Flock of Seagulls

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I’m not sure what kind of bird these are really, Steve Cymrot called them crows. I think of Heckle and Jeckle (check ’em out on youtube)  sometimes…and I don’t think that I’ve shown any good photos of the birds that came out the last firing but they’ve been a big hit and I really enjoyed making them. So much so that I’m devoting a big part of the next firing to our avian friends, both big garden sculptures and smaller lidded ones. It is a very different way to work than making breakfast bowls and mugs, but I’m interested in playing more and this is really cracking me up!
 This two faced bird has me really excited…I only had a vague idea that two might be better than one and for some reason this form made it easy. It has given me a bunch of new ideas to try…
 So far this is the biggest, reaching almost 40″ tall. I’m guessing that there way more than 1000 ‘feathers’
Here is a thrown piece before I have my way with it…
This is a 10″x10″ cylinder with 4 faces. A champagne bucket for four! It is a study of sorts for a totem-like piece that I’m dreaming of…stacking a bunch of pieces together with giant birds wrapped around it.
 
These will be smaller lidded birds, starting with 1 -2 pounds of clay.

Ketch-Up

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I’ve been a bad blogger boy lately and I have been feeling more than a little guilty about it. I know we shouldn’t apologize, but sometimes the vestiges of a Catholic upbringing get the best of me. The photo above is of 5 of the 6 Finnegan kids, brother pat’s wife and their 3 and photos of my grandparents, mom and aunt Donna. A lot of Finnegans for a Murray family reunion! We met at Chestnut Ridge park which is a real nostalgic place for me and played bocce, cooked out on the grill (Buffalo is home to the world’s only meat-a-tarian people…potato chips and pickles count for vegetables!), and told stories about the generation taht preceded us. My only remaining uncle got us all together, which took some effort. He tells us that this is an annual event!
    I also visited the house that we grew up in, something I haven’t done in 20 years or more. Humble beginnings…
    Before I arrived in the Queen City I wandered through the Finger Lakes for a couple of days. We used to go camping and fishing there when I was a kid and it is just as beautiful as I remembered. Long, skinny glacier lakes surrounded by hills covered in vineyards and orchards. New York is the 2nd biggest grape producer in the US. I have lots more to report, but I just needed to crawl back into the computer’s saddle and take it for another ride. I’m leaving for England in a couple of weeks and there is lots going on!

Shufflin’ Off to Buffalo!

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We’re having a family reunion of sorts…it has often been said that we put the ‘fun’ in disfunctional…6 very different siblings, a few cousins and uncle Mike. I hope that we survive!
(Not sure why the first part of this is underlined…I couldn’t make it go away)

My Favorite Food!

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There is nothing I like better than a homemade fruit pie! You can keep your pecan pies and your chocolate pies, I want raspberry or blackberry or rhubarb or peach or strawberry or apple or cherry (the exception to this rule is blueberry which I’m not real excited about, unless they are made with wild blueberries from Maine). 
On Tuesday I was visiting the new art center at the old Lorton Prison and stopped in the sleepy town of Occoquan on my way home. The town had little to offer except for the best pie shop I’ve been to in a very long time, Mom’s Apple Pie Bakery! I could have bought one of each, but restricted myself to four. Their blackberry pie is rated #1 in the South by Southern Living magazine. What a treasure…I’m heading to D.C. tonight for an opening and I just might have to stop in again…

9 different kinds of pie with the option of crumb topping or pastry. I prefer the later, but really, I’d suffer through any of ’em. I once discovered a fried pie shop in southwest Virginia. That was mighty fine as well.

Pick Berries

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It seems to me that I’m not the only blog writer who finds that as the days have grown longer (and hotter) there is less time for sitting in front of the computer to record the events of the day. I continue to be in a construction/organizing mode and I’ll eventually post some photos. I also seem to be in a ‘meetings’ period, with lots of time spent talking about fund raising and business selling and studio rentals and computer issues et al.
And then there is the World Cup!!! 3 games a day is just too much goodness and I decided that I had to upgrade my TV capability so that I can now record games all day and watch all I can stand at night! I’m actually a bit weary today from getting up early to watch the 7AM games live. I think sports is an incredibly creative and expressive outlet for we humans and soccer/football is definitely “the beautiful game…”. It’s great to see how interest has grown over here and it’s great to see so much of South Africa being beamed to our living rooms.
A couple of days ago when I got to the studio I found the title of today’s post spelled out using old wads from the last firing. Words to live by. I turn mine into purple smoothies….yum.

