Posts Categorized: News

This, as always, has been an action-packed few days with the highlight being a brief visit from my brother Mike’s two kids. Michael Murray Finnegan on the left and Madison Finnegan to the right. It’s been too many years since we last met and I was really happy that they made the time to visit…. Read more »

How else to describe a group of teapots???

I’ve had a great couple of days in the studio; the weather today was exquisite. This is a robust vase that I’m pleased with. Thankfully the mice have left it alone.I haven’t made banks for coins in a long time…perhaps inspired by our economic woes!?A couple of little oval vases with different handle placements and… Read more »

I’m farm sitting for the next few weeks which means that I’ll be sitting in front of my computer a little less frequently. It’s a bit like a retreat…taking care of the horses, dogs, cats and gardens, and making (I hope) lots of pots. I’ve got to fill the wood chamber…fast. I’m overrun with mice… Read more »

One of the many rewards of my time spent at Winchcombe is the aesthetic foundation that it gave me. Ray Finch distilled the ideas that Michael Cardew explored and ever since I worked with Ray I’ve been using those distilled ideas as my own. Building my wood burning kiln has inspired me to pay more… Read more »

The last few days have been centered around our First Friday Exhibition Opening at LibertyTown. We’re having a fundraiser this month and the support has been wonderful. I”ll write more on that later.I did get back to the studio for a few hours today to finish this batch of mugs. I’ll throw more tomorrow. Time’s… Read more »

I just got a box of books in the mail , ordered via mail from a remainders company. Al Capp wrote and drew ‘Lil’Abner’ a comic strip that was groundbreaking for it’s time. I like some of the old comics a great deal, ‘Pogo’ especially. “We have met the enemy, and he is us”!I’ve still… Read more »

We all love these ‘wet slip’ photos. The way it pools accentuates the faces in a way that cracks me up.1 pound vases. These got handles and lugs and sprigs. I’ll slip them tomorrow.This is the strap that I pull before cutting it in two and applying to the sides of this big bread crock…. Read more »

Earlier this week I wrote about the gypsy chickens that I discovered in the middle of the woods and the possible coyote sighting in the same area. I’m more and more convinced that it was a coyote….and the chickens are definitely gone. Coincidence?…I think not.The weather has turned summer hot (90 degrees!!!) but up until… Read more »

Michael recently wrote about standing at the wheel vs. sitting when throwing a pot. My own wheel is set up half way between the two. My measurements are based on the English wheels that I got to know. They are a much more substantial machine than most of our wheels here in the U.S. The… Read more »

Once I turn down the dirt road to my studio I’m entering a very different world. It’s a mile or so down a rough, potholed track that traverses farm fields of corn, soybeans and right now, winter wheat. Halfway in the woods take over and there is always good wildlife viewing here. Wild turkey and… Read more »

For more than 30 years friends of mine have organized a frisbee tournament here in Fredericksburg. It started when they all attended Mary Washington College here. 4 events are held over two days (golf, distance, maximum time aloft and freestyle) with an overall winner declared at the end as well as individual winners. I’ve been… Read more »

On yet another glorious spring day, Nicky and Michael drove down the hill and we planted three willow trees. We’ve talked about planting trees ever since I began building on this spot. Maybe 10 years…and except for a failed plum tree venture, this is momentus. A little triangle of willow. They don’t show up too… Read more »

…when Emily and Elle Bird show up with rhubarb/raspberry pie!?

It is a rare occurrence that I drop a pot, let alone three. Yesterday was one of those rare ones. As much as I hate to admit it, it feels like putting a match to some money. Losing the effort, the time, the cash…it all bothers me. Now that I’m a Blogger, reactions are compounded….first… Read more »

I have always loved making pots for plants….I’ve never been a big gardener myself, but I have always known passionate gardeners and they do wonderful things with pots and plants. Aline is my current collaborator. I find making planters quite liberating…I’m usually using more clay than normal and I know I’m going to add all… Read more »

Nothing like that wet slip glistening on a leatherhard pot. A week or so ago I made an optimistic but knuckleheaded decision to move to my bigger, unheated studio and it’s been cold and windy ever since. I’ve finished off this batch of vases and finally gave up and dragged my wheel, generator and basic… Read more »

Here’s a scene from the farm today that deserves a better title than I can come up this weary evening. Any suggestions?Today was near perfect. Beautiful spring weather and an entire day to spend in the studio. 22 pots to finish – 44 handles. I almost counted the # of sprigs , but I resisted…. Read more »

I’ve been anxious to get right back to making pots after such a good firing and I’m hoping to fire again before I leave for England in mid-June. That means making a lot of pots in a short and focused time. The weather has been great and I shifted all my stuff from the winter… Read more »

When you run a gallery you soon learn how quickly a month goes by. Paul Cymrot’s colorful movie poster show is gone and we’ve hung our third annual “FOOD” show, a juried exhibition of art depicting food. We are grateful to Bob Whittingham for being our judge this year. About 75 entries were submitted and… Read more »

Now that I have some pots that I like I’ve turned my focus to photography. I have never felt that I got the results I wanted from the multitude of photographers I’ve hired over the years. So, with a bit of support from John Tilton and John Glick I’ve begun to undertake it myself.The lights… Read more »

While I was teaching a workshop this weekend, Matt Kelleher and Shoko Teruyama were teaching at Baltimore Clayworks. They stopped by on their way home to the mountains of North Carolina and we had a great visit. It’s easy to take for granted what a great little town Fredericksburg is and walking around, looking at… Read more »

…but then, nobody’s making you look… I had just a couple of hours with the pots this evening after wrapping up a very easy going workshop at LibertyTown. It is good to challenge these eager learners and everybody learned something, I hope. Even if it was as simple as pulling your handles with the right… Read more »

What better way to start a day than Kathy Harrigan’s mighty fine baked goods?! I am leading a two-day workshop at LibertyTown and it is nice to bring ‘home’ some of the ideas that I talk about when I’m teaching elsewhere.I threw a bunch of simple pots this morning with the idea of putting handles… Read more »

I spent a few hours cleaning up at the kiln site and taking quick peeks inside. I also pulled rings from the salt chamber. They show great promise and everything I could see made me hopeful!Both chambers were hovering around 1200 degrees F. and felt too hot to look for long. This is always a… Read more »