Pres

This year’s penn state show is already cancelled :-(. Full booth refund, and all artists are automatically juried into next year’s show. 

I was one of the ones ahead of the curve with white boards, as I often taught night classes in visual programs. I used the white boards and other projection equipment to aid in demonstrating techniques to classes in Photoshop, Corel Draw, Illustrator,  the Gimp. Much of this was due to my teaching animation classes in the HS starting in 1987.
 
best,
Pres

These classes were taught in the vo-tech, and the students were adults working in various visual related industries. Some had specific needs, others broad neads. Wedding photographers, graphic designers, sign makers and others.
 
best,
Pres

I was one of the ones ahead of the curve with white boards, as I often taught night classes in visual programs. I used the white boards and other projection equipment to aid in demonstrating techniques to classes in Photoshop, Corel Draw, Illustrator,  the Gimp. Much of this was due to my teaching animation classes in the HS starting in 1987.
 
best,
Pres

"Did anyone live through the chalk blackboard era...."
yeps, and music class as well
 

Hey, I used chalk boards nearly every day. Most of the time I would save everyone's nerves, but on occasion really a quick way to get everyone's attention. If I was really peeved about something, slamming the door was next!
 
best,
Pres

That's great for those kinds of lids, but twisting threaded lids open and closed enough times to smooth gives me carpal tunnel just thinking about 
 

Thus the name chalkies. For teachers.
Those "fancy" ones which pushed up and down to reveal other boards often didnt have written on them what the teacher thought he was revealing:-))
Best teachers knew what to expect..been there done that sorta mischief themselves.....

Couple bucks for mason jar pre made wiring and silicon gasket. Used to use them as a lesson in shrinkage and fabrication. Can  you plan this project and all the parts and shrinkage required? Fun project to show folks, it’s not so hard and they get a very useable  cool container when finished.
 

Now that crunch on crunch is solvable, I used to use the a  paste cleaning compound with grit in it on lids of vanity boxes. put it on the bottom, little water, put lid on and spin away. I often would use the griffin grip to help me get it done quickly. They would feel silky afterward, and no crunchy sound. Made them much nicer. I would think that the same type of paste would work on lids for growlers.
 
best,
Pres

I didn't say we didn't deserve it

Now that crunch on crunch is solvable, I used to use the a  paste cleaning compound with grit in it on lids of vanity boxes. put it on the bottom, little water, put lid on and spin away. I often would use the griffin grip to help me get it done quickly. They would feel silky afterward, and no crunchy sound. Made them much nicer. I would think that the same type of paste would work on lids for growlers.
 
best,
Pres

How has your  work progressed in terms of thickness and shape(s)?
Several folk have worked toward thin/light sections, then moved away from the extreme for strength, durability and feel. Just into my third year, I have turned away from thin, for the most part. 

My weight is down on all this. I have adopted a lower cholesterol diet in line with my diabetes diet. Between the two, it has forced me to become more vegetarian. I am actually finding that if I don't think of meat replacement as meat, but protein, I'm not bad off. The new bowls are fantastic for eggbeaters, and I am getting creative with capers, fiery mustard, worchestire sauce, or chili lime seasoning, with a little cheese and hot sauce. Oatmeal cooked in micro at level 7 does not boil over. Learning all sorts of new stuff. More riced frozen cauliflower and other veggies.
best,
Pres

My weight is down on all this. I have adopted a lower cholesterol diet in line with my diabetes diet. Between the two, it has forced me to become more vegetarian. I am actually finding that if I don't think of meat replacement as meat, but protein, I'm not bad off. The new bowls are fantastic for eggbeaters, and I am getting creative with capers, fiery mustard, worchestire sauce, or chili lime seasoning, with a little cheese and hot sauce. Oatmeal cooked in micro at level 7 does not boil over. Learning all sorts of new stuff. More riced frozen cauliflower and other veggies.
best,
Pres

I think an all glazed top with  swing top lid is most sanitary and better than any unglazed threaded lid.

