school week and stay with him on the weekends. They seem to be adjusting pretty well. Kids are more adaptable than we think. By the time I was my daughter's age, I had been through hell and back, so in all honesty, they have it pretty easy.

The gallery keeps me very busy. And, no, we do not have our website up and running yet. Being the detail-oriented Capricorn that I am, I am by default, the bookkeeper. I like getting the numbers to balance, but it's challenging and very time consuming. And now, I am being trained to use Quickbooks, which is not going so quickly at all. Business was booming this summer, has slowed this month, but we expect it to pick up as soon as the leaves start turning. We get a lot of tourist traffic. This month we are catching our breath and catching up.

I'm relearning the simple life and am quite content and happy. I live a little close to the edge sometimes, but I have never felt this free and relaxed.

Where Do I Start?

2011-05-14T06:17:00.000-04:00

I would start at the beginning, but you'd just get bored and quit reading. I haven't posted in such a long time because just about everything in my life is changing. Shall I give you the good news or the bad first?

About 8 weeks ago, while trying to decide about starting a cooperative, two other artists and I stumbled onto a business opportunity too good to pass up. We are now the proud owners of One Of A Kind Art Gallery in Micaville, NC. We opened our doors for business on April 1st, had a smashing grand opening reception last Friday and are so excited about this new venture.

I have to be careful about how I talk about the other major change in my life. But being careful and cautious has led to some misunderstandings, so I'm just going to lay it out. I have made the difficult decision to leave my marriage of nearly 18 years. I have moved out, but still see my children almost daily. I have moved my wheel, slab roller and bisque kiln to the gallery, where there is studio space. I'm moving the gas kiln to a space about a mile down the road. Some folks will consider my divorce bad news. Ever the optimist, I consider it a chance for a richer life.

Most likely, I will get some grief for posting about this. My estranged husband is intensely private and once he hears that I have written this for public consumption, there will be some fallout. However, not blogging for the past few months has left me feeling disconnected from all of my potter-blogger friends. Here is my attempt to reconnect.

New Ideas

2011-02-26T15:38:00.000-05:00

2011 has been a little unsettling for me so far. I'm unsure about what direction my life is taking. Up until I had my children, and we decided that I would stay home with them, I had always been fiercely, obnoxiously independent. I'm not sure why it's taken me almost 13 years to recognize that I am about as far from independent as I can get, at least financially independence. My pottery does not support itself and barely adds anything to the household income.

I decided to look for a job, part-time and related to my art. Penland had a part-time sales job in the supply store. I applied, interviewed (well, I think), but they hired someone else. I was sad for a moment or two, before I realized that it meant something better was just around the corner. Boy was I right!

A couple of clay artist friends and I have been discussing ways to promote ourselves and our art community. We toyed around with the idea of organizing a show, but then we stumbled on the idea of starting a co-op. It's too soon to tell whether this will pan out, but I'm taking the bull by the horns. I've registered for a couple of free business seminars over the next couple of weeks, and we're planning regular meetings to see how we can make this a reality. Anyone have any thoughts on starting a co-op or gallery? We're very excited, but I'm not sure we even know the right questions to ask.

Even if the co-op falls through, those business seminars will be helpful in launching my other brilliant idea. Burnsville approved alcohol sales nearly a year ago. We have an ABC store, a wine shop and a couple of restaurants that serve alcohol. How is it that no one has opened a pub?

Happy Birthday to my Mom

2011-02-01T06:12:00.000-05:00

The graphics on this are blurry, but we've all seen it. My Mom turns 64 today!

Back to Doing What I do Best

2011-01-31T15:32:00.000-05:00

I know I said I was going to throw some cups. And I know that I should stick to my word. But, let's face it, when there are potters out there who are making gorgeous cups, is it really necessary for me to do make cups too? After seeing these cups on Meredith's blog, I decided to leave the cup making to the pros. At least for now.

Besides, the cups I threw were taking forever to dry, and I nearly forgot about them. I had left way to much clay at the base so they requited an inordinate amount of trimming. And then the kitties decided to take a tap dance on the ware board, gouging several cups and moving the plastic so that they dried too fast. Plus, it's really cold in the studio. Wah.

After tossing the cups into the reclaim bucket, I sat down and threw some small cylinders. No pictures since you all know what they look like. I'm going to try making some small baskets. One of the ideas someone floated at our last Clay Club was the Orton cone box thing. I wonder if I can go that small. I think it's harder than it looks.

Media Whore

2011-01-24T19:58:00.000-05:00

Giving GIMP A Try

2011-01-20T08:42:00.006-05:00

I have really missed blogging. Our computer sits in our dining room, and with the kids home snow day after snow day, there is simply too much competition for computer time. I gave up. Alas, we have had two good weather days, so I have been catching up with old blogging friends over a nice cup of tea. I decided to figure out how to put some photos with this post.

We had our January Clay Club meeting last night at Elizabeth Westveer's studio. We discussed ideas for this year's meetings and John Britt videoed a few demos (including mine). He'll post them to the Clay Club blog and You Tube later in the week.

One demonstrator was Patty Bilbro. She demonstrated centering two large lumps of clay one on top of the other, rather than trying to center one huge lump. I took a few photos.

Hooray! We have a photo!

The other demonstrator was Doc Welty, who showed us how to create raised surfaces with shellac resist.

I needed Brian's blog post as well as GIMP's online tutorial to walk me through how to resize the images for the web. I ran into a snag after finishing and saving the picture of Patty. The second photo I tried to resize was instead "layered' onto the first, as well as cropped to show only Doc's face. The only way I could figure out how to get rid of the first image and bring up the second one without the cropping was to close GIMP and restart it.

It seems that GIMP offers a lot more then I need in a photo program. I don't manipulate images or even really crop them much. I don't change anything in the photos of my pottery except sizing. And since the forecast is calling for snow tonight, I'm going to congratulate myself on this baby GIMP step, and turn the computer over to the kids again.

I can always tackle GIMP in the spring.

MIA For Too Long

2011-01-04T20:10:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! Our computer survived its ordeal last month. I'm not sure I did though. Or my family for that matter. Blogging is an outlet for me. Without it...well, let's just say, I've had a lot to say.

One thing that didn't survive was my photo software, you know the one: an archaic version of HP Photo Something-Or-Other, origins unknown. Not sure if it was a good or not, but I knew how to use it. Quite some time ago, I posted about trying to use Piknik or something for Call for Entry. Brian Fields was kind enough to email me about Gimp, so I am finally going to try it.

For now my photos are safe on CDs, and I've been taking more and more. We've had some beautiful snow up here and are expecting more in the next day or so.

Since having the kids in school is tenuous this time of year, I am racing to catch up on household chores, so I can get back into the studio by next week. I was unhappy with two of my cone 6 R glazes this last firing, so I need to make some work and loads of test tiles.

$4.95 Etsy Shipping Sale

2010-12-19T08:25:00.003-05:00

We still don't have our new modem, so I'm typing at light speed since my connection could drop at any moment. UPS hasn't been able to deliver because of "Emergency Conditions" which I think means the trucks couldn't get around at the beginning of the week, so they are so overloaded and behind schedule that they can't get to us residential customers.

Due to those same weather conditions, which by the way have not been all that bad, local sales have been dreadfully slow. So, I'm having a shipping sale until Tuesday December 21st. It's a win-win-win. I sell some pottery, you save on shipping, and my local Postmaster gets more business which he desperately wants!

Happy Holidays!

All Systems Down

2010-12-09T14:34:00.002-05:00

Ugh...last week we started noticing a lot of static on our phone line. Jay diagnosed the trouble back to our modem. We're still waiting for the new one to arrive.

In the meantime, Jay thought it would be an ideal time to clean up our computer. The speed has been ever-so-slowly decreasing over the past few months. After attempting to reboot upon finding two viruses and various other computer meanies, the old girl refused to boot up.

Jay was able to find another operating system, and so I have temporary and fleeting internet access until the weekend, when we'll have time to recover all of our necessary files and wipe the hard drive. What a pain in the ass.

On the positive side, I received my Generosity Chain box from Tracey (thanks Tracey! I'll thank you properly with photos next week!), and at last night's Clay Club meeting, I got a Michael Kline mug in the holiday swap.

Hopefully, I'll be back online next week. So until then, I'm really not ignoring you.

Latest Cone 6 Firing and TRAC Studio Tour

2010-12-03T12:08:00.010-05:00

Occasionally I can find myself feeling a bit smug when my carefully laid plans fall into place. I scheduled a cone 6 firing the week of Thanksgiving so that if anything went wrong (or I had too much work), I would have time to refire before the TRAC Studio Tour.

The kiln was packed tight and towards the end of the firing I found cone 7 flat on the bottom, but 6 barely budging on top. I was playing around with the damper when I noticed that my right burner was OUT! I couldn't get the pilot to stay lit, and after realizing that the remaining burner couldn't do the job, I just shut the whole thing down, grateful that I had left myself enough time to refire.

To my delight and surprise, when I opened the kiln the next day (and remember with cone 6 you can open sooner), the pots which I had feared underfired looked quite nice. In fact, my yellow glaze looked marvelous. I believe the kiln gods were sending me a message: you're overfiring!

Jump to this week, home from our annual Thanksgiving trek to the Outer Banks, and it was time to spruce up the gallery for the Studio Tour. I had all these new pots to visit with, shelves to move and, ahem, a bit more glaze clean up to do. Two sick children wiped my smug grin off of my face in a hurry, one kid at the start of the week, the other coming down with the same bug yesterday. Then my phone line is full of static and the internet keeps going out. I had several phone conversations yesterday outside at the phone box. Fortunately, the dryer vent empties right there and kept my feet warm.

All's well that ends well though. I managed most of my "to do" list. I had the good sense to recognize my own limitations though, put away the butter and flour, and called Jay to buy cookies on his way home. They're pretty tasty, too. I did make some Amber Ale Cheese spread.

If you find yourself in the WNC mountains this weekend, plan on visiting with some of the world-class artists who live and work up here. Or come to the artist reception Friday night 5-8 at the Spruce Pine TRAC Gallery.

What the Heck Are These For?

2010-11-19T10:22:00.005-05:00

A couple of days ago, I decided I needed to revisit an idea from a customer which required some slab work. I could have used the slab roller, but I need the slabs large and round, so I just used the giant rolling pin. I'm not sure why I was surprised to wake up with a sore shoulder. I've had tendonitis in both of my shoulders at various times in the past. Just another dumbass move.

I know it doesn't look like much yet.

So while I nurse my shoulder for another day, I'm mixing some test glazes. Before I can do that, I have to organize and label the test tiles from last fall so as not to retest something. I would have labelled them sooner, but I've been engrossed in a book about procrastination. If anyone has any cone 6 reduction recipes, please share. I'm also going to try Val Cushing's method of converting a cone 10 glaze to cone 6. Has anyone had any luck with this?

As you know, my studio came equipped with lots of extras, including glaze ingredients. I have Ilmenite, Granular Rutile and Iron Chromate. Does anyone have a recipe that uses any of these? Would you just sprinkle the granular rutile on the shoulder of a pot?

I also have a small blue trash can with little baggies of a white material. I know what you're thinking. I suppose the studio would be a grand hiding place, but who would leave something so valuable behind? Anyway, John Britt did a cone 10 melt test for me, but couldn't determine what it was. It looked like it melted, but then balled back up into little bits. I'm going to do a cone 6 melt test.

Meanwhile, the bisque is firing, and I'm set to load a cone 6 load Sunday.

Probably Not the Brightest Thing I've Done

2010-11-18T09:51:00.006-05:00

Deadlines suck! Just when you think you've got it all under control, you remember the piece someone wanted you to try making, or a cat jumps on a bowl and forces you to alter it, or you find yourself reaching for just one more ball of clay. The result is a fair amount of work that is not bone dry yet. Why can't I exercise the necessary self-control to keep to my schedule?

The TRAC Studio Tour is in two weeks. I actually have plenty of time to fire everything. However, we are going to the Outer Banks for Thanksgiving, so I'm going to lose some precious work days. And besides, I wanted to take some of the work from this yet-to-happen firing with me. You know the drill: work backwards from a reasonable unloading date and you have your last bisque date. In my case, unload Tuesday means last bisque Saturday.

But impatient me can't wait. There is so much work to glaze that I'll be dead on my feet if I wait until Sunday. So, I had to make the choice to fire 2 half-full loads, or one full. And although I am a half-full type of gal, I decided to load it all, turn on the lowest element and hopefully the wetter work will dry out. I'm usually very conservative about drying times, but the wet work isn't cut or altered, so I'm hoping I'll be okay.

I pretty proud of how full the kiln is, considering I still don't have shelves that really fit. In fact, the top two half-shelves are both broken. They come in handy in a pinch though.

Now I just have to decide when to actually start firing.

A Collection of Small Miseries

2010-11-04T17:19:00.004-04:00

Several weeks ago musing about mud blogger Carole Epp posted about how she was self-publishing a book of her figurines to accompany an exhibit of the same work. She wanted blog readers to comment with their favorites, and from those comments she would choose two readers to receive a free copy of the book.

Jim Gottuso and I were chosen, and I just received my copy of the book today. The book is gorgeous and the work is exquisite and haunting. My favorite is "She wanted to see no more evil".

