dhPotter

We need to add the bling to these jewelry pendants.

Pres, your hands sound like mine. On both hands I have bone on bone where the thumb connects to the hand. Bone spurs, also. I too, cannot pull handles anymore. I could, but it would ruin my hands for a couple of days. My handles are slab made. Any pinching action with the thumbs is painful. Just as you had suggested Pres, if my hands are busy in clay throwing, they don't ache so much as if they are idle. As a programmer, I'm hammering on the keyboard all day but something about clay is soothing to the hands. For every movement made with my hands I first analyze how that my affect the use of my hands after the movement is completed. Then try a different approach if pain ensues. For punching decorative holes in a piece, I started using a drill instead of hole punches. The drill proved too much strain on the hands. Actually punching holes with the punches does not feel bad, it is the clean up of the hole, the little ridge around the hole, afterwards that is a pain. I am allergic to the arthritis medicines and having only 1 kidney, I cannot take any over the counter meds for pain. The stick blender is a real pain to use. But it is the best tool to use. Last night I mixed up and added water to 13 glaze tests using the stick blender. Also sieved 2 production glazes. I use small brushes, about the size of the Talisman brushes, for the sieve, easier to hold than a scrapper. Today the hands are very sore. But it is what must be done to advance my pottery. Oh yeah, having only half a left thumb adds to the complexity of holding tools, especially a rib on the inside of a pot. A lot of finger wrapping around the tool to hold it. Also holding some tools between the middle and ring finger, either hand, helps to control the tool with minimal pain.
Without clay I would be miserable. 

Art teachers are really good at three-dimensional Tetris!
The worst however, is when you get so far in loading, and find something that  either; A. Would fit better on a different spot, or B. You forgot about all together, because you had it sitting aside (Sometimes sitting aside, so you didn't forget about it...)
I have had to unload, just to reload before.  A lot of heavy sighing is involved...

I have an extra day off this week, so I am exploring some of the ideas that have been rattling around in my head. If possible I like to introduce new designs at my open studio in december, which means I need to start figuring them out now.
Edit:  ....aaaand now that I’ve studied this photo a bit, I’m going to erase the “7” on the brown one, and try to put it in the right place.

I do occasionally manage to snap a picture of finished work. 

Pumpkins. Not something I've made before, they are for a raku fundraiser next month.

Like DH I had bone to bone contact in both thumbs which was the result of abuse during my career as a remodeling contractor. The pain had gotten to be pretty bad. I had consulted with an orthopedic surgeon who suggested hand surgery. I had my right thumb done first and had the trapezius bone removed from the thumb. The joint was pinned and put in a cast for six weeks. Then the pins were removed and I underwent physical therapy once a week for another six weeks to regain the normal function of the thumb. It took about 10 months from the time of the surgery to get my thumb back to 100% at which time I had the left thumb done. Same process. It took about 4-5 months from the time of each surgery before I could work the clay on the wheel. Since then the hands have been working perfectly without pain. I could not recommend this particular surgery more highly because of my experience. 
Here's a shot of the x-ray with the pins in place and the bone removed:
 

Working in the brick garage in Summer is an advantage as it stays cooler. This is yesterdays completion, as more were thrown. still need to rub off nubbies.
 
best,
Pres
 

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A finished piece from this week.

A lesson learned...
The last weekend in February was the last time I touched a kiln load of pots ready for single-fire glazing. Around June 6th is when I started to glaze. I pour the liners on mugs and pitchers. Then begin to spray the exteriors. 2 days after pouring a thin crack appeared in 2 pieces. I looked in the Hamer book and found out the crack is from readsorption. We had a very rainy spring with periods of extreme dry weather. The pottery shop had the windows open during this time. I took me about 2 weeks to glaze the pieces and 29 test glazes. Kiln was fired June 17.
I have always d processed the pottery this way. Throw a kiln load, then when all pieces dry, begin to pour and spray. I have never waited this long between the making and the glazing. Lost 5 pieces due to this readsorption. 
Never in my wildest dreams, in order to make decent pots, did I consider being a physicist, chemist, geologist, and any other ...ist I may have left out.
Picture of the hairline crack and a picture of the survivors. At least all were not lost. Also, I finally figured out how to properly load the kiln. This firing had the most even firing across the whole kiln. All cone 6 were bent exactly the same. 
  

