Glazing, Glazing, Glazing

Here's a closeup of some of the tumblers that just came out of the kiln. As you can see, they are great for wine, although the one with wine isn't mine. :) So Wednesday night, I went running and then went into the studio to glaze some tumblers. I've decided that it's always better to glaze pots with someone else around, for it can be quite a tedious process. Thankfully, John and eventually Greg glazed pots that night too. Greg, the glaze master really helped by giving new suggestions and ideas. John can be quite a procrastinator but is so easygoing. I don't think the pink eraser in his pocket really helped him to glaze either.

Hard to glaze a pot when it's on your head. What a look... It really wasn't that late, John. :)
These fashionable 'girly' new paintbrushes of his really made a difference though. Brand new from Michael's. These seven are the fruits of my labor. Some are yunomi style. Put wax resist on some of the tumblers. Late night in all. Tumblers, tumblers, tumblers in my world these days. Can't seem to get enough of them.

What a fun night. Time goes by fast whenever I'm in the studio. If only I could make a living doing this. Maybe someday?

Good Luck from Ger and Reduccion

Ger and Reduccion really helped in this firing. They were loyal, faithful, hardworking, and had lots of endurance. They're still sitting above the kiln, waiting in the cold for another spurt of warmer weather. :) Anyways, here's what this firing brought...

Here's a quick post from the kiln unloading. The color in the pic is not the best; the pots looked GREAT for the most part though. This is what the kiln looked like when the door was opened, minus two tumblers of mine that I had already taken out. Speaking of tumblers, that's one of mine on the bottom shelf, with shino glaze on it, to the right of the dolphin.

A close-up of my tumblers in the kiln, just behind Ro's mugs. Hers were glazed in orange carbon trap;some had this great color; others turned out white. Those tumblers in the shino glazes are mine. :) I'm so encouraged by how my pots look.

Greg had several big pieces in the kiln. Great glazing; two here.

Here's another of his with the lid on it that I also took a picture of before it went into the kiln; (see previous post for before pic).

Such good different shades of blues.
I had thirteen in all in the kiln. All had shino glazes on zella stone clay. Will take some separate pics soon. Good colors and Adrienne gave me a great idea for how to vary the shino glazes.
Long day of work. Oh, and I'm out of work beginning on January 1, so if you know of anything in the Charlotte area that is full or part-time, please be in touch.

In the meantime of such uncertainty, being in the studio is a wonderful thing. It is often the best part of my day. Helping to unload a kiln is always a great joy!

Will post more pics tomorrow. The Holiday Sale is also Friday and Saturday. Yeah! :)

Before I go, meanwhile, my cactus plant is blooming. It does this once a year, I think. All it needs now is to be replanted in a pot that I've made. Maybe that is a good sign of what's ahead.

And, thanks Ger and Reduccion. :)

Confession and Tomorrow

I had good intentions to be in the studio tonight and then decided this afternoon to go to volunteer at Operation Christmas Child with a friend, packing shoeboxes to be delivered to children all over the world who have nothing. I have met children like the ones who've received these boxes; it's the least I could do. I have so much. Plus, I was feeling selfish. Had a good time; yet, I now have a confession:

I think I'm partially addicted to pottery. When I have free time if I'm not running, I just want to be in the studio. At least, I wrote it down. There are way worse things. It's so true.

I realized this in part, when I read a sign on the studio door tonight as I dropped by briefly tonight. It said, 'studio closed Thursday until Saturday at 4 pm.' And my heart sank, because what am I going to do now on Friday my day off? What about Saturday morning?

At least I have a job where I can switch the days that I work; now I'll head to the studio tomorrow during the day and work on Friday. That will help the time to pass, hopefully.

Also decided today.... now added to my 'bucket list' (I hope you've seen the movie) is:
+ Create my own pottery studio... and sell my pottery! :)

Thankfully, tomorrow is another day and the kiln will be unloaded! Enough rambling for now.

Reduccion and Ger

Yesterday, the studio was busy, as many were prepping pieces to add to the gas kiln firing that evening. Greg, the glazing master was even around and gave some wisdom. I prepped 12 tumblers (one is really a creamer). All have shino glazes on them and a few, a bit of tenmoku as a design. The first six:The ones in the background are John's. He seemed to have an endless supply of pieces to glaze. He was at it way longer than I (then again he's been a potter for longer too!). Lately, the shino glazes have produced great results for me. I remain hopeful. Here are the rest:

Here they are, on the shelf, awaiting their final fate. They're all about the same size.

Julie and Ro loaded the kiln, decked out in warm clothes and winter hats. Wine and beer helped also. Julie really gets into it when she loads the kiln. Even while wearing the lucky clogs, she got inside. Becky helped a bit too as you can see here.Greg brought a couple pieces too. Here he's explaining which glazes went onto this pot. Does he ever put just one glaze on one piece? With his results, you can see why.

A close-up. That's Joe's mini blue glass pieces on the top. I want to buy and use some of those... Gotta get a pic of how this one turns out. Half of mine ended up on the bottom shelf in the front left of the kiln. Evidently where they are sometimes matters. Will see.... As we waited and watched the kiln loading, Becky and I made kiln 'gods'. Hence, Ger (short for Gin'ger'bread (my creation) and Reduccion (Becky's creation- a bird of course!) were born. :) Here they are. I think I need lots of practice with handbuilding and that I'm better off at the wheel. Right before the kiln door was shut, Ger and Reduccion joined the other kiln gods at keeping watch above the kiln. They are now way warmer than it is outside. Here they are with some of the others. They're in good company.A shot of some of my pieces on the bottom left shelf as the kiln was candling. See the flame on the left. Check out Susan's penguins!

Finally, a shot of the inside of the kiln just before the door closed. Wednesday afternoon, the door will open and we'll see what's inside!