On Our Way

Samantha is matching different shaped thrown knobs to her covered jars

Last weekend and up until this past Tuesday we were finishing our pottery for our upcoming kiln opening on Saturday December 17th. These images are a bit behind, but we have been focused on moving these pieces through the bisquing cycle and mixing glazes.  This is always an exciting time for us. We are on our way to concluding a cycle which is both satisfying and filled with anticipation. Not to mention this comes at a very special time of the year. Now we are at a juncture when we can sit back and allow ourselves to have a little down time.

covered jars without their knobs

the knobs are thrown separately

Below are the finished covered jars that are now in need of decoration.  There are so many glazes that we have been wanting to explore, and we want to dedicate some time to experiment in 2012. One of these days we will build a small gas kiln, about half the size of what we have now. This way we can turn our pottery cycle around a bit more frequently.  For example these pieces could be for two different kilns back to back instead of one kiln. That way new glazes can be discovered and worked out.

the finished jars

There is something very satisfying about trimming. For the past couple of years Bruce has received a gift certificate (from me) for Bison tools. These are trimming tools with carbide blades that hold up very well to the rigors of trimming abrasive clays.  They are so hard and sharp that Bruce uses the edges that don't contact the clay to sharpen other tools and knives.

Bruce is feeling the bowl to see where the clay is that he want to remove

Because of rain at the beginning of the week, we made this quick drying cart using plastic sheeting with a dehumidifier placed on the bottom shelf.  The idea was passed on by master mold maker John Ryall for speeding up the drying of plaster without damaging it with too much heat.  Works great with clay as well.

Maxwell is trying to tell me something!

Squeaking in some wet work

We are squeaking in a couple of days of throwing before we go into lock down and glaze, glaze, glaze for our upcoming exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in Raleigh.  Bruce felt he had time to work on a few of his powder box or clam jar forms. When we were discussing what form to throw yesterday, we thought about this one.  Bruce loves this form because it gives him a surface to decorate.  I like throwing a version of it too.  We realized it has been over 4 years since he has thrown this form.

He has also thrown oversized cups.  
I am working on some up and down bowls.  I refer to them as such because of the straight wall. I enjoy this form because it gives me a surface to decorate that can be seen easily compared to lower bowl shape.  I am planning to put sprigs on the sides and glaze them with our flowing glazes.
I also have some oversized cups that I will sprig and mushroom jars that will be decroated with insects.  These pieces will hopefully be ready for the Nature Art Gallery Show in Raleigh!

Loading the Kiln and Unexpected Surprises

Bruce had time to glaze one fossil fish platter. Bruce is putting some smaller pots around his platter. It is a good feeling to have all of the spaces filled. We are always saying, if only we had one shaped like this and.....we could fill that spot, we need to make that special piece some day.

Bruce is bricking up the door. It looks like he is always doing all of the work. Not true. I just stop long enough to take a few shots. My job in this task is to hand him the bricks.

We are growing these beautiful morning glories. I believe the name of this variety is Grandfather Ots. Or is it Grandmother Ots? I don't remember right now. It may be another variety all together. They are beautiful. The pink in the purple is really incredible. The picture below looks like Moka is staring back at me from the foliage. Not quite sure how his eye got in the picture.


I did not see the mantis beside the morning glory this morning when I took the picture. It popped out at me on the computer. What a serendipitous composition!

Melon of a time loading the kiln

We are loading the kiln. We could not of asked for a better day. It is weird that we can be experiencing life as usual while people down at the coast are having to pack up, evacuate, put off deadlines and daily life, to sit and wait.
The last kiln load we fired, Bruce made larger then usual pieces, around 15" - 20 " pieces for the top of the kiln. We had an eureka moment. We have decided when possible we will do this from now on. It saves Bruce's back when loading the top levels of the kiln. We may not get as many individual pieces in the kiln, but it is worth saving his back. Ed is helping Bruce take the pieces down to the kiln.

We loaded the back of the kiln yesterday. When we can, we load the kiln over a two day period. It is another way we have found to help save Bruce's back.


We have spent some time on top of Mount Melon during the past couple of weeks. Looking around for which melon is ripe. We are at the end of harvest. Which is good and bad. We will miss the daily fruits, but how many cantaloupes, honey dews, and watermelons can one eat? We had an incredible experience yesterday eating an orange watermelon. I will search through Gloria's seeds to find the name. We highly recommend it. We never know if we are opening up one that will be tossed into the compost or an out of body experience. Melons are so finicky.

The melon below is a volunteer of unknown variety. A couple of years back we stopped planting full size melons because they would not fit into the refrigerator, and they were way too much for us to eat. We have found that planting ice box variety melons is more manageable. This one is a party melon.


Samantha and Ratatouille on top of Mount Melon which is top soil from making a new driveway.

Help for the Big Push

Ed and Gloria helped in the studio last night. The Potter's Market looms ever closer and the last firing clock is ticking down. We have never been very good at scheduling and timing, and have found ourselves in this crush once again. Bruce and I glazed some of our pieces while they washed the dust off of the pots. It is great to have them living here in Seagrove. They have been so busy since they moved here last year. Between making decisions about our new house and studio, working in the garden, and beginning to learn some of the processes in the pottery studio, they have had no time to sit down and relax. They are enjoying all of their activities. I believe they have both lost some weight to boot. Bruce had to keep punching another hole into dad's belt this summer and he bought some suspenders. Just the other day he finally bought some new jeans that fit.

Lots to Do / Crunch Time

We are trying to get the last of the pots finished up and hopefully dried and in the gas kiln by this coming Monday. We are really behind. There is so much going on here in our town of Seagrove right now that it has slowed us down. We try not to think about it when we are working but it is nearly impossible. I had a dream last night that I was walking down this really huge steep hill almost like a mountain and the whole time thinking and feeling what a struggle this is, I remember being really exhausted and then thinking what is it going to be like when I have to walk back up it? I never got to find out because Moka woke us up to go outside. Just about every night he needs an outdoor trip. Our boy is getting old and just can't seem to be able to make it through the whole night. Bruce is very in tuned with Moka and does the honors of getting up and taking him out.