Collaboratives with "Cousin" Michael - The beginning

Earlier this week Michael visited us, and we began to work on some Cousin's Collaboratives. This is the first for Bruce and I, for having someone besides ourselves working with us in our studio. We had a great time and we are looking forward to doing more of this type of work in the future. Bruce finished up trimming a couple of vases that he threw for Michael to decorate. In the past couple of years I have been working with a shellac wash away technique to decorate my cups. Michael calls it resist hydo-abrasion. After one of my recent blog post that Michael read, he noticed my use of this decorating technique and recalled when he worked this way back when he was a Penland artist in residence. The three of us decided that this would be a great place to start. Over the two days that he was here Michael decorated around seven pieces and we plan to finish abrading them and fire with our crystalline glazes.

It took a bit of time to get into the groove, set up, and get focused. Of course Maxwell is in constant play mode and had his input on collaborative plans for Michael.

Bruce engineered a wood block stand for Michael to set his brushes in. Something that a little container could stand straight up in and allow for Michael's brush to be in water without the whole handle soaking in water. A bit more fine tuning is still needed. We discussed how sometimes we forget and leave our brushes in water. A big no no.

We finally settle in and Michael begins to paint the shellac with some of the signature vining decoration that he is recognized for.
Over the couple of days Bruce shows Michael some of the tools that he has collected from various sources for various reasons. You never know when you may need something. Bruce is sorting through his tungsten carbide bits finding the right one for Michael to sign his name in the pieces he decorated.