Going craze-y

Last kiln load cracked me up. Literally. Crazing was everywhere on the pots with clear glaze.

I have two possible reasons:

1. Switched from Aardvark's Bee-Mix to Laguna's B-Mix... Would that make THIS difference?

2. Unloaded a hot kiln... But I really didn't think it would matter THAT much. Jeez... 

I've been sitting with this for a couple of days, reluctant to glaze anymore with the same clay/glaze and have the same problem repeat itself. Kind of paralyzing. 

Then I read about it happening to someone else who unloaded a hot kiln. Like in her situation, the pots looked great then and even later that evening. In my case, I even put them out in the gallery space. Then, the next time I took a look at them - OUCH!

So, my plan now is to re-fire, wait a very long time before unloading and see what happens. 

If that doesn't work, I might actually do more test tiles. Imagine that.

I've been tagged!

I really will get back to posting new work soon... But, in the meantime, I've officially been "tagged" by both Kimberly from Monaco Designs and Terri from Photography by Terri Harper.

I don't know if it's legit to do this kind of two-for-one thing, but in the hope of killing two birds with one stone (bad analogy, sorry ladies!), here goes...

Here are the rules of the dreaded "tagging" thing:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog. (this is what you're now reading.)

3. Write 6 random things about yourself (see below).

4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them. (This is only a game.)

5. Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Six Random Things About Me:

1. I wear socks to bed (well, not ALL the time).

2. I like waking up really early (like 3 or 4-ish) and getting lots of work done while everybody is sleeping. Makes me feel very productive. 

3. I used to team rope with my brother as a teenager. He was the "header" and I was the "heeler." I wasn't very good and almost always missed. Quite a disappointment, I was.

4. I just had my ears re-pierced. I stopped wearing earrings when we had a macaw parrot and the holes grew in... Now no more parrot so the earrings are back!

5. Mae, our very large standard poodle, sleeps with my hubby and me every night.

6. I'm rather addicted to Diet Pepsi and I'm trying to shake the habit.

That seems fairly random...

OK, now I'm supposed to tag six more people. I gather this should be people who won't absolutely hate me for doing this to them. (However, you have to admit this is one way to get to know folks better.)

Here goes... Sorry guys:

1. Craig Edwards of Wood Fired Pottery

2. Cynthia Guajardo of Colorado Art Studio

3. Gay Judson of Sister Creek Pottery

4. Ron Philbeck of Potter's Journal

5. Ben Stark of Starks Pots

6. Judy Shreve of Mountain House Studios

The Fulwood Measure

After a couple of years working with something kind of like this that I jerry-rigged together, I bit the bullet and ordered one from potter John Fulwood.

It's really pretty. High-quality and constructed of hardwood.  I took it for a spin and now it has the first of many clay splotches on it. 

Though I tried first to order through John's website, I ended up giving him a call. He was in the middle of teaching a class, I think, but was super nice and happy to talk about his product.

He said he built his first one years ago for his own use and was encouraged to patent and market it. I'm glad he finally did!

I have lots of plates and bowls that are "almost" the same size. This will help me get a little closer to the mark.

Check it out here.

Back to work

After a long bout with back/neck/shoulder pain, I'm slowly getting back into the studio, and would appreciate any suggestions for not screwing myself up again. (This is a picture of one of my brother's horses. Amazing. Just hurts looking at him, doesn't it?)

I switched to a high sit/stand stool for throwing earlier this year and it really helped. I stand and/or perch on the stool. Recently changed out to softer clay and really don't know why I didn't do that sooner...

I think my problem seems to happen when I'm trimming and torqued over sideways to see what I'm doing... I've put a mirror in front of me but, unless it's me being undisciplined (which very well could be) I don't "see" how it gives me the view I'm needing as I trim.

Any suggestions for the mirror set-up or other ideas?

Famous Maker Challenges -- Thanks so much to everyone for "playing" along with this. It was fun and kept me blogging occasionally while I was recuperating! 

Lana Wilson was the answer to the last challenge and Judy Shreve came in first! Thanks everyone for playing along!

Famous Maker Challenge #7: Last but not least!

This is the last of the "Famous Maker Challenges" so give it your best shot!

This is a wall-hanging I got in San Diego when NCECA was held there a couple of years back.

Y'all probably don't need hints, but here goes anyway because I can't help myself:

1. California girl

2. Column in Clay Times

3. Stamp. Stamp. Stamp.

Answer to Challenge #6 was Jane Peiser.

I thought it would stump you guys, but you're way too good! I purchased that little cup on a tour of clay studios with my pottery pals Alysia Samaru and Phyliss Ward. We had a blast and I always think of those fun days when I see this cup.

Famous Maker Challenge #6

Here's one more for the Famous Maker Challenge...

Some hints:

1. Another North  Carolina potter

2. Female

3. Think "colored porcelain"

Anybody?

