Ready To Start

3:45 a.m. There is a light rain falling and other than that it's pretty quiet as I light the fire. The door is covered in a mixture of sand(mostly) and fireclay. This just seals up or chinks the spaces in the door bricks. The fire is started in the lower end of the kiln just like any fire is started, a little kindling(poplar bark shredded into a little ball) , some small sticks, and a match!

#30

the kiln is ready, I hope I am!

Firing # 30 of the kiln. Hmm seems like I owe you all a little info before I light the fire. Here are some pictures to catch you up.

remember "our" pitcher?
here it is glazed.

"our" pitcher in the kiln

A scene from the "grand" opening


more to come after I finish the fire!

June Perry - Shambhala Pottery: Michael Kline's new studio opening party

Here's a few pictures that June took of the opening!

June Perry - Shambhala Pottery: Michael Kline's new studio opening party

Teaser

porcelain cups cloaked in the the rare Hoag slip with a little wax
resist pattern.

I have dropped outta the blog-o-sphere for a while, sorry, but will be back soon with reports of the big grand opening party and the lighting of the kiln!

mugs that Lillian helped with a few weeks ago
with some slightly different flower designs

Things R lookin really good here. The kiln is gobbling up pots & the Pottery is looking much better w/ Stacey's super reorg. A dozen pots still need deco/glaze

Beer Break

I'm finally loading the kiln and thought I'd take a break and have a cold beer. Root Beer. that is.
;-) It's getting warm and it's going to be in the eighties tomorrow. I just hope the rain will hold off til Monday. Fat chance of that happening.

The setup to load the kiln always take longer than I think. Getting all the ducks in a row. But now that I don't have pack the pots and drive them to the kiln and be highly organized for the transfer I end up making all these mini trips up the hill to the shop, for glue, a hand towel, the level, etc. You get the picture.

The sun has come out after a rainy morning and it's a breezy afternoon of loading pots!
Pictures later of the stack.

My $10 Idea

Here is a handy little way to a) keep glaze in the glaze bucket, b) keep the appropriate container close to the glaze bucket at all times. This is shareware and if you like it after trying it for free you can send me a check for $10. Just kidding of course. [Stacey says, "No, we're not kidding, we need the cash!"] I'll let you decide.

Grab a packing tape gun and tape over about a quarter of the diameter of the bucket. Not too tight. Leave a little slack, the cup will nestle better. Run the tape far enough down the bucket to give good grip. Off you go to glazing heaven.

Maybe a naming contest will stimulate the conversation. If your name suggestion is chosen you will receive your very own "what-cha-ma-callit" or "fancy schmancy device"!

{Employees of Kline Pottery are not eligible. some state and local restrictions may apply. offer ends whenever we decide on the name}

Let the Cleanup Begin

Micah Cain came by this evening after his stint with Barking Spider Pottery and their Hamada-matic ram press to help me finish glazing the pots. There are a few cups and a few bowls that still have to be painted and glazed, but they're low priority. Friday is loading day and if there is room in the kiln I'll glaze'em then. Tomorrow is also clean up for the party day.

keeping the kids busy so they won't play in the street

Evelyn got a jump on her chores by mopping the showroom floor with the Turner Spic'n'Span Special. I love the red dirt color the mop is taking on. Maybe it's time for a new mop head?


Here is the library, well what Stacey could fit in to the new to me book case! Stacey found it at the local Habitat store! We're not sure where the book case will finally rest, but for now it sits on top of the old library table with some pots.

All but a few pots sit next to the kiln ready to jump in.Oh wouldn't that be nice? not all at once, orderly.(and shelves and posts, too!);-)

Chicken?

Ironically, Kyle mentioned "loosey-goosey" in a comment earlier. How 'bout these geese, er, chickens? These are from last night.The upper left is the first and the lower right is the last. It was a fun excercise that took maybe 5 minutes max. I didn't value the plates for they are a little on the potato chip side of weight(too thin) and I thought it was a good opportunity to practice a different way of painting.


The chicken/bird on this Greek pot started it all. I was tired and wanted to do the bird quickly and see what happened when I wasn't so careful with the brushwork! Back to the iglaze™ machine...