Denice

I use to make these small kidney shaped sculptures that had designs carved on them.   The gallery that I sold at wanted something small for people to buy,  I wanted something that people could enjoy tactically.    They sold quite well.      Denice

Firing a bisque today,  I wanted to get this done before I get my hand surgery done Wednesday.  Having my carpal tunnel fixed in my right wrist and my flip finger,  the surgeon said I should be as healed up with no restrictions in 6 weeks.       Denice

It's kind of strange I like to see the balance and attention to design in the piece but I like to feel the imperfections in a hand made pot.  When you pick up a factory made utility bowl it doesn't evoke any feelings  it is so dead feeling you could easily toss it aside and let it shatter on the floor.   When you pick up a handmade bowl  you can feel the energy.  you pour over it examining every nook and cranny and setting it down ever so gently.    Denice

It's kind of strange I like to see the balance and attention to design in the piece but I like to feel the imperfections in a hand made pot.  When you pick up a factory made utility bowl it doesn't evoke any feelings  it is so dead feeling you could easily toss it aside and let it shatter on the floor.   When you pick up a handmade bowl  you can feel the energy.  you pour over it examining every nook and cranny and setting it down ever so gently.    Denice

My high school only had one wheel,   my teacher would pick a boy to teaching throwing too.  He didn't think girls were strong enough to throw.   When I went to college to get a degree in clay  I needed to take three semesters in throwing.   Rick St.John was my first throwing teacher,  he was very patient and drilled the basics into our brain.   My second teacher was more into teaching us how to recycle,  make clay and cleaning,  very little throwing.   My third teacher was a mountain of a man and  would throw a 25 lb block of clay in minutes,   he gave my class a few helpful hints but mostly we followed a throw and cut schedule.   I decided to concentrate on hand building  when I had completed my throwing requirements.   Who knows I may have stayed with throwing if I had a mentor.   I have been rebuilding my brain/hand  connections since I bought a used wheel.   Marc found it for me and convinced me that getting rid of my kick wheel and going electric was the best way to retrain.   He was right,  maybe he is my mentor.    Denice
 

Min that sounds like a wasp/bee we have around here,  it is called a Cykada  killer,  it was imported here in the twenties when Kansas had the locust invasion.   A sting from them will put you in the hospital.  Just got back from the Senior housing,  my mother in-law was eating dinner and couple of ladies sat next to her.  They asked her where she use to live and she told them down the street,  she asked them where they use to live.   The one lady said she didn't remember and asked her friend,  her friend told her she came from Timbucktoo!   My mother in-law is 96  and has all her wits could barely keep a straight face,  living in a senior village might be fun after all.   Heading out to my studio.    Denice

I managed to get some clay soaking so I can recycle it,  we are still moving my mother in-law.  We have started cleaning up the house to get it on the market.   We have had some help but need a lot more.   Everyone thinks they have done their part and quit.   Can't wait to get back in my studio.    Denice

Min that sounds like a wasp/bee we have around here,  it is called a Cykada  killer,  it was imported here in the twenties when Kansas had the locust invasion.   A sting from them will put you in the hospital.  Just got back from the Senior housing,  my mother in-law was eating dinner and couple of ladies sat next to her.  They asked her where she use to live and she told them down the street,  she asked them where they use to live.   The one lady said she didn't remember and asked her friend,  her friend told her she came from Timbucktoo!   My mother in-law is 96  and has all her wits could barely keep a straight face,  living in a senior village might be fun after all.   Heading out to my studio.    Denice

Min that sounds like a wasp/bee we have around here,  it is called a Cykada  killer,  it was imported here in the twenties when Kansas had the locust invasion.   A sting from them will put you in the hospital.  Just got back from the Senior housing,  my mother in-law was eating dinner and couple of ladies sat next to her.  They asked her where she use to live and she told them down the street,  she asked them where they use to live.   The one lady said she didn't remember and asked her friend,  her friend told her she came from Timbucktoo!   My mother in-law is 96  and has all her wits could barely keep a straight face,  living in a senior village might be fun after all.   Heading out to my studio.    Denice

