Sawdust & Dirt: In Praise of Liking Mistakes

Sawdust & Dirt: In Praise of Liking Mistakes: Chris Staley and Cody Goddard have made some incredibly compelling videos.  This is one of Michael Kline's favorites and we TOMO POTTERS really liked it too, so as he requested, we are posting the link in our blog as well. Enjoy!

COMING OUT OF THE CABINET

I've decided to come clean, literally. This is a difficult topic for anyone who calls themselves a potter but I have decided to do something about what’s behind my kitchen cabinet doors.  These are the dishes I live with every day.  They were purchased years ago (before I returned to my serious pursuit of clay) and apparently they haven’t fared as well as my marriage has.

DISHWASHER & MICROWAVE SAFE MY FOOT!

 So I have decided to do what any potter worth his/her salt would do – I am finally making myself a set of dishes. I thought about purchasing another set, most likely made in some outsourced factory, but then I realized nothing would be as durable as the dinnerware I make.  Being a functional potter makes me pretty fussy about my glazes. We potters think up all kinds of diabolical torture involving: freezing, heating, freezing, heating; soaking with lemon juice for days, etching with a key, more freezing and heating. All of this to insure our pots will serve their purpose and endure. If only every manufacturer of pottery did the same!

UGH!

Much thought has gone into this gift to myself. They are not typical of what I make and I thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of not worrying about it. I do love matte glazes, but concern about durability has me thinking of glazing the inner surfaces with my clear Chun (thank you Leah Leitson) and my buttery Shimmer on the outside. Unless one of you potters out there has a torture proof clear Satin Matte for cone 7/8 porcelain!

I LOVE NAKED PORCELAIN!
LAGUNA'S MILLER #550

Yummy Neriage

 1995

 

This winter, I am taking a colored porcelain class with Ruth Borgenicht at the Art School at Old Church.   Last year, I happend to get Axner's colored porcelain, happened to find a wonderful book about Neriage when I visited Japan to see mom,  and happened to see Ruth displaying her beautiful Neriage pieces for her new class on the shelf at the school.  I was very glad to have these happenings and here I am.    I enjoy it but it is not easy! 
 

   At this moment, I just enjoy making patterns.

 

 

 

I was little tired mending cracks and scraping, so today I worked in the kitchen.  

 

It was fun.  The procedure is almost same, but the big difference is that they mend by themselves.  Clay gets dry but cookie dough gets soften while working with warm hands. 

  

 

 It was a fun day!

 



Noborigama Firing

The wood firing took place over the weekend January 25th to the 27th.

We prepared our pots with flashing slip and glaze all day Friday.

On Saturday we wadded our pieces, brought them outside in the freezing cold and placed them on tables and shelves according to where we wanted them to go in the kiln. There is a wood chamber that is nearest the main fire box and a salt chamber that is between the wood chamber and the chimney.

Everyone was busy at their work station, either delivering pots, loading pot calling for specific sizes or preparing kiln posts.

The door in the photo above is the wood chamber. Two of my cups are on the top shelf next to Barbara's big cat.  The door one photo above the wood chamber photo is the salt chamber.  I guess my pots are in there somewhere.  Bruce Dehnert estimated we could load about 200 to 250 pots.  I think we packed them in there pretty tightly.

I hope my cup isn't touching the cat.

A little fire breathing demo to breakup the night.  Potters are crazy.

After a long night of maintaining a temp of 1000 to 1600 degrees F the real stoking begins.

Our fearless leader, Bruce.

 After many hours of adding wood, the salt kiln was ready for some NaCl.
This is Christina adding salt on a long flat board. After a week of cooling,
we will be unloading tomorrow.  I can't wait to see everyone's pots!