Quick Thoughts on Local Politics

2010-11-03T17:52:00.003-04:00

I do my best and worst thinking while I'm wedging clay. I had loads to wedge and weigh today, and I was nearly in a state of despair when "Chalkhills and Children" by XTC came on the iPod and saved me.

I voted yesterday because I always vote. After the fucked-up stolen election of 2000, I came to realize that one person can make a difference. Our country and perhaps our world would be a vastly different and arguably better place had President Gore been in office when the 9/11 attacks happened. I'll agree with many of you who have had it with attack ads, phone calls, and the sheer stupidity of our government. I still feel it's my right and duty to vote, so I do it.

We've lived up here in this mountain community for 2 1/2 years now. I've met plenty of locals and lots of folks who have relocated here. It's a gorgeous and inspiring place to live and work. That said, the local politics are strange indeed. Although I REALLY want to, I won't name names, but I've just got to share some stories from this year's election season.

As part of the debate team, my daughter had the priviledge of assiting a candidates' forum a few weeks ago. Some of her observations include:

One candidate who played solitaire on her phone during the forum.

One candidate who quoted the Bible.

One candidate who said he wanted to bring real jobs to our county, not pottery making or beading.

One candidate who refused to follow the forum rules with regards to how much time he could talk.

In addition, Monday night I met a woman who had not voted ever since she had been offered money by a candidate at the polls 40 years ago. For real. In fact, this seems to be a time-honored tradition up here. The alleged perpetrator handed out $20 bills "for your time, not for your vote" and won re-election yesterday.

Where is an election official when you need one?

New Ideas in the Studio

2010-10-29T18:35:00.007-04:00

I'm sure you've been missing me and wondering how my PTO gig went and when I would be making more pottery, to which I answer: just fine and finally this week.

I stopped at the Burnsville TRAC gift shop this week to see if I needed to restock any work, and one of the shopkeepers asked me if I had anything specifically holiday related. I don't so I thought I'd go home and try to come up with something. I played around with some ornament ideas.

And then had the idea to stack some of these shapes to make some sort of a Christmas Tree.

Not really doing much for me.

They were much more fun to play around with this way.
So I attached slab bottoms to a couple, and I think I've got a new form to work with.

Teardrop: A Tribute to Massive Attack

2010-10-19T12:21:00.002-04:00

I've been included in an Etsy Treasury!

Must...Keep...Blogging...

2010-10-14T08:51:00.009-04:00

I am definitely suffering from studio withdrawal. I have been unable to carve out any studio time for the last two weeks. Only one more week of preparations for the PTO Fall Festival, and I'm headed down to finish up some work in progress and clean up the mess I left.

I'm in the middle of a batch of smaller baskets.

I have a ware board of them tightly covered waiting for handles.

The reclaim that I spread onto plaster is cracked and getting bone-dry around the edges.

And even wth so many boxes of Ellen Buff, I really wanted to work with a white body again for a bit. That box of Buncombe White isn't going to carry itself downstairs.

Ooh! You can see a glimpse of my new-to-me Subaru Outback in the background. I have my own car for the first time in nearly 10 months. I can't promise not to bitch about the Ford anymore (that's way too much fun), but not today.

In fact today is a celebration! My "baby" turns 10 today.

A Tupperware Party of an Art & Craft Show

2010-10-10T19:17:00.005-04:00

Back when Allison was a baby, and I had to take out an ad in the local newpaper to find a playgroup, one of the Moms who answered the ad sold Tupperware. She convinced me to host a Tupperware Party. Considering I met her through a classified ad, I objected that I really didn't know anyone to invite. This was back in the days when I didn't know how to say "no", so the party proceeded despite my protestation. No one came. Not a single solitary person.

I've just got to say this, and I really don't care who I piss off. The Art & Craft Show at the Old English Inn this weekend was the most colossal waste of my time since that Tupperware Party. I had gone to this show for the past two years as a spectator, and it looked like a good show with nice pottery, jewelry and fiber arts. When the show organizer who also owns the building called me two weeks before the show and asked if I could do the show for no booth fee, only 15% of sales, I agreed.

The Old English Inn is really an interesting building. It's the oldest, largest log structure in the South, was part of the Underground Railroad and is rumored to be haunted. However, no matter how interesting the building is nor how talented the artists are, the public won't come to a show that is not advertised.

There were two other functions in Spruce Pine this weekend: the Heritage Festival and the Spruce Pine Potters Market. What traffic we did have was obviously piggy-backed from those events. Folks certainly couldn't have found their way to us by following the directional signs that looked like a third grader printed them on poster board.

I've never had a sale go so badly. I had 4 sales, and the check I wrote for my 15% was less than $10. On the positive side, the weather was divine, so I sat on the front porch with some of my fellow artists, and we solved world hunger.

Clay & Blogs and Other Happenings

2010-10-04T09:25:00.007-04:00

I'm not sure having a car with a built-in GPS is a good thing. I picked the kids up early from school Friday, loaded them in the car and set off for what I thought would be a 4 hour car ride to the Moore County Arts Council. I must have picked the wrong route because the trip took 5 hours. I didn't arrive in time for the group picture, because I was busy talking to a nice Police Officer in Candor. No ticket, just a warning.

The kids were great. Allison took loads of photos which I don't have the time to go through until later and ate all the sandwiches that Ben tried and didn't like. I did manage to convince them that it was inappropriate to climb the lovely live oak outside. Attending this reception with me was their penance since the rest of the weekend was party-time for them. Otherwise, I'll bet they would have opted to stay home.

The reception was great. I wish I lived closer and could spend more time with all of the great work. I am humbled and honored to be included with such a diverse and talented group of potters. I met Superwoman Meredith, Mark, Linda, Tracey, Hollis, Samantha among others whose names escape me, but I will remember when I go through Allison's pictures and catch up on everyone's blogs.

We left Southern Pines and drove to our old stomping grounds outside of Charlotte to visit old friends. The rest of the weekend is a blur, but unfortunately, Saturday was too busy for me to get to the Atherton Mill to see the Carolina's Got Art! Exhibition. I pinky-promised to come back soon to see my friends so maybe I'll squeeze in a trip before the exhibit comes down.

Am I Really Cut Out For This?

2010-09-23T17:57:00.002-04:00

I am the new PTO Chairperson for Ben's school. He's in 5th grade, so this is the last year I'll be able to volunteer in this capacity. I really don't mind volunteering at school. At our charter school in Monroe, I was the Library Volunteer Coordinator as well as Book Fair Chair. I have volunteered for the past two years shelving books for our part-time librarian. What can I say? I love books.

So back to this PTO gig. As happy as I am to be involved, I really hope that I am able to take it as seriously as I should. But, how did I get here? I mean, this is the same person who threw a Tupperware Party that no one came to. And when Allison was a baby, I resorted to taking out an ad in the local paper to find a playgroup. And the only Mom who answered the ad turned out to be a bit high strung. Jay thought she was psychotic. We moved.

I have come to the realization that there isn't much "O"rganization in the PTO. "O" stands for "Oh my goodness" the room just emptied when I asked for some help. "Oh, you schools are looking for another handout from local businesses". "Oh crap, where did I put that memo?"

A few individuals do most of the work. I am in charge of pulling off the year's big fundraiser in a few weeks, and I'm feeling a little pressure here. I already have prehypertension, and I'm not sure this is good for my health.

You may have noticed that I have a hard enough time organizing and motivating myself, much less trying to rally a parent base that may or may not have the time nor the inclination to get involved. It's a shame because I just heard some study that shows that a child's success in school has a direct correlation to the parents' involvement.

So my plan is to enlist a parent in each grade to put together a parent/grandparent contact list for a directory (if the Principal approves) and have said parent contact other parents and assign tasks. We have only one class per grade so this is not a lot of parents, so not a lot of phone calls.

I always tell my kids that many hands make light work. Do you think the parents will swallow that line? My kids don't.

I Really Am a Glass-Half-Full Type of Gal

2010-09-21T19:17:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure what the glass is half full of though. Perhaps it should be half full of prune juice to get things going around here. Or wine, but half a glass of wine is not nearly enough to excuse my lack of time-management skills. Any pictures accompanying this post should be of boxes: you know, the boxes that should have been shipped before now. Instead, here are the larger vases.

I had planned on hand-delivering my basket for the Carolina's Got Art! exhibit, but misread the delivery instructions until Saturday morning: no one available to accept work on Sunday. At least I didn't make the long drive to Charlotte to find this out. However, this did result in a quite expensive packing and shipping charge, and the box still didn't arrive on time.

Then, Michael Kline was going to deliver our pots for the Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story exhibit while he was in Seagrove this past weekend. Only he found himself in the middle of a firing cycle and cancelled the trip. No problem. I hadn't decided on which pieces to send. I still would have had to box everything up, and I don't have enough boxes or packing materials around the house.

So tomorrow, I head to the Post Office to procure some packing materials, no doubt paying a premium price for my failure to properly plan. Unless there is a shipping store around here. After needing $30 worth of packing peanuts and an $11 outer box (I had the inner box already), perhaps it's worth paying someone to do the whole thing. I don't ship often, and packing up those baskets makes me pretty nervous.

My poor planning was evident in the studio today as well. Not only had I run out of suitably soft clay, I drank a cup of caffeinated coffee which rendered me unable to throw anyway. Tomorrow is another day.

Carolina's Got Art!

2010-09-16T08:50:00.007-04:00

I was notified this week that my blue basket was selected to be in the Carolina's Got Art! Exhibition sponsored by the Elder Gallery in Charlotte, NC. The show opens October 1, 2010 and will run through October 30, 2010. After that it will be travelling throughout North and South Carolina for the next year. Those locations have not yet been announced.

Unfortunately, I will be unable to make the opening reception on October 1 due to another engagement, notably the opening of Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story at the Moore County Arts Council. I'll be able to stop by and see the exhibit Saturday. Never has my social calendar been so full!

In other news, I invested in new signs for the studio. The old signs were fashioned using wood panels that I found lying around and the largest stencils that I could find. After nearly 2 years, it was time for an upgrade.

Going Under the Knife

2010-09-14T11:23:00.008-04:00

When I decided to make some more functional work last week, I zeroed in on bowls and bottles. The bowls have proven a bit problematic. I've lost 4 to cracking so far, even though the dehumidifier is off and I've kept them covered.

The bottles are small, but a decent start. I like making little wine carafes. I tried cutting the tops of some at an angle and quickly decided that I hated them.

Rather than try to salvage them, I decided to just experiment, using some texture and paddling some, and yes, a little cutting. Most of my attempts fall short of anything worthwhile, however, some of the more daring cuts resulted in something exciting. So I threw another set of bottles/cylinders, this time with no bottom. I'm really digging some of these.

Then yesterday, I threw these 3-5 lb cylinders, which is a lot of clay for me. I'll see if I can pull the same idea off a little larger in scale.
You'll have to excuse my awkward segue here to another almost related topic. I ran across an old article entitled "Is Glaze Dead?", and although I haven't had time to reread it, just the title has me rethinking my surfaces. I've said it before. I LOVE glaze. And certain glazes really love my baskets, but will these new vases be engaging enough with glaze alone? How else can I treat the surfaces? Some of them have an interesting enough shape that almost begs for some sort of deliberate decoration, but I've never decorated my pots before.

I guess some trial and error experimenting is in order.

Back in the Studio this Week

2010-09-08T16:59:00.008-04:00

After a week or two of monkeying around with photos and trying to enter shows, this week I cried "Uncle!" and descended the stairs to the studio. Two bags of Henry Pope's brick hard Ellen Buff had been soaking for several weeks (or perhaps months) and were more than ready to be wedged, weighed and thrown.

In case you don't know the story, sometime last year Henry posted on the Clay Club blog that he had 800 lbs of cone 4-6 Ellen Buff to give away. This was shortly after I decided to start firing some cone 6 reduction, so I called and made arrangements to pick the clay up. As it turned out, he had nearly 1400 lbs, and all of it was solid as a rock. Blissfully ignorant that the Ford is a half-ton truck, I loaded all the clay and made my way up the mountain.

I prefer not to have to soak clay to a slurry only to have to dry it out on plaster bats, so I just slake the clay down by pouring a cup of water into the bag, resealing and kicking it over every few days until all the water is absorbed. It works pretty well, resulting in clay soft enough to slice and mix with fresh reclaim.

Anyway, I have grown a little weary of trying to explain what function my baskets serve. Currently they enrich my life with their beauty, and while you certainly could, I wouldn't fill them with salad. So I have decided to make some work that is undeniably functional: bowls and sake sets. Don't worry your pretty little heads, I will indeed be cutting them, at least a little bit.

The photos I've been working on are twofold. I am taking some classes through Appalachian Women Entrepreneurs about Etsy and increasing my online presence. One suggestion was to take Etsy photos with props. I tried, but to me they feel contrived, and I really prefer the more formal photos. Then I tried to set up an online portfolio on Call For Entry and found that I am unable to size my photos the way they require. I tried the two photo software programs I own plus Picnik. CaFE wants photos 1920 x 1920, which means they can have the balck bars top and bottom if your image is not that high. I can't seem to get those black bars on, so I have no portfolio there. I think I'm going to have to buy Photoshop Elements or something similar unless any of my faithful readers knows how to do this for free.

