5th firing 2012

We spent the day organizing and packing for our trip north. We also unloaded the kiln... I think this is firing #5 for 2012. Our photo taking set up on the dining room table was dismantled so I just snapped a few quick pictures of some of my pots.

I am really happy with these shino glazed mugs... the one in the front I am going to keep for a bit and another I wrapped up and added it to Danielle's birthday package.

Remember those itty bitty pigs?

I glazed them in shino, splashed them with tenmoku, and dusted their little hides with ash. They are as cute as can be. I photographed them on my laptop, so that gives you an idea as to their itty bitty size. Jeff says they should have been salt and pepper shakers. Next time perhaps.

There were other nice pots but they got wrapped and boxed upon unloading. Many are heading to League of NH Craftsmen galleries in NH.
My next post will most likely be from the road. Catch up with y'all later!

the gypsy potters are hittin' the road

My last post stated that it was a busy week for us. Jeff is teaching a workshop at Purple Sage Pottery in Merrimac, MA this weekend and we have lot's to do before hitting the road. This workshop is Thrown and Altered Forms and is a two day event. The workshop is full and it should be a fun and informative two days for everyone who registered. We will be staying in NH with a friend and will have the opportunity to visit with my parents.

Sunday afternoon is a NH Potters Guild Meeting, of which I am (STILL) the treasurer. This is the meeting where I present the annual report for 2011 so I had to get all of my paperwork in order and the report completed. I am excited to see my NH guild friends! Jeff is on his own at the workshop that day.
Heading north also means stocking the galleries for the League of NH Craftsmen. Jeff's work has been selling well and they have been crying for more. This meant squeezing in one more firing before we leave. We really rushed things through this time. We were finishing work on Friday night to bisque on Saturday. Jeff put some wet pots in the kiln and dried them overnight... we didn't lose a single one! Sunday we unloaded and glazed until after 10:00 pm then loaded the back stack. Yesterday morning, Jeff finished loading the front stack and lit the kiln. I think it was done around 1:30 am.
Thank goodness for a small kiln!!

Today was a studio clean up day... we are very messy glazers! It's not super clean now but at least you can walk through without tripping over glaze buckets. Tomorrow we pack. Thursday we hit the road.

...and the BEST part of this trip is that on the return home we stop in Connecticut to celebrate Danielle's birthday!!

gotta go take a little peek in the kiln (temp is 855)... I will leave you with a pic I have posted before. Iris Minc, who owns and operates Purple Sage Pottery, made the platter holding the asian dumplings. It's one of my favorites.

*If you are interested in hosting a workshop send Jeff an e-mail: jeff@jeffbrownpottery.com for more info.
He offers Throwing and Altering workshops as well as Raku Firing. We have a portable raku kiln and bring reduction cans and glazes with us. Experienced with high school students & adults.

two down, one to go...

Last night, after I finished my shift at the  Co-op, I completed two of the ovals with the new covers...

These were not the knobs and handles I had in mind. I used recycled clay to make these. My pugmill is not de-airing and when I tried to twist the clay into the shape I wanted they cracked.  I was starting to get frustrated and after about ten attempts I decided to keep it simple. These were a trial run anyway, so next time I will use a fresh bag of clay.

Below is my favorite Dolan carving tool. I have a few with a slightly bigger, round loop but this is the one I use the most. Once you used Dolan trim & sculpting tools you won't want anything else!

and here is the Jake Johnson mug that Jeff brought home from the NC Potter's Conference...

a beautiful shino with nice carbon trapping. I was up before Jeff this morning so I got first choice of mugs. I enjoyed my coffee and "egg meesh-muffin" along with the Jake mug and my favorite Matt Jones plate.
Today is glazing day, it's going to be a crazy, busy week. More on that later. Happy Sunday!

One Year Later

This month is the one year anniversary for the Co-op of Seagrove Potters. I can't believe it has been a year already! We are so happy to be a part of this group. Everyone gets along and our monthly meetings are very enjoyable (usually involving food, wine & beer). I typically look forward to my Co-op days. It's a change of scenery and pace. Financially it was a good decision. Not only do we sell work at the gallery, but it brings people out to our studio as well.
Along the way we lost one pottery due to a move to Charlotte. We were sad to see them go. The spot was filled right away with Bonnie Burns of Great White Oak. We were glad to welcome Bonnie to the group. Just a month ago we voted to increase our membership with one more pottery; Anne and Adam of Blue Hen Pottery were next on the waiting list. They are a nice addition to the group, adding to the diversity of the work represented in the gallery.
If you are in the area be sure to stop in and see what we are all about...