Min that sounds like a wasp/bee we have around here,  it is called a Cykada  killer,  it was imported here in the twenties when Kansas had the locust invasion.   A sting from them will put you in the hospital.  Just got back from the Senior housing,  my mother in-law was eating dinner and couple of ladies sat next to her.  They asked her where she use to live and she told them down the street,  she asked them where they use to live.   The one lady said she didn't remember and asked her friend,  her friend told her she came from Timbucktoo!   My mother in-law is 96  and has all her wits could barely keep a straight face,  living in a senior village might be fun after all.   Heading out to my studio.    Denice

Min that sounds like a wasp/bee we have around here,  it is called a Cykada  killer,  it was imported here in the twenties when Kansas had the locust invasion.   A sting from them will put you in the hospital.  Just got back from the Senior housing,  my mother in-law was eating dinner and couple of ladies sat next to her.  They asked her where she use to live and she told them down the street,  she asked them where they use to live.   The one lady said she didn't remember and asked her friend,  her friend told her she came from Timbucktoo!   My mother in-law is 96  and has all her wits could barely keep a straight face,  living in a senior village might be fun after all.   Heading out to my studio.    Denice

I managed to get some clay soaking so I can recycle it,  we are still moving my mother in-law.  We have started cleaning up the house to get it on the market.   We have had some help but need a lot more.   Everyone thinks they have done their part and quit.   Can't wait to get back in my studio.    Denice

My high school only had one wheel,   my teacher would pick a boy to teaching throwing too.  He didn't think girls were strong enough to throw.   When I went to college to get a degree in clay  I needed to take three semesters in throwing.   Rick St.John was my first throwing teacher,  he was very patient and drilled the basics into our brain.   My second teacher was more into teaching us how to recycle,  make clay and cleaning,  very little throwing.   My third teacher was a mountain of a man and  would throw a 25 lb block of clay in minutes,   he gave my class a few helpful hints but mostly we followed a throw and cut schedule.   I decided to concentrate on hand building  when I had completed my throwing requirements.   Who knows I may have stayed with throwing if I had a mentor.   I have been rebuilding my brain/hand  connections since I bought a used wheel.   Marc found it for me and convinced me that getting rid of my kick wheel and going electric was the best way to retrain.   He was right,  maybe he is my mentor.    Denice
 

My high school only had one wheel,   my teacher would pick a boy to teaching throwing too.  He didn't think girls were strong enough to throw.   When I went to college to get a degree in clay  I needed to take three semesters in throwing.   Rick St.John was my first throwing teacher,  he was very patient and drilled the basics into our brain.   My second teacher was more into teaching us how to recycle,  make clay and cleaning,  very little throwing.   My third teacher was a mountain of a man and  would throw a 25 lb block of clay in minutes,   he gave my class a few helpful hints but mostly we followed a throw and cut schedule.   I decided to concentrate on hand building  when I had completed my throwing requirements.   Who knows I may have stayed with throwing if I had a mentor.   I have been rebuilding my brain/hand  connections since I bought a used wheel.   Marc found it for me and convinced me that getting rid of my kick wheel and going electric was the best way to retrain.   He was right,  maybe he is my mentor.    Denice
 

Working with a coarser clay makes the smooth process  a little slower,  I got into coiling when I was in college.   I took a archeology class that was in a competition with other colleges to replicate  Anazai pottery.  It was held in the pottery studio and I was the only clay person in the class.  The professor taught the class how he thought they made the coiled pots,  I told him he was wrong  that the pots would crack and fall apart.   At the end of the semester we fired them in a trench firing,  my work come out fine the rest was broken shards.     I had a dozen pieces come out of the firing most of them quite large and thin walled.    The professor admitted I was right,  the archeology department  won the competition  with my work.   Denice

Throwing some more glass molds today,  I nearly have a kiln filled with them.    I have my firing scheduled figured out finally for the glass.   Turns out making a inch thick disc shape out of recycled glass is very difficult to do.   I have a 11 hour firing schedule for it,   most of the time is spent holding at certain temperatures for a hour or more.   The thicker the glass the longer the annealing takes,  I don't have a computerized kiln so I spend the the whole day with the kiln and my pyrometer.    I could have bought fritted glass that is easier to fire and at a much lower temperature but I wanted to do something with recycled glass.   Denice

Spent the last few nights editing and rendering the video but it's finally done!
 