So I am closing with a coffee mug that my beloved Nana gave me from which I drank some caffeinated coffee today. I love this mug. For the 1986-1987 school year, it sat in my rented locker at Radford University, alongside my immersion heater and my box of Cream of Chicken Cup O' Soup.

Try As I Might

2010-08-29T18:14:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago I had a visit from a very nice couple who had picked up a couple of my donated bowls at an Empty Bowls event last fall. They loved the bowls so much that they asked me to make a few more. I explained that I would try, but throwing identical items was not my strong suit.

I made a dozen bowls and picked 6 that, at the very least, seemed related to the ones I had made last year. After pulling them out of the kiln this week, I was not particularly astonished to find that they were not that similar after all. They didn't get as much reduction, so the glaze is a little off, and most of them are too small.

I guess no good deed goes unpunished.

Cone 10 Before and After

2010-08-27T12:42:00.007-04:00

The firing went well. I had a few pieces to refire that turned out great. I think I've got handle issues with this last batch of baskets. I had a fair amount of slumping. You can really see it in the one on the left. The handles must have been too thin, as well as being longer that I've tried in the past. The top of my cabinets is getting crowded with rejects.

I think I've broken my camera too. Mine looks like a 35mm SLR and the hood piece around the lens came off. I'll have to take a look at it this weekend.

I think Nelle's apple is glazed with a RedArt shino. Hope she's happy with it. It was kind of cool to fire someone else's work--glaze testing without doing any of the measuring and mixing.

Help in the Studio

2010-08-25T15:12:00.007-04:00

Not another pet post. Who wants to read about that? I decided to take a chance and let the kitties into the basement, and since there is no longer a dividing wall, into the studio as well. They pretty much behaved themselves. I can't be certain, but they are suspect in a minor crime. They like hiding under the slab roller on top of a box that contains one of my kid's birthday presents from long ago.

His friend's Mom had never met me. Ben tried "throwing" on the wheel once, but was unimpressed.

Yesterday, my friend and fellow potter Nelle Pingree came up to the Northern Territories to deliver some work that I'm firing for her. Currently, I've got cone 5 tipping and should be done by supper time.

Nelle brought a nice Pinot Noir which we enjoyed last night in my tiny cups. Jay prefers a wine glass since the mini cups hold just enough wine to piss you off. They are so adorable though.

Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story

2010-08-23T12:30:00.003-04:00

"Take a glimpse into a unique community of 50 working potters who are separated by distance, but brought together through the common language of clay and the written word in a digital world. These potters share their lives, skills, thoughts, triumphs and defeats through an on-line medium called a blog or web log."

The Arts Council of Moore County presents Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story an exhibit curated and conceptualized by Meredith Heywood of Whynot Pottery. The show opens Friday October 1, 2010 with an artists reception from 6-8 pm. The show runs through October 29, 2010.

The Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story online gallery is up and running. The online show runs until October 29, 2010.

What an Honest Critique Can Accomplish

2010-08-20T13:12:00.007-04:00

Don Pilcher does have a point. By now, everyone has read one or both posts, and whether or not you've engaged in the controversy or lurked as a bystander, you've got to admit that he is on to something when he writes about the lack of frank, honest discussion about pottery. But are blogs the place to find that?

While Pilcher might not be interested in reading snippets about a certain potter's daily life, I am. I like seeing pictures of your kids and pets, and I like posting about my own. I like that I can rant and rave about the weather, current events and our latest home project turned nightmare. I care if you read, but I am not offended in the slightest if you pass on a post.

Honest discussion of pottery does happen here in the blogosphere but not in any linear, organized way. In recent weeks, Tracey Broome has used her blog as a sounding board for some true soul-searching and the direction her work is taking. While any critique of her work is generally positive, and accolades make us feel good, I'm not sure her point was to seek out approval or support. Maybe it was just to get it out of her head. What difference does it make?

Our Clay Club meets once a month. Last year sometime, we had a critique. Several of us novice potters brought work to be critiqued by the likes of Michael Kline and Linda McFarling, among others. I plopped the basket (pictured above) up on the banding wheel in the center of the room and stepped back. What I received was a true gift: honest, informed critique from potters who know their craft well. There were a few folks who loved the pot as is (and were appalled that anyone could find anything wrong with it), and I was grateful for the compliments. The difference was being able to view the pot on its own merits versus being able to see the potential the pot held. I returned to my studio with an armload of ideas and my work improved dramatically.

I guess what I'm tring to say is that if Potsapalooza were meant to be a manifesto on my current ceramic work, I probably would have far fewer readers. And I would have named it something more serious.

I've Been Included in an Etsy Treasury

2010-08-18T05:46:00.002-04:00

Allybeans added my heart dishes to their Treasury today! It's very exciting and definitely the push I need to keep adding items to my own Etsy Shop.

Regional Artist Grants

2010-08-16T13:28:00.002-04:00

I've had a couple of people over the last few days mention applying for a regional artist grant, and I am really thinking about doing this. I mean, it's free money for artists, right? What do I have to lose?

I am deciding between asking for a laptop for my business or money to move my kilns outside. Jay thinks I should go for the whole shebang and ask for a studio building separate from our house. Frankly, I'm not sure I could handle the stress of building and moving my studio, just as I am getting started. I'm leaning towards money to move the kilns.

Any thoughts?

What Do You Do When the Show is Over?

2010-08-13T17:00:00.008-04:00

Ikebana with Madonna Lily

The kids went back to school this week, and I'm trying to figure out how to manage my time. I have gotten a few photos taken, a couple of items on Etsy, and the gallery reset. I've done the obligatory run to the store for school supplies, and the unplanned visit to the eye doctor to have Ben's eyes checked. It turns out that the boy is far-sighted and needs glasses. Who knew? I also got all domestic and canned some pear preserves and salsa verde.

After examining that second kilnload, I had a couple of casualties, including a nice shino basket where the handle was too thin and it slumped and cracked. The big shino basket looks good though.

Next week, I'm going to *gasp* take a break from cutting and throw some bowls. A fellow potter, Nelle Fastman Pingree has some cone 10 work she needs fired. I have two baskets that didn't make it into the last firing, and I like to have a stash of bowls for John Hartom and his Empty Bowls project. It's a tough call since another friend of mine just gave me a bag of new foam pieces. It's just thrilling!
Tonight I am headed to Lynda Banner's new studio for a get-together and tomorrow I'll be working at the Toe River Craft Shop.

Before and After, Another Cone 10 Firing and the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair

2010-08-08T18:50:00.007-04:00

After I let the first kilnload cool completely, I was pretty pleased with the results. Rob's green came out just fine and I really like the large white basket.

My schedule was really tight leading up to this second firing. I ended up finishing up my spray glazing at dusk with Jay as my assistant. I decided to fire a day early just so I could take my kids swimming with some friends as a last summer blast before school starts Monday. If you don't know why we start school so early here, this post can refresh your memory.

Tuesday's firing didn't go as well as the previous one. The bottom was hotter than the top and dampering in wasn't fixing the problem. The top was not stacked as tight as usual, so I winged it and hoped for the best. We unloaded in a rush Thursday afternoon, and I haven't been home enough to really examine the pots. I did have 2 tests come out really well, and the shino in the back looks good.

John Britt once told me that I'd need to fire my kiln at least a dozen times before I really knew how to fire it. I've probably fired that many times, but I think I've backed myself into a bit of a corner. I *know* how to fire the kiln one way. It works, but I think I could get more reduction. However, when I try to change anything, like use the damper to fire rather than turning up the gas or air, or slow down the climb, everything seems to go to hell in a handbasket. I can eventually end up where I want to, but the ride there can be pretty wild.

The Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair went pretty well for me. It started out pretty stressful. We had been down in Asheville for Allison's haircut, and ran into traffic getting back. Then I had to pick up my beloved truck from the mechanic where it had been getting the brakes fixed. I pulled out of the lot and immediately realized that I had almost no power. I thought that I was totally screwed since I had only a few hours left to get my stuff loaded and into Burnsville to set up. I called Jay and pushed the gas pedal to the floor just trying to get up to speed. Long story short, we got set up in time, and Jay was able to diagnose the problem which was a stuck rear brake. I'm visiting our mechanic tomorrow.

The Fair was packed both days even though it was pretty hot. There are lots of "granny crafts" mixed in with us serious artists. The guy in the booth next to me was selling plywood bears like hotcakes. I don't expect to sell baskets at a crafts fair, but I like to take a few to show folks. People definitely slowed down to look at the white basket. The women on the other side of me were selling jewelry and do an astonishing 40 shows a year. I don't do many shows, but this one has a discounted booth fee since I'm local, so it's a no-brainer. I still might apply for a few this fall. I've got plenty of pots.

I'm Very Proud of My Girl

2010-08-05T20:25:00.006-04:00

After a couple of weeks of anticipation, Allison cut off 11" of her hair for Locks of Love. I took her to my stylist Lindsey at Salon Red in Asheville. She didn't even cry, which means that I didn't either.

She feels good that it was for a good cause, and now she's got a super-hip new hairdo just in time for school next week.

Waiting for the Kiln to Cool Down

2010-08-02T10:56:00.005-04:00

I swung the door open and took a quick picture. I won't be able to unload until later this afternoon. The results look pretty good. Rob's Green looks a little muddy at the top of the kiln, but until I can get the pieces out, I'll just have to speculate.

As soon as I get this one unloaded, I'll load another. At first, it irritated me having to fire back-to-back, but I've started looking at it as an opportunity to immediately adjust my firing if I'm not happy with something.

My sister Trish and my niece Kate came to visit this weekend. Trish lives in Framingham, MA and Kate lives in Cary, NC. They are the first from my side of the family to see our mountain place. And they were on hand to watch me fire the big kiln. Jay took the kids hiking up to Mt. Mitchell and I took them swimming in the South Toe River, despite it being only around 70 degrees.

My sister hates to cook, but loves to can and put up food. She brought some fabulous strawberry jam , bread and butter pickles and sweet relish. She showed me how to freeze some of my CSA bounty, since I've been drowning in veggies lately. I'm going to try my hand at canning this week, too. We have two pear trees which are dropping fruit all over the place. I'm also going to try making some salsa with the tomatillas that my neighbor gave me.

Here's a mostly CSA dinner of grilled eggplant and squash marinated in red wine vinegar, honey and garlic with tomato and onion slices over couscous. I'm glad for the cooking diversion, since I have a tendency to be a sneaky-peeker when it comes to a glaze firing.

Making the Deadline

2010-07-27T06:43:00.004-04:00

I have the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair coming up next weekend, and by planning summer fun into last weekend and this coming one, I have managed to make it difficult to get everything fired. My sister and niece who visit this weekend might get the rare opportunity to sit around with me all day while I fire a cone 10 load. I don't do this with just anyone.

Meanwhile, I am very excited to have been chosen by Tracey's daughter Wes to continue the Generosity Chain. Tracey got the idea from Barbara Chadwick's post. I'm so excited! And when the dust settles around here, I'll post the idea here on my blog.

Inspired by the kids and another Tracey post, I decided to clean up my wheel. Seems like such a waste considering I have to throw some bowls today. I got a visit from some folks who picked up a few the bowls I donated for an Empty Bowls fundraiser last winter. They love them and want me to make them some more. Thankfully, they brought one by so I have a prototype. I hope I can make them the same.

As the kids and I were cleaning, we were deciding what to do with the bucket of river rocks we found. I hauled some upstairs and out before realizing I might be able to put them to some use. Every so often, I'll have the slab bottom of a basket or wine coaster buckle and warp upwards a little. Using some thin foam, I piled rocks inside to add a little weight and keep the bottom flat. I'm not sure how well this will work, but it beats hauling them up the stairs.

Studio Assistants

2010-07-22T21:37:00.008-04:00

While I was loading a bisque, I enlisted the help of my two favorite studio assistants this afternoon.

I think Ben was looking for the phone I knocked into the slurry bucket.

Allison cleaned up my glaze workbench and, in the process, found my favorite mini flexible rib and a most-sought-after elephant ear sponge. I am down to my last true elephant ear sponge and am desperate to find more. Highwater Clays no longer carries them. How can I possibly throw with a synthetic sponge?

I finished putting the handles on 9 baskets this afternoon. Attaching the handles is by far the most challenging part of making these pieces.

Then I loaded a bisque, using the craziest arrangement of shelves. I posted a while ago that I don't have enough shelves and the ones I have aren't the right size. So, I stacked pieces on half-shelves and broken shelves just to fill the kiln. I am going to Highwater tomorrow to finally buy the correct shelves for this kiln. And a new phone.

Last Week's CSA Bounty

2010-07-20T10:18:00.006-04:00

Eating carrots a la Bugs Bunny

I am really enjoying our CSA share from Green Toe Ground Farm down in Celo. I pick it up Friday and there's always something new. There's usually also something I have no earthly idea how to prepare, but try it out anyway. We still visit Saturday morning's Farmer's Market last week picking up some goat cheese from OakMoon Farm and Creamery, plums, blueberries and some strawberry vinegar.

