nancylee

Oh, I hadn't seen your post before. Interesting. I was thinking of using glass in a little ring dish, nothing usable for food, but I guess the glass could still pop out and cut someone. Thanks.

Thank you, Lee! Nancy

Thank you, Lin, much appreciated! Nancy

Yes, thank you very much! Nancy

My first pottery teacher taught me from the beginning that nothing is certain until the piece is on your shelf at home. Best lesson ever! Nancy

Sorry to be dense, but how does one stick stuck in a blob of clay give you height and width? A duh moment - sorry! nancy

Hi, I bisque to cone 05 because that is what my teacher did and still does. When I glaze fire, I usually glaze fire to cone 5, no hold, but when I low fire, I fire to cone 06, a bit cooler. I have a question that this thread brought up - if I bisque at cone 04, hotter than 05, is it substantially different in the way it accepts glaze? I have a few dipping glazes I love, but stopped using them because they run all over the shelf and ruin my pots and my shelves. Would they maybe run less if bisqued at 04? I also do a lot of brush on glazes now, so was wondering if there are any disadvantages to bisquing at cone 04 instead of 05. Thanks!

I make a lot of urns, but I swear, one day I can center, then I cant center for a week. So I want to make square forms. Every template I see gives me 90 degree corners where slabs meet. I want a square form with somewhat rounded corners. Does that have to be thrown on the wheel and altered? I really like handbuilding and want to start making my urns like square ones with rounded corners. Thanks in advance, nancy

Great idea!!! And I Love the idea that it is being recycled, too!!!

That's a great idea!! I have some of that somewhere around. I love the idea of them for templates, too. I am just starting handbuilding (and LOVE it!) and I am using tarpaper, which is really a pain to cut. Thanks!

Oh! An apple baker is like a ring holder, but with taller sides! Now I want a baked apple!

That piece is worth 3 to 5 weeks worth of work! And thank you, Pres! I looked Blender over but will really check it out when I have time this weekend. Enjoy the day! Nancy

That is amazing! Just beautiful! Is the top piece solid? Clay? Looks like bone! What is this program Blender? If you work it out in a 3D program, does it give you a breakdown of template sizes? What is the advantage of Blender if it doesn’t? Thank you!!! nancy

Lovely work! Thank you!!

Yes, thank you!! ,!

Thank you! One question: if I’m making it from 4 slabs, what do you mean when you say make the entire box as one piece? Thanks!

For the last 3 or 4 months, I haven't been able to center clay after figuring it out finally a few years ago with no problems since then. The way I was taught didn't work for me, so Two years ago, I found a video on YouTube that helped: 2 hands on either side to push up; one hand on top, one on the side holding to push down. This worked for me the past few years. Then one night at the studio I couldn't center. My teacher has helped me, I've watched videos, and tried to do it hundreds of times. I can "bully" any clay under a couple of pounds into center, but over 3 pounds, no. What happens is as soon as I start to center a piece of clay, it gets a "twist" in the middle and even when I bring just that twisted piece all the way up and then all the way down trying to fix it, it's still in there. I bring it up, stabilize it with my left hand as I push down with my right, it seems centered, but isn't. There's still a twist in the middle. I thought maybe I'd done something different wedging, so I tried my usual Rams head, did the other twirl one, and tried clay right from the bag that I just would drop on the floor to get anything out. Nope. Twist shows ups soon as I touch the clay. My teacher made sure my hands were equal and opposite on the clay, a twist shows up. I've tried my usually, BMix and 60 clay, then tied 55, 65 and 80. Can't center any of them I have a lot of pieces to make and I'm about to start hand building them. I'm desperate. I'll try any suggestions. Thanks, Nancy

Thank you all!! So it looks like she does cone 6? I love the colors, that they are more muted, yet still colors. Gifted artist!! Nancy

Is anyone familiar with Helene Fielder's work? I love her clay body and glazes. I read somewhere that it is high fire? It doesnt look like it is gas fired. And I'm not familar with high fire darker clays. Any info on the clay type appreciated. I'd like a darker clay body at a higher cone. Thanks!

I make dog and cat urns and once in a while, im asked to make an urn for a human. I started and ran my own dog rescue, actively, for about 5 years. I brought up around 3000 dogs and puppies from brutal, high kill shelters in the south. When I had to cut back due to financial and emotional reasons, I started making custom urns and donating the profits,to other dog rescues. I feel it is a sacred honor. The hardest urn to make was for a 15 year old girl who,died from a lung illness. It said BREATHE on it. I was fine until I was packing it. Then I cried for hours. I hope that urn brings her Mom some solace. nancy

Hi all, I have a couple of handbuilding books and also some templates from some workshops online, but I'm looking for a template for a round bigger mug. Not as large as a chowder mug, but bigger than a medium rounded mug. Does anyone know where I can get one or how I can make a template? Thanks!

Thank you!!! Appreciated! nancy

I was just sharing my experience. And kind of tongue in cheek about the shop name. I'll just slink away now.

I would like to add in my 2 cents to what Mea said about how you are willing to live. I just decided that I probably need to put 4 more years in to my job to get a decent retirement, because there is NO WAY i will make a living with my jewelry and pottery. I had better do it for love, cause the $$ isnt there. Part of the reason is that I'm tired: I'm 55, I have been running a side business/businesses for 20 years, and I'm just exhausted when I get home from teaching. I just don't have it in me to go in my studio for 4 or 8 hours to make the number of pots I would have to make to make a living. Another reason is that after living a basically middle class life on my job for 30 years, I don't want to have to give things up to do this full time. That makes me feel bad, and shallow, but I like my lifestyle. It's pretty simple, but I don't want for much. And I have insurance for life. And I can afford to take workshops and keep learning, and I love learning! I think this is why so many artists are teachers. But I started this only 7 years ago, then fell in love with metalsmithing jewelry, too, so there arent enough hours in my days to do it all. Sad. But I finally have admitted it. I can't quit the day job until I'm 60.

I have done a few shows that cost $500 for 2 to 3 days. No more. I am sticking to shows at my level that are more local and less expensive. Easier to make my $$ back.