I  don't know if a photo will be able to show the effect I am getting with the glass.   I am making the molds with the bottom surface with a throwing rings and a broken area where a hand  blown bottle would have  been broken off of the blow rod.   The glass that is against the mold comes out a satin matte finish,  the glass on the top is very glossy.   When you hold the glass up to a light and look through the  glossy top you can see the pattern from the mold.  So far the glass is firing very clear with a few small bubbles,  The bottle pattern looks like it is floating in the thick glass has almost a eerie feeling.    The glass is turning out better than I expected,  I may have to put a spot light on it at night to get the full effect after the sun has gone down.     Denice

Throwing some more glass molds today,  I nearly have a kiln filled with them.    I have my firing scheduled figured out finally for the glass.   Turns out making a inch thick disc shape out of recycled glass is very difficult to do.   I have a 11 hour firing schedule for it,   most of the time is spent holding at certain temperatures for a hour or more.   The thicker the glass the longer the annealing takes,  I don't have a computerized kiln so I spend the the whole day with the kiln and my pyrometer.    I could have bought fritted glass that is easier to fire and at a much lower temperature but I wanted to do something with recycled glass.   Denice

My Botanist friend took a group on a nature hike  along Fox Creek and up a mountain. Most of the group had a good background in Botany. I was along for the wildlife observance and new material for patterns of leaves and plants. My old Faux celadon is at a good stage. I had made my friend a watercolor brush holder and glazed it with my old bucket of glaze which seemed to be at a perfect consistency. I carved that vase before my Obvara class in July. I am going to carve some mugs for NCECA and elsewhere.
Thanks for the compliment. I'm enjoying my time back in Montana. 
Best wishes to you Pres.
Marcia

I  don't know if a photo will be able to show the effect I am getting with the glass.   I am making the molds with the bottom surface with a throwing rings and a broken area where a hand  blown bottle would have  been broken off of the blow rod.   The glass that is against the mold comes out a satin matte finish,  the glass on the top is very glossy.   When you hold the glass up to a light and look through the  glossy top you can see the pattern from the mold.  So far the glass is firing very clear with a few small bubbles,  The bottle pattern looks like it is floating in the thick glass has almost a eerie feeling.    The glass is turning out better than I expected,  I may have to put a spot light on it at night to get the full effect after the sun has gone down.     Denice

Throwing some more glass molds today,  I nearly have a kiln filled with them.    I have my firing scheduled figured out finally for the glass.   Turns out making a inch thick disc shape out of recycled glass is very difficult to do.   I have a 11 hour firing schedule for it,   most of the time is spent holding at certain temperatures for a hour or more.   The thicker the glass the longer the annealing takes,  I don't have a computerized kiln so I spend the the whole day with the kiln and my pyrometer.    I could have bought fritted glass that is easier to fire and at a much lower temperature but I wanted to do something with recycled glass.   Denice

Finished my glass casting tests  Saturday  and finally got my finished cast to look like old wine bottle bottoms.  I still need to throw more molds but I have been cleaning and reorganizing the bookcase in my shop.  It was so full  paperwork and books were spilling onto the floor.  I can get back to throwing molds today.  My mother in-law is getting ready to move into a senior residence apartment,  that will keep me busy for awhile.    Denice

The first thing I thought of was a paint sieve that fits on a 5 gal bucket.   I had bought several of them when I painted the house and had a extra one.  I tried one out when I was mixing a 3 gal batch of glaze.   I sieved it through the paint mesh before I sieved it through my 100# mesh sieve.   Doing it this way seem to make the whole process easier and faster.   They are also very inexpensive,  about $3 each.   For people who work with slabs a seam roller for wallpaper can help mesh your seams together.    A vinyl layout pad with measurement marks for fabric  can also be helpful for slab,  both are also inexpensive.    Denice

The first thing I thought of was a paint sieve that fits on a 5 gal bucket.   I had bought several of them when I painted the house and had a extra one.  I tried one out when I was mixing a 3 gal batch of glaze.   I sieved it through the paint mesh before I sieved it through my 100# mesh sieve.   Doing it this way seem to make the whole process easier and faster.   They are also very inexpensive,  about $3 each.   For people who work with slabs a seam roller for wallpaper can help mesh your seams together.    A vinyl layout pad with measurement marks for fabric  can also be helpful for slab,  both are also inexpensive.    Denice