All the Glory of Spring

Haven't been making pots because of a shoulder problem.  Haven't been doing any blog posts because there was nothing nothing new to report but now the sun is shining for days in a row and everything is blooming and I can hardly stand how beautiful it all is and how good it smells.  The urge to make pots is coming on strong and tomorrow I'm going to give it a try - just a little bit - and if all goes well there'll be a firing before the end of the month.  Market season has started and the shelves are bare.

Things Change

 It turns out that the pain in my elbows, shoulder and neck come from this little, never noticed, joint at the base of the thumb.  Both thumbs.  I need splints to keep my thumbs from drifting into my palm and making the middle joint bend backwards when I grasp and lift.  Needless to say, I can't throw with these splints on.  I can throw without them for short periods but will not be able to continue as I have been.  So fewer pots, no custom orders but I'll try to keep it all going a little longer.  I'm sorry to be turning down people's requests for special things but I just can't guarantee that I'll be able to produce them.  I'm so grateful for all your support and encouragement over the years but now things will have to change.  I'm still planning/hoping to fire in the spring and will keep posting photos but it will all be slower.

Hibernation time

The big snow is finally here and the shortest day is tomorrow.  I've always loved the solstice because even though it feels like winter has really just settled in, we know the days are now, bit by bit, barely noticeably, getting longer and bringing back the light.

Studio in the snow 

Out the back window of the house

Winter Market

The art show is over and the studio open house is done, now I'm back at the indoor Farmers' Market.  We had a gazillion vendors and quite a good crowd today - the support from our community is great. Two more Saturdays and we're done for the year.  I must admit that I'll be glad for the down time.  

I'm looking forward to getting back in the studio to try new things, take a few risks, without any need to rush to get a firing done.  Next firing won't be until spring.  So, time to carefully consider, be more discerning in what is allowed to get past the dry stage and actually make it to the kiln.  But first, 2 more markets!

Studio Open House

I hope those of you in the area will join me for coffee, tea and goodies next weekend for my annual Christmas open house.  There are lots of new pots and a selection of sale priced items as well.

Hope to see you next weekend! 

Pots from the November 15th Firing

Here are a whole bunch of pots from the last firing.  Didn't get a chance to photograph them before the art show which was this past weekend so some of the winners have sold unrecorded.  There weren't many tea dust pots this time and most of them were the green and purple version so they didn't get photographed.

Red shino soup bowls

Big Orange shino teapot

Small Orange shino teapot

Temmoku teapot

Carbon Trap shino garlic baker

Red shino olive bowl

Red Shino Garlic pot

Cedar Ash glaze teapot

Cedar Ash faceted bowl

Beautiful ash glaze drips

Medium Cedar Ash baker

Cedar Ash glaze mug from front of kiln

Cedar Ash glaze mug from further back in the kiln

Red shino plate with salt lustre

White shino teapot

Large red shino salad/mixing bowl

Small red shino jug

Orange shino garlic baker

Cedar Ash glaze oil bottle

Cedar Ash glaze olive bowl

Fired!

We fired the kiln yesterday.  Weather was cloudy and calm, firing was smooth and steady.  Fingers crossed for good results.  Everything is riding on this one - art show next weekend, studio open house in 2 weeks and 3 more farmers' markets!  The shelves are pretty empty in the studio.  Burnt through another finger of the kevlar gloves so these are toast (so to speak).  The cast hearth brick cracked and threatened to drop off but with a little pot shard propping we made it to the end.  This is the last firing of the year and there will be big maintenance going on before the first firing in spring.  Pots will be unloaded on Sunday and I'll post photos later in the week.

In full kit - goggles, face shield and kevlar gloves and only cotton and wool clothes.