Good Morning all,

During a fantastic evening last night, as I had dinner with family at a dear friends home, this blog was mentioned. It was surreal. Angie (dear friend) said how - although she doesn't 'get that stuff' she enjoyed my blog. First off - Angie, you not only could 'get this stuff' (she's a very intelligent, forward-thinking woman), girl, you'd probably write an excellent one yourself! Tell Pat (dear friend's husband, but also dear friend in his own right) that he should definitely write a 'making your own wine' blog. He has incredible knowledge around the subject and tells it in a very interesting way. OH - and by the way Pat.....you were right - no hangover! :) Lovely evening guys - thanks again.

Back to pottery life. I've not written because I've been working! Its all good. Lots of activity that hopefully produces some good results. The new kiln wash cracked again - but I think that may have been somewhat my fault. I put on 3 quick coats, and then ran it through a glaze firing. Probably too much stress. Still not as bad as before and I can reuse the shelf at least one more time for a bisque fire. If anyone (other than close friends or family - sorry people) reads this, and has any other ideas around this subject, please write! Some 'lost art of kiln washing your shelves' enlightenment would be fantastic! I don't know if you are reading this Gary - but I know YOU could help me. Let me know.

Why do we do this? Why have we picked this medium that is difficult, messy and requires a process that is both unreliable and toxic? Is that what draws us? Is it the comfort I find amongst the almost certain disappointment? Or is it the challenge to tame and produce from this place of raw beginnings? For myself, that moment when it all comes together....that unexpected jewel under the kiln lid as I open it. Its when I KNOW what happened is good, and I don't care if anyone else sees it, or gets it. When I make something I want to keep, instead of give away. Its when its a surprise, a good surprise, and I am inspired by my own product to produce again. Its also when I know its one of a kind, and that I won't be able to produce it again. And yet - I stay and try for another day.

Enough musings. Off to work..
HiHo, HiHo....

Good Morning.

Thank you Mike at Studio Sales Pottery in Avon, NY!! Not only did Mike make me up a special batch of his tried and true kiln wash, like every great potter he did a 'show and tell' session in his studio and helped me better understand the problems I was having in my own. And, as usual, I went down there with additional questions, which he very patiently answered. He is such a great resource!

Now, the only problem is......Mike also kinda put me in a panic about my upcoming show. Not in a bad way - just a 'you gotta load of stuff to get done before October' way. I think my brain was on overdrive after that - I laid awake thinking about it all last night til after 2am. The best, though, was when Diana (who took this pic of me driving, btw) shows up at my door after going home from our roadtrip with a complete bulleted list of the 'highlighted' action items Mike brought up regarding prep for my show! If thats not friendship, I don't know what is! I think she could visibly see my semi-meltdown on the way home from Avon and just had to do something! Thanks Diana (and sorry in advance for the crazy B you're going to have to tolerate over the next, oh, 30 - 40 years!)

BTW - kiln washed last night - already can see its gonna work! yea!!

on to my day...

Morning...

All that scraping, re-applying, firing and vwah-la........cracked city! Not the work (TG) but the kiln wash. I am telling you, anyone who had to talk to me within 2 hours of that discovery (and you all know who you are, sorry) was treated to the frustrated ramblings of one PO'ed potter! The only saving grace was the fact that, even though the wash cracked and lifted, it didn't cause any permanent damage. But - oh - the fact that I can't fire right now is not good! Hopefully Mike down at StudioSalesPottery in Avon, NY will save the day for me. A quick trip down there today to investigate new kiln wash, get my supplies, and I hope to be on the road again.

The good news is the mug you see here today. I really like how this combination came out! It's different from what I've done in the past - but still 'feels' like my asthetic. Has that right 'matt to gloss' ratio I crave. Especially in functional. I don't think I'll ever like shiny on my scultures! Just doesn't feel right! (example below) I've now fired this twice trying to down-play the shiny, but still too much for my liking.

So today is 'ceramic fieldtrip' day! Maybe I'll bring my camera and document. Diana - you're in charge of the camera - I better focus on driving.

Bye

Too Long....

The summer is killing me! Creatively - that is. Finally back to the studio this morning and what am I doing? Scraping shelves - uhg! Maintenance is a B.... but part of the ceramic world. I often think - wouldn't painting have been easier? All you do is pick up the brush, throw some paint on a board and ready, set, go! :) (all painters hate me now) Not a printmaker - however. That process is very long - and very messy! Even more so than clay. Both are equally toxic, however. I don't think either of our shelf lives are long. Metal work is cool! I often think that if I hadn't found clay first I would have worked in metal. Its more dangerous - but the results are immediate - which I love! And few surprises - unlike clay and glaze.

So today I prep for another round of work. Its time. If I have to beg, borrow or steal people to drive my kids to their activities, camps, etc......thats the price I have to pay.

Thanks to all my art friends (and thats all of you - visually inclined or not) for your comments, support and suggestions regarding my website. I'm just happy to have it out there and not think too much about it for a while. Of course, my kid is about to move out of the area to start his own career - so where does that leave me and my site? I mean.....good luck kiddo, and I'm proud of you and I'll miss you! :) (both are so true)

Back to the shelves. Then bisque again (I see your pieces on the shelves Diana - nice!) Then I have to glaze.

on and on and on and.....

Good Morning.

Patterns and impressions - I'm into those right now. The clay just lends itself so nicely to that. I am carving stamps out of clay, running them through bisque fire and then wha-la! Clay stamps!! I've done alot of carving in the past - and have ruined many-a piece. This is a nice way to apply a repeditive pattern, while (hopefully) not altering the form too much. I apply the patterns on slabs and then form my slabs into my shapes - this way I can break up the patterns at interesting places - even mix them up - and make something more interesting. The problem, of course, is over doing it. As Tim Gund would say...."Edit, edit, edit!" (Project Runway reference) Sorry if I spelled your name wrong, Tim. LOVE you on that show!

Cheers for now. Remember today's theme:

'Whatever you do, make an impression. But don't forget about the all important edit.'

Afternoon...

As my artist-kid tells me," when you are feeling uninspired, do something in the studio that's a maintenance job (clean, test, etc) - don't worry about it, and things will work themselves out". Well - test tile day it is. And, kiln loading, again. All necessary - and hopefully inspirational. Not yet - sorry kiddo.

I am working out my lowfire work and glazes. I haven't done alot of this in my kiln here - mostly worked on lowfire at school. I love the claybody! Easy to manipulate the way I like - while maintaining the essense of it origins. LOVE IT! Hope the glazed reflect that as well.

To Da Lu!