A tiny dish of homemade pesto. Next week, I'll buy about 3 times as much basil. I could live on pesto and goat cheese. I think I'll make a squash casserole tonight. Oh yeah, and maybe roast that fennel.

Kari-style Basket Making

2010-07-19T07:54:00.014-04:00

Cut two bottomless cylinders in half.

Lay flat on foam and cut curves along the bottoms.

Return to upright and cut edges perpendicular to tabletop.

Attach with a coil on each seam.

Invert and score bottom edge.

Attach to a slab.

Reinforce interior seam with a coil.

Invert and finish bottom exterior seam.

Pull handle.Attach.

Voila!

Life Lessons

2010-07-14T20:38:00.005-04:00

I love Nick Nolte's character Lionel from "New York Stories" as he stands in front of a gigantic canvas with Procol Harem blaring throughout his studio. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" definitely has its place in my musical repertoire.

Ben's note to Mom

I listen to lots of different music while I'm in the studio, depending on my mood and what I'm doing. I've discovered that I throw better pots listening to Moby than Jane's Addiction. Older U2 can get me through the doldrums of wedging, and "In Through the Out Door" keeps me focused when I'm taking photos.

My basement studio is a wreck

I realized this week that with over 4000 songs on my iPod, I have listened to nothing but Neko Case's "Middle Cyclone" album for two weeks. I may be in a musical rut, but I'm definitely rolling out some pots.

All Work and No Play...

2010-07-11T22:01:00.005-04:00

makes Kari cranky! Every day since Tuesday, I've been in the studio, making wine bottle coasters and teardrops (photos later). My back hurts. I'm tired of slaving away. I'm out of ware boards. And I'm pretty certain that I'll need to buy some shelves for the electric kiln just to get all this work bisqued. And with a show coming up, I need to buy another canopy to replace the one that was "misplaced" by the friend to whom I leant it. Actually, her soon-to-be ex stole it. Oh well, shit happens.

Last weekend, after I got home from the beach, I found Jay shovelling a trench around his garage. There is no drainage, and everything inside has been slowly molding: camping equipment, fishing gear, tools. Yup, tools. These are the things that mean something to him. The trench is narrow and the dirt must be removed by 5 gallon bucket. It's another dream home improvement project that could have been completely avoided had the original owners done it right to begin with.

Anyway, Jay removed three small evergreens in front of the garage so that he could maneuver. Behind the stumps we found a boneyard. From the contents, it looks like Elizabeth's. She was the previous potter here, between the Craven's and us. I'm not sure how long she worked here, but she left buckets of unlabelled glazes, multiple shelves of shoddy bisqueware and apparently a boneyard to rival that of a potter with twice her years worth of work. I raked up 4 boxes of broken pottery and added to them several broken Craven pieces. It was another exercise in ownership.

Personally, I don't believe in boneyards. I will not live forever, and someone will be left to deal with my unwanted pots. I hammer up my rejects and with deep regret include them with my household trash. If anyone has a better solution, I'm all ears. I just look at a boneyard like composting by tossing apple cores and onion peels straight into the backyard. It's just not the right thing to do.

What do you do with your rejects?

Why I Blog

2010-07-07T07:50:00.002-04:00

With the "Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story" Exhibit coming up, I've been trying to articulate why I decided to started and why I continue to blog. Quite simply, I started blogging because I have something to say. And since I work alone, there is no one to listen to me. That's where you come in.

I continue to blog because it has become something entirely different than what I had expected. Initially, I thought I would just chronicle the events, explain the work, and get it all out of my head. Like a writing assignment I've given myself. Then I realized that I actually enjoy writing.

However, I think the real shift came after I was invited to join this Exhibit, and I started readling so many other blogs. I thought to myself that if I was eager to sit at the computer and read about Linda's road trip, Michael's latest pottery challenge or Julia's chickens, perhaps others were just as eager to read about my crazy life. I entertained the possiblity that others might look forward to reading my blog, like I look forward to reading Tracey's, Gary's, and so many others.

During the TRAC Studio Tour last month, Steve Young came to my studio and interviewed me. I started out talking about my work, but since he was my captive audience, I got to talk about lots of things including blogging. The blogging clip is what he decided to include on his blog. Check it out here.

Home from Vacation and Getting a Dose of Vitamin G(arden)

2010-07-06T10:42:00.006-04:00

Hollyhocks

Purple Hydrangea

The kids and I spent last week in the Outer Banks with some great friends. Now, it's back to reality and what a doozy that is. Rather than dive directly into studio work, I thought I'd spend some time this morning in the garden.

Succulents in my pots

Latte in a Shane Mickey mug

Lavender with some Gladiolas in the background

Then I made it down to the studio for some throwing. I'm really trying to pick up the pace and contribute more to our household income. I'm pretty pleased at the rate I've been growing my art as a business. I'm narrowing down my shapes and glazes and am ready to branch out a little. I even think I'm ready to load my Etsy shop again.

Inspiration

2010-06-22T07:23:00.007-04:00

Way back in January, I posted about being inspired by watching how John Britt threw a couple of pots off center, thick and clunky and then just messed them up. I don't know if he ever finished the pots, but watching him got me thinking outside the box.

My work tends to be pretty clean and refined. The cylinders I start off with are often off-center, but you can't see that in the finished pots. I decided to try messing up some cylinders and making a basket out of them. Now, as you can see, I didn't really mess them up all that much. Has that ever happened to you? You think you're really changing things up and pushing the limits, when actually the end result isn't all that different.

I really like the basket, but it doesn't hold a candle to some of the crazy stuff I did in college. Even so, it's helping me to get over my fear of experimenting with a little ugly.

Pottery Models

2010-06-17T10:28:00.005-04:00

I usually take the week following the Studio Tour off from pottery. This is also the kids first week of summer break. I had planned on taking them to the Aquarium in Gatlinburg, swimming in the river and the like. And then, we saw a friend's Facebook post about two stray kittens...

We did not end up adopting the kittens she found. They were still in quarantine at Mitchell County Animal Rescue, so we decided to visit the Yancey County Animal Shelter, where Allison wants to volunteer this summer anyway. We had our pick of 4 kittens who had just returned from being spayed and neutered. Allison named her short-haired calico "Deziree" and Ben kept the shelter's name "Flash" for his long-haired tabby. It's been 17 years since I've had a kitten around. They're a lot like fast-moving toddlers.

Except I wouldn't let a toddler near my pottery.

The End of the Trail

2010-06-15T09:50:00.002-04:00

Jay called me last night at 10:30 to tell me he was looking at the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Oregon. I'm really proud of him for setting a goal and reaching it. I'm already living my dream. I'm so glad he could live out his, too.

Trans-America Trail Week 3

2010-06-14T17:17:00.008-04:00

Nothern California

Well, I have to be honest that Jay's name has been synonymous with dirt this past week. I had two glaze firings, Allison's chorus concert, two end-of-year award ceremonies (one of which I could not attend), and all the yard work and clean up leading up to the Studio Tour. I wasn't too happy at having to handle all of it alone, but my Mom raised me to be a capable girl. I pulled it off, and the kids really came through though, too, opting to complete the long list of indoor chores while I weeded the garden. Smart kids.

Camp Somewhere

So now that the Tour is over, sales were down 40% from last year, unless you consider that I sold two pieces out of the Tour exhibit, and this is the first year I am represented in several galleries in the area. Those checks will start rolling in in a few weeks, and I will stop wondering if potential customers drove by my place, overgrown with weeds as it is...

I wish I had more information on my travelling husband. However, he has been without a cell signal most of the time. I do know that they had a terrible time getting through some of the NV desert and were forced to turn back on countless passages through the mountains of NV getting into CA. A waitress along the way informed Jay and Bruce that she doesn't usually see TAT riders until sometime in July. Timing is everything. I thought it was location, location, location.

Denied

When we spoke on Saturday, Jay told me he is dirty, sore, and tired. His GPS quit working a few days ago (Bruce's quit back in OK), so they must rely on maps and the roll chart that they didn't put together (remember that this is a trail with no roads...). And he and Bruce are quibbling a little bit. And he's nearly out of money. Good thing he's already bought his ticket home, although I'm not sure he sounded as if he wants to come home yet. He did express his desire to drive his car once he's home. Usually the motorcycle is a gas-saver in the summer. Perhaps this year not so much.

By now, I suppose Jay is somewhere in OR. The trail ends in Coos Bay (I think). He's taking the red-eye out of Portland Friday night. And from here on out, he needs his own blog. Stay tuned.

Studio Tour and More

2010-06-13T15:26:00.008-04:00

I feel like I've been in a daze for the past several days, ever since the late night firing Tuesday. I think the stress of having Jay gone for so long is catching up with me. My blood pressure was up at the doc's office the other day.

Moth on a pile of pottery

The kids are out of school for the summer, and the Studio Tour is winding up. Traffic has been slower than last year, but I thoroughly enjoy talking to the people that stop by. I have gotten a few new ideas from visitors that I'll take up when I get back into the studio later this month.

Butterfly on an ikebana dish

I've been working on taking new photographs of my pieces. I bought 300 watt compact fluorescent bulbs (which are in no way compact at all), however, the base of the bulb is too large to fit 2 of my 3 clamp lights, so I am using one as the overhead light and 100 watt CFLs for the side lighting. My camera has 3 fluorescent light settings: cool, warm and daylight. I decided to take photos using all three, as well as the automatic setting. Interestingly, all the fluorescent settings make the photos too yellow. The automatic setting seems to work just fine.

Now I'll be able to update my website and get some images sent to Meredith for the Clay and Blogs Exhibit.

One Down, One To Go

2010-06-07T20:09:00.006-04:00

The kiln fired off without a hitch Saturday morning. I'm very pleased with the results. It's weird only using 4 glazes though. It makes glazing go a whole lot faster, but somehow it just seems wrong. I'll post pictures of the pieces using my new found photography skills next week. I forgot to take a before photo of load #2.

In the meantime, I've been getting ready for the TRAC Studio Tour. There is always more to do than I realize, especially when you throw in the end-of-year school happenings and the fact that I am missing a very useful spouse. And I am hosting the Clay Club meeting at my studio tomorrow night from 6-8 pm. Drop by if you're in the neighborhood.

With the studio, gallery and bathroom already clean, maybe I'll finally have a moment or two to myself before the rush of visitors this weekend. Then again, I'm sure there's a pile of laundry with my name on it.

Trans-America Trail Week 2

2010-06-05T04:15:00.008-04:00

Bruce in the Colorado Snow

We last left our adventurers in Colorado. It took a surprising long time to get out of Colorado. Towards the end of last week, they were turned around at two mountain passes due to snow. They ended up taking a (yikes!) paved road for 20 miles or so to get into Utah.

Jay in Arches

Jay in the lower left, Northwindow

They spent two day in Moab, UT, doing some hiking in Arches National Park. Then they moved on to Canyonlands for a couple of nights. Somewhere along the way Bruce's brakepads wore out as well as one of his tires.

Highway 279, Canyonlands

I got a call from Jay Thursday night asking me to look online for a bike shop in or near Salina UT. His rear brake pads were shot, and he couldn't get the bike to go faster than about 45 mph. I found a shop for him, but they didn't have the brake pads he needed, so they spent the better part of yesterday travelling to a town 100 miles away to get them, going 45 mph on a highway with a 75 mph speed limit! As it turns out, his air filter was clogged with sand after 30 miles of desert riding.

They've been in a motel for the past two days, so they should be well rested for the next leg of the journey: into the desert of Nevada.

Another Load Ready to Go

2010-06-03T20:21:00.006-04:00

I am extremely inept at judging how much work can fit inside a kiln. I was able to fit what I thought would be two bisque loads into one in the big Oval. I do enjoy the challenge of fitting as much as I can into a kiln, but was pleasantly surprised when I realized I would not have to fire the bisque twice this week.

Then as I am loading the glaze kiln, I make the astute observation that the 18 cu ft Bailey that I thought was SO large when we bought this place, is actually not large enough to hold all of my pots. Not by a long shot. And this is not the first time this has happened. In fact it happens almost every time I am ready to fire.

So, I'll fire one load Saturday morning and then another Tuesday in between my mammogram appointment and folks from the Senior Center coming to see the studio. It's all got to get done somehow.

EnergyXchange

2010-06-01T21:04:00.004-04:00

Mark Peters put out a call for volunteers to help work on the wood kiln he's building up at the EnergyXchange. I was happy to get out of the house and away from my "to do" list for a while, considering that my list just got longer. It turns out that I have to trek down to Asheville tomorrow for some glaze ingredients rather than actually starting to glaze.

Anyway, I was given the task of building the bagwall. A recent ASU grad named Brandon cut the bricks while I stacked them according to Mark's careful measurements. No pics since I didn't have my camera, but I'll go up and take a picure of the whole kiln. It's pretty big since it's designed to burn whole pallets.

I think I have a pallet lying around here somewhere.

Can You Get the Phone?

2010-05-29T06:01:00.005-04:00

No, I haven't heard from Jay since Wednesday evening. He and Bruce are/were headed towards the Rocky Mountains, and although I'm not at all certain of the route, Jay was pretty certain cell coverage would be spotty or non-existent.