Bread Plates, Bowls and Folk Art

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More work from  firing #8 and my photo studio. Last night was our First Friday Reception in the gallery at Libertytown and I put together a good looking display of work for sale. Lynette and her husband bought the extra large and extra juicy combed vase and a few other new pots found homes as well.
The plates and bowls are about 7 1/2″ across.
The bird sculptures are only 5-6″ tall. 
The little man is a first for me. Beth thinks he is a donut salesman!
The last one is a ‘Perfume Bottle’, the top being a stopper.

Everyone Needs a ‘Different Dave’

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Hollis was reading my mind as I wrote last…Doug Fitch often writes about his friend, Dave, who always seems to be coming over to build a shed. I haven’t built anything in years without the help of Michael Littlefield, MY great friend and builder extraordinaire. We finished the portico (sounds much more expensive than shed!) Saturday afternoon and I finished up the roof on one of the wood piles. One more building project and then it’s back to making pots. I can feel my mind slowly shifting gears from thoughts of building with wood to building things with clay. 

Photo Session-Bedrock Pots

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There has been a lot of good blogger info on photographing pots lately… I am still working out the kinks myself, and I hope by the time I take pictures of all the pots I like from firing # 8 that I will have figured it out. Still more glare than I’d like sometimes and I need to learn about depth of field. Still, I used to pay professionals a lot of money for poorer results than this!
I had quite a few small sculptures in this firing. I’ve been making these small stacked forms for 35 years but I’ve always resisted the obvious…of course they are figures, but why make it too easy? Now that I’ve carved all these cool stamps for the Bartmann bottles I couldn’t resist. They are maybe 8″ tall and now I want to make a whole herd of them…
I have no real explanation for these next few and the best I can do is describe them as folk art, but perhaps that sounds a little too self-conscious? I see them as models for big garden birdbaths, even though I might not get around to making the big’un.
I’ve never deciphered the marketing game for my  non-functional work. I don’t even have the clever titles I need to promote them. Any suggestions?

Kline-spired

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You may recall that back in the winter when the snow lay knee deep or more I picked up a brush and made a little Michael Kline inspired pot. Here it is in all it’s toasty glory. The slip I used doesn’t hold it’s line like Michael’s wax resist does, but it has it’s own charm, n’est pas?
Now it’s the corn and the winter wheat that is knee deep…time do fly….. 

Projects

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Whenever I take a big trip I feel the need to rearrange a part of my house when I return. Whenever I fire the kiln, I feel the need to rearrange my workplace. Who knows what that says about me…?
This is my “Doug Fitch Memorial Wood Shed” (Doug is alive and well, thank-you). If you read Doug’s blog you soon realize that he is in actual fact a shed builder disguised as a potter.
As I’ve spent more time in the ‘little studio’ I decided that I could give up some racking space to gain floor space. At 13′ x 20′ it is a cozy place to work, but had little room to move about. So I took down one of the two ‘stillages’ and replaced it with pipe racking. Now I’m ready for ballroom dancing! 
Shall we…? 
Shelves washed. 
Props dipped. 
Bricks stacked for the doors (‘wickets’ for my British friends). 
 These sponges are covered in little industrial diamonds and work well for cleaning up pots. I forget where they came from….check out Diapad on the intra-net. 
 So, any guesses on which critter chewed these two bricks down to a nubbin. Yesterday I watched a red headed woodpecker pecking on the side of my studio…later I discovered this. I think it could be salt that it is seeking. What a way to get it!

Riverpots and A Fundraiser

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Just yesterday Ron Philbeck posted a photo on his blog of his pots in action in a customers home. This photo also arrived at my computer yesterday, taken down by the Rappahannock River by a customer that visited LibertyTown. She said she couldn’t decide on one pot, so bought four. I like that kind of indecision!Like Ron, I’ve always enjoyed getting these random photos of my pots out in the world, doing their job.

We also held our second annual Patron Show Fundraiser at LibertyTown Friday night. Our second big success! We borrowed this idea from the Torpedo Factory and it has quickly become a very popular event. 56 different artists donated a piece of work and then we sold 56 tickets…in 3 days! The idea then is that each patron must rank the work in order of preference because, at the Big Event, we draw names from a pot and as each number is drawn, that person gets to pick any piece in the show! I can’t tell you how much fun this night was…the energy in the gallery was palpable, full of expectation and hope and a little tension! I love this photo below, even though it’s out of focus. As each piece is selected, everyone is checking their lists to see where that was on their own list and checking it off. Can you see the couple who already have their choice in hand?

We got half a dozen emails yesterday thanking us for a good time and requesting that we have a party after…they don’t want the fun to stop! We will mull that one over…we are usually pretty worn out by the end of any of our events at the center, but it’s hard to deny the public more fun! We are very grateful to all of you who support us at Libertytown. Thank-you.

