oldlady

at last, the kiln is on, it is full.  sale will happen after all.  i am going to sit down and do nothing..............
(i had planned to start the firing on last monday)

i do not have a cell phone and use this forum a lot on my laptop.  over the weekend a friend first entered the forum while i was there and  i saw that on her phone, nothing showed except what she was typing.  NOW i understand why new people do not enter their questions in the right place.  they never see the entire screen as shown on a laptop.  if you are new, you are missing a lot without a large monitor.

I had all three kilns going today-two cone 10 gas glaze fires and a electric bisque-solar system near maxed out running the 48 amp constant load-solar offset 37kw on that fire today. still needed some grid power to get it done in 8 hours.

roses.  ordered some that will come next week.  first crocus out of the ground today!    (but i know winter is not over)

actually fired a load of work i made months ago and last week.  they came out fine.  first firing all year.

9,600 watt solar system is up and running after 5 months of on and off agin work on it.If the suns out we are gettting prepaid power.24 400 watt panels

Going to install a neat mosaic in my brick patio this weekend. Pix to follow...
Here's the installed mosaic...37" diameter.

Well,  hot diggity dog--I have received an invite from the Ceramics Art Network's magazine, Ceramics Monthly, to write a short article w/pics for the Quick Tip series. It will be about my simple "works for me" inventory/storage system.

Pulled 25 pieces (all whole, not broken) out of the kiln this morning and was happy to see that they all fired pretty much as expected with some great runs and coloring!

Lee is feeling rejuvenated----freakin' about time!! When the art center w/the anagama kiln suddenly closed, it  threw me for a loop--didn't see quite how much until I realized I was doing much of nothing!  

Just got the Call for Artists for the local PBS art auction in October...I think more Horsehair Raku and maybe regular Raku will be in the offing this year since the Horsehair went over so well last year...

Man in checkered shirt looking at one of MY bowls (shelf right) at the reception for the NHPG Once Upon the Earth exhibit. The photo is manipulated for a retro look. I was glad I went-I usually don't...just not my thing, but it was fun to watch people cruising my stuff.  

That moment you have been making jars with a gallery and also a lid inner gallery that are so perfect that when you wax them they no longer fit inside of each other... perfection. Then that moment where you realize you forgot to turn on a preheat for your greenware to fire in a glaze firing and remember at 540F before you have a terrible disaster in your kiln and you stop it and vacuum it the next day. Thank you Jesus. 

Will be bisque firing all those bowls along with a bunch of other stuff today...glazing will start this weekend...pix to follow...

unloaded two great kiln loads-xmas stock is piling up-Back to working with 5#s of clay now-broken arm is coming along nicely now at 6 weeks .

2019 Smithsonian Craft Show, here I come! 

Big weekend coming up as my trio of Horsehair Raku jars goes on the auction block at the local PBS KVIE station's annual Art Auction. At the preview Gala on Monday it already had an early bid of $150 against an asking price of $120. My segment of the auction will air in the 1PM hour on Saturday...

Big apple juicing event this Saturday at our place. Looks like a tuna trip on Thursday .Big show next weekend out of state-time to play some before work.

Nicest customer at my market today. She invited us to a bbq dinner at her place after the market today. Total sweetheart.

Yesterday on a maybe 8" diameter sphere I outlined my family, from the back, in black underglaze. I'll deliver it to the kiln tomorrow, and if it doesn't crack, I will need to decide what we five will all be looking at. I am thinking maybe Haystack Rock. It will be a centerpiece on a lazy Susan.

Folks, I will be away for about 10 days. No. . . not more hunting. . . My wife and I are going to the Southern Caribbean, on a cruise. It is our 45th anniversary, and has been planned for several months now. Also, I will not have the quiz and the question of the week this week or next week. I will be dropping in now and then til Friday, but then not certain if I will be on afterwards.
 
best,
Pres