Wood, Fire, and the Potter

wood yard

It's been a dizzying day that began way to early after an all-nighter  firing over at my good neighbor, Courtney Martin's kiln. It's about over as the sun heads over the hill, thankful for a little longer days as Spring nears. I've burned a lot of wood and cut a lot of wood today. Tomorrow I head to Asheville to help Kyle get his kiln ready for his next firing. If the business of my potter neighbors is any indication, the economy is turning itself around. But are we potters good barometers of economic prosperity? Many of us are in this business for better or worse.

As we fired Courtney's kiln in the wee hours of morning, we lamented the reality of this unusual vocation. So much work.

We were heavy with the long day and the stress of the unknown outcome of a kiln reluctant to climb in temperature and a woodpile that, despite it's loaves and fishes miracle, eventually succumbed to our zealous stoking. The stress will, hopefully, be redeemed for some pots that might reveal it's potter's love for the process.

We weather the storms of hard times because we live for the fire and the clay. With the door of the kiln bricked up the process of the firing is somewhat abstract. Temperature, pyrometric cones, smoke, heat, and light are the elements that concern us for the time being.

But with the door of the kiln opened, revealing it's bounty, we remember why we  endure the process.  the pots.

Anne Mette Hjortshøj: Oval Teapots

Goldmark Gallery is (imho) a leader in promoting their potters!
I wanted to share this video with you in case you aren't on Goldmark's email list.

BGSU Ceramics Symposium Day 2

In hindsight, there is much lost in traveling from symposium to conference. I really wanted to wrap up the Bowling Green gig while all of the juices were flowing and the memory as crisp as the Detroit winds, but I guess I didn't spend enough time in the airport! [hallelujah!!] But here are a few pictures from the second day of the Ceramic Symposium at BGSU last week.

"let's stop talking for a moment and try to finish these!"

Gerit's girl on a horse finished

foot detail

photo: Gerit Grimm

practically finished

There's never enough time to do all the things I want to do in two days, but Gerit and I had some amazing convo and made some cool stuff. 

Bill B prepping for his lecture.  Ahh, Heisenberg!

One of my all time favorite potters, Bill Brouillard, came on Friday top show some of his pots and lectured on his long and diverse career as a potter and teacher. 

Here is the gang at the end of the line.

Zimra Beiner, moi, Gerit, Bill, Clay Leonard

Thanks to Clay Leonard (@ClayCeramics on Twitter) and Zimra Beiner for organizing the symposium and everyone who came to the event, and especially those that helped wedge the clay and mix the slips! 

BGSU Ceramics Symposium Day 1

We had a amazing day making and talking.

Day 2 tomorrow, wrap up and back on a plane to the NC Pottery Conference!
Maybe I'll get someone to take pictures of me working! ;-)

Mad Dash

I'm heading out of town and getting ready for my gig in Bowling Green Ohio with Gerit Grimm at BGSU. But first some slip combing and a pottery bloggery summit with Cooper, Phillips, Philbeck, and Carpenter.

Now, where did I put that trimming tool?

DIY Shoji Wheel

It's purely coincidental that I discover this video completely randomly today. It has nothing to do with my visit to Bandana Pottery last week or does it? Is Google or the NSA monitoring the blog?

My recommendations :

• Raise your axle so your not so bent over like Mr. Bergman.
• Use a safer turning stick like maybe wood! The tire iron is ironic, but a little hazardous (if you accidentally lose your grip on it and it's coming at you or any onlookers!)

Enjoy! (but don't hurt yourself)

Oh, and here's a nice video of the one and only, Shoji Hamada throwing on a similar wheel.

Today's Sawdust

Milan and his "new" truck brought 3 huge bundles of poplar from his sawmill in Buladean. It was great to hear him trucking up the steep hill to the kiln. Let the sawdust fly.

What's Comes Around Goes Round

Time for those six 5 gallon buckets of red dirt reclaim to be brought back to a working consistency. I'll also reclaim that space in my studio where the buckets have been stacked. Turning mud into pots. It's good to have a stack of new plaster bats!

Now back to making more plates. People need to eat off of something nice!

Pugging

I'm sure there will be the usual scatological comments (oh, come on, don't be shy on my account), but I see a really nice line in this pugged clay.

Wordplay

My dearest Evvy,
Thanks for showing me Wordle. I used the text from my recent article in the journal, The Logbook, and this is what it came up with! Pretty cool!

Here's my artist statement in Wordle.

OK,  got to get back to work!

 For all you pottery bloggery readers who want to see these Wordles full size, click here.