Summer returns to North Carolina

We knew it was too good to last, but we sure enjoyed the dry, comfortable air while it lasted. The final push is on to complete work for the League of NH Craftsmen's Fair. I can't believe we will be leaving in 6 days. One kiln load is cooling, one more to fire before we go.

The humidity has made it almost impossible for things to dry. We carry things outside, carry them back in, cover with plastic, uncover... it's that hurry up and wait game that makes me crazy!
While Jeff finishes his pots for the NH trip, I have been working on pots for our show at Campbell House Gallery in September. The photo above is of two covered oval dishes waiting for the right stage to add bottoms and lids. I may actually be able to almost finish them today.

I am also working on two lady vases. They start out as a wheel thrown vase that is altered then coils added. I will take my time to avoid cracking.
Lunch break is over, I should get back in the studio. I should say drag myself out to the studio. It's very hard to leave the comfort of air conditioning!

Squished pots

2014 is off to a busy start, with many orders to fill. In between, I had to squeeze in a few "I just want to make them" pots.

 It felt like forever since I made a covered oval. I am going to fire it in the gas kiln with green and shino glaze. Since I only did one, I was happy as a clam that the lid fit well. I tend to have more trouble with the lids rocking on the more elongated ovals. There is less fussing with them when it's a gentle curve.

Sometimes these small bakers are a curse. I hope they won't be this time, because I made quite a few, only committing three to carving. This is a shape I haven't made in a few years. They are done by cutting a crescent out of the bottom, then squishing them into the oval shape and filling and compressing the spot where the crescent was removed. The perfect scenario for a bottom crack. I was extra diligent with these and I am keeping my fingers crossed for nice bottoms. When they were done I decided that making them in two pieces is probably quicker and less problematic.
Sometimes I have to learn the hard way.

Ta-Da!

This was the only lidded oval that survived the wood firing. The lid on the other one had warped a little in the bisque firing and the wood firing just made it worse. I sort of expected that to happen so I wasn't too disappointed.
Today is a carving day in the studio. I have a bunch of bowls to finish. This week I finally made four dinner plates for my brother and sister-in-law. I say finally, because they are a wedding present and they have been married over a year! They want them to match some pieces they already have so they will be glazed in tenmoku. It was really hard to see those nice big plates and  not carve some flowers or leaves in the center!

P.S. The fire ant bites are starting to heal... I just have the ugliest legs in Seagrove right now. On the bright side, I didn't have nearly as much swelling as my encounter with the little buggers last year.