Mark C.

In terms of glaze colors on forms I have so many choices going the color part comes after the design part. I usually offer most forms in all colors so color is not part of the thought process. Also I know color is such a personal choice for the customer I never put my own choice in that mix. I just glaze forms with many choices-they decide what to buy.

Tiles are the start for me than a spoon rest or sponge holder-Before sellable larger forms-then a mug well you can see the work up

Work bench is now empty after packing two kiln loads-packed up my small toyota bed full with pots in boxes and dolly and took a dozed boxes in to two outlets (both consignments) Also finished up packing a Large whole sale order which I droop off in Santa Rosa. on way south to SF to take my wife to her 6 week doctor check up after hip surgery. I'm also taking down 1bout 1200 # of scrap metal sorted into 17 different sorts-red brass-yellow brass-100 # lead ingot -400#s of wire -clean to insulated-all sorted well dirty brass clean and dirty copper-you get the idea no steel all higher qualities -wire is from 30 years ago working as a sparky. Lots of the brass is from shipwrecks over the past decades-all scrap no nice items. I did this sort last summer and my electrician friend has yet to take it so I'm making this a multi pot's .metal, doctor run, also bringing back a copper dive helmet and some fish prints. Liam said (I mixed up a couple new glazes and sacrificed a few pots to see what they'll look like.) test tiles are easier than pots especial for 1st tests I lost a good friend about over a year ago and yesterday I finally started to empty his pottery shop. He was my salt kiln partner. I am cleaning it out for his widow. mush of whats there came thru me to begin with. I worked on his glazes for many hours and brought home what I can use and we poured the water off the rest to dry them out. I am going to take the whole lot so she can have a two car space back in a ship building. I processed a large truck bed full today at my studio.This is a huge job and since he once was doing raku and low fire it complicates the mix. I am going to try to donate all the low fire to a school and will give some clays away as well. I found him the Geil kiln and we will deal with that later-I also brought him a small electric from one of my AZ show trips 10 years ago and he has a 3 zone new skutt electric which will also sell in the future year after the shop gets cleared out and some time goes by.All the kilns are in a new connected large kiln room-finished out with painted sheet rock.He fired the gas kiln twice. This is familiar as I have bought out 2-3 living potters in my past but this is good friend and much of what I'm moving I have handled before. It sad but I promised when she was ready I would do this for her. The clay and glaze and material alone will be 4-5 truck fulls.I will take a month or more to work thru this. My work bench today had all his stuff on it but now its found a new spot in my stuff.

Work bench will have two glaze loads on Friday-packing, much of it is wholesale /consignment-a little for me some to be prices-most not.I shipped4 shipments today from those loads just cherry picking kilns..

Tom how tough is that crystalline surface in terms of scratching asa floor or wall surface?I have some small cyst cystaline pots but never tested them fro scratching. Mark

I usually have about 35 forms in my line-If I add one its because of a buying trend or a ton of people asking me for them-not less than 25 requests ever .If I decide that its worth trying I work thru the design process and introduce it into my line and then take a form out that is slow moving-For example In the past few decades I gave up planters,oil lamps-soup Tureens-pin cushions-all because they slowed way down. Casseroles are on the verge of being cut soon I have replaced them with forms like sponge holders-soap dishes-lotion bottles and salt cellars. A large part of my forms list was published in last years February issue in CM if you want to see the list. Sometimes I have a form that went away and comes back like a french butter bell -made them in the 80's stopped and started again in late 90's. I do not have a plan like 1 a year or any plan like that. It usually started as a request from customers and if I get enough asks then I consider it. I also need to like the idea and its needs to be a solid functional form that is not to fragile. I dislike broken pottery and the ill feelings that go with that so I make sure its solid durable form that will bring joy not sorrow to customers-This is often over looked by potters. As to working a new form it takes me a month or two to get it into the line as a solid addition and this also depends on the season. I usually do not introduce new form in my christmas rush for example . I also have few items that are sessional -they are candle holders and to some degree salt cellars now.

The lips and stripes are temaku over the top

If it really stuck after you try all the tapping you may need to move up a step. That being hot water on the pot (not the lid) so pot expands and lid does not-try this in sink with really hot water running while holding kid-plan for the pot to pot off so get some water or padding under it. If this does not work I can tell you about plan C which can work if the 1st 2 do not.

Whamo Mamo Matt Kingman feldspar- 49 china clay-21 Dolomite-19 whiting-4 Tin-8 One of my many glaze projects in school was doing a line blend on this glaze to see where it could be made cheaper and maintain color and surface My new improved glaze was Wham Mamo II- same formula but tin is 4 and zircopax is 4 to tall that 8 This is my favorite glad from the 70s I fired it on a buff to dark stoneware body in solid reduction to soft cone 10s This glaze is super tough and lasts a lifetime in use. I also did all my own bathroom shower wrap around and tiled window and sink and sink top and backsplash in 1982 -still looking sharp today. we eat off all sizes of plates made with this glaze as well. I sold a set of dinnerware to my mentor long ago and added to it for his son who inherited it later in life.I made several sets back then and that are all going strong now. I got my mothers set back after my sister was done with it. I gave part of that to my mentors son as I cannot get this effect anymore while firing my porcelain loads.

