Quyle Kilns

Pam Quyle at Quyle Kilns is graciously allowing me to put 10 items in their gallery!

This is wonderful! It gives me both exposure and real world feedback on my work, and it means I can say I'm showing in a gallery, which might be great when applying for shows etc.

Quyle is also where I get my clay - they mix their own local bodies. I love the iron rich Sandstone Buff and am using it almost exclusively now.

Anyway, after much thought, I've decided on this bunch of items to bring up - I don'y have any bigger bowls or bird feeders right now, but these should do. I hope they're the most appropriate.

 Looking at the shot glasses last night puts me in mind of making some sake sets.

Hands in Clay

This is the piece I'm going to enter in the Hands in Clay juried show in Modesto this summer.
Its titled "Our House", though I may title it in Spanish for the show.

I have 2 things working for me - this is a hand-delivered show so I don't have to worry about photographs, and its not till August, so I have plenty of time to finish it.

It needs a little color - not much - and a final clear glaze firing, which will really make it pop.
Then it needs a frame. My brother Dave, who's a very talented carpenter is going to make a frame to encase the whole thing. I'm thinking about strips of black neoprene in between the tiles to separate them, and the frame will be a nice black wood (something like walnut or something) and have little feet to hold it up of the table.

KC Clay Guild Tea Bowl National

OK!
I'm going to enter the KC Clay Guild's Tea Bowl National juried show.
This is my first show entry in clay, and I am not really expecting to be accepted, but I do have a secret weapon.
Our good friend Nick Adams has generously agreed to take the photos of my entries!
Since acceptance is dependent largely on these photos (real art only to be sent if you are accepted), this is a pretty major coup for me.
I will need to make something special for him this week in the studio.
Anyway, tomorrow I'll pack up these two tea bowls and send them off to Utah for their photo shoot.
Nick will email the photos to me so I can get this ball rolling. I have to have them in the mail, with my application and fee by April 5th.

Today's Lint Feeders

Lint Feeders!
I'm pleased with most of these. A couple are not successful, IMO.
I tried a couple of new glaze recipes, and while I'm not happy with the white glaze, I'm not unhappy with it.

That dry blue glaze was supposed to be an orange peel orange!
I can see I forgot to put silica in the gaze!
Its the first one I've tried from GlazeSimulator.com.
But perhaps it will appeal to someone...

	the kiln shed is turkey approved!

Kiln Unloaded!

Some pleasant surprises, a couple of real disappointments, bit hey - nothing exploded!

I'll be taking individual pics today and getting stuff on the website and on Etsy.

This Weekend:

Throw bird feeders and some small jars, glaze and fire toad bells and get a bisque load ready.

Currently in the Studio...

Some projects I'm working on at the moment and hope to get into the kiln in a week or so...


More Lint Feeders!
These are just drying a bit more and then they'll be glazed.
Hoping to get them in the kiln this weekend and up on the website next week...
Going to try some new glaze combinations.






Toad Bells!
I had all but forgotten about making these till Gail prodded me with a request.
I am liking the opening - its really just an exaggerated pouring spout, but I think it works. I'm going to use some Manzanita branches as handles. Never done that before, but...



Boxer Tiles -
These will be decorative/memorial tiles.
They're fairly large...maybe 7" x 8". Not sure exactly how I'm going to glaze fire them yet. maybe Raku, or maybe with minimal color. Need to experiment.

I can stamp names into them, and my thought is, for memorial tiles, to mix some ashes (or fur, nail clippings or even a bit of collar) in with materials to make a simple glaze and fill the square imprint in the tile with that. Or I could place the ashes (or fur or whatever) in the square and place colored glass over it. The glass would melt over the ashes (the fur or whatever would be reduced to ashes in the firing...


Chachke Holders
Again - I can stamp them with words.
I think the basic one will say "B is for Boxer", and I want to make "R is for Rescue" as a fundraiser for rescues. I can do names ("O is for Owen") and can also do the ash/fur thing.
Just going to do an iron oxide wash on this white clay body and cover with a clear glaze. They're stamped with a woodcut I made. about 6" long and the corners will be curved up. They can be scrubbie holders, soap dishes, spoon rests, ring/jewelery holders...whatever.

So that's what's keeping me busy this week.
Tune in for more news!

Yunomi/Tea Bowl Foot?

Hmmm - reading the description of a traditional Yunomi or Tea Bowl (sorry, I'm not well versed in the different styles), i am wondering if my preferred foot treatment makes the grade.Foot is trimmed and raised just a tad, then impressed.