slip sliding away...

last week we bought 500 pounds of orange stone highwater clay... it fires to a nice toasty orangey/brown in reduction and it really looks great fired in a wood kiln.  this clay also works well with a variety of slip techniques.  since jeff mixed up that batch of slip yesterday i decided to have a little fun with it...

i have another large bowl to finish tomorrow along with some berry bowls... can't wait to get these fired.

weekend update from the 'grove...

i have been enjoying the fabulous weather for the last few days... the temps have been great and the humidity much lower.  perfect working weather...

new bowls with wide rims and textures

handled bowls with some texture... jeff prefers my standard handles as opposed to the free form ones (center bowl) that i have been experimenting with

here is jeff working in his new space... we decided the other day that we are going to enjoy working together in this studio!

saturday night we went to a big party for Benjamin Burns birthday.  he and his wife Bonnie were gracious hosts.  we had a wonderful time and didn't get home until 1:30 am... and we were not the last to leave!  the McCanless bros., Michael Mahan and Jeff entertained us with fabulous music - ranging from Irish, bluegrass to rock and roll.  we met lots of potters and pottery lovers from the seagrove area.

come september it will be our turn to have a big grand opening party!

lil' soup bowls with handles ~ you can get them in Concord!

it's hard to think about soup when it 90 degrees outside (a rarity for the month of may in NH) but they would also be fabulous for serving ice cream... these bowls were part of my first shipment review for the League of NH Craftsmen.  yesterday i dropped them off, with a variety of other pots, at the league gallery in Concord, NH.  if you are looking to purchase my work you can now find it in Concord!

too much to do... too little time

clay work has come in bits and pieces the last couple of weeks... i am on jury duty this month and it falls on the days that i work in the studio... i did get some more glazing done and also finished a few things that were in progress... like these two bowls...

the one in foreground has experimental handles. the handles are rather free-form and each one looks different.  not sure if they will work but i had fun experimenting!
we are having some nice spring weather in new hampshire.  i took this pic from the kiln shed yesterday.  it was early evening during a fast moving rain shower.

this is an interesting barn out behind the studio... it is hard to see in the picture, but the rectangular window on the left side is some really cool bulls-eye glass.
i am really looking forward to saturday.  if things go as planned i will have a whole day in the studio

road trip preparations...

sunday night jeff and i are hitting the road again to seagrove, nc.  the next two days will be spent packing and tying up loose ends here in nh.  tomorrow i will pick up and deliver a real estate contract (yay...that means income next month!) and jeff will be teaching a throwing workshop in mont vernon.  i also have to get to the studio to check on some work in progress.... either finish it or wrap it well enough to keep until i get back... when you are a potter there are always pots to check!  are they at the right stage to assemble parts?, are they ready to trim?, or do they need to be misted with water to save for a later date?... it is always something...

below is a bowl i started during nh open doors back in november 2009 and fired just prior to christmas... photographer ken kartes and seamstress, concord arts diva katy brown were visiting the studio while i was throwing a couple of these large bowls.  i am not crazy about the glaze combo...and the next ones will be better!