Winner of our last challenge:

Congrats to Cynthia of Colorado Art Studio, who guessed David Gary Wright. He taught a workshop at Sierra Nevada College at Lake Tahoe many moons ago. It was such a great experience. 

Back update:

I'm back in the studio! Another acupuncture session yesterday. Really helps. I'm examining how I do everything and making changes to prevent problems in the future. 

Famous Maker Challenge #5

Let's make this tough! 

Some hints:

1. Male

2. Three-time recipient of New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship

3. He's  in "The Spirit of Clay," by Robert Piepenburg.

(In all fairness to the artist, this cup was a sample demo piece done during a workshop many moons ago... He let me HAVE IT because it had a glaze run on the handle. To me, it's damn near perfect!)

Famous Maker Challenge #4

Two little tea bowls from a potter whose life in clay became a great book. His lovely partner does beautiful work as well, but I don't have one of her pieces... yet! (It's on my wish list.) Here's one more hint: His clay body and glazes have his name on them and are sold commercially! Who is this great ceramic artist/potter?

Famous Potter Challenge #3: Can you guess the maker?

Who made this great mug?

Send me your answer to Famous Potter Challenge #3.

Congrats to Ron, another famous potter, who won yesterday's challenge with his speedy answer. Of course, the answer to yesterday's Famous Potter Challenge  #2 was the delightful Jenny Mendes.

I got to meet  Jenny while visiting Penland a couple of years ago. She was working in the studio there and she paused to chat with my me and my pottery pals. Brought back this little bowl and it reminds me of the fun time we had. I love it.

Famous Potter Challenge #2: Can you guess the maker?

This one is way too obvious, so no hints this time... Let's see who gets it first!

Send me your answer to Famous Potter Challenge #2 and you could be today's big winner!

Congrats to blogger cinderelish who won yesterday's Famous Potter Challenge!

Back report:

How do you spell relief? ACUPUNCTURIST. I'm on the mend. I'm extremely grateful for the healing powers of the acupuncturist I visited yesterday. That stuff really works! 

Famous Potter Challenge: Can you guess the maker?

While I'm giving my still-tender back a break from the studio, I won't be posting new work of mine for a  few days. So... I'm launching the "Famous Potter Challenge,"  with treasures from my little collection.

Check it out and see if you can identify the maker...

FAMOUS POTTER CHALLENGE #1

Among my treasures is a set of canisters made by this incredible potter/artist... Can you guess? (Hint: I should disqualify my North Carolina pottery pals from this one.) 

Soft clay is my friend

Sometimes, I just don't think of the obvious... My back has been giving me fits and I just figured  out that working with softer clay could be part of the solution. 

Well, I didn't actually "figure" it out. It was revealed to me as I was reading an article in Ceramics Monthly about Mark Shapiro called "Soft Clay, Hard Work" and decided that working with softer clay could be a good idea. Duh.

I'm sure I used to know this but had become accustomed to stiffer clay in more recent years. Funny, what we get used to. Now I'm looking around and re-examining the way I do other things in life. Old dog. New tricks.

ON ANOTHER TOPIC - MY BLOG LIST... It's missing... I changed to a custom domain "claymousestudio.com" and my blog list seems to have gone missing... I hope to have it resolved soon.

Freshly thrown and carved

Before my back starting acting up last week, I did a bunch of thrown, carved little jars/containers. They are all different and I think will appeal to tourist shoppers looking for something small to take back home with them. These and their companions will be bisqued and glazed next week, I think... Just gotta get my back "back" to normal first. Ouch.

Tile Play

With an achy back this weekend, I stayed away from the wheel and did a little work with art tiles. I really enjoy times when the pressure to produce is "off" and I can just play with images. Here are some pics of tile work before bisque. Some are carved relief and I'll go back later and put some underglaze washes or oxides on them. The castle bird and spider already have the underglaze and just need to be bisque-fired. Then I'll layer with other images or glaze. Not sure yet.

Still going around in circles

These mugs are part of a "double-majolica" series with black put down first, covered by the white majolica base glaze, followed by black circle design and scratched through. This gives it that mottled, broken look where the black under-layer is breaking through the white majolica base. I like that.

Darn mice

How did these mice get here!!?... They are singing their little hearts out, keeping me entertained in between throwing and decorating functional ware.  They don't know that they'll soon be stuck in the oven!

It's a lovely day in the neighborhood

 

I can't be at the studio+gallery this weekend so my neighbors at Seaside Cottage are minding the store. My place is nested right behind theirs along a little patio/walkway. They've offered to keep my  doors open and handle any sales. How is that for being neighborly!

Thank you Mark and Andrea for being so cool. And I don't care if you sell a darn thing. It's just so wonderful to have such great neighbors!

If you're ever in Cambria, CA, a visit to Seaside Cottage is a must! I'm continually amazed at the way they put things together to create this eclectic mix of old/new that feels contemporary and homey at the same time.