Whamo mamo on sandstone buff Quyle clay cone 10 reduction. I worked on this glaze in glaze cal class way back when-I'll dig out the old formula This set is in daily use since 1976-78?

What ??? Kingman Spar was no longer available.?? Rae i this is not quite true for me. Good thing I loved my Whamo Mamo Matt on stoneware so much back in the day-(kingman was the only sparr that worked well for that glaze) when i caught wind of Kingmans dimise I found the guy who still owned the mine and drove to Kingman AZ in early 80s and bought 30 #100 bags-it cost $300 . I still am using kingman in 99% of all my galzes and am down to only 5 bags #100 left. The funny part of this story is sometine around 2000 I thought I had to much and tried to sell some. A fellow from middle California sent away a sample to be analyzed and it was just off the orginal published thresholds and tuned down buying any. Best thing that happend to me with feldspar really. I started using it in place of custard in all glazes not just a few. Then Custar when sideways but my kingman well shes still here for me. Within a few years I switched to all porcelain studio and gave up the Mamo Wamo on stoneware.I had a mountain of kingman at that time. I have lots of albany as well and kona F4 orginal bags-its a material horader problem for me.When I need a material I want to walk a few feet and use it. I need to start using them again. I got an e-mail recently of someone who ran accross the old add asking if I had any for sale. Well I said its about 20 years to late. My kingman and me will run out about the same time The only thing is now I cannot lift a 100# bag very easy and need help with them. I used to toss them -getting old is not for the weak of heart.

Pulled a lot of $$ from that town as its a tourist meca in summer and that shop has sold my wares for 46 years now and also pulled a lot of fish from the sea out front-also a fair amount from underwater there as well. The only marine railway operating on the west coast to luanch your boat as well. Very unique spot on this Earth.

They should sell better than the imports and they should sell for more. make this clear for the next go around that if they sell well they will cost more next time.

How much are the ones from china retailing for in same size??

You talking about in Trinidad I assume?No clothing stores there now.I sell and have sold pottery in that town at the Eatery since 1973 myself

Just make your own-its easy -you have your dog step into a clay slab-(you place the paw) fire that then press clay into that and its now a stamp after you fire that. It will shrink a tad every time so keep this in mind. You need to turn the negative paw to a positive paw .No need to pay $ for and easy paw prind -heck I have made my cat ones for years and dogs are easier to work with.

Hulk We have a few Totos already -one is the top of the line thats does everything except open the seat lid. Heated and washout -no music Traveled enough in Asia to appreciate them-we have regular toto in spare bath The 1/2 bath one will hang off wall with free space under it as water tank is in the wall. Very little space in that small room without a door(no room for door) just a small glass block visual block wall about 4 feet tall. That floor will be maple as well. On a side note I still fish out of Trinadad every summer myself

How about a Larger paw print-dog folks love the big size.

I'm not sure thats a ever for me. That said I seem to get about 12-15 glazes going at any one time.-over time I experiment anbd bring is a new one to the fold and usuallt take one out. Thats happend a few years ago with an iron saturated glaze I now make with synthectic iron and am phasing out the old iron glaze. The new one is much brighter and almost red in certain situations. I have a few glazes that I have used my whole career and my costomers still crave them. Test for me works in cycles of how bored I get with my glazes and how much spare time I have to adress the testing period. I know for example I have big (last remodel of house) on our bedroom this late spring/summer and thats will take up all testing time so its now or fall for me for new colors. as to the remodel its a full gut interior-raising the floor 11 inches to match rest of house as one level. Raising the ceiling at least 1 foot-That means collar ties and adding 2x6 to ceiling,making walls 2x6 over 2x4 as is currently by adding furring strips to studs. Adding a very small 1/2 bath with wall monted Toto Toilet and a small corner sink. maple hardwood floor-moving closet into two closets. Moveing entry door 6 inchs over to fit closets .New windows(3 -3x6s) perment color outside wood interior. Maple trim throughout. New wiring (last room to get this). Puting in a small mini split AC /heat pump unit for this room .(its about 16x 15 if I recall.)taking out the exterior door and filling in the 5/8 x 10 old growth redwood siding with cider siding(already have it) Adding new insulation and 5/8 sheet rock as well. I'm doing all the mechanical/electrical and helping with some wood work and doing the trim This room was a add on in 1962 about 10 years before I boughtb the property and its all made from old growth redwood-and is currenty covered with mahogany paneling-the real stuff. Its that only room left thats not 5/8 sheet rock. And as you may have guessed I'm not going to be making many pots during May 20th and the later part of June-But they are getting made NOW. Sorry I got a wee bit sidetracked on the glaze question

1st bisque firing of the year in big kiln today(35 cubic feet)-Little kiln (12 cubic)has had 3 glaze fires already in it.

I learned by real people-teachers and fellow potters-before the net was a web.Books as well-I have a large library on ceramics. I like to read .

What is realistic amout of time to spend before being able to produce quality thrown forms on the wheel.Meaning ones that others will want (not family members) 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years longer?