Looks like way more of a pain than a swing top lid.  I took the wire bails off of an old swing top mason jar last night and bent all the parts out of new wire, put it back together and it worked a dandy.  I think I'll just bend my own swing top lids!  I bend wire all day for my day job, so it only took a minute to bend the swingtop

While at the HS, I had 3 sets of threaded dies from somewhere for threaded pots and lids. I was able to get them to work. . .. .very carefully. Real hassle, but something different to try.
 
 
best,
Pres

While at the HS, I had 3 sets of threaded dies from somewhere for threaded pots and lids. I was able to get them to work. . .. .very carefully. Real hassle, but something different to try.
 
 
best,
Pres

Pennsylvania public schools and colleges have been. 
 
best,
Pres

My grandaughter enters Pitt for her Freshman year. . . on line! Classes will resume in January. I would imagine there are going to be a lot of gimme's here.  The class of 2020 may never graduate, she is first or second in her class, just got a scholarship, Harriet Tubman award. No awards ceremony. There is a rumor graduation and such will be held in August here in PA. This is really a game changer, where will we end up going forward. Will we learn anything from this?
 
 
best,
Pres

Hi folks, once again not new question in the pool, so I will try once again to elicit some response. QotW: What are your beliefs about the time to reopen the economy and returning to Summer craft shows or should we wait until the Winter season? I am sure to have a mix of answers, but then it seems to be a political football, lets keep it civil and keep politics out of it>
My own perspective is biased, I will admit. I do pottery, taught pottery, love pottery, like selling and don't turn down most orders. However, I am retired, I'm now at the hill going into my 70's, I don't need the money as much as I need the feeling of being useful, productive and involved in something I love doing. For me, the lockdown has been difficult, not knowing where things are headed, uncertain about the risk of even grocery shopping or going out. I take a short drive with my wife just to get out of the house, no stops, just an old time drive. . . gas is cheap. I am filling orders for Communion sets, mixing glazes, popping popcorn, packing up and mailing. So much of what I am into is normal, but. . . . I haven't been bowling in over 3 weeks obviously. I walk around the house for steps, do my usual exercises, and go to the shop. Lots of reading, some xbox, some tv. Lots of cooking at home as we used to usually go out. I would love to be able to be out and about again, but I look at the death rates from day to day, the number of increasing cases and think it is not possible yet, and I hope that all is over by September when we have a cruise planned. Everything is up in the air, and I think I'm really lucky, retired, not teaching ceramics on line, or trying to keep my chin up if I were working at a large factory closed down for who knows. 
QotW: What are your beliefs about the time to reopen the economy and returning to Summer craft shows or should we wait until the Winter season? So what is your call?
 
best,
Pres
 

Blackthorn Yesterdays glaze loads
The 1st photo is the small updraft gas kiln the other three shots are the larger downdraft car kiln
packed up most of these pots for future wholesale order in gallery about 10 drive from here.I take them about 1/2 way down in next Month (late May ) if I'm allowed to go.
The fires turned out very well with only a few refires(3-4 pots with pits) It's pits that happen with so much rutile glaze used in a reduction atmosphere . I have learned very well how to get near 100% refires to work at this point-it all depends where in kiln they go. Working with most of the glazes for over 40 years now I can usually control how much they run. I had one runner in all these pots and it was a sponge holder fired to a hard cone 11 near burner.
Min the new Seafoam satin matt glaze came out super in the small kiln bottom (hot spot)Thanks again for that help
Glazes range from black to browns blues and greens to landscapes-shiny to matt.
I decided to work one week in clay and take the next week off and so forth to get my other projects done. Back to clay next Monday.
I unloaded on Friday  afternoon and by saturday mid day  they where all packed in boxes and accounted for.Some for wholesale otrder some for lacal supoermarkets some for a gallery when they reopen.
 

yesterdays glaze loads stack and ready to fire to cone 11.
I like a lot of space so pots can BREATHE-ok its a myth at least for me in a reduction kiln-I like it packed tight. 
In the  salt kiln its more true
The little kiln a 12 cubic updraft and the car kiln a 35 cubic downdraft.
Little kiln is off now an the cone 11 is almost 1/2 and about to be shut down.
then two day cool-no rush at all for these pots now
 
 

I'm thinking that it would be wise to plan for a year without shows. Maybe next summer. 
In the meantime, online shopping appeals to many customers, possibly potters can create online co-ops to get away from etsy distractions. 
Also, in the short term, consider marketing hand sanitizer bottles - if you know a sewist, see about selling masks and bottles together. 
Right now, Nurseries are open (because they sell food plants) so think about placing wares there - vases, planters, wall art, garden themed mugs and platters.
Stay safe.