We are open 7 days a week- Monday through Saturday 10:00 to 5:00, Sunday 12:00 -4:00
If you are on facebook be sure to"LIKE" us: https://www.facebook.com/CoopOfSeagrovePotters

Participating Potters:
Bonnie Burns - Great White Oak
Blue Hen Pottery
Bulldog Pottery
Dover Pottery
Latham's Pottery
Lufkin Pottery
Michèle Hastings & Jeff Brown Pottery
Nelda French Pottery
Old Gap Pottery
Seagrove Stoneware
Tom Gray Pottery

a new to me technique for covered ovals!

I have always struggled with making covers for my oval or even worse, my wavy oval bakers. Jeff came home from the NC Potters Conference with a technique, demonstrated by Martha Grover, that he said would be helpful to me. Jeff did a demo and then I gave it a try on ovals. I decided to just do a few small ones to work the idea through, later I will move to larger and wavy ones.

After throwing my bottomless cylinder with a gallery, I measured the gallery with calipers and threw a ring that would fit inside. After letting them set under plastic overnight I cut them off the bats, placed the ring inside the cylinder, and squeezed the two, simultaneously into the oval shape. I then put the bottom on the cylinder, I typically throw the bottom slabs on the wheel, but sometimes use a rolled out slab.
Next I used a slab to finish the cover...

I plan to slip and carve the tops of these and add some handles.

I experimented with a wavy top. Still needs some more work, not sure where this one is going yet. It could end up in the scrap bucket!
I was impressed at how well the covers fit. When I used the slumping inside the cylinder technique it was always problematic because when you flip the lid over it fits on the container in reverse... really a pain if it's a wavy oval.
We are enjoying mah-valous weather in Seagrove today and I am writing this post from out on the porch - 5:30 pm and 70 degrees!
Jeff took the plastic cover off of our little winter garden and everything looks healthy and green.

Swiss Chard and broccoli along with some garlic... I can't wait to plant tomatoes!

the year that Mike saved Christmas...

The year was 1980 and the one thing I wanted my daughter to have at Christmas was one of those bouncy spring horses. We didn't have much money (we were down right poor, but didn't know it at the time) and the only way I could afford the horse was to put it on layaway. My then husband and I made the final payment on December 23rd and brought the beautiful spring horse home in a giant box and hid it in our bedroom.
December 24th said husband worked half a day, came home with a stomach virus, and went straight to bed. Once little Danielle was fast asleep in her crib (she was about 20 months old), I dragged the box from the bedroom to assemble the spring horse. There was a million pieces. The frame went together quite quickly. The springs that attached the horse to the frame were a different story. It was going to take two people to stretch them from the frame to the horse. The husband was not a fan of Christmas and there was no getting him out of bed to help.
The wind was taken out of my sails. The one thing I wanted, was for my daughter to wake up on Christmas morning and see that glorious horse, wearing a big red bow. There I sat on the floor among the springs, bolts and a plastic horse, laying on it's side. Then there was a knock on the door.
When I opened it, there stood my good friend Mike with his usual silly grin. "Merry Christmas!" he said. I knew right then that he was my spring horse assembly angel. I opened a beer for him and we went right to work. In no time at all the springs were attached and the bolts on the frame tightened up a little better than I had done. Mike had saved Christmas (for me at least).

In 2010 Mike was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. He was only given a few months to live but he was a fighter and was determined to have more time on earth. He died on March 5, 2012.

Mike and I grew up in the same neighborhood and became close friends in our teens. As we moved into our late 20's we drifted apart because of religious differences. We reconnected off and on, once we both matured enough to realize that we could each have a different view, respect that view, and not bring it up in conversation. But we were never close again like when we were young.

Last night when my daughter told me the news of Mike's passing, I looked through some old photographs for a picture of Mike. I didn't find one of him but I did find one of the boat of a car he had in 1977...

I have some great memories of cruising NH back roads in this car! Mike, I hope that whatever was waiting for you in the hereafter involves a great car, Pink Floyd, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
You will be missed, but you left many of us with some great memories.

Snorkle, Orkle, Dorkledorf!

I still don't know what that means but it was your signature shout!
and I think Debi is still looking for the dufolator spring cap cover under the hood of her car...

as for the spring horse...
Danielle LOVED it and road it until she was much too big and the saddle cracked.

New Acquisition

John Glick butter dish

Jeff brought this home from the NC Potter's Conference. John Glick was one of the presenters. We both really like Glick's work and have a few of his pots.

I am handling the Glick butter dish with great care.

I have been on a breaking spree lately. I have recently broken a bowl, sake cup, tumbler, martini glass, and just the other night TWO mugs fell out of the cabinet while I was putting some away. My track record with butter dishes is not good either. Right now I have resorted to using a Pfaltzgraf covered butter tub and of course that probably wouldn't break even if I tried.

I have declared that the breakage curse is now over... it's safe to take out your good dishes and invite me over for dinner.