The Early Years

A few months back, potter blogger Lori Buff, posted some photos of her early pottery and sculpture from her high school days. It was really fun to see her beginning work as a budding young artist. As most of you know, we are getting ready for a move. I have been slowly weeding through "stuff", determined to de-clutter my life. 

Unfortunately, I am also hopelessly sentimental.

I have come across two pieces of early work that I have schlepped around for more years than I care to count...

 I made this weed vase in 9th grade. It was in Mrs. Costa's art class. She was the most inspiring and encouraging teacher that I ever had. She was also a potter, with a studio at her home. I had my first wheel experience in her class. I was the only kid that had a successful pot that could be fired. I don't know what happened to that one, but I have hung on to this slab built piece. It has had a place in many of the homes I have lived in. The macrame was replaced sometime in the last ten or twelve years.

The story of the lidded jar:
I made this jar during the first year of pottery at the NH Institute of Art. It was the first thing that I ever made a lid for. When the academic year ends, NHIA has an exhibition of the continuing ED student work. My teacher was none other than Jeff Brown. He asked me what I was submitting to the show. My reply was, "Nothing, I am don't make pots good enough for a show!".

He was really disappointed.

He said that no one from his intro to wheel work class was putting anything in the show.

I felt really bad, so I agreed to put this piece in. It obviously didn't sell because all these years later, I still own it. The next year I was much more confident and submitted a goblet for the show...
and was totally shocked that it sold! I interrogated all of my friends, certain that it was one of them that bought it. So far I haven't seen it in anyone's cabinet.

As much as I cringe at some (most) of my early pots, it's good to have them around as reference point... or heavy weapon should I ever need it.

Put a lid on it

I really don't care to make lidded containers. I stress too much about whether or not the lids will fit. This year I am forcing myself to just do it. Practice makes perfect, right?

 Jeff wanted me to turn the jars into garlic keepers, but I decided they would just be small jars.

I unloaded the gas kiln yesterday morning, which means I have lots of mugs for our shop, the Co-op of Seagrove Potters, and Etsy! 

back to the ovals

i was having trouble being productive this week so i decided to go back to the oval dishes that i have always enjoyed making.

the middle one is the largest i have made so far... about 15" from handle to handle

this one is a little different, taller and chubbier with a different handle design.
going back to this form helped me out of the funk i was in and i was back to making bowls while waiting for the ovals to be ready to finish.
i would love to wood or salt fire these but i may not be patient enough to wait for that opportunity so i may fire a couple of them in the gas kiln.

this small jar was from the latest gas firing and is now listed in my etsy shop... i was pretty happy with how it turned out:

i hate making lids

i know hate is a strong word so perhaps i should say i dislike making lids.  i try to avoid it as much as possible.  jeff keeps telling me to make more and eventually i won't find it so frustrating.  i know he is right... i remember many, many years ago saying how i hated to pull handles and now i LIKE pulling handles (most days).
here is this week's attempt at a lidded jar

i made two lids and they both fit!

meet franny!

franny thinks she is going to sneak out and go shopping with my checkbook... i wish she would get a job and pay some bills instead.
... sophie and franny DO NOT like each other... we have been bribing them with tuna fish in the hopes that they will become friends.

lidded jar for sale at my etsy shop... i love how this glaze goes turquoise when i sprinkle wood ash on it. it's the perfect size for storing coffee!