QotW: So there is my question. Recognizing that some days are obviously different from others, and some here have studios that are available only in warmer weather or not in really hot weather, what is the typical day, hour block by hour block, during a t

[Pres]

Gabby recently asked in the question pool. . .  . Recognizing that some days are obviously different from others, and some here have studios that are available only in warmer weather or not in really hot weather, what is the typical day, hour block by hour block, during a time of year you are at your ceramic work? The interesting thing in these is the variety in the time of day people spend at their creative work, some starting in the morning and ending at 4, say, others starting at 4 and going into the night, some working at a stretch and others doing a couple of shifts, and so forth. There is also variety in how they spend the times they are not working. Some have a habit, like a walk. The choreographer Twla Tharpe, I believe, takes a cab to the gym every morning for a couple of hour workout. Some people have time specifically dedicated to reading (most of the writers do) or to family/spouse time.

In reply to this of late it has been problematic getting into the shop, and once in, a problem getting out of the shop. I will often go to breakfast with my wife around 7:30, come back to the house around 8:30, check the forum here, check email, check news, while putting in laundry, waiting for the drier, folding clothes and getting other things done. About 10 am, I may get into the shop, but sometimes not until 12:30, then I may work until 6 or 7 pm, and sometimes back at it until 8pm after some dinner. Weekends are the same, Sundays hardly ever unless pressed, Thursday no afternoon, as I bowl, and if the weather is nice I kayak at least once a week. . . . this Summer none yet. Hey! I'm retired!

Now if you had asked me that question in the mid to late 90's, I was in the shop earliest of Spring every night after school from nearly 4 til dinner, 7 til ???? Then back to school the next day at 7am. I did Saturdays all day, and some on Sunday if needed. Once school was out it was in the shop before breakfast, then breakfast, then lunch, and dinner. . . the only breaks in the day til 10 or 11 every night. No in the long run, not fun, and doing shows did not pay well. When offered a itinerant professorship at a local college with me in full control of the curriculum, teaching for two weeks to make more than I made in the entire Summer, I relaxed and made pots when I wanted. 

 

best,

Pres

 

[Gabby]

I am a very early riser, typically 5:30. I check email and do yoga or something on most days. If I have something drying in the basement I will go check it and tidy it up at 6:30 but I wouldn't start anything then. If I don't have an out-of-house obligation like my teaching the summer term (8AM start time) or my weekly volunteering (8AM start time), I start in at work after the dog's morning walk.  If I am going to work in clay, or work at anything else that involves excellent attention, it will be between ten and two. I might read/write/take notes between two and five.  Five and later is family time- no time to myself.

If you turn the clock back to when I was working full time, I sometimes started my job at 6, or when it was a teaching job at 7 15. It was all about being home for the kids after school. I never had any time for projects of my own in those days, between my work, the part of work that inevitably came home with me, and the demands of raising three children.

[Pres]

Forgot to mention, that the professorship was for something completely out of art area, but related. Seems because of my computer animation background that the college thought I would be a good fit to teach teachers how to transition into using their computers to prepare classroom materials. So it was about creating good legible organized slide shows, overhead transparencies and handouts for the classroom. .  . pre white board.

 

best,

Pres

[Mark C.]

Typical day starts at 9 am in studio throwing until 12 to 1 pm -putting wares in sunshine (may-oct)break for lunch and expresso. Depending on drying conditions-start to trim/handle wares- after lunch.The idea is to finish all the work that day. sometimes get to throw some for am trimming as well. Try to finish up by 6-630pm

In winter pots are forced dry in shop with natural gas heater or if coastal fog come in for days -Like past few days -I light up heater and dry work inside.

This cycle repeat's until bisque day which usually has some throwing or trimming in am and firing goes into the evening hours. Load and fire bisque car kiln- while making glaze that day.

Glaze day starts at 9-ish and runs long (7-8pm) I load two kilns most of the time and fire them the next day.I have an assistant for glaze day and putting on handles the past 25 plus years as well.I usually do all the kiln loading and she helps with most of the unloading.I usually cool  one and 1/2 to two days and we unload the next and pack and price all the wares in one long afternoon.That we glaze on Fridays and I fire on Saturdays-unload on Monday afternoons orGlaze on Mondays I fire Tuesdays and we unload Friday afternoons.(glaze days usually are Mondays or Fridays occasionally  Wens) Then the cycle repeats itself.-Been this way for many decades -maybe more-

Sundays is usually a day off as the kilns are cooling and I am trying to do less in clay.Sometimes a Market  pottery drop off happens on Sundays.

Thursdays are also a slower day usually with pottery deliveries to  wholesale accounts and loading a bisque and glaze making .

Things that affect this schedule are fishing /camping /trips away/diving/off season break/ Vacations/etc.

Edited August 5, 2018 by Mark C.

[yappystudent]

For some reason my day/night cycle has flipped completely and whereas I spent most of my life being up in the day like normal people, now I'm up at night. I'm guessing this is mainly psychological, I enjoy having the whole world (never mind the other hemispheres) to myself while everyone is sleeping.  I don't have a schedule, I just work on some clay at some time, usually starting around midnight and off and on until around 4 AM, in addition to other tasks and types of artwork. Right now I have a goal of working on one small clay project a night, because I'm stalled out on bigger ones and about to start the glaze mixing project. I've found trying to schedule making art is like trying to organize freedom or herd cats, it kills the muse. I miss out on some gardening, my neighbors think I'm a witch because I water my plants at night. I go to bed around 5AM and get up around noon-3 pm thereabouts, which gives me just enough time to do appointments and get out of the house into town, which I also enjoy.  I'm really disappointed I don't get to the beach and woods as much as I had planned, I used to do that in the early morning and I just can't seem to keep my eyes open anymore at those times of day.