Hands in Clay

It feels so good to be at the beginning of the making cycle, seems like weeks since I have touched wet clay. We have another opportunity to put some pots in a wood firing so my mission has been to make some pots that will embrace the magic of the flame.

During the last couple of years I have only made dotted flower mugs for orders. The gray, white and blue from the gas kiln doesn't really excite me... but fired in a wood kiln is a whole different story. The blue turns a deep blue, almost black and the slip gets all toasty, marshmallow like. The last batch I put in a wood kiln had a lot cracked rims. This time I am using STARworks Michfield clay and I think I will have better results. Fingers crossed!

Here are few things that came out of Fred Johnston's wood kiln last week...

 This rattle orb is about the size of a softball. It has some nice coloring from the flames.

Remember the mermaid? She was waiting for months to be fired! She got a lot of ash over the top and I think it plays rather nicely with her oceanic hair.

Two of the porkers went into this firing. One is a little dry so he will get a second roasting either in the gas kiln or a wood firing. I am happy with this little guy. He looks like a yummy toasted marshmallow.

The morning is getting late, the sky is overcast and the air is cool. Perfect weather for studio work. Time to get out there and move some clay. Have a great day.

And sometimes we work...

 I really have been getting pottery made in between all the cooking and eating that's been going on around here.

Mugs with stamps. The stamps will get some black (or maybe a color!) underglaze and finished with nuka... at least that's the plan right now. I reserve the right to change my mind.

I am still working towards a raku firing. Quite a few beads and pendants are done. I am planning to incorporate raku beads onto these vases, something I have never done before.

One of these looks very phallic... I am sure you can pick it right out.

This orb took forever to finish. Mostly because I had to keep taking breaks from it. It's the largest one I have made thus far. Now that it's done Jeff said, "Make a BIGGER one!"

Not today, maybe tomorrow.

Runaway Orb

I started a large orb before Christmas, wrapped it up and sort of forgot about it. It was still in good shape, perfect for applying slip and carving into.

I drew my design Friday afternoon and carved everything except the background. I left it on my banding wheel and went into the house for a few minutes.

When I returned it was gone! It had rolled off the banding wheel onto the floor, and then over to one of the wheels a few feet away.  I was so mad at myself for leaving it there. The orb was flat on one side and had a few cracks. Never mind the dirt and dust it picked up on it's roll. At Jeff's suggestion, I smoothed the cracks and paddled it back into shape. I had to go over some of the carving, but I did manage to save it.

Jeff went right to work and cut me a piece of foam with a hole in the center. Now my orbs have a safe resting place when my back is turned. 

Prior to the orb catastrophe, I took out some porcelain and threw a few shallow bowls of the hump. I don't usually throw that (I never was very good at it) but decided to give it another try. I was pretty happy with these. I am probable going to glaze them in my Temple White. The one with the stamps will get some black underglaze.

It felt good to be in the studio making exactly what I wanted to make and not something that someone ordered and has to be completed by certain date... that's what I will be back to soon enough.

Orb Making

Coiling and coiling, smoothing on the inside, as I go.

Looks more like a lumpy egg doesn't it?

Now that's looking better! After the form is closed I scrape it with a credit card and roll it around on my work table. It slowly become ball shaped. I set it on foam and the bottom flattens because it is still very soft. When making a closed form, remember to poke a hole in it with a needle tool.

This is a smaller one that I made the day before. I lightly covered it overnight and yesterday did more rolling and scraping. I left it uncovered all day and occasionally rolled and turned to keep it in a ball shape as it stiffened. Today I will do that to the larger orb and this one will get a coating of slip. Tomorrow the smaller one will be ready to carve.

 Here are a couple of finished orbs that were wood fired in Fred Johnston's kiln last month. The one above is about 6'' tall and the one below is 3" and is also a rattle. Both of the orbs I am working on this week will rattle, everyone likes that surprise when they pick them up.

I enjoy the meditative pace of making these and believe it or not they sell! It's not like anyone really needs an orb, they just like the way they feel and sound... meditative.