Another Evening at Clayworks

There's always something happening at Clayworks. Here is a snapshot from tonight:

Becky showed me how to use the extruder. This was all new to me; she is a great teacher. She was making the sides of a base for a saggar for a Jim Whalen workshop next weekend.
John was making some handles. This mug on the right looks like it might be ready to fly.

I trimmed some more dessert plates that will have this quote on them like this finished one for an order. I hope to make more plates with quotes on them. I REALLY like doing this. :)
All this happened during Greg's class. He made the top half of this udo drum during class. Always something unpredictable happening with his teaching. He knows so much.
Here is him telling me a bit about it. What a candid shot!

Here is the base that Becky made for the saggar. I have much to do tomorrow in the studio. Slipwork and making more mugs on the wheel. I think I'll use some zella stone clay again.

A Tuesday Evening at Clayworks

Got some inexpensive wine yesterday to welcome Becky back from her trip to Sicily. You can read more about her trip there here and the pictures she's posted are amazing! Good timing! Turns out that the wine was from Italy. :)

Last night at Clayworks, much happened:

Ron did a demo on teapot spouts. He showed us how to make a spout at the wheel and a handmade one, using the above pattern.

Also saw John's salt kiln piece. Great colors next to mine. Amazing to see the subtle difference in color next to mine. Different clay bodies: Mine's zella stone. I forget what his was. Check his blog in time for a post about it.
Some of my plates came out of the electric kiln. I was pleased more or less. The teacup on the right really turned out well. I think teacups are my favorite forms these days.
Stayed late and made some small plates.
Glazed several pieces; a few yunomis and a medium size bowl. These are glazed in Ron's creme glaze but also with some tahitian glaze for accents.
As I was heading home, Greg's class was loading the big gas kiln. I've been making earthen red cone 5 pots, so I had no pieces for it, but look who's helping! That's John looking at the camera and Greg has his back turned towards the kiln.

Pieces of all sizes were ready to get inside this gas kiln. Some of Pete's pots are on the top shelf; those juicers on the bottom shelf are John's. Don't know about the rest.

All in all, a great evening at Clayworks.

First Salt Kiln Piece and New Forms

Today I stopped by the studio briefly and found a wonderful surprise! This cup of mine was in Ron's salt kiln and it was sitting on my shelf at Clayworks. Thanks, Ron! I quickly helped it find a home by taking it outside and putting a bit of red wine in it for dinner. It was a gorgeous day so I was out late in the afternoon reading a bit on my favorite blanket.

The inside of this cup was dipped in spotted shino glaze. Great texture and shades of brown; I especially like the glaze drips on the outside of it.

Gosh, the day flew by and I'm exhausted. Still adjusting to the time change, plus life is tiring these days.

Everything in this pic helps to make for a peaceful afternoon...

Also, I made these new cup forms yesterday. I'm trying new things and using the rib tool more. I really like these shapes and will make a bunch more! Also made this big plate.

Always something new going on in the pottery world. That's a very good thing. :)

Slipwork-- Sgrafitto!

It's been a busy weekend and I haven't posted in a couple of days, but I have spent time in the studio. Life is exhausting sometimes and while I spent time with close friends this weekend which was simply wonderful, I've been trying to decide what to do as I continue to be out of work. I've decided... and I'll share more tomorrow.
Meanwhile.... Thankfully, I can still center clay and great things are happening in the studio-- time there has been the best thing for me. With only two more of the ten week 'Slipware' class sessions, I've had a good amount of time to try new ways to apply slip to clay. I've decided that I most of all, like to make forms and put writing into them (sgrafitto)--- like the plate above.
In high school I learned a little calligraphy and this has helped in my penmanship, when I want it to. I really write much different on paper as you can see in the newspaper writing above when I wrote down some of the words from a song-- - this is my usual writing-- much more sloppy, but in comparison, I like this particular handwriting that I put on the plate. It's part of the lyrics to one of Peter Mayer's songs called 'Blue Guitar'. I REALLY want to make many more of these kinds of plates and would like to sell these too-- with personalized quotes, etc. I really like how the writing is not perfect, with each line straight. I want it to appear on the plate as if writing was just scribbled down-- but maybe the penmanship is too good? I want it to be readable-- Will have to think about that.... Also put slip on these plates above and these designs...
I really like the depth and variety of the slip on the one below. (Hard to see in the pic, sorry!)
To make the design on this plate, I first poured slip from one side of the plate just onto the top part of it, and then wiped the rim of the plate with a sponge while the slip was still wet. Then I waited a bit for the slip to set and then started the design work.

I also used my fingertips to etch some different designs on these particular plates--- flowers and stars- the stars always have symbolized hope for me. I added some smaller stars onto that plate after the picture, using a sgrafitto tool for additional depth. Drawing images isn't really one of my fortes, but I think these are a good start.
Also used a sponge to dab some blue and white slip on the outside of this yunomi.In the middle of all this slipwork, I also spent a bunch of time just talking with friends, which was a great thing. In this pic, L-R is John, Minke, and Elaine. We had several tea breaks.

Sunday-- today was a gorgeous day, so as tired as I was and as beautiful as it was out, I couldn't stay in the studio all afternoon, so I went to the park and rested on a blanket and took a short nap, catching a little sun. :) Losing an hour of sleep last night, plus a couple nights of non-restful sleep meant I have been tired for most of the day. Tonight will be different.