Posts Categorized: News

When I was a kid and everyone had to choose their favorite Beatle I was firmly in George Harrison’s camp. As I grew older and more rebellious my loyalties shifted to John Lennon. His shooting and death really knocked me back 30 years ago.  I visited My old friend Allen Green yesterday to drop off… Read more »

I made Rabah pose for me. He might have a future…. It’s not too late to stop by LibertyTown for the last day of our annual Student Sale. It’s great to see our newer students get the courage up to put their work in front of the public and take home some cash for their… Read more »

I am heading to Lewisburg, WV this morning in the rain and wind to deliver a bunch of small pots and a couple of birds. Gary Roper and his family have a wonderful gallery that is always full of beautiful work. It’s the Washington Street Gallery is you’re ever in the neighborhood!

From 3 1/4″ to 6″ tall I’ve had very little time to inspect pots and I’m hoping to get an early start tomorrow. but I did have some time to take a few more photos of the wee ones. I’m pleased with these photos, but as always, they can be better. I think I need… Read more »

(Check out my last post for photos of the pots in the kiln. And don’t forget next week’s online sale!) I was able to sort through pots most of the day and just started rubbing them down before it grew dark. I’m done with 12 hour days for a while! There was one little area… Read more »

I thought a provocative title might attract a few more readers this morning. (if your reading this perhaps it worked!?) Here are shots of the pots and birds in situ…I barely got them out of the kiln before dark so I’ve only had a brief look. I plan on spending the next few days getting… Read more »

I just returned home from the studio after spending the the day unloading the kiln (and talking). In brief, I can happily say that it was the best firing yet with lots of gems and tons of good, everyday pots. I love warm pots but the top of both chambers are still too chocolatey as… Read more »

We finished firing 23 hours ago and even after a 10 hour sleep I am feeling depleted. I wonder how many calories are burned, how many electrolytes are consumed, how much weight might be lost? Where’s that personal trainer, chef and masseuse when you need them?  Michael Littlefield and Luke tending the fire. As I… Read more »

I don’t usually shoot the kiln from this angle…the chimney is rising there on the right and the wood pile is on the left. Two chambers and a firebox in between. Ready for a 24 hour marathon. ( Dennis Allen says he likes to see the kiln in all it’s glory. It is my pride… Read more »

You know it’s crunch time when I pass on the fortnightly poker game with my pals, but I’m worn out and I light ol’ #9 tomorrow evening. Instead it’ll be a bowl of soup and a wee nip of scotch before an early bedtime. Stay tuned for a full report…

First chamber pretty much done 75% loaded. Still have the front stack of the second chamber…and then the wickets (that’s the door for you modern types). Totally different weather today brisk winds, clear skies and a bit warmer. More perfection! Thanks to Beth for heroic wad making and other mundanities.  Second chamber two shelves deep…. Read more »

…are perfect for kiln loading. Wadding doesn’t dry out! What a gift! I’m working long hours and, as ever, enjoying the exquisite pain of assembling the 3 dimensional puzzle that we call a kiln. My back aches and I can’t wait to get back to it tomorrow!  The last pots for this firing…combing and pouring… Read more »

I lost most of yesterday to car troubles so, on the day I was to turn my thoughts to kiln loading, I was catching up on a variety of tasks. As I was driving home I was thinking about the number of different activities that can fill a day.  Even before I got to the… Read more »

A year ago I was getting out of the local hospital after undergoing surgery for colon cancer. Although no picnic, that whole procedure went along as well as it could and I’ve been feeling fit for a long time now. Today I got a colonoscopy as a follow up and got a clean bill of… Read more »

With just a few days of throwing left I’m making some kiln fillers and space maximizers. I haven’t made salt and pepper shakers seriously for a long time. They were fun. The form developed from a bud vase I’ve made tons of crossed with a candlestick/goblet stem. Only after I’d made a few did I… Read more »

For some reason Mr. Blogger wouldn’t let me access my dashboard for the last week or so and I feared that I had lost you all….all of a sudden it seems to back to normal (thanks Anna). It was really bugging me to think I’d have to start anew.  And so, onward and upward!   … Read more »

Beakers I am certain to have w-a-y too many pots by the time I load the kiln in mid November. That is an ideal situation to pack a kiln…lots of choices. So I’m feeling no pressure and really getting lots thrown. I finished up these cups and have since thrown larger bowls, 1 pint jugs,… Read more »

Brandon asked a good question of a previous post of mine.  I mentioned that I raw glaze and that I glaze the insides first with a liner and later slip them. His question was, ‘how do you keep the slip from getting on the glaze’? It is a probably doing things backwards, but here’s why… Read more »

150 of you gentle readers are now following this here blog! When I first began writing I told myself that I would do it for my own edification and if anyone were to read along that would be a bonus. The truth is that I’m ridiculously flattered that you take the time to check in, whether it… Read more »

What have I done to my classic teapot??? Birdlets – 5″ h

Fresh from Toff’s oven! Click for bigger, juicier photo

One of the benefits of making so many mugs is the having the opportunity to slip and decorate a lot of work in a brief time. Throwing the second 50 mugs was a breeze…combing the second 50 was just the same… confidence grows and everything happens with a surer hand. That’s one of the great… Read more »

    I spent the last week in near total immersion, making mugs for the masses! When I worked at Winchcombe everything was produced in big numbers, production being how the pottery survived all these years (200+). Eddie Hopkins could make and handle 500 small mugs in a week!!! Sid Tustin made a million pots in… Read more »