My Bartmann Homage

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This beauty (if I do say so myself) is one of my new favorites from  the firing. I’m using it as I work on my photography skills. It is 17″ tall and 10″ wide. The glass beads I put in the eyes created a raccoon-like effect that is pretty cool. I made this pot right after the salt glaze conference that I attended at Colonial Williamsburg in March…full of inspiration after sitting in the exhibition that was assembled for this event for hours.

Tight Rope Walker!

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The concert last evening was a real delight…great company…good food…and the lovely Iris Dement. With the exception of two songs, everything was new. Seems like a new album might be in the works. Iris suffers from performance anxiety and sometimes I wonder if she’s going to make it through! She did well last evening, only restarting 3 songs!
The Birchmere is one of the premier music clubs for acoustic music in the US and we are fortunate to be so close.

Iris

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I’m still figuring out what I did to all those pots from last week’s firing…the review continues. In the meantime, I am going to the Birchmere tonight with John and Kathy, meeting Helen and Todd Cymrot when we get there. Iris Dement is one of my all-time favorite singers…check her out!
It occurred to me years ago that I prefer my singers female, my writers, male. Don’t know what that says about me….

More Chocolate Goodness

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It’s been a hectic week…after unloading the kiln Wednesday I had to switch gears quickly for two receptions at LibertyTown in two nights for our Patron’s Show (more on that later this week) (and I had to squeeze in poker night between the two!). And just when I thought I could relax, Dave Breedin called to say that there was wood to be had so first thing Saturday morning I hitched up the trailer and headed to deepest, darkest Spotsylvania County. It seems cruel to be working so hard for a firing I won’t do for at least 4 months, but , wood is a problem, so I get it when I can. The firing continues to reveal surprises, mostly good ones.
(I use chocolate in my title, referring to my love for warm, toasty, ‘hairy brown pottery’…unlike the folks at Windy Ridge Pottery, who recently wrote of their love of pale pots…to each his own!)

Everyone needs a helper!!!

Excellent Results

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My title here refers to firing # 8 and the election of my great friend Bea Paolucci who will soon be sworn in as our newest member of city council!
Congratulations, Bea! and congratulations to me (if I am allowed), the firing was terrific! Far superior to the previous seven with great heat and color. 12 lbs. of salt in the first chamber (for the first time ever) gave the pots a silky rich surface without going to glassy. My camera does no justice to the pots color-wise…you’ll have to trust me. The second chamber had a number of gems, but one big problem that only reared it’s ugly head at this juncture. Getting the proper reduction in the first chamber put carbon on a significant # of pots in the second chamber and resulted in slips blistering. I think I know how to cure that (thanks, Toff!) and I also need to cut back the reduction in #2 or else make some clay/slip changes. Still, I am very pleased with this result and I’ll write more about it soon…I’m still feeling worn out and we’ve got receptions at LibertyTown two nights running for our patron show. I’m looking forward to some lazier days!

From a Blank Slate to a Blank Stare

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The firing was as smooth as silk…24 hours from a wooden match to a raging inferno. I’m still worn out from the week’s labors and sleep deprivation, but very optimistic about the results. I got a peek last night and it looks very promising! Stay tuned…
 
 
 Emily and Ellie did an excellent job of supervising!
  

Friday – Prelude to #8

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Even with an extra day I’m pushing hard to get all of my final preparations crossed off the list. Today was a short day…only 12 hours!  I gently preheated the first chamber (to 120 degrees F.) while I started to clean up the site. My studio is complete chaos and there’s still the grass to cut, a little remedial work to be done to the firebox door and some laundry to deal with. I’ve got a great crew of helpers including the Littlefield twins! and baked goods from Anna. Who knows, maybe Paul will bake some of his famous scones Sunday morning?!
4 months of making thousands of dollars worth of pots, and all of it subjected to the whims of the 24 hour fire. Wood firing isn’t for sissies! Best of luck to all the others who might be firing this week-end (Michael included) it’s supposed to be a hot one…the weather AND the kiln.
    The photo is a piece of a mural painted by my friend Bill Harris on my former shop on Hanover Street. It is a bit faded and peeling which just seems to add to it’s cool factor. Perhaps a wee prize might be found in this firing for the first to identify all the potters?!
 

