All Clammed Up and Ready to Go

Seemed for awhile that I would never get here but the kiln is finally loaded, clammed up and ready for the firing tomorrow.  It was supposed to be cold and rainy all week but today was gorgeous - warm and sunny,  blue skies with puffy white clouds - but I'm hoping for colder and cloudy tomorrow so we don't cook for the last half of the firing.  Everything will be unloaded on May 30th and photos should be posted a few days after.   

Baby Steps

Only a few pots after only a little discomfort and no lasting pain.  A pretty good start.  Tomorrow the handles go on and I'll try another 10 or so.  Feeling cautiously hopeful which is easy when the days are full-on sunshine with more to come.  Forecast is for 27 degrees C. every day for the next week!

Casting

After a few months of procrastinating I finally cast the new hearth and lintel for the stoke hole of the kiln.  Last firing the already broken hearth brick broke again and threatened to fall off during the firing so if I want to fire I have to cast.  It was messy and took much longer than I thought but it's done.  Now they just need to cure for a bit before they're fired in the bisque kiln.

Cottles shiny with Murphy's Oil Soap and waxed rebar that will strengthen  the cast.

Cast hearth brick that will support the stoke hole door.

Cast lintel that will support the bricks over the stoke hole.

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!