In the meantime, I got a call from the TRAC gallery in Spruce Pine asking me to bring another piece for the Studio Tour Exhibit. It seems that someone came in yesterday and bought several pieces out of the exhibit. I don't even have a proper photograph of the basket that sold. I am going to buy the right bulbs today, so I can put to use all of the tips I learned in my photo class a couple of weeks ago.

I've got 9 new baskets drying, so I grabbed the little one above to replace the sold piece. They had also sold out of my heart bowls, and I'm nearly out of those at home too. I have 30 or 40 going into this next kiln load, but it's a cone 6 and they really like the cone 10 glazes. That's another learning curve: finding the right pace to work.

Trans-America Trail Update

2010-05-27T08:19:00.011-04:00

Leg One of the trip was from our house to Jay's folks' house in TN. They loaded the bike in the back of Don's truck and headed for OK. They met up with Bruce around noon Sunday and started on their way. I joked with my MIL that it was every mother's dream to leave their kid by the side of a dirt road and drive off. She said they did stop the truck and take the time to say goodbye.

They set up camp Sunday night at the north end of Oologah Lake, OK.

Monday night, the guys made it to Alabaster Caverns State Park, OK. Jay ended up spending 2 hours in the campground bathroom due to a tornado warning in the county.

New Mexico State Line

By Tuesday, they blew through the OK panhandle, cut the corner of NM and made it to Trinidad, CO for the night. Lots sand in OK, and NM was "most amazing". Jay blew a fuse, didn't have a replacement, and had to bump start for half the day until they found a town. He called me at 1 am eastern and talked to me for half an hour. Even though he was exhausted (and a bit drunk), I could hear the exhiliration in his voice.

Colorado, Day 4

Wednesday was a short day. They got off the road a little after noon mountain time and camped in Lathrop State Park. The cell signal was good, so the kids and I got to talk with Jay for a while.

From here on out, it will be a toss of the dice if he'll be able to call when they stop for the day. He'll send text messages along the way to our home email. I send a text every time I go into town (no cell signal at the house). Allison is getting practice as I drive her to school. I bought a new Tracfone with a camera so I can send photos, but haven't figured out how to activate it yet.

Ben really misses his Dad, but he's got a sleepover with a friend this weekend to help distract him. I'm not making any new work until after the Studio Tour, so I'll have more time for the kids. Jay's only been gone a week. We have 3 to go.

The Immediate Danger Has Passed

2010-05-25T19:47:00.002-04:00

I have a homeowner's insurance quote from a carrier that doesn't care about the kiln! I'm still going to move it outside, but now I can take my time and plan it right. Whew.

What I Missed Out On in Middle School

2010-05-25T08:22:00.007-04:00

I was a dorky, scrawny, flat-chested middle-schooler with bad hair. I had some good friends (who are now Facebook friends), but I was unpopular. I was smart, but not as smart as my older sister (Dr. Lynne, the college professor). I excelled at Art and Home Ec. That's funnier than you know.

I didn't make the cheerleading squad, for which I am now eternally grateful as I would not have met some of the best friends I've ever had who all would have shunned and pitied me. I didn't have Nikes when EVERYONE was wearing Nikes. I had really bad hair, curly that wouldn't "feather" if I'd been part bird.

I also didn't have regular dental visits, and thus when I turned 18, I had to have 4 fillings and my wisdom teeth removed in short order. I also didn't have braces.

Fast forward to January 2010, when I start to suffer some significant jaw pain. I honestly thought I had hit my head sledding, because I went from being pain-free one day to not being able to bite my toast the next. After 6 weeks, I mention the pain to my dentist who proceeds to take some of the most unflattering photos and molds of my mouth. He refers me to an orthodontist who does the same, even charging the same to analyze the photos and molds.

All of this culminates in my getting braces yesterday at age 43 to correct a malaligned bit. They are slightly uncomfortable and turn eating into a chore. Maybe I'll be able to drop those extra 20 pounds. I can't eat popcorn which is one of my favorite things to eat. I have to learn to talk without spitting. I will worry that my morning latte will stain my teeth, leaving a white dot on each one after the braces come off. I wonder if people will think I am vain.

The kids have been kind. They just tell me I look so different. Then Ben gets that gleam in his eye and wonders aloud if a Magnetix will stick. And so it goes that I become a science experiment.

First Bisque in the Evenheat Oval

2010-05-22T16:35:00.005-04:00

I test fired this kiln earlier this spring, but hadn't loaded up a bisque until today. I can't find the 24" half-rounds that I need anywhere, even online, so I'm making due with my 21" halves and staggering my 21" full shelves in the middle. I know it's not very efficient. I've got a lot of dead space. But this kiln is huge. I can't believe how much work I can fit inside!

It's the most cockamamie arrangement I've ever loaded, but I can fit two large baskets in. Hopefully these will be in the Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story exhibit in October. I'm happy to get them into the bisque without incident. I can be a bit of a bull in my own china shop sometimes.

The bottom of the kiln and where the 2 full rounds overlap. Clever, eh?

I've got 2 baskets that won't fit on a 21" shelf. Stupid question: Can I use my ultra-heavy gas kiln shelves in the electric kiln?

Positive Squared

2010-05-21T22:49:00.006-04:00

Taking a break from whining about my insurance woes, to blog about a friend who has some actual problems. Shawn is a friend of mine from way back in middle school. Actually, he was my first boyfriend in 7th grade. It lasted about a month, and we were too shy to even hold hands. I cried in school when he broke up with me. How humilating. Didn't middle school suck? More on middle school next week.

Shawn is a talented musician as well as an all around nice guy. This kind of thing could happen to anyone.

Copied from Shahin's website:

"On January 23, 2010, Shahin (Shawn) Sharifi underwent emergency surgery to remove a serious staph infection from his cervical spine. A spinal epidural abscess had left him paralyzed from the chest down. The surgery was successful; however Shawn remained paralyzed. Six weeks later, he was finally able to wiggle his toes, and had regained strength in his upper body. He has since regained some conscious movement and strength in his legs. His surgeon says that now that movement has returned, there is no limit to how far he can recover. Shawn is determined to kick this paralysis in the ass.

"In spite of this extreme life-changing event, Shawn has maintained an incredibly positive attitude. In fact, his mantra after the surgery inspired the name of this benefit concert: Positive². Positive Thought Combined with Positive Action Brings About Positive Results.

"Our goal with Positive² is to spread this message, and raise funds to help Shawn adapt to his new, unexpected life. 100% of proceeds will go toward hospital bills, intensive physical therapy, lost income and home renovations to aid Shawn in his daily activities. They will also be used to establish an education fund for Shawn's new career path."

I can't be in Virginia for the benefit Saturday, so I donated a basket as well as a couple of wine sets for the silent auction. If you've ever felt the urge to help someone in need, maybe you'll feel like helping my friend. If not, that's okay. Just let yourself be inspired by his drive and courage.

Going, Going, Gone

2010-05-21T16:01:00.007-04:00

New saddlebags, bought this morning

24,317 miles in 5 years

I am officially a single Mom for the next 4 weeks. This afternoon Jay left on his motorcycle adventure: finishing the TransAmerica Trail that he and his riding buddy Bruce started 2 years ago. He will ride to his parents place in Pulaski, TN today, change to his knobby tires and load the bike in his Dad's truck. Saturday, they'll head west, winding up in Natural Falls State Park in Oklahoma by Sunday, where he will meet Bruce.

Since the TAT is off-road, Jay's not sure he'll be able to check in daily, but as soon as I know where he is, you'll know. We have a wall map from his last trip which the kids and I will update as often as we can.

Moving the Kilns

2010-05-20T06:20:00.002-04:00

After 3 weeks of searching for a homeowner's insurance policy, it seems that the sticking point is the kiln inside the house. It's a totally stupid place for a kiln. We knew it the first time we fired it. We also knew that the odds were better for a mouse chewing through electrical wires to start a fire than the kiln. However, we are not issuing insurance policies.

So, I am back to the idea of moving the kiln outside. I know I need a concrete pad. I'll call Bailey to get the specs. I'm pretty sure I can move it through the doors with a forklift. Gas and electricity need to be run. I have no idea what this will cost or how to choose where to put it. My current policy will not be renewed after June 12, so I either have to get it moved in 3 weeks or shutter the business until I can get it moved. I can't fire until I get a policy, so I guess I'm de facto shut down anyway.

I'm not sure this is the kind of project I can supervise on my own, but Jay leaves tomorrow for 4 weeks. The Studio Tour is in 3 weeks. I am feeling pretty screwed right now. And it's all my fault for being honest. I'll be neither the Cravens nor Blue Rock Studio were up front about the kiln.

I'm trying to look at the bright side. With the kilns outside, I could move my studio into the carport, freeing up the entire basement to eventually be finished for living space, and maybe even a guest room. I'd love to have natural light in the studio and not have to shlep clay and pots up and down the stairs.

Stay tuned for developments.

Digital Photo Workshop

2010-05-17T15:27:00.008-04:00

I learned how to better work my camera at yesterday's workshop with John Britt and Joy Tanner. I learned that my colors are not true because I have not matched my camera settings to my light source. I learned that glossy glazes are a pain in the ass to photograph.

I can't say I was able to apply any of that knowledge to my computer or my photo software. I had an abundance of troubles simply getting the images off of the SD card. My card reader is messed up and will only read any card once. Then I have to reboot. We have multiple cameras, so I have two software programs, one of which I have never used. All of the images showed up there, but then I couldn't figure out how to do anything with them.

Eventually I managed to get the images I wanted onto the correct program and was able to email them to John so he could post them to the Clay Club blog.

The top images are the new ones. The bottom ones are my originals. Once I take new ones with my set up at home, I think the difference will be remarkable. I'll post some before and after shots in a couple of weeks.

I think I can figure all this out. First I have to decide which camera to use. My old Fujifilm has more features, but is only 3.2 megapixels. The other camera is a Kodak EasyShare which is 10 megapixels but lacks as many white balance options.

Then we discovered photographing my baskets presents quite a challenge. I have multiple hot spots and for some reason, even with Joy's camera and Joy taking the photo, the far rim isn't in focus. Bah.

Being able to photograph your own work is an important skill to have. John and Joy really know what they're talking about. John even gave us the skinny on being a juror and how quickly a piece can be rejected just because of the poor quality of the photo. They do these workshops a few times a year, and it is well worth the time and money.

Plus, they both love to cook, and lunch was delicious. They posted their recipes on the Clay Club blog.

It Shouldn't Be This Complicated

2010-05-13T14:43:00.007-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I spent an inordinate amount of time scheduling my studio time, juggling both cone 10 and cone 6 work. I had worked everything out to the last day I could work wet in cone 10 to the day when I would fire the cone 6 glaze load. All of this jockeying was so that I'd have plenty of work in time for the TRAC Studio Tour.

One week of nursing sick children can really throw me off of my game.

fever at 3 pm Thursday

Early this morning, getting back into bed after 3 am "Mommy" duty, I realized that the only cone 10 work I have finished are the 3 large baskets above. The cone 10 work I would have made this week and next would never have been enough to fill the glaze kiln anyway. I have plenty of cone 6 work, much of ready to be bisqued.

So I decided to stop berating myself for not getting it all done. Without having to worry about glaze firing two loads, I can relax and enjoy the next week and a half with Jay before he leaves on his month-long motorcycle trip. He still hasn't come up with a blog title. Any ideas?

I'm not sure why I felt that I needed to have both sets of work going. I guess I wanted to have pieces in all of my favorite glazes some of which are cone 6 and some are cone 10. I suppose the touring masses will have to do without my wine bottle coasters in black, speckled white and shino.

Two large cone 6 baskets

Perhaps at some point in the future, I will narrow my glazes down and simplify my studio life. But I'm not quite ready to do that just yet.

While the Cat is Away, the Mouse will Play Lumberjack.

2010-05-11T12:34:00.002-04:00

Then she'll think better of it realizing that she'd have to use the chainsaw over her head. Instead wee mousie embraces the wussie-girl that she is and call her neighbor, Paul Bunyan to help cut up the tree that fell across the driveway.

Garden is Starting to Bloom

2010-05-01T08:51:00.006-04:00

My favorite daffodils are finished blooming as are the few tulips I've found. I took this photo last weekend after it rained overnight. I like the way the drops held onto the edge of the drooping petal.

The wisteria covers the porch at the far end of the house. It looks so gorgeous, especially now that I have pulled most of the poison ivy out of it. We have to wait until the bees are finished to retrieve the badminton birdie lost up there.

The azaleas are looking pretty. The white flowers in the foreground are on a small tree which a customer told me is a "Snowball". The flower "balls" are clusters of flowers like a hydrangea.

I think this one is called a "Flame Azalea". It is right outside of Allison's window.

Claiming My Space

2010-04-29T17:30:00.006-04:00

When we moved in, we liked the fact that this place had been "a successful pottery business" according to the MLS sheet. Ian and Jo Lydia Craven worked hard and made a name for themselves up here. They left some equipment when they moved: the kiln, an electric slab roller, the ironing board. They also left a wall of postcards, photos and mementos in the kiln room. We thought it was pretty cool that the place had some history.

