Making pots for woodfiring

In August, the Clayspace Co-op, my studio in the river arts district, will be having an exhibition of ceramic sculpture and pottery at the Asheville Arts Council. I've decided to put some anagama pots in the show, instead of my decorated salt-glazed pottery. So, I've started making pots for the "Communty Temple." I'm also hoping to put a pot or two in the UNCA anagama for a different look. I made this 14 lb jar last evening. I want to make several of these and side-fire them on seashells. I'll slip them in a helmar kaolin and have them bisque fired. I'm also going to make a series of handbuilt plates to fire stacked with shells/wadding in between. My studio mates have been "reduction cooling" the front chamber of the Community Temple and getting some really nice results. Those pictures to come soon.

Slipping big pots

Slipping big pots is easier than it seems. I slip all of my work at the leather hard stage. The pot is dry enough to pick up without altering its form. I keep all of my slips in a large 20 gallon tub. I place a board across it and put a shimpo banding wheel on the board. The pots is placed on a bat and placed on the banding wheel. I pour the slip over the pot. Any excess simply falls back into the bucket. When the pot is slipped, I clean the slip off the bat and move the slipped pot onto the table. Note: you can't see the banding wheel in these pictures, but it's there.

making handles...

So, this type of handle is fairly new to me. I have not perfected it, by any means. This handle is made for a storage jar so it's easier to lift when moving. Some potters pull these types of handles, but I'm "throwing" them on the potter's wheel. So here ya go... I start with one pound of clay.
I center it and throw a ring. The ring is thicker at the bottom and thinner at the top.

Here's a view of the cross-section. I cut it in half to make two handles.

I place it on the work table and kinda shape it to how I will want it to look.

I score the pot where the handle will go and wet it with a sponge. Scoring is definitely needed.

I place the thrown handle on the pot and compress the seams with my fingers.

I then compress the ends of the handle and push them into the pot. The sponge is your friend.

A little finish work with the thumb smooths out any blemishes the sponge has created.

I've been adding an extra decorative thumb print to the side of the handle. Like I said, these handles are kinda new to me and experimentation is fun.

Here's a finished handle on this big ole pot. I hope it doesn't crack. It shouldn't since I compressed it thoroughly and I will dry it somewhat slowly.

Here's the finished pot. I'm not sure if these handles are too big for the pot or not. Can't forget about shrinkage! Once it's slipped up and decorated, it'll look butterlicious!!!

Accident prone Finn

This past weekend, while I was in Atlanta, my Jack Russell, Finn, tore her ACL in her back left leg. She was running around the yard chasing my other Jack Russell, Zella, and suddenly yelped. She had torn this exact same thing two and a half years ago in her right back leg (see photo). Poor thing. So, we're going to schedule another surgery for her in the near future. She's hopping around on three legs now, which the doctor said was fine.

Cookie platter

This Michael Kline platter was loaded up with cookies during the reception at MudFire. This plate was in the "Asheville in Atlanta" show a couple years back. It's now part of the MudFire private collection.

Mudfire show

I had a reception last evening at the MudFire Gallery in Atlanta. I showed a little under 100 pots. Turn out was good. I was a bit under the weather with sniffles and a froggy voice, but managed to speak with many folks about my work. It was all good. I just kept from breathing on anyone.

Introduction of old friends

I met Hunter Stamps and Amelia Daniel in my first ceramics class at UNCA. We all ended up as BFA Ceramics majors. Hunter and Amelia started dating soon after that first ceramics class and have been together ever since. They got married after UNCA and moved to Indiana, where Hunter attended Graduate school. Currently they live in Little Rock, Arkansas, where Hunter makes ceramics sculpture and teaches at the college level. Amelia turns beautiful pots, and teaches pottery on the side.

Last year Amelia received a commission to design, create, and install a large ceramic mural at a camp around Little Rock. These pictures show the making process. I'll post images of the finished, installed project, if they send them to me.

Hunter just found out last week that he's been hired to be an Assistant Professor at The University of Kentucky. It'll be nice to have them both closer. Everyone here misses them.