Busy Weekend

Part of Friday was spent loading a gas-fired salt kiln. I was wondering whether I would get everything in when I unpacked the car and put it all on the table:

Pots spread out on the table always looks like there are so many more than there really are!

Luckily everything except for a few bowls made it in.

I was rather awestruck by the cicadas which were on everything though! Apparently the 13-year or 17-year cicadas are out and about, and were REALLY loud! They also kept flying into the kiln and crawling around on everything. So I had some winged company when I was loading.

Cicada on the kiln brick

On Saturday morning I went to the Carolina Clay Guild meeting in Greensboro. Elizabeth Boles did a fascinating presentation on one-stroke brush painting. As I told another potter, it's like someone watching a potter make a piece, it looks so incredibly easy! I may give a few of her pointers a try. And I, having not really done a lot of underglaze painting, have never tried things like gum arabic to carry a slip for trailing or painting. So I may give that a try too.

Elizabeth Boles presenting one-stroke brush painting

Saturday afternoon was spent helping Sid Luck get things glazed, and I ended up having to leave before the loading took place. Sunday afternoon was the firing, which is always nice. I had some great conversations with several of the other potters there, and with Sid, of course. I'll post the results of the firings later this week!

Jason Luck, Sid's son, above the kiln and Paul, who has been working with Sid for a few weeks, in front of the kiln

Also, the Pottery Fair on the Square sale at Old Salem Museums and Gardens is next Saturday, May 21st from 10-5:00. There will be quite a crowd of potters from across the state there! It should be a lot of fun!

Ring Vases

For over five years I've been fascinated by ring bottles and the process of throwing a ring on the wheel.
Historically the supposed ring flask, or harvester's bottle is a culturally and socially interesting tidbit, but I say "supposed" because I don't know whether I agree with how these were used historically or not. I've yet to see one archaeologically, but admittedly, I have not really been looking! One piece which has been stuck in the recesses of my mind since I was in Germany several years ago was this finger vase:

German gray salt-glazed stoneware. Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Cologne, Germany

Close-up of vase. Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Cologne, Germany/

I can only aspire to something as beautiful as that! Who knows, maybe I'll try that too. I have also been thinking about getting some cake decorating tools in order to add decoration. I had seen a potter's work that had used cake decorating implements (it probably helped that she had worked in a cake shop) and it was really fascinting.
 So I finally got up the guts (or gumption) to give ring bottles a try! Watching Michelle Erikson recently working on a molded bottle and looking at Sid Luck's ring bottles lately have been an additional motive. I've combined the ring bottle with a five-finger vase form and made ring vases. I don't know whether they will be functional or popular yet, we'll have to wait until they're fired. Next time I throw them I will try to take some photos or video of the process. But I have put some photos below of the results:

I'm also plotting variations on the finger vase and other small vase forms, so I will keep you posted!

Feature Artist, Third Friday Artwalk

I was able to retrieve a few pieces from Sid Luck's kiln firing last weekend. The results were splendid, I was especially happy with how the Danish White clay turned out.

A few pieces from Sid Luck's firing

The results of a clay called Danish White, which is a clay I enjoy a lot

I had the opportunity to be the feature artist at the 3rd Friday ArtWalk at the Arts Incubator in Siler City yesterday. I set up a small collection of pieces, and will be adding more in the coming week.

My display at the North Carolina Arts Incubator

There was a steady crowd for the whole evening, and Sue Baker, a sculptor at the Incubator, did a live demonstration, working with a live model. The model was painter and ceramic artist Ricky Lindley's daughter. People were really excited to see the demonstration.

Sculptor Sue Baker drew quite a crowd for the basement of the Incubator!

Sue Baker modelling Ricky Lindley's daughter


Joseph Sand is going to start opening his kiln tomorrow, so I will try to post some photos for a Thanksgiving treat! And, if you're near Siler City, stop in and have a look at my pottery and let me know what you think!