Then we got more of a history lesson. This house needs WAY more work than we initially thought, which requires WAY more money than we have. Some of the "modifications" that were made were WAY not up to code. No wonder they moved. In all fairness, I can't blame the Cravens. We bought the house from the person who bought the house from the Cravens. Maybe the Cravens didn't do it. But someone did. And we have to clean up the mess. Lucky us.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided I was going to take down the memorabilia in the kiln room. I suppose I am finally ready to claim the territory as my own, just like when we ripped out the sorry-ass basement walls and bathroom.
So today, I took down the postcards, photos and drawings, the restaurant menus, opening announcements and even the "Ross Perot for President" bumper sticker. Then I got out my white sage smudge stick and cleared the energy. Ben joined in, not because he believes in it, but just because he likes to light things on fire. Don't we all?

The place smells like my college dorm room, but it's mine now. Let's hope the insurance adjuster doesn't make a surprise visit.

Temporary Hiatus from Potter to Insurance Shopper

2010-04-26T09:02:00.003-04:00

This sucks. I decided to tell the truth since I am at heart an honest person, and I had the feeling that I was trying to get away with something. I fessed up to my homeowner's insurance company that I was "starting" to run a business out of my house, that I had a gallery space open to the public, and oh, by the way, I have a gas kiln in my enclosed car port that incidentally is attached to my house.

I was very clear that my main concern was this kiln. I assumed that there must be some kind of coverage since I am the third potter in this house to have used this kiln. I did not install it there. Surely the other two had coverage.

The agent on the phone assured me that the kiln would be covered under my homeowner's policy. Then she transferred me to someone who set me up with a business liability policy. At that point, I was feeling pretty responsible.

Unfortunately, the feeling was fleeting. After reviewing the information I gave them, they wrote to inform me that they are not renewing my policy when it comes up in June. If anything happens between now and June 12, my claim would be denied regardless of whether the kiln is involved or not.

I understand a written letter is the legal way to handle the matter, but I have used this company to insure my cars since I was 17. This is the fourth house I've insured with them. Isn't a 25 year relationship worth a phone call?

I Love Foam!

2010-04-20T10:57:00.008-04:00

I really don't know what I'd do if I didn't have foam to prop up my handles. I do need to restock my foam collection. Many pieces are too small, and I am forced to stack them precariously to reach the heights I need.

I have been working on these 3 larger baskets for the past week. I attached the handles last night after dinner.

I should quit bitching about working after dinner. I was only in the studio for an hour. Big deal.

Now I just have to babysit them while they dry and watch for cracks.

The Artist-Mom

2010-04-19T17:43:00.004-04:00

I've been thinking a lot about how best to juggle pottery and motherhood. At last week's Clay Club meeting, I was talking with fellow Potter-Moms, Erin Campbell and Jennifer Goff about trying to find enough time to be a good mom to our kids (we each have two), keep up with all the household chores, and make pottery. Sounds like the same dilemma all working Moms face. I want to blog about this without the whole working inside vs working outside the home business.

Do Potter-Dads have it this tough? Do they feel the guilt of needing to fire on Monday, but can't because that's the day I volunteer at school? Or the shame of missing their kid's awards ceremony because that hair appointment was made weeks ago, and who knew that report cards would be delayed by weeks due to snow days. BTW the haircut was SO worth it.

From 8 am until 2 pm, I have time for pottery, laundry, grocery shopping, and house cleaning. I'm sure there are other things I have to do, like bill paying or exercising. And since Jay not only works an 8 hour day, he commutes for 2+ hours a day just so we could live in this lovely house with a lovely studio, I have to cook dinner every night. And people wonder why he's so skinny...

While there are times when I could spend 6 or 7 hours in the studio, my work generally is done in stages, and needs time to dry a bit before I can go on to the next stage. Frankly 6 or 7 hours would probably cripple me for a day or two, so I don't do it. But I still don't seem to have time to get it all done. There was one day of unexpected errand-running last week, so I am finishing last week's work today. I might even have to work after dinner. And I hate to work after dinner.

I'm not grouching about my life. I am eternally grateful that Jay has a good job which allows me to be a potter. I'm just wondering if there is a Time Management Fairy out there who could show me the way.

Transitioning from Vacation Brain to Whatever Brain I create with...

2010-04-15T17:42:00.004-04:00

Jay and I joined several of our close friends on Grand Oasis, a chartered trimaran, for 7 days a couple of weeks ago. In no way can I describe how gorgeous the British Virgin Islands are. My photos cannot do them justice. You've got to go! My friend Jan will be guest blogging about the trip since she kept a travel journal of our adventures.

When we returned, I was exhausted. It took several days to regain my land legs. I'm sure it was pretty comical to see me swaying as I stood still. The kids were on Spring Break the week after we got back, so I didn't have to jump right back into work, but poor Jay did. He took a day off midweek to sleep and try to snap out of it. We rarely take a vacation, so it really knocked us for a loop. Are you feeling sorry for me yet?

Anyway, I'm back in the studio this week and feeling great. And we had an awesome Clay Club meeting last night hosted by Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts. It's been a long, hard winter and seeing old faces and meeting new clay artists was just what the spirit called for. Even with gorgeous weather outside, I'm itching to get into some new work.

I'm reorganizing the gallery and collecting work for the Toe River Craft Shop when it reopens May 1st. I'm going to try to get 3 kilns fired before Jay leaves for his TAT trip in May. I've got about 1/2 a kiln of work I need to refire plus one big basket that couldn't fit into my last kilnload of 2009.

My other dilemma is that I need to move the Bailey. It sits in an enclosed carport attached to my house, with attic space above. The ceiling is wood and the burners are no more than 24" from the plywood wall behind the kiln. John Britt has seen it and when I asked him how hard it is to move a kiln, he said I could have it moved with a forklift. I might even be able to get it out the door without knocking out a wall.

I have to decide where to move it, and then build some sort of shelter overhead. I'm not sure how much it will cost, but I suppose it's better than living in a Yurt for the rest of my life after my house burns down and my insurance doesn't cover it.

A Body of Work

2010-03-16T10:39:00.003-04:00

As I enter my second year of working in clay full time, I've been thinking about this a lot lately. What exactly do you mean when you say a body of work?

All of my pieces are formed in the same way and appear to be related. I really think the viewer can tell they come from the same artist. However, a lot of artists have certain surface designs or firing methods, such as wood or soda that help unify their work.

I love glaze, I mean really love glaze. I love to test new glazes, and I have a tough time limiting myself in the studio.

I have a cone 10 black, white and shino. I have a cone 6 yellow, blue, and plum. I have a couple of crossover glazes: a glossy brown, which is identical in cone 6 or 10, and Rob's Green, which is more of a matt pine green in cone 6 and a glossy, almost metallic green in cone 10. Then I have some cone 10 glazes that look awesome layered. Oh, and I have a couple of Fake Ash glazes that look pretty great.

I find myself wondering how a certain pot will look in such-and-such a glaze. What I have ended up with is a hodge-podge of pieces in my show space and thus a hodge-podge of work to take to galleries.

Do galleries want to see only a few glazes? Do I send all of my cone 6 work to one gallery and cone 10 to another? Should I reserve certain glazes for my functional and others for my decorative pieces? When you send pictures for jurying, should the work have all the same glaze, or at least glazes that look good together?

I'm sure it would simplify my life if I limited myself to only a handful of glazes but would I have as much fun? I'd certainly get the kiln loaded faster.

Should I get off my schizo-rant and give myself a break? I've only been reduction firing again for a year and a half. Perhaps I should give myself the freedom to make however many glazes I can stand and then begin to scale back as I lose interest.

In the meantime, I still need to figure out how to present myself and my work to galleries and guilds so they can will take me seriously.

The Runt is Travelling West

2010-03-09T16:01:00.006-05:00

There she goes

Brenda came by this weekend to pick up the Runt and say goodbye as she moves west. Her truck was pretty loaded down already, but Jay built a nice crate around the kiln, and we stuffed every nook and cranny with her belongings. Jay took a look under the hood, replaced a faulty O2 sensor and gave the truck a clean bill of health. 200K+ miles on the odometer would make many of us reconsider the road trip from South Carolina (where she started) to Colorado, but not a determined gal like Brenda.

That little Evenheat aka the Runt (thanks to a comment by Jim Gottuso) has been a very reliable kiln over the 9 years that I used her. I'm ready to move on and hopefully the oval Evenheat that Brenda traded me will prove to be just as reliable. I've still got a bit more work to do before I can fill up a bisque load.

The Runt

Brenda really became part of our family, as we've seen her several times over the past year. I'm sad to see her go, but her journey is taking her back to some of her artistic roots. Besides, her son still lives an hour or so from me, so I know she'll be back to visit.

Life's Short, Buy the Shoes

2010-02-27T13:44:00.009-05:00

This was the posted facebook status of a friend of mine. And guess what? I DID buy shoes this week. On sale. They are Earth shoes, but not like those Earth shoes from my adolescence. You remember the ones: brown suede with wavy soles. Then in middle school, we all wore GASS shoes from Kinney's, the Great American Shoe Store. Jay doesn't remember them. He says he wore Hush Puppies. I told him my grandfather wore Hush Puppies.

I usually work in the studio wearing flip flops or old bedroom slippers, but they tend to fly off when I use the kickwheel. I have found that as I creep toward my mid-forties, my back and feet hurt more after long days in the studio. These shoes feel great. I don't care if I look like a dork. At least I'm not wearing my grandpa's shoes.

As far as the slab roller goes, it actually goes. The switch wiring for the pusher bar has been disconnected, but I read on clayart where another potter, who had found using the pusher bar problematic, replaced it with a foot pedal. Even without it, I still have to have one hand on the switch for the motor to stay on. Not as safe as both hands, but my husband, Dr. Safety is satisfied.

Mother Nature is still not giving us a break. We got another 6" of snow Tuesday, which translated into two more snow days for the kids. That means another half day of school this Saturday to make a slight dent in the days they've missed this winter. They were in school last Saturday, too. Jay and I used the time wisely. We got the car washed, went out for coffee, did a little shopping for a lawn tractor (to which we can attach a snow plow), bought the fixings for fish tacos and finally got a pair of new tires for the Prius. While we didn't exactly do the 3/50, we did the 2/150. It all evens out in the end. I can't imagine what we'll do this week.

My friend Sarah across the road has crocuses popping up in her yard. Mine are buried under several inches of snow in the photo above, which was taken before yesterday's snow. Too bad we didn't find a tractor last weekend. I could have used it yesterday. It's supposed to reach the high 50's this weekend. Maybe even warm enough for Jay to take the KLR out for a spin.

Maybe I can wear my new stylin' shoes instead of snow boots.

Another Episode of Working Harder Not Smarter

2010-02-25T19:32:00.006-05:00

This has nothing to do with shovelling or pickaxing snow. This is another example of doing what you know, even though there is a much easier way to accomplish the same task. I'm talking slabs.

Nearly all my pieces are thrown and pieced with a slab bottom attached. A year or so before we moved here, when I was still working in my little 10x12 garden shed, I upgraded from an old kitchen rolling pin to a serious 28" one. I have a collection of dowel rods to keep thicknesses uniform. It's a reliable system.

I haven't mentioned (or maybe I have) that the house came with a Bailey electric slab roller. Some folks leave you draperies or kitchen appliances. We got a slab roller. It's huge and heavy and the renters before us just made it part of their room decor.

It's missing the instruction manual and the pusher bar. There is some black electrical tape on what Jay thinks might be a safety/kill switch, but who really knows. I am completely intimidated by this thing, so as you can see I just put crap on it.

After rolling a few slabs today, I have decided to, at the very least, plug the thing in this weekend and see what happens. I guess this means another call to Bailey for the instructions. I'm sure I'll be glad once I get it going.

Now where am I going to put all that junk?

Monday, Monday

2010-02-22T10:06:00.006-05:00

Rain Rain stay and play! Come and melt this snow away!

Today feels like a normal Monday. The kids have not attended school on time on a Monday since before Winter break. I even welcomed their grumbling and long faces in return for the opportunity for life to return to normal. I'm surprised they weren't more excited about going to school. I'm not a great cook nor have I been much of an entertainer on all these days off.

Into the studio for the first time in a long time. I threw a half dozen bowls and some cylinders for some angled wine bottle coasters. I still don't know if they will crack in the 56 degree basement, so I'm not going to make too many.I test fired the Oval kiln yesterday. Zero to ^08 in 7 hours. The timer works, as does the kiln sitter. Yippee! It stunk though. There is no way to know how long since it's been fired. There is a spot on the lid that smoked and smelled like wax at the end of the firing. I don't think it's wax though, because it looks like something stuck there, and when it was removed, it took parts of soft brick with it.
So Monday goes on. I have time for some yoga before volunteering at Ben's school library. I'm not even thinking about the snow forecast for Wednesday.

It's Getting Crowded in Here

2010-02-17T16:10:00.005-05:00

It seems like the kiln room is the dumping ground for everything. Jay moved his motorcycle in to make room in the garage for lumber, etc for the basement remodel. The trash and recycling is piling up, since we can't get the truck up the driveway to haul it away. And a couple of months ago, my college studio-mate Brenda brought her "coffin" kiln, an Evenheat her brother found for her which had been wired to basically bypass all the switches. A WTF kiln to go with my WTF house.

