LeeU
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Everything posted by LeeU
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Scored an old iron bacon press; want to make a mold so I can make trays. I found a good clay for the purpose (Si02) but I need a better first impression so when I bisque it and make the final mold I get enough detail, especially in the letters (it sez bacon press). The rough & quick tray is with a direct pressing, so the words are still reversed--it's just for some glaze testing.
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This lovely penguin was made by Liz Fletcher and I got it in a NH Potters' Guild pot swap. A good friend collects penguin stuff and I am reglazing it to make her a gift of it. The black was too thin in spots and there's a little chip on the beak that needs coverage. Hopefully, an 05 refire will do the trick. Yes, that's snow in the background.
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And just where might that video be? Curious whether stripes or plaid. Talking about the mug glazing, of course. -
I have the Bailey table-top on my work table that I use mostly for glazing and sorting, within a 12x14 total studio space. It's worth every penny, especially with some of the benefit to reduce wear & tear on my body. I often use it for other flat surface work when not rolling clay. I'm careful about cleaning it and keeping the surface in good condition. The masonite boards come in handy for other things as well. It earns its keep. and if need be I can stash it under the work table.
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The challenge to Self these days is my old nemesis--lack of patience. So, to push myself into either a state of growing frustration or a state of growing acceptance, I am making myself replay old scenes in the hidden objects game June's Journey. That is a game that requires mega patience, on steroids. Why? you ask. Because I let myself actually run out of clay--all three of my main types. I ordered some, and they are out of the one I need the most and need the fastest! Go figure. Another lesson in patience, coming right up. (Yeah, they are getting in it and shipping it soon.)
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I bought clay a couple of days ago, I thought I was out. I looked at the companies web site and it wasn't listed, freaked me out. I had tried several clays for throwing and this one worked the best for me. Turned out they had a new website and the web designer didn't include it. When I was making space for the clay I found two bags that were covered with mold, I bought it around Christmas. Never had clay mold this fast, using it first. Denice
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I now have the 9th piece --a textured bowl--to add to what I'll fire in the anagama kiln in April. I'm aiming for 15, and those still to come need to be spectacular---well, at least they need to reflect some elevated creative effort on my part! The 3 pieces shown are a fair example of where my head is heading--pun intended.
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I was trained on a large gas kiln and never used electric until a few years ago. Having occasional opportunities to get into community wood firings and raku firing, I'm a happy camper. I finally got OK with the fact that as much as I loved making my own clay bodies and glazes, and was pretty good at it, my situation just doesn't accommodate that today. So I am using commercial bodies and glazes and find I like them just fine. I did a head-adjustment on myself to get out from under the old tendency to think gas/wood was superior to electric and that not mixing your own stuff is sort of a petty crime. Now I'm working to get Ok with limited throwing facility and getting into an appreciation of the conceptual and process aspects of hand-building. My workbench today has a thrown and altered bowl form, then hand-worked with stamped, paddled, & incised techniques. I like how much work actually goes into making something look "other-than" a properly, nicely, thrown bowl.
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What matters most to me when throwing is not giving up. The internal dialogue goes something like this: "I should be able to throw just as well and just as much as I did years ago." "Oh really? Who sez?" "OK, let's just see (again)." "OK, I observe and concede-it just ain't happening." "OK, practice, practice, practice." "OK, I am bored, bored, bored." "OK, I admit that the wrist, back, neck, right knee, and left hip are not happy campers." OK, no one can make me and I don't wanna. " "OK, we'll just call BS on that one." "OK, I accept reality." " I'll give it a rest for a few days. " "Time's up; try, try, and try again. " "Good girl!" It's not about the wheel, which is smooth as silk, reversible (which is useful & I enjoy for some pieces), and the speed is highly variable, readily responsive throughout the process. I'll never use enough weight to worry about torque & my current model Brent would more than handle it if I wanted to pull a whopper some day. What I'm not up for, having done my homework, a bit of experimenting w/chiropractor's help, and thinking a lot about what I want out of the time/money I have for this activity, is a brace for standing. I'm OK with a reduced engagement with throwing, and thankful for those bowls that make the cut. What matters most is, as noted, not giving up.
