Flashback: The Axes

brushes almost eclipsing the bat, 2007

Did you know that the last time there was a lunar eclipse on the winter solstice (Dec. 21st) was 1693?! And did you know that the next time it will occur will be in 2094?!

Anyway, this post first ran on Dec. 18th 2007! (not exactly the solstice, but are you reading Catherine White's great blog?)

Looks like I'm still using most of these beat up brushes!

excerpt from the original,

I tend to paint patterns on most pots, but sometimes a pot has such a nice line that I leave it alone. I once heard the phrase, "decorate the dogs", and if that were the case for me I guess I make a lot of dogs.

I guess I'll take Jack out to howl at the moon!

[read the original post here]

Keeper

There is something about a pot that is completely different and the one that we take risks with. The soldier pot at the front lines. When they come out of the kiln most times they look like risks taken. But I am really intrigued by the possibilities presented by this piece. It is what we call a keeper. Maybe the definition of a keeper is a pot that approaches a priceless-ness. At least for the time being. A bookmark. A mark of some kind. A reminder. A pot to study. To figure out. Worth more in the hand than in the bank.

The cross hatch pattern is taken from an Italian jug that sports quite the bird and an area with this type of cross hatching in manganese and iron. [a responsible blogger would have source imagery] Maybe I will steal some time away from packing and shipping EtsY sale pots to scan the image for you.

In the meanwhile here's a toast to the luxury that all potters should take. the pot that we don't sell. In this season of commerce, here's to the keeper.

[NOTE]: Here's what it looked like before it was fired. [read post]

[UPDATE: Jenny Mendes saw the inspiration for this pattern and posted a picture on here blog! How I envy her! Check out Jenny's blog here.]

Weary But Well

Alas, I return with good tiding of comfort and joy. Tis the season of eggnog, quite possibly my favorite beverage, next to bourbon. They go well together, too! The wood stove is crackling, the kids hum Christmas carols as they lolligag around the house on another snow day from school, and I just listed a few more pots to replace the ones that sold today at Stacey and I's annual Online Christmas sale!


It's been a dizzying two days behind the camera and the computer to put all of this together. But now I can sit back with a cold one and pray that I have enough packing material to ship all of these orders out in the morning!

You know, being a potter these days doesn't just mean getting behind the wheel. It also means getting behind the tripod and clicking away pictures to use in an email campaign. It means knowing a little about photoshop and and little about spreadsheets. It's a whole lotta stuff I didn't learn in school. Maybe these days they are teaching student-potters how to do this stuff to stay above the waterline!

Anyway, I just wanted to check in and say that all is well on Snow Creek Rd. The chickens are all cozied up in their new chicken condo that John and I finished last week. The wind howls outside and the roads are icy. But the shop is open 24/7. Stacey and I have some great stuff for sale. click on the "shop" tab above to check some of the listings. [clicking the images will take you to ETSY.]

Time to make my rounds and check on the animals before I call it a day. Tomorrow it's shipping day! I bid you a good night!

babe, bunny, and beer

The studio tour weekend is over and it's time for a beer! Stacey claimed this "eine Kline bier stein" and we're so grateful to all of our fierce pottery fans who support us year after year, come snow or come shine. Thank you also to all of our new customers! We hope to see everyone again next year!

As for what's left, we'll be announcing the time and date of our Etsy sale tomorrow. So if you weren't able to make it this weekend you'll get a chance to shop for some of our pottery and jewelry next week! We'll let you know!

Check here at ye olde blogge or text "pottery" to 70259 to sign up for our mailing list.

Thanks again folks!

Get'em While They're HOT!

No wonder Simon hasn't been saying much around ye olde blogge for quite some time. He's been busy building kilns and making pots!! This card may very well be the best announcement of a pottery sale that's come through my inbox in a long time!

Check out the online store at Mill Creek Pottery for:

New pots!
New kiln!
On Sale!
On Line!

Saturday at 9 a.m. CST

Unloading the CMP

Courtney and I unloaded the kiln and we were both very happy to see the multitudes of pots! We weren't very happy to see the pool of glaze around pots glazed with my alkaline ash glaze, though. I think the shelves will be OK after some grinding, otherwise I'll be shopping for some new shelves!

courtney and her multitudes

Courtney was busy getting her pots set up in the showroom of her husband John's glass shop, when I was there grinding the glaze off the bottoms of the runny pots. John has refinished the walls in the showroom with beautiful walnut and cherry boards that he got from Milan Street up in Buladean. Milan runs the small lumber mill and brings us the bundles of wood Courtney and I burn in our kilns. The walls and shelves look super beautiful! The pots and the glass looks so good against the walnut and cherry! (sorry I didn't have my camera to get some pix.) Maybe I can visit over the weekend during the sale and get some pictures.

The Toe River Arts Council December Studio Tour begins tomorrow at noon, and John and Courtney have lots of beautiful work. They are hosting Penland resident metalsmith extraordinaire, Amy Tavern.

We were busy getting the pottery shop set up to host our friend Wendi Gratz who will be joining Stacey and myself for the tour. You can see Wendi's work here! In addition to all of the new work we've been making for the tour, we have lots of goodies for our customers . We've also "spruced" up the shop with a Christmas tree and lots of boughs of balsam fir grown just up the hill from our house.

If you haven't been to a TRAC studio tour before you really should treat yourself to a trip to the mountains to ramble and visit the over 100 studio artists and 9 galleries in Mitchell and Yancey counties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(exclamations by evelyn!)

I'll take more pictures of the fresh pots and try to post them tomorrow. Maybe I will shoot a video.