Jay properly rewired the kiln last weekend, and it's ready for testing. I'm guessing Jay wants his bike out of the kiln room as well as the big plastic tub of kids' toys before I fire it up. When I bought my first used electric kiln, I just plugged it in, filled it with greenware and fired a bisque load. This time, I have no bisqueware so I guess I'll load it with a few empty shelves and a couple of cone packs so I can keep an eye on its progress.

You see, Bren is moving to Michigan next week and is taking the Runt with her. Yup, that's it, next to the motorcycle, hiding behind those sleds. The kiln trade was her idea, and I am grateful to have her big kiln. I won't have to fire so many bisque loads in order to fill the Bailey. The smaller kiln suits her needs better also. Looks like a win-win, except for the moving to Michigan part. I have enjoyed working with Bren again after all these years. Alas, her life path is taking her elsewhere, and I'm happy for her. I'll miss her, but she's a great letter-writer, that lost art form.

Now if she'd only start blogging.

We Have a Plan

2010-02-10T18:51:00.005-05:00

After a week, I finally have come to the realization that I must have sprained 2 fingers on my left hand sledding last week. They are slightly swollen and painful. It doesn't help that I keep going about my usual business around the house. I even crept into the studio and wedged some clay.

I was nearly euphoric to smell the clay on my hands. I am dying to get back to work, but I have to accept the fact that January and February are just not conducive to studio work. It didn't work out last year either. My kids are certainly old enough to take care of themselves but eventually will resort to arguing, yelling and tattling.

Tomorrow makes snow day #10 for us in Yancey County NC. I have lost count of the 2 hour delays and early dismissals. The kids are completely out of their routine. The knowledge is seeping out of their pores with every waking hour. And this last round of winter weather is miserably cold and windy, so they can't even spend any time outdoors.

Today, I pulled out the slides from when my Mom and Grandparents lived in Alaska in the 50's. We found the slides titled "Big Snow 12/29/55". I think my hometown of Washington DC has more snow now. But, man, my Papa could shovel an orderly path. Gotta love those military guys.

So tomorrow we will start the day with some mandatory Dance Dance Revolution. Then we're moving on to reading hour (more for Allison since we can't make her stop reading once she's started). Then Allison wants to sew, while Ben wants to cook something. Isn't this sort of like homeschooling?

Black and Blue

2010-02-06T09:30:00.004-05:00

As you can see, I have much too busy with other important work to be in the studio. We got about 8" of snow the last weekend of January and took full advantage. Friends from Asheville came up to get snowed in with us. After a day and a half of sledding here, we all headed to their house because ironically, Asheville received more snow than we did.

Three days and nights of sledding have left their mark on me inlcuding a palm-sized bruise on my left thigh (crashed into a tree) and a mildly sprained right ankle (crashed into a tree).

A tree I did not crash into

My driveway drama is over. I am crying "Uncle!" My fingers ache like they are arthritic from clearing the entire driveway by hand just in time for it to be covered first by 6" of snow by yesterday morning, and then an inch of ice throughout the day. I am officially throwing in the towel.

Tracey's got me thinking...

2010-01-28T08:42:00.008-05:00

I'm following a whole new list of blogs thanks to Meredith and the Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story exhibit coming up this fall. So I spend a bit more time at the computer reading blogs by other potters who are also spending a bit more time at the computer writing. This time of year finds a lot of us slower to start, more reluctant to get our hands cold and wet.

Yesterday I cleaned up the glazing mess and wedged some clay. Sometimes, I can rationalize my way out of working. I could throw cylinders today, but if I do, then I have to be able to work on them day after tomorrow and the forecast is snow and the kids will be out of school, so I'll get interrupted too often and the whole thing will dry too fast, and it will all be wasted, so my time would be better spent elsewhere. Like finding a better way of keeping my pieces wet or catching up on reruns of The West Wing.

I was reading Tracey Broome's blog this morning, and she got me thinking. She makes sculpture and some functional pots, too, but is never happy with the functional ware. I do the same thing. I'll be in the studio, looking over the shelves of work when it hits me that no one can actually use any of my pieces. So, I'll sit down at the wheel and throw some bowls, reminding myself that it's good to have some around to donate for Empty Bowls. I do throw cups for the Studio Tours simply because I can't stand the idea of using throw away cups for the cider and wine that I serve. I sell them cheap because they don't really match and are thrown too thin or have a rim that dribbles. When I tell people that I am a potter (not clay artist or ceramist), they immediately ask about dinner plates or soup mugs. I reply that I really don't make that sort of work because I don't enjoy it, and there are so many other folks who do it so much better than I ever could. I will talk about the artists who are represented in my own cupboard, why I like this potter's mugs or that one's bowls. Then these folks take a look at my work and try to figure out exactly what it's for. I feel compelled to be forthcoming about its lack of a specific function or else suggest some farfetched possible uses. Umm, one customer said she was going to use it for flatware...

I am completely content with not making traditionally functional pottery. I will still make bowls, not only because I believe in Empty Bowls and it feels good to donate, but because I really like trimming. I will still make cups for the Studio Tours twice a year, unless I have enough leftovers from the previous Tour. And I will continue to take suggestions from friendly folks as to how to use my pots. Lauren Bellero calls them "Room Jewelry".

Look What I Found in the Studio

2010-01-25T16:16:00.012-05:00

I haven't posted in a while because I haven't been doing much. This time of year is tough. The studio is cold, Jay has been working 60 hour weeks, a flurry or two will keep the kids home from school and as often happens, one of them is sick.

Today, I was planning on braving the chill and getting some pots thrown, as well as cleaning up from glazing...am I the only one who HATES cleaning up after glazing? I am usually so tired and completely put it out of my head. Anyway, Ben started running a fever yesterday so studio work was out. I got the laundry done instead. But who wants to read about that?

As some of you know, we bought this beautiful piece of property with a somewhat less than pristine house. I'm not sure who is guilty of the modifications, but we are determined to fix them. We have plenty of "what were they thinking" moments and are occasionally stopped in our tracks. Whenever studio news seems to be running dry, I think I'll visit the spots in my house that make me scratch my head.

I love my studio. It was in pretty good shape when we moved in. We took down some shelves that were rotted, and Jay replaced a sill plate and sistered up some floor joists. We knocked down walls and removed the window screens that divided the studio from the rest of the basement.

What I can't seem to get rid of is the built-in, fold-down ironing board. I assume that Jo Lydia needed the ironing board to press her doilies.

However, I am stumped as to how she was able to iron. When one attempts to fold the ironing board down, it hits an intake duct for the furnace. I have been unsuccessful in removing all of the nuts, and it's not really in the way, so I just live with it.

The notes are from Ben. Following my instructions not to be disturbed, he would drop notes for me through the "vent", which is simply a rectangular hole in the floor, I suppose where some ductwork was going to go.

It didn't.

Nothing Like Watching Cynthia and John Demo to Get You Going

2010-01-14T08:49:00.003-05:00

Well, a little heater would help, but...

Last night's Clay Club meeting was held at Cynthia Bringle's studio. We always have great food and last night was no exception. John Hartom brought a couple of pizzas from Pizzart in Spruce Pine. The Pesto pizza was divine.

We discussed a few business items and then Cynthia did a throwing demo for us. She really makes it look easy. John Britt followed with some "backwards" pots, throwing a few bowls from uncentered lumps of clay and generally just messing around with them.

I haven't been to a meeting since September and haven't made any new work since November, so my mind has not been on clay as much as usual. But any time I watch someone working with clay, I take home a new idea or two. John's method has got me thinking about braving the cold and trying something out.

I just might hijack that kerosene heater after all.

Are They Kidding?

2010-01-13T15:08:00.005-05:00

I just got my copy of the Yancey Common Times Journal and above the fold reads the headline: Council calls for alcohol vote. Can you believe it? The article goes on to say that grocery sales in Yancey County are down 6 1/2 % since Spruce Pine started alcohol sales. Duh.

Sounds like Yancey County wants a piece of that action. Burnsville is one of only three WNC towns, and Yancey is one of only two dry counties in NC where the sale of alcohol is illegal. Perhaps soon, we'll be joining the rest of the state on what some fear is a fast ride to hell. I'll drink to that!

Jay Needs a Blog Title Please...

2010-01-13T07:21:00.007-05:00

Heading off May 2008

Some of you know that my husband is an adventure motorcyclist. He and a friend rode part of the Trans-America Trail in 2008. They started in Jellico, TN and made it just over the Oklahoma border. We had just moved, and Jay's job did not afford him enough time off to go any further.

Home after 2 weeks away

Last summer, he was put in charge of a pretty big project which involved him being away from home for some time as well as working lots of long hours. He was rewarded with an extra week of vacation as well as some comp time. So he and his riding buddy have been contemplating finishing up the trail. They would take up where they left off and ride to the coast of Oregon.

In no way do we feel the need to ask each other for permission to do the things we want, but he did me the courtesy of explaining that if he were to go, he would be gone for 4 weeks, from the last week of May through the third week of June. That means, he'd be gone for all the end-of-year school programs. And he'll be gone for the TRAC Studio Tour and the frenzied couple of weeks leading up to the Tour. I'm a capable woman. I can do it alone. I might need a mini-vacation afterwards.

I told him to go for it. On one condition. He must blog about the trip. He's all for it. He appreciates the community of artists that I have found through blogging. Although we know it's not a requirement, he is a good writer, and he is passionate about riding. He's so excited that it's going to be 50 degrees on Friday so he can ride his motorcycle to work, no matter that the day will start in the 20's.

The KLR's winter home

He needs a blog title. Any ideas?

Bad Kitty

2010-01-11T18:14:00.003-05:00

All in all, Tinkerbell is a pretty cool cat. She's the stray that we've adopted from our neighbor, who has been away for some time.

The pros:

She is extremely affectionate

No litter box

She requires minimal care and attention

The cons:

The *snacks* she brings into the basement

The undesirable *bits* leftover from said snacks left here and there

As is her custom, she meowed yesterday morning to be let upstairs. Once we saw her, we immediately noticed that the right side of her face was very swollen, and she did not want to be held and petted. We suspected an abcess of some sort, but had to wait until this morning to get her to the vet. Sure enough, she had gotten into a tussle with another animal, got bit and developed an infection. Since we weren't sure exactly when her last round of shots was, they just gave her boosters for everything and dewormed her as well. $218 later, she is on the mend, but definitely looks worse for the wear. Poor kitty.

What I've Been Up To When I Haven't Been Shovelling

2010-01-11T17:59:00.005-05:00

I seem to have an unhealthy obsession with this driveway and all this damn snow and ice. I have been hauling groceries, luggage and pottery up the hill and forcing the kids to walk down the hill to ride to school (on those few days that they have actually gone to school). I'm not allowed to use the pickaxe, so Jay suggested the sledge hammer. It does and adequate job, but is not quite as satisfying to swing. Hopefully, the warmer temps later this week will assist me in my endeavors. Then I will gripe no more.

I wanted to post a couple of pictures from our holiday vacation. My father-in-law occasionally sings with some folks at a place called Sarge's Shack. They convinced Allison to get up in front and sing a few songs with them. She did a fine job and made her Grandpa very proud.

He's practicing on some new songs so they can sing some together the next time we visit.

Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story

2010-01-06T11:59:00.004-05:00

Several weeks ago I was contacted by Meredith Heywood of Whynot Pottery inviting me to join an exhibit she was trying to put together about potters who are also bloggers. Please read her latest blog entry describing the journey she's been on and how the idea for this show came about.

I'm excited to be involved in this exhibit. Keep reading for updates.

Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story
Opening reception will be held at the Campbell House in Moore county
from 6-8 pm
October 1st, 2010
Exhibition comes down on November 1st, 2010

Working Harder, Not Smarter

2010-01-06T07:00:00.005-05:00

A week after the December 18 snowstorm, Christmas Eve brought sleet and freezing rain. We decided to leave a day early to visit the in-laws in Tennessee. We thought that surely the snow and ice would be gone by the time we returned 5 days later.

We we half right. The snow on the driveway was indeed mostly gone, however the ice was now 3-4" thick in places. Jay had thrown his back out shovelling on Christmas Eve, and was still sleeping on a heating pad and swallowing handfuls of Ibuprofen. I decided to take matters into my own hands.My tool of choice was one of my favorites, and one I thought would be perfect for chipping the accumulated ice: my pickaxe. It did the trick, but after a couple of hours, my arms were so sore that I thought I'd need a straw to enjoy my New Year's Eve beverages. The pickaxe also left little chinks in the asphalt driveway, about which Jay was not pleased.

Jay is able to get the vehicles up and down the driveway, but I am not. So I threw a tantrum, insisting we park at the bottom whenever the forecast called for snow, so as not to pack down any more frozen precipitation, thus making it easier to clear and giving us a snowball's chance in Hell of ever parking at the house this winter. I got my way but am feeling pretty guilty, as Tuesday's snow never materialized, and Jay has had to walk both ways in the dark and beastly cold.

At least it's not uphill both ways.

Knoxville Arts and Culture Alliance Exhibit

2010-01-05T13:48:00.002-05:00

The reception for the Exhibit is Friday January 8 from 5-8 pm. The weather forecast is calling for more frigid weather and snow, so chances are that I cannot make it. I'm bummed out since this is the first juried show I've entered in a very long time, and I'm pretty excited about my work these days.