Out of Time – Prize(?)Winner

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    I’m not certain why I decided I could get this beast loaded in 3 1/2 days. I really need 5 and why is it that we don’t load our kilns and then take a couple of days off before firing? With the kind agreement of most of my firing team I am putting off my firing for a day, lighting up Saturday evening rather than Friday. I might have pulled it off as planned but I would have begun the process exhausted from the start. Not a good idea. Still, today’s weather was in the top three days of spring, I got the second chamber loaded and I’ve never had such an interesting and diverse load of pots in this kiln. 
    Also, have I mentioned that I’m salting both chambers for the first time. Light in the first chamber, heavier in the second.
And the grand prize winner of the mug no one was sure they wanted is…Cindy Shake! Alaska is probaly just far enough away for some! Condolences are in order, my dear, send me your info and I’ll send you your prize!
    Here’s the first chamber, which I loaded second , making it…..I’m too tired to figure it out.

Half Way

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I’ve been behind schedule from the very beginning…I enjoy loading kilns but I’m feeling a little stressed which is not ideal. Ideal is the right word for the weather…absolutely perfect spring days! Lighting up Friday night! Please consult your kiln gods for good karma. It’s almost been a year since my last firing…I hope that I remember how!

Spreading the Word

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We had a full house at Mountain View High School this morning where I did a demo for almost 50 students under the direction of their awesome art teacher, Rachel Siegler. The kids were great and I really enjoyed my visit. If I weren’t pressed for time to get loading my kiln I would have enjoyed hanging out longer. I used to do more of this sort of thing. It’s important to let young people know that there are many ways to make a life and a career. Thanks to Rose Taylor for inviting me and baking me a 3 berry pie!!! A couple of years ago her sister Rachel invite me to do the same for her class and she made me a pie then. What a great tradition! (the school has around 2,000 students…roller skates would be useful to get from one end to the other!)
I’m such a show-off…but then, you knew that.
The view out my studio window on a damp Monday…very green! At times the rain came down like ‘stair rods’ (one of those British expressions that I love)
I eventually got to the studio and put the first layer in the salt chamber before dark descended.. Each chamber has two 12″x 24″ shelves and one 16″x24″ shelf per layer. This one happens to have two of the last pots I made and two of the oldest pots laying around the studio. The bird head falls somewhere in the middle.
Tomorrow, a prize winner!

Another Contest

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The gift shop at Colonial Williamsburg has a big display of these mugs for sale. I was fascinated by them and creeped out by them at the same time. On principle I’m opposed to these white cylinders that many people pass off as a mug and yet, covered in all of these great salt glaze images, I wanted to buy one in the worse way. I was able to justify the purchase by thinking of you, dear reader, and of a prize for my next contest. So, here you go, in honor of my last throwing day (more mugs, of course) before firing #8, I offer you one of these immaculately crafted muglike objects. Let me know if you want your name in the hat. I’ll pick a ‘lucky’ winner over the weekend. Extra credit if you’re a ‘follower’. (It’s never too late to join up!)

Fighting to Keep Focus

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The weather has turned glorious…spring at it’s best…and I find it all distracting. With less than a week to make pots before I begin loading the kiln, I can’t decide whether I should be planting things and working on landscaping or throwing more last minute treasures…or hanging out at Laszlo’s Weenie World for the Virginia States Frisbee Championships…or…you get the picture. I know that I can put a lot of things off until after the firing, but the weather is bound to get hotter than I prefer by then. 
Still, at least some of the time I’m get to the studio. I’ve got 50-60 mugs made…I want 100.
These next two are the last of the big’uns…18″ – 20″ tall. I added lots of dots with my black glaze which you can see on previous posts.
I like to have at least one “Fredericksburg” pot in each firing. My calligraphy skills are crude at best.
Here’s a peek inside some biscuit fired pots.I raw glaze/fire most of my work but I’ve never been able to make my crackle slip work on wet pots. (truthfully I haven’t tried all that hard. Yet.) I should write more about raw glazing soon. I love it. The difference in how a pot takes the glaze is subtle but important. Biscuit fired pots suck the glaze up almost frantically as opposed to the way a slip or glaze glides across the surface of a raw pot. Try combing a biscuit pot after applying a slip and you’ll know what I mean.

Friday’s Report (on Saturday)

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I’ve got just one more week of making before I begin loading the kiln for ol’ firing #8. This has not been my most productive week, but I’m certain that I have plenty of pots already made. I like to have many more than I need because it makes it easier to load if you you have choices, but at the same time I hate it when an exciting pot doesn’t make in. Such difficulties in a potter’s life!?
I don’t think that Rudi and Els read my blog, so I can show you this plate I made for their golden anniversary. Don’t any of you LibertyTowner readers spill the beans, please!
When given the chance, I usually will put a handle on anything I can. Once in a while I let one go. I’m not sure if it’s because I like to see the handles or because I like to make the handles; hopefully a bit of both.
At some point I always have a little panic about not having enough to properly fill the kiln. That moment came last weekend and I threw some bigger things to assuage my fear.