Cousins in Clay

 Jeff and I took a much needed break on Sunday and went over to Bulldog Pottery's "Cousins in Clay". This is an annual event that they host at the end of May. Along with Samantha and Bruce Henneke's stunning work, there are guest potters from various parts of the country. A special treat this year was Henry Crissman's mobile anagama kiln. Many potters from the Seagrove area had a few pots in the kiln. Each of us donated one pot to help raise money for the Dwight Holland Scholarship Fund. The scholarship gives assistance for ceramic students to be able to attend the North Carolina Pottery Conference.

 The firing is quite short. I think it was about 8 hours and reached cone 11.

The day was gorgeous and sunny, which also meant it was really hard to take photos with a phone. I was sort of shooting blindly! I was happy with all three of my pots, but this is the only one I got a photo of.
Tomorrow I should have some house makeover pics. Things are coming along nicely. I also have good news about my Dad! He was moved to the intensive rehab facility and is doing much better. His brain is pretty much cleared up... no more hallucinations. This place is keeping him busy. Therapy three times a day and they take him to the dining room to eat meals. He can now stand with a walker to move from the bed to a wheelchair. I hope that he will regain his mobility eventually.
That's it for now, check back tomorrow for more house blogging. Happy Monday!

Seagrove Weekend Update...

This week I decided to try out a new form. 

Cheese boards... but can you really call it a "board" when it's made out of clay?

They are obviously very simple to make. My only problem was that I underestimated the amount of clay I needed. The one in the photo is smaller than I would have liked. The subsequent ones are the size of the bat. The first one I made was way too thin. They need to be hefty because the idea is that you can warm the "board" in the oven and place a slice of brie on it or chill the "board" and serve cheese and fruit. They will also make good trivets.

I will admit that I wanted to make these because I want one for myself. I rarely make things that I want to keep but we are cheese lovers and I know I can put it to good use.

 Yesterday I took a break from the work day and took a drive over to Bulldog Pottery. It was their "Cousins in Clay" weekend. There were some fabulous pots there by Samantha, Bruce, and their "cousins" Michael Kline, Dan Anderson, and Blair Clemo. I wanted to get there early because I needed to to replace a Bulldog Pottery tumbler that had met it's demise last year. My goal was accomplished!
"Cousins in Clay" continues today with a potters potluck at noon and demonstrations by guest "cousin" Dan Anderson from 1:30 - 2:30. Jeff will head over there this afternoon, while I keep the gallery open.

I couldn't resist snapping this photo of Samantha and Bruce's beautiful bamboo stand on my way out.
Happy Sunday to all. I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

is it really Monday already?

Last night we said good bye to Robert Young. He is headed to back to Texas to spend more time with family, before returning to Guam. The photo above are some of the pots that he was able to finish during his stay here. He was fortunate that the weather cooperated, and he was able to get these bowls to the trimming stage in less than a week! Jeff says he's a good student and progressed a lot in this short time. Robert says it's the most pots he has ever thrown in week's time.

We took a couple of breaks on Friday and Saturday and visited some of the area potteries. Above is Robert with Mark and Meredith, over at Whynot Pottery. It was the only photo I took. Robert took lots, so I am sure when he gets home he will post some on his blog and facebook. Also included on the tour were Tom Gray Pottery, Samantha Henneke & Bruce Gholson of Bulldog Pottery, Jugtown, and Westmore Pottery. Everyone was so welcoming and gave studio tours, as well as talking about their processes. If it were a different time of year, we would have been able to get out do more visiting. Hopefully, one day, Robert will return to Seagrove for another visit.

Today is packing day for me. Last weeks kiln load is sanded and ready to be boxed up. Jeff squeezed in one last firing overnight (he is now fast asleep) and we will unload that and pack it up just before we leave for New Hampshire on Wednesday. I am excited about seeing my family and friends up north, but not looking forward to the long drive hauling a trailer, and all the work involved in building the booth for the League of NH Craftsmen Show. I get anxiety just thinking about it. Typically, once we are on the road I am feeling relieved and can take a deep breath.