A lesson learned...
The last weekend in February was the last time I touched a kiln load of pots ready for single-fire glazing. Around June 6th is when I started to glaze. I pour the liners on mugs and pitchers. Then begin to spray the exteriors. 2 days after pouring a thin crack appeared in 2 pieces. I looked in the Hamer book and found out the crack is from readsorption. We had a very rainy spring with periods of extreme dry weather. The pottery shop had the windows open during this time. I took me about 2 weeks to glaze the pieces and 29 test glazes. Kiln was fired June 17.
I have always d processed the pottery this way. Throw a kiln load, then when all pieces dry, begin to pour and spray. I have never waited this long between the making and the glazing. Lost 5 pieces due to this readsorption. 
Never in my wildest dreams, in order to make decent pots, did I consider being a physicist, chemist, geologist, and any other ...ist I may have left out.
Picture of the hairline crack and a picture of the survivors. At least all were not lost. Also, I finally figured out how to properly load the kiln. This firing had the most even firing across the whole kiln. All cone 6 were bent exactly the same. 
  

A lesson learned...
The last weekend in February was the last time I touched a kiln load of pots ready for single-fire glazing. Around June 6th is when I started to glaze. I pour the liners on mugs and pitchers. Then begin to spray the exteriors. 2 days after pouring a thin crack appeared in 2 pieces. I looked in the Hamer book and found out the crack is from readsorption. We had a very rainy spring with periods of extreme dry weather. The pottery shop had the windows open during this time. I took me about 2 weeks to glaze the pieces and 29 test glazes. Kiln was fired June 17.
I have always d processed the pottery this way. Throw a kiln load, then when all pieces dry, begin to pour and spray. I have never waited this long between the making and the glazing. Lost 5 pieces due to this readsorption. 
Never in my wildest dreams, in order to make decent pots, did I consider being a physicist, chemist, geologist, and any other ...ist I may have left out.
Picture of the hairline crack and a picture of the survivors. At least all were not lost. Also, I finally figured out how to properly load the kiln. This firing had the most even firing across the whole kiln. All cone 6 were bent exactly the same. 
  

A lesson learned...
The last weekend in February was the last time I touched a kiln load of pots ready for single-fire glazing. Around June 6th is when I started to glaze. I pour the liners on mugs and pitchers. Then begin to spray the exteriors. 2 days after pouring a thin crack appeared in 2 pieces. I looked in the Hamer book and found out the crack is from readsorption. We had a very rainy spring with periods of extreme dry weather. The pottery shop had the windows open during this time. I took me about 2 weeks to glaze the pieces and 29 test glazes. Kiln was fired June 17.
I have always d processed the pottery this way. Throw a kiln load, then when all pieces dry, begin to pour and spray. I have never waited this long between the making and the glazing. Lost 5 pieces due to this readsorption. 
Never in my wildest dreams, in order to make decent pots, did I consider being a physicist, chemist, geologist, and any other ...ist I may have left out.
Picture of the hairline crack and a picture of the survivors. At least all were not lost. Also, I finally figured out how to properly load the kiln. This firing had the most even firing across the whole kiln. All cone 6 were bent exactly the same. 
  

