Thursday, January 17, 2013

Practice Makes Perfect

Jeff is teaching his "Practice Makes Perfect" workshop at our studio this weekend. The workshop focuses on enhancing your skills using production pottery techniques. I call it pottery boot camp. I took this workshop with Jeff nearly ten years ago. I was student at the time with a full time job... I thought my arms might fall off by the end of the weekend!
Needless to say, we need lots of clay ready for the participants. I pugged a whole bunch of clay and the last time through, I attached a die to the pug mill to make smaller lugs of clay.


When you drop these smaller lugs through the harps, pictured below, they are cut to a certain weight. The first harp is one pound, the second 1 1/2 pounds etc...
It saves a lot of time when doing production work. No weighing out balls of clay.


The workshops we teach at our studio are small, 5 to 6 participants. If there is a group that wants to come we can work around your schedule to meet your needs. Jeff also travels to other studios and clay centers to teach. If you are interested in a workshop at our studio or yours, send him an e-mail for more info: jeff@jeffbrownpottery.com.



In between our studio clean up marathon, and pugging clay, I managed to roll out some slabs and make some square soap dishes. They are nice chunky dishes that can be used for other things as well. Typically I just stamp the insides, this time I slipped and carved half of them. They were a nice break from wheel work.

It's been pouring rain off and on here for a couple of days. Tonight they are predicting snow. The snow may actually be a nice break from the rain... did this New Hampshire girl really just say that???


8 comments:

  1. Wow, what a lot I am learning from your blog, never saw anything like those harps. I learned to make my square plates from your blog some time ago, thanks for that, your soap dishes look great.

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  2. Oh we got a bunch of rain yesterday and it's turned cool again, I too miss seeing the snow on blustery days in winter.

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  3. I need to make some harps like that! But I guess I need a pugmill first... always something.

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  4. By the way... think you will have any workshops going on this summer? I am still planning on heading your way for about a week. I'll keep in touch when I get the dates....

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  5. ah yes...snow....gorgeous wee soap dishes! I would eat those :)

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  6. That sounds like a great workshop idea. I'm sure a lot of people will find it helpful. Do you teach in the workshop too?

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  7. I want that workshop!! Yes, yes, what Lori said- do you teach too?

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  8. Mr. Young - Once we know when you are coming, we may be able to organize a workshop.

    Lori & Kathy - this workshop is Jeff's thing. I will help out and make sure there is something good for lunch! I am more involved in the raku workshops.

    Snow update.... THERE WASN'T ANY TO SPEAK OF! and it's a beautiful day in the mid-40's.

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