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Always nice to put a face to the name! -
holy canolli -
Good? Good? Try AWESOME! Nice, really. -
Making some multi-purpose holders for an April anagama fire. Need another shelf and a half worth of pieces for a bisque fire. I only need a full shelf for the wood fire, so the rest of the load will be various mid-fire bodies.
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Oh well...I submitted two of my "Hidden Masks" (that reference domestic violence and suicide) for a juried exhibit, but got notice I was not accepted. Phooey. ..maybe shoulda gone with the bowls!
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Your mask series is important: do not let it take a back seat to popularity.
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Snow day--working on turning the Meet Mr. Hammer bin (by the window) into shards for drainage in the bottom of pots, the inventory/photo task bins, set up for my helper to process, & green smalls, dry and ready to add to my pending bisque load.
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Ha....this one was made just for me! These are face-pressed. The white one is slip cast, the next is porcelain w/clear and Pallidium glaze, next is stoneware with granite dust , multiple firings, micro glitter & a bit of gold enamel (mounted in an open frame); the last was angama-fired. HMS is my Hidden Mask Series--a bit of self-absorption with therapeutic properties. The mask concept, using my own face, emerged in defiance of the ceramics instructor who told me "Art is not therapy" (no, art is spirituality in drag) and wanted me to quit because I was falling apart a bit at the time and I was arguing that I should be allowed to hand build if I didn't want to throw. Titled in order: Art Is; Two-faced Selfie; Assembling the Surviver, and; Emerging.
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I really like the Kemper hole cutter more than the brass ones. I also use various size bamboo skewers and knitting needles, depending on applicability.
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I draw on the Kraft paper that covers some of my work surfaces, and sometimes make sketches in a small drawing pad. Mostly I think & visualize. I take photos of some processes & all finished pieces. I don't like ceramic note-taking so I use the Pottery Logbook smart phone app. Most of what I make is not meant to be particularly congruent with repetition, standardization, nor for retail purposes, and I'm a low volume producer in any event. I used to sketch everything, do all the math etc. made sure that things fit that needed to fit, and worked as intended (i.e. spouts, fittings for bird bath etc.)--just don't, these days.
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Curious how the inside looks--is the interior bottom raised up with a hole for drainage?
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Finished my 2019 detail budget and I can retain my helper who keeps me current with inventory/spreadsheets/photos. Yay me! (Of course I haven't been to a movie in 2 years, don't have TV and almost never buy clothes, but, hey, well worth it! ) Now I'm setting up my 'to do' calendar-hope I can stick to it this year.
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Congratulations!
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I've had these 5 pieces on my worktable for over a week---can't make up my mind. I'm submitting sets of 2 to 2 different exhibits. One will be in our capitol city, at a Victorian estate that has galleries and an art school-it's for the NH Potters' Guild. The other is for the NH Institute of Art and includes external clay artists associated with the community education program. The small dish with the nice celedon glaze and the firecolor on the back is from their anagama kiln, as is the one with the white inner glaze. The other pieces are from my L&L, and are very hefty. The rectangular one is 1 lb. 10 oz. of porcelain. I added the pic of their undersides because the pieces are meant to be heavy, tactile, and inviting to be looked/touched at all over. Help me eliminate one piece and put 4 into companionable pairs! Any feedback welcome. Thx-Lee PS-I added a detail shot of the little bowl w/the black circle 'cuz the outside doesn't get a fair shake in the group shots.
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Well, if you must know, I was filling a humidifier container from my utility sink, forgot to close the top off, tripped over my own feet, and--to keep myself from tipping over--quickly set the thing down on the clear edge of the glazing table so I could free my hand to catch my balance, where the unit wobbled over and crashed into the greenware, and then spilled water just to add insult to injury. That is the sad story. Oh well, no handmade Christmas candy dish for Aunt Ruthie.
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Glazing for this weekend firing. Opps.
