Proper photos

I finally got all of my photo equipment out last night & took proper photos of my most recent work. It's so much easier in my new studio space.

Before the set-up & tear down took so long that I only took photos when absolutely necessary. Now I can set-up right in the studio. I have an EZ (light) Cube & some boom lights. I shoot with a Cannon Power Shot A95 -- which I'm hoping to upgrade soon -- and a gradient background.

These pots are going to the "Little Things Mean A Lot" show in Atlanta- November 19 - January 10. This is an annual show at the Swan Coach House in Buckhead. It's such a wonderful show - artists love doing it -- but the gallery space is small so you can only be invited every other year. It's not just clay -- but 2-d, fiber, metals & the pieces can be no larger than 8 inches in any direction. If you get a chance you should see it.

I also updated my website which I haven't done since I started working in earthenware. You can access my webpage by clicking in the right-hand column. Let me know what you think.

Unloaded the kiln

I have learned so much about working with terra sig, underglazes and glazes through this last group of pots. I made some test tiles to play with. The tiles have been fired twice. I enjoy earthenware so much because you can maintain an intimate relationship with each piece from making through the final firing. There's not that ugly bisque stage to contend with -- because the surface treatment begins at either leatherhard or greenware.

The first photo grouping of pots have been completed and will go out into the world for a holiday show -- but I will continue playing with the tiles -- they are only tests. I'm thinking the hard part - now - is knowing when they are finished.

Lowfire - round 2

I spent last week in Orlando. What a needed break! We lived in Orlando for about 11 years prior to moving to Atlanta - been here about 5 years now. We got to visit with some much missed friends & eat great food & see the old neighborhood & favorite places.

My pots were waiting for me when I returned. They had been fired once with a terra sig application. For this second round of firing -- same temp -- I highlighted the colors with some underglazes & washes. I also have a couple of tests -- checking to see if the glazes look better with a slip of the same color underneath or whether a contrasting slip that will peek through the glaze will work. I'm also testing if I can apply glaze over the (fired) terra sig.

One thing I'm having difficulty with is applying a line with either a (fine-tipped) applicator bottle or a brush. The line just looks messy no matter what. Any body have any advice or tricks?

Bisque is Cooling

Yesterday I spent the day getting my pots ready for a bisque load. I'm still trying different techniques on my earthenware. For this load I used mostly colored terra sig on the outside surface. I slipped the inside/functional area to receive glaze.

I'm also going to test applying glaze over the terra sig to see what happens. Some of these pieces will get a black wash or I'll do some black line work & bisque again. I'm going to re-test the Meyer Transparent by thinning it out some. I'm hoping it won't be quite so glossy over the terra sig.

Working in low-fire is a completely different approach than ^10 or ^6. I forget that I can fire these lowfire pieces multiple times to get the final surface I want. I am so used to working at ^6 and it takes a completely different way of thinking to create a surface with low fire. You actually have to envision your piece at each step -- and build to the final result.

I absolutely love my new studio space. How wonderful it was to spread out with all my glazes in front of me -- and have running water while glazing is truly amazing!! I could get used to this.

If any of you have any earthenware treatments that you think I should try - please let me know.

New Studio Space

Wooohooo! I have been a garage potter my entire pottery career. When we lived in (Orlando) Fl - I dealt with unbelievable heat & snakes & lizards. Here in GA I've dealt with heat, cold and no running water. My kiln has always been in my workspace, so when it's firing, I lose a day in the studio. Now though -- wow -- I've moved into luxury. This space has built in shelving, windows, a fireplace, heat, air conditioning, running water . . . I even have a great stereo system and my drawing table set-up.

This room used to be my son's space. Our basement includes the family room that I've moved into - a bedroom & a bathroom. As most of you know, my son is at college - and during the recent flooding rains, the basement flooded & we lost some furniture and all of the carpeting. As soon as I saw that concrete floor - I realized I could move into that space. I've changed out the vanity sink in the bathroom for a laundry sink. We will replace all the carpeting & clean up the clay dust when we need to put this house on the market.

We had been looking for property. Since we no longer need to live in a particular school system, my husband & I were looking for space that would allow us to have a good studio. He likes to work in wood - so he has saws & tools -- and we have always shared the garage. Now he has the garage as his wood shop & I have my own pottery space.

We'd still like to move to the mountains - but now it's not quite so pressing. Having Luke in college is a huge expense - now we can wait til he graduates to undertake the move.

Today the heavy rains are back - I used to love the rain - now I'm a little nervous - sure don't want to go through we we've been through the last few weeks again - physically or financially!

Everyone do a no-rain dance.

Quick photo from last glaze firing

I am almost pleased with the glazes in this firing. This time I combined using terra sig, slip and glazes. I tested a new clear (Ron Meyers Transparent) and a different firing schedule.

The clear is a little too glossy for every application and the terra sig by itself is too matte. I'm going to try to tone down the glossy clear with a slower cooling cycle - sometimes slow cooling a clear can make it milky though - we'll see. I will also try a watered-down clear over the terra sig to brighten it a bit.

