Sometimes it's the little things...

Jeff threw a mini pot on the wheel using our "505 Clay", dug in our own backyard. Ash glazed and fired to cone 10 in the gas kiln.

While taking the photo I noticed that it created a neat shadow on the wall behind it. I couldn't resist playing with it until I could get a decent shot.

Getting Wild

Jeff has really been enjoying digging and processing the "wild" clay in our yard. When the area for our kiln shed was excavated, it exposed a lot of this luscious, orange, goodness. After blunging, screening, and drying on plaster, it was ready to be wedged and thrown.

Yesterday he finished one of the tea bowls he made, using the Mishima technique of inlaying slip. Jeff applies the slip with a brush. Then scrapes away the excess, which also pushes all of the slip into the stamped areas. When it's dry, he will sand away any remaining slip, using a green kitchen scrubbie.

There have been a lot of Mishima instructional videos on the internet lately and I have been a little disappointed when watching them, to discover that they aren't really about Mishima, it's about applying wax to clay, carving a design, and brushing on underglaze. While this technique produces some nice designs, it isn't Mishima by definition. Just call me a purist!

Good Earth at 505

 Our new home was connected to town water prior to our closing. That means a long trench to lay the new pipe... and there was a lot of good looking clay dug up during the process. Jeff brought some back to the studio in February and did some testing. It fired to cone 10!

 Last night I was at the house shampooing carpets, before I left I bagged up some clay for Jeff to process.

Sort of looks like pumpkin pie

All wedged up... we have dubbed it "505" clay, since our new address is 505 E Main St.

Jeff made quite a few purty little cups.

This little cup, made with our 505 clay, was fired in the wood kiln during FireFest. I believe that this is also the glaze that Jeff made from another clay, also found on our property. It's glazed with nuka. The clay fires in wood to a nice toasty orange. We are going to fire a bisque this weekend so that Jeff can take few of his cups, made with 505, to Mungyeong, S. Korea. While there, they will be fired in one the traditional kilns in the area. I can't believe how quickly this trip has come up. So much to do and so little time!!