GEP

I follow the concept in this quote from Chuck Close: 
“Amateurs look for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work.” 
Chuck Close 
( https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/166434.Chuck_Close ) 
 

I pug clay.  
There is no pressure.  Nothing that must be done.  No finish line.  No phones, no computers, no TV.   No control.  The pug mill tells me how fast to go,  gently ignoring any pleas to go faster...
Just lovely plastic handfuls of clay, Iike the first time you touched it.  In. Out. In. Out.  In. Out.  The mineral earth smell, cold and damp, squeezing through my fingers.  Slap into the hopper.  Down comes the plunger, extra force applied right to the bottom to leave no doubt about who is really in charge of everything in this little world.
Endless, rhythmic repetition (cut, smash, cut smash, cut smash), the low steady drone of the motor, the slow but inevitable extrusion of perfect worms, again, and again.
... hypnotic....like a wheel going round...and round....
...the mind wanders, ...  sequences of thoughts lead strangely down side paths.  Ideas occur, new but vaguely familiar, coming  from somewhere like things that happen in a dream.  Forms appear in your minds eye, once known, then forgotten and now rediscovered...  
have hours passed or only minutes?  No idea.  Cut slap smash.  It goes on.  You are far away now.
a distant call to dinner shakes you awake.. back to earth.  switch off the pugmill.  As the dream fades you quickly you scribble down a few thoughts, rough out a shape or two... 
tomorrow is another day.   As you drift off you know fresh pugs of clay wait silently in a neat stack, filled with possibility, daring you to try something new...
 
 

Wedding jar completed except for cleanup a little after it sets up some more.
 
best,
Pres

I did make mud sculptures and very just drip sand castles as a kid. In college I discover clay. I soaked up as much knowledge as I could. I focused all my art history research papers on ceramic topics relevant to each AH course I took. I designed kilns, built burners and experimented with glazes. Some of my happiest moments have been working in studios in the woods. After 50+ years, I am very engaged with the interaction of chemistry and firing marks on surfaces. It is my passion. And there is inner peace and there are stellar moments of excitement and discovery. I love it. never a dull moment.
 
 

Last pot on the bench today, carved vase.

Mondays bench (actually 3 areas)-glaze wares from two fires priced and packed-lots of mugs
Pots been flying out of here lately-shipped to Vermont-So-Cal gallery-all local outlets-
All stocked to the gills for Mothers day and our Collage Graduation weekend-usually a large sales event for all shops locally
today bench is empty -off to a show in am for 5 days
 

Glazing today, bisque is just turned off. Glaze load goes in tomorrow, then another on Tuesday. This is today load that I have finished glazing though the pic was taken this morning before.
 
 
best,
Pres
 
 
 
 
 
 

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.

(Waster donuts, take less clay than cookies) 
Mugs were my last thing on the bench today

 

On my workbench today ... an experimental bowl with an exaggerated footring/pedestal. How the heck do I fire this thing, on a waster cookie?

On my workbench today ... an experimental bowl with an exaggerated footring/pedestal. How the heck do I fire this thing, on a waster cookie?

On my workbench today ... an experimental bowl with an exaggerated footring/pedestal. How the heck do I fire this thing, on a waster cookie?

Busy day glazing today! These are all waxed and ready to dip.
 

Elephants!

Raw Glazing.  And in the background a first attempt at throwing a double walled vessel and then carving it.

Winter tea bowls in red clay, part of a series I call "Wild Heart." They will all have a red accent somewhere on the bowl.
 I have hand-built some using a simple template that gives them a squared shape at the base above the foot ring, and I threw a couple this morning.
But it is too cold, really, to go very long at all. Today I threw wearing a thermal shirt, thermal pants, and a down vest.
 

Elephants!

working on pieces for Invitational at one gallery, a wood firing in June, and seasonal gallery opening in Nye, Mt. 
 

Good question for a Monday morning!
I have a kiln load of bisque that needs washing and waxing. I’ve got samples for a mug re-design for an existing client and a big pile of test tiles in the bin to go along with that, I have 18 mugs for a new client, and serving bowls, sugar jars and more mugs for upcoming spring shows. And I have weekly scheduling, and homework for an online business course on the go. 
 
Yes, this is my kitchen. Washing and waxing bisque is the only job I really do outside of my studio this time of year. It’s still too cold to take it outside yet. 

Working  on found object texture tiles to be raku fired and assembled for a wall hanging.

Elephants!

Elephants!

Tupperware containers of glaze and slip, vintage mustard jar packed with brushes, trays of tools for throwing/trimming. Studio isn't sectioned off for different things but everything is in reach by the wheel. 

A nice size coiled bowl  with black stylized Anazai designs on white clay.  Didn't quite get in finished today.   Sorry no photo.   Denice