I tweaked the Hirsch base glaze to try and make it more waxy-buttery. The original recipe is a little dry for functional work. I think I helped it some but I need to continue to work with this glaze.

I have another clear to test (Gail Kendall) and I am going to try another technique to lay down a thin black line. (I didn't post the pictures of the pieces that I used a brush to apply the black line -- those pieces didn't look so good.)

I'm still enjoying working with earthenware & feel it's taking me in a direction I would like to continue to pursue. I still feel I have lots to discover!

Meanwhile I am also working on moving my studio. I should be fully moved in by the end of this week! Yeah - how wonderful it will be to have a heated space with running water this winter.

Ready to bisque

I've been busy this week. We started cleaning up after the flooded mess. We found a carpet remnant for my son's room - so he's not walking on cold concrete when he comes to visit. I'm not replacing the wall-to-wall carpeting until just before we move from this house because I am moving my studio into the large basement family room. On the basement level is my son's room, the family room & a bathroom -- and the garage. It all was flooded early last week with the big Atlanta rains.

I found some end of the roll linoleum to put down in the studio area & I've purchased a laundry sink for the bathroom. We'll just take out the standard sink cabinet & store it while I use the industrial sink for my pottery.

We also needed to go through all of the stuff in the family room -- now my teenage son has occupied this space for the last four years -- we've found some interesting stuff - ha! But for the most part it's books & picture albums & old video games, etc. I'm also storing the furniture that was in that room. I haven't physically moved my studio yet -- still lots to do first.

But meanwhile I'm also working on my pottery. I made terra sigilatta for the first time -- one batch with Redart & one batch with OM-4. The pots in the photos -- the colored areas -- are terra sig & the white areas are slipped - to be glazed after bisque & the red area is the clay body. Some of that area will just be covered in clear & some with glazes.

I just found out I'm in a holiday show I've been wanting to be in. It's so popular that folks are only invited every other year. This is my year! Now back to loading the kiln. I'll post photos - again - after the glaze firing.

Centered Again

I finally got a chance to make some work today. It was an awkward start - but I began with some small pieces I'm so familiar with that making them is relaxing. I find after being away from clay and my wheel for a while it takes a couple of days to get back into a rhythm again. I have had so many distractions lately - the big Perspectives show, the death of my father-in-law and now my basement/studio flooding.

But I can count on the clay bringing me back to myself -- my production may be all over the place for a couple of weeks -- but I will become centered again. It's a subtle return back to myself -- one that I've come to rely on. I don't know what I'd do without clay.

Flooding Rains in Atlanta

First let me put this in perspective -- we had minor flooding in our basement & in my garage studio -- people have lost their lives & their homes during these flooding rains. My heart goes out to them.

It's been raining here since last Friday -- torrential downpours that last for hours. Then yesterday it started raining hard about 11 am & was still raining hard around 3 pm. I noticed a leak around a sliding glass door in our home. I went downstairs to get a bucket & stepped in two inches of water. I immediately started moving everything on the floor level that shouldn't get wet -- then moved most of the water out of the garage with a push broom. I then started on the finished basement. This area is where my son has all of his stuff. The basement has a family room, bedroom & bathroom. He's off at college. I started moving what I could off the floor. My husband came home from work to help & we vacuumed out at least 60 gallons of water with 2 wet vacs. We made a dent -- but the carpet was soaked.

I called a water damage company. I'm a little disappointed -- they charged a minimum -- no matter what the damage -- of $2000. One man showed up & he and my husband removed all the carpet downstairs. My husband worked as hard as the technician. We now have big fans & industrial strength de-humidifiers running to try & dry out the rooms. But even though we needed the help, I think we were somewhat taken advantage of with that price. They had us.

And the insurance company is another sore spot with me. I have been with this company for auto insurance since I was 16. I've had homeowner's insurance with them many times & this time for the last five years. I have never filed a claim. When I called yesterday, I was told there is no coverage for floods -- if the water touches the ground before it enters your house - you are not covered. The agent then proceeds to tell me I've been with them for 30 years -- and I say - 'yeah, that's a lot of paid premiums.' And for what?

The rainbow in all of this -- I'm thinking since my son moved out for college and there's no carpeting in the basement now, I may move my studio out of the garage & into that space. I can change out the fancy sink in the bathroom for an industrial sink & have running water, and finally have a heated & air conditioned space. Then when it's time to sell this place, we can replace the carpeting. I will leave the bedroom intact -- hey my son visits every now & then -- and leave my kiln in the garage so I can work when the kiln fires. So even though this has been expensive & a giant hassle - it may just work out fine.

Perspectives 2009 - Follow-up

I picked up my unsold pots from Perspectives yesterday. Overall this year's sales were above last years -- and that's wonderful news in this economy. I sold a little over 60% - and that makes me happy since this was my first year at Perspectives. And what makes me even happier is the majority of work that sold - was my new earthenware pieces.

This show was conceived & is run entirely by potters. This is it's 7th year. Everyone volunteers for different committees & helps with sales. It's a great group of folks & an excellent show to be part of -- hope I get asked to be in it again next year. Thanks all you potters who participated -- and all the shoppers who bought GA pottery!!