If you're in Knoxville, check out the show!

The Snowy View from Our Place

2009-12-21T10:24:00.011-05:00

This first day of Winter finds us still snowed in at the house. The sun is out, but I expect the piles of snow will take a while to melt away. Once it warms up a bit, we are headed to the bottom of the driveway to see if we can shovel a path for the truck to get out. The picture below shows the gravel part down to Highway 80 which has been clear since Saturday afternoon. We'll have to clear away the ice and snow that the snow plows left at the edge of the road.

Turn around and starting at the bottom of the driveway, we're going to have to clear much of the area in the foreground down to the gravel section. Unfortunately, this is where the wind whips through, and the drifts tend to deepen. The snow is nearly covering my "Parking Up Hill At Gallery" sign. There is no parking up the hill today.

Around the bend the truck awaits rescue from its snowy hell.

It's a long, moderately steep driveway covered by trees. It's way too much to shovel, and we're not sure how long it will take to melt enough for me to get the car out. Jay has to work, so I might be stuck at home until later in the week.

This little magnolia in the side yard seems to be the only casualty. It just couldn't bear the weight of the snow. I love magnolias, but this one was scrawny and had only a couple of blossoms each year. Perhaps this is not the climate for them. We found a bunny hole with some tracks, the only tracks we found besides Tinkerbell's. She hasn't found the bunnies yet, although she did catch a cardinal yesterday.

"I'm gonna put a bell around that cats neck. So when you hear him comin' you can grab all of your loved ones and get your lil' bunny asses runnin." from "Warning" by Keller Williams

Who Needs Chains or Snow Tires?

2009-12-20T17:21:00.007-05:00

I know our friends in Northern Virginia are not impressed with the foot of snow we got here in the mountains of Western North Carolina, but this has been our first big snow since moving here last year. I got my holiday packages mailed off and the fridge stocked Thursday afternoon before the storm hit. I was prepared at the house, but Jay's project in Marshall necessitated him getting to work Friday and Sunday. Not to worry, snow travel is not my area of expertise.

Friday travel was impossible, but we got our 4WD truck down the hill Saturday, only to have Jay bring it nearly back to the top that afternoon. He was concerned that the snow would drift over it overnight. It was backing up nicely, and then he hit a slick, pitched part of the driveway and slid the passenger wheels right off and into a brick lightpost, which thankfully kept the sucker from rolling down the mountain. Jay is unimpressed with the 4WD capabilities of this truck and is dearly missing his Trooper.
After a fair amount of shovelling over the past 2 days and a great tug from the van (she still has a little life left in her), we unstuck the truck. The truck has a dent in the side and is completely blocking the driveway, but it's not like we're going to take the Prius of the motorcycle anywhere. Job well done, now where is my Advil and beer?

The learning curve has been pretty steep this weekend, but we're stocked with food, propane and beer. We're only missing some good friends and a good round of Hand and Foot.

Which One of These is Not Like the Others?

2009-12-18T11:15:00.004-05:00

What makes these vehicles alike is that they all belong to us. Their differences are many however...

The black car is our newly purchased '07 Prius to replace the ailing van which has not moved since returning from a slow trip home early last week after the transmission got stuck in third. The pick-up (our 4WD) blew a rear brake seal and dumped a bunch of brake fluid on the driveway last night, hence it's rear-end in the garage (note the blue tarp across the opening so Jay doesn't get snowed on).

The van will be leaving us soon enough, and for the rest of the winter, I'm the proud driver of "Big Bertha". Next time I want to pick my own car.

Etsy Sale in time for Christmas

2009-12-18T07:23:00.005-05:00

I have added even more pottery to my Etsy site, and everything is still 10% off until December 24. I ship USPO Priority daily, so you can still get items for Christmas. If you want something shipped faster please "convo" me on Etsy. The Post Office is 2 miles down the road, so I can ship nearly anytime.

Updating Etsy

2009-12-08T06:13:00.009-05:00

After a long hiatus, I am loading up my Etsy Gallery with pottery. Everything is 10% off until December 24. So far, I have only heart bowls, but vases and wine coasters will go on today, then my cut up pots. I really need a creative name for them.

In other news, my van breathed its last sigh yesterday. The transmission got stuck in third while we were on our way to Ben's eye appointment in Asheville. Jay met me in Mars Hill, and we got it home, slowly, but alas, I must car shop this week. He's nearly certain that it's not worth fixing. Before he could look at the van though, he had to put his worn out chain back on the motorcycle and replace the belt tensioner in the truck.

So now, the van occupies the same spot that the Trooper vacated only last week after we had it towed away. It had been sitting since March when it blew a head gasket. I think Jay's daily 100+ mile round-trip commute is taking its toll on the vehicles.

So my job today (along with posting more pots on Etsy), is to procure financing and visit local car dealers. Jay would never agree to a brand new vehicle, but, as much as he hates a car payment, I think he'll go for something that he can spend more time driving than climbing underneath. I'll bet he wouldn't mind something that is more of a babe magnet than a gold minivan. And afterall, it is December. A little cold for even Jay to truly enjoy motorcycle commuting.

TRAC Studio Tour this weekend

2009-12-04T15:11:00.005-05:00

Don't let snow warnings scare you! Us mountainfolk are so nice, we'll help tow your car out or just put you up for the night! Over 100 artists in Yancey and Mitchell counties in Western North Carolina are opening their studios for you to visit. The Tour runs Friday 12-4, Saturday and Sunday 10-5. It's a terrific opportunity to buy local, handmade artwork and meet the artists who create that work. Read more about the Studio Tour at http://www.toeriverarts.org/ and come to the Artists' Reception tonight from 5-8 at the TRAC Gallery in Spruce Pine.

I've got lots of new baskets, several that I just unloaded this morning. I've also got hot mulled apple cider or pinot noir that you can sip from my handmade cups. Snack on crackers with basil and red pepper dip or cookies. I'm headed into the kitchen to whip up some hot artichoke dip. Come on out! The fun contunues all weekend!

Back from Vacation and ready for the Studio Tour

2009-12-03T10:55:00.007-05:00

After the rain has fallen...we were graced with a double rainbow yesterday afternoon. Glorious.

Cone 7 finally fell last night around 11:00. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I chose to candle in the morning and fire in the afternoon into the evening. It worked out as planned. I even timed taking my nighttime cold meds as cone 5 fell knowing I had only another hour or so before shutting the kiln off. How's that for planning?

I'm usually a sneaky peeker, but I'm just going to wait until Friday morning to unload. Did I mention that I am an early riser?

We spent Thanksgiving week with good friends in Nag's Head, our yearly tradition including the delectable grilled turkey. The ocean breezes helped the grill work like a convection oven and the 21 pounder was done in 3 hours. I think my pumpkin cheesecake took longer to cook. If you've never tried turkey on the grill, this one is awesome. We make it again for Christmas so I'll post a recipe next week. It is so yummy.

This year's storm hit a week prior so while we didn't have to live through the terror (like in 2006), we got to walk the beach and gawk at the decks, overwalks and even a pool or 2 destroyed by Nor'Ida. I don't think I would want the stress of owning a beachfront property.

The weather was so great that the kids spent the first few days on the beach making a fort of various debris they collected. The van was packed so full of food and beer that there was no room for toys.

Little did I know that less than a mile up the road was Clay Club's John Britt, staying at the Comfort Inn. He would have been a welcome addition to Happy Hour, doo-rags were optional.

So, I'm nearly done prepping for the TRAC Studio Tour this weekend. I'm off to ship a pot to a show in Knoxville, get change and new coats for the kids. 70% chance of heavy accumulation Saturday might dampen visitors, but I love to see how happy snow makes my kids.

Winding Down

2009-11-16T12:33:00.005-05:00

As the Toe River Arts Council's Fall Studio Tour draws near, December 4-6, the work starts to slow down. I thought I was finished after 3 firings over the past few weeks. However, with 5 or 6 shelves of pieces (including the third of the large baskets) that did not fit into a glaze load, I feel compelled to keep making new pots.

I'm also making cups for the wine and cider I serve at the Tour. I cannot stand the idea of throw-away cups. As you know, I am not a disciplined thrower, so the cups present a little challenge for me. I often throw them too thin, too small and no two alike. It's ridiculous to throw them on bats, but I screw them up if I try to move them wet.

I do love to trim pots, so even though cups should not need trimming, I do it anyway. It also gives me the opportunity to use my Giffen Grip which I bought in college. At least all the feet end up looking alike. Once glazed, the cups are pretty sweet.

So wet work will grind to a halt this week as we prepare for our annual Thanksgiving trip to Nags Head. When I return, I'll bisque fire the last of the pieces and fire a cone 6 load mid-week before the Tour. More photos and updating my Etsy site will follow.

New Pots and Gallery Makeover

2009-11-09T20:41:00.008-05:00

As predicted, last week was indeed a busy one. I fired a cone 6/7 load on Monday and a cone 10 on Wednesday. My last cone 10 load took over 14 hours to fire, so I woke up at 2 am to start firing. As luck would have it, I was so tired that I neglected to cut back the air at the start of body reduction (although I am uncertain why I was doing that). The result was a slow down in rise, but not the usual drop that takes an additional 2 hours to make up. That should have been my first clue, eh?

I looked back over my notes as well as John Britt's and Val Cushing's firing schedules and realized that what I thought was a mistake was probably the correct course of action. In the end, the firing took only 9 1/2 hours with good reduction. I guess that means I can cut 2 hours off my cone 6 firings also.

Once again I was very impressed with the cone 6/7 glazes in reduction. Chris Wolff's Plum (above) came out very nice (although my photo makes it look more red than it truly is) and a couple more of my cone 10 glazes are nearly identical at cone 6/7. Considering I ended up with at least 5-6 shelves of Zella Stone (cone 7-10) work that did not fit, I have the option of firing at either temperture. I thought I was done firing for the year, but as long as I am halfway there, I may as well fill 'er up and squeeze one more firing in!

While I was firing, Brenda helped me paint the gallery. Before it was a sort of Colonial blue and the faux ceiling beams were painted as white as the ceiling. We painted the walls a muted yellow and white washed them. Then we painted the beams brown and added some darker stain on top. The result is a room that appears much larger and taller.

I feel good about so many pots coming out well. In the photo they are just piled all over the tables. I have quite an inventory and am considering approaching some galleries about carrying my work. I've never done this before, and I'll admit to being a little nervous. Hopefully I'll have some good news to report soon.

Busy Week Ahead

2009-10-30T11:49:00.004-04:00

I am getting ready to fire the glaze kiln twice next week, cone 6/7 on Monday and cone 10 on Wednesday. With Jay out of town, Brenda is going to come up and help out. I can fire by myself, but I have to leave the house twice a day to deliver and retrieve the kids from school. There are just not enough hours between drop off and pick up to fire even a shortened cone 6/7 load.

And as sometimes happens, I stumble upon a really nice form towards the end of my "making" cycle. I was going to try to make some wall pockets, but the cylinders were the wrong shape. Instead I made some bud vases and these sweet baskets from the leftover pieces.

I really like when I can combine the creation of two different forms from the same cylinders without having to recycle too much clay.

What is pathetic is that I only have 15 bats to throw on, so I was only able to make 7 little baskets (2 cut cylinders for each basket). I am hoping they will dry in time to make it into a bisque on Sunday. Otherwise they must wait for the next cone 10 firing, and I don't know when that will be. With all the prep work I need to do for firing and the subsequent photo-taking, I have had to stop all my wet work, but all I want to do is make these little baskets. It's just not fair.

So, rather than accepting the hand fate has dealt me and use the time to tackle a couple of home projects, I have decided to squeeze in another cone 6/7 firing before the TRAC Studio Tour. I have two weeks to make more work. I'll be gone the week of Thanksgiving so everything will have plenty of time to dry. I can bisque the day I get back and if I glaze fire by Tuesday, the pots will be out in time for Friday.

Sounds like a fool-proof plan. Doesn't it?

Some Things Are Just Not Meant To Be

2009-10-29T08:49:00.006-04:00

Over the years, I have developed a positive outlook on life. This came in handy this week when I inadvertently destroyed one of the biggest pieces I've made (the basket on the left). I was covering up some adjacent damp pots and knocked one of the handles. It broke into too many pieces to be repaired. Oops.

I didn't spend much time mourning the lost work hours nor the wasted potential. I had made three large vessels out of Brownstone, a clay I had never before worked with. The handles of the one I fired slumped into the basket (see the post below for a picture). Mysteriously, a handle on a second one turned up broken. That break was clean, and I was going to try to fix it. Then came my klutzy studio performance.

I decided the universe was telling me, in no uncertain terms that Brownstone is not the ideal clay body for vessels of this size, not to waste any more kiln space or time on these baskets. I proceeded to cut my losses, bust the pieces up to be reclaimed and move on. Unfired clay can be reused indefinitely.

Although, with all the Ellen Buff I got from Henry Pope, I have more than enough clay to slake down. I guess the Brownstone will be relegated to a corner of the studio, along with a bag of bone dry Little Loafers to be dealt with at a later date if at all.