Sprung!! I mean Spring!!

To start off here is the usual current studio shot. Trust me, its way more of a mess than this photo does justice.  I am sitting here and my lazy side is saying "see its not that dirty". Studio is approaching the messy "pit" status.Also that large pot under the table is in fact not mine, or pottery. Its a nasty plastic pot I bought for glazing larger bowls, FYI.

Studio Shot April 20 2010:

So I think for most of us in North America spring is sprung with a bang. We have had a few days in the in the 80's here already, which for Vermont is just insane. After the hurricane Irene in late summer into the most mild "winter" in recorded history weather is fitting in with most of the crazy world right now. In case its 110 degrees this summer I am going to do my best to enjoy this warm weather in spring. And lets not talk about the dear tics this year....man. We still have a huge clean up in the planning from hurricane Irene on our property (few hundred tires and probably a literal ton of debris) so the good weather is welcome.

So pottery. I really wanted to get some spring colors for this year. Light, airy, with a lush fruit look. I have used so many classic pottery glazes in the past, and will continue to do so, but I needed a change. I am trying to put together some what of a "collection" or "set" (I am doing huge air quotes here).

I'll post a couple pics then start the ramble.

Sorry for the candid shots. My "awesome" still photo set up (see that post to see how "awesome" (air quotes again) was broken down so I could use the space to dry some wares.

So here is the spring "collection". Don't know if I will ever have a total full on set but I will try to always have the elements in the studio and or gallery's so it can be put together piece by piece. If a customer wants an entire set I will price it out with a discount and commission it out  all at once. Right now there are a few different bowls, pitchers, vases, teapots, sugar bowls, salad/soup bowls, nesting bowls serving bowls (some lidded), mugs and tumblers. Hopefully soon I will add dinner charger plates, dessert plates. Some of these elements are in only one of the to colors, others are the combined like above.

I have a few loose commissions going as well. If a customer has a request for something I don't have in stock and have not made quite like the request often I will make a small production run of the item to sell in my studio. If the customer likes them they get first dibs. One is a classic mug shape I don't often make, the other is for plates. I have also been working on large salad/pasta bowls and playing with teapot designs as usual. 

Sadly, I, like other potters, do not make plates often enough. I decided this would change I  hope once I get a rhythm with the production of them to have sets of plates on hand. They can be a head ache. The actual plate themselves I have down well. A nice 10" classic charger with an upturned rim. Its the space the suckers take up that is the challenge studio and kiln wise. I just need to make the are aI dry wares more efficient, and I need to get some plate sitters for my kiln so I can better fire larger numbers of them.

That is this week. I am ALMOST going to make a promise here to now start posting once a week minimum and hopefully much more than that. I know with blogs that being consistent is super important and a huge challenge for some of us.  Also, I am, for the time being, full time in the studio, so there is a lot to share and talk about. I also want to start blogging about ceramics, art, and life in general a bit more like when I started it way way back. I tend to get a little to tech heavy  in here.

Anyway enjoy your time in the sun before global warming has us all living in bio spheres.

Later ~TPS~

*meow*

Faceting, New Pots and Photography Face Palming.

Studio Shot 02/10/12








So been busy in the studio. Lots of throwing, trimming, glazing and photos. And lots more to do. All of the above plus trying to finish up some cabinets (with counter) for display and get some decent photos done to get juried for galleries and shows. I am also in dire need some new shelving in the studio. I don't have much and have officially run out of display room to the point of pots on the floor.

So I got to try out some of the glaze layering I tested with the new glazes a few weeks back. Got some great results.




















I have also been toying with a new for. Been doing some faceting on the wheel. You can see it aplied to the piece above and the two below.




















I am happy with the technique. I spent years trying to learn control at the wheel. I do love loose organic pottery. I really love pottery that has a soft flowing texture to it with dropping lines and an almost fabric like quality. But before I started to play with these texture I wanted to make sure I had the ability to "control" these techniques (to a point) rather than be out of control and inconstant. At the very least I wanted to be able to make a cylinder a cylinder with control over the thickness of walls and the floor of a pot. Be able to come up with a form and create it to the specs I want, and be able to do decent repetition throwing. The only way I used to "loosen up" my work was I only weighed my clay before throwing. No calipers or rulers. I think this keeps each pot a little unique from the next. My "Four Finger mugs get a little squashed while still spinning on the wheel after I finish throwing them so they fit each hand different and give the rim a nice wobble.

I know that these other techniques (like faceting) are to create organic forms. There purpose is to remove some of that control so the textures happen on there own BUT I have seem some pottery sold as "organic" or loose... that I found to be just lazy. Really I am not on any high horse here (even with a snarky comment like that) but its a result of working at a ceramic supply warehouse for a few years. I saw LOTS of potters work and I learned pretty damned fast what was lazy and what was tight. Some of the most loose organic simple pots, like a Japanese tea bowl for example, just emanate ability, patience and strength. So I play. I am just beginning to try some of the techniques and been enjoying it. I am glad I spent the hours at the wheel. Not letting rims wobble, bellies lose there line, or not trim a foot out of "saving time". I try to keep the form above all else. I have a lonnnnnngggg way to go, but its all in the repetition and research. Both of which I enjoy.

There's a ramble for you....oh well. Its easier to talk shop over a beer than get the thoughts down on Blogger.com. I think it comes from the fact I am a hand talker.....yeah...half of my communication skills are lost in "wrtten word". Less spilled drinks due to my excited gestures anyway.Moving on.....

What I do not enjoy so much is this horrid mess. Photographers be ready to face palm.....

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BAHHH hahaah!!!
Oh its pitiful. Here is where my laziness is all over the place. Painters lamps, no reflected light, All the light source above the pots and ambient light from windows and studio lighting all over the place. My pots have shadows, hot spots on glossy glaze, and a total lack of scale. The lack of scale really baffles me. I know there is no way to show scale without a comparison or written discription but when I look in pottery books and magazinesI can get a sense of "ok this is a large utilitarian mixing bowl" or "ahhh this is a small soup bowl". It could also be the forms I work with but I swear all my large pieces look like they would fit in the palm of your hand. I have no idea what the negative space should look like. I don't have proper lights (6 dollar painters lamps with a whooping 100watt "daylight" bulb in it). But I use four of them!!! I need to invest in some proper lights and lighting equipment. My photos work at least for things like Facebook and this blog but I will have my shots done at the photography store for a juried contest and such.

So that is about all that is going on currently. Hopefully I can get some pictures up of my new displays in the studio soon (once I finish them). Also I am trying to "fancy up" my vending display in the easy up tent. Actually ordered some displays of of ebay and plan on making some risers. Talk to you later ~TPS~