These photos are a good example of aesthetics vs good function. The white mug is by far the one that looks the best, and takes the best picture. The proportions are spot on, the visual flow impeccable. The finishing details are beautifully thought out. The glaze is a minimalists' dream of everything calm, subtle and soothing, and it's well suited to the form. It's stunning, and I love it. But...
It's uncomfortable as hell. The sharp edge on the handle digs into the side of your finger when you lift the cup. It takes a bit of fiddling to find a way to balance it in your hand without burning yourself, because the spacing between the handle narrows too closely to the mug body at the bottom attachment point. The handle angle is wrong for it to be a two finger mug, and it's not large enough to be a three finger mug.  The handle is too wide. It's a piece made with aesthetics, not ergonomics in mind, and you would never know that unless you held the thing. I also kind of hate it. 
The blue mug is definitely less sexy.  The slip trailed decoration is a bit physically sharp, and probably a bit trite. The glaze job doesn't take as much advantage of the red clay it's on as it could. But it is a proper three finger mug, and you can use it without burning yourself.  There is a very subtle thumb spot on the top of the handle near the join that is smooth like a stone. It's a suggestion to use it, not a demand.  The edges of the handle are rounded, not sharp, and it's not too wide or too thick. And you would also never know any of that from the photo either. 

The white mug pictured here  is a back filled handle. You can see that the original strip of clay was probably rolled out quite flat, and would have had a relatively small attachment point. He took a small coil and back filled that space to both reinforce the join, and for aesthetics.  Because the handle or the backfill is often smoothed flush to the mug body (this example isn't totally), depending on your clay and drying conditions, can be prone to cracking. It adds a step, but it looks awesome.
The other mug is one of mine, and is a "dog bone" style, called so because they flare at top and bottom and taper in the middle like a cartoon dog bone. It leaves a shadow around the attachment point that can be more forgiving of drying shrinkage. The slight gap gets filled in with glaze and reinforced that way. It also has its own aesthetic.
edited 2019: at the request of the artist previously used as an example I have removed his name and the image of the mug. He stated that my description of his handle construction was inaccurate, but declined to elaborate on his process.

 

Yes that's exactly. originally I wanted the brine shrimp not be attached to anything, but it was too fiddly and one of it's ribs got cut off, so basically I made a rubber stamp out of it to glue the rib in place. It should have nice sharp edges for a long time. I used aquarium silicone to attach it to the backing; more vinyl; which worked great, then glued the whole thing to a small flooring tile because I didn't have a piece of wood the right size. Voila, prototype. I smeared craft paint on a plastic plate, twirled the stamp around in it and stamped it onto to a damp piece of fabric. Worked not so well on dry fabric. Anyway, I'll be using this idea again but without the backing attached it should work better in future for clay.  The sheet vinyl -not the hard 'tile' type flooring- cut super easy. I went into a flooring store I get my flooring tile remnants from and they were happy to give me a scrap. 

I do sell "seconds" but you have to really look hard to see why they are seconds. I always try and point out why something is a second to a potential customer and 99 out of a 100 times the customer will say "Well that's what gives it character". I smile and think to myself no, you just are pleased to be paying 1/2 price for the pot. 

assembled and ready for a gallery show.

A kiln load has been waiting for a month to be glazed and single-fired. 
After work and weekends have been building a chicken coop with double chicken run. Been raining so much have really put construction behind. Chicks arrive May 8.

Last pot on the bench today, carved vase.

A kiln load has been waiting for a month to be glazed and single-fired. 
After work and weekends have been building a chicken coop with double chicken run. Been raining so much have really put construction behind. Chicks arrive May 8.

A kiln load has been waiting for a month to be glazed and single-fired. 
After work and weekends have been building a chicken coop with double chicken run. Been raining so much have really put construction behind. Chicks arrive May 8.

My workbench is full of ugly bisque again. I really is my least favourite stage. But a week and a half ago, I decided it would be a good idea to document some new compost buckets before I was packing them up to go to a sale. These are much nicer pictures!
Before you make fun of me for my product staging, I was legit making soup stock with the Easter turkey.

A kiln load has been waiting for a month to be glazed and single-fired. 
After work and weekends have been building a chicken coop with double chicken run. Been raining so much have really put construction behind. Chicks arrive May 8.