Well we are still adjusting. Just loving the new house. Like when you fall in love and time goes slow and fast at once. Feels like we’ve been here forever and only a day at the same time.
Got all the supplies out and spun my first pot in a month. To be honest I was afraid of the clay. You have that expectation: “Oh I need to make something awesome”. Once I let go of that thought its fine and you just do the work.
The pot turned out alright and I gave it a texture of small hills in the middle section. Not exactly what I had in mind but it was alright. Getting better at the rims. Nobody wants to sip from a cup with sharp edges or a rough surface. I find that the cheap eyeglass cleaners that end up in the junk drawers cut into 1″ x 4″ work very well for this task.
I always start off with 14 oz of clay and end up with a bunch carved off so each pot ends up being a different weight at the end. I am realizing that 14 oz of clay should end up being about 14 oz after I’m done, at least when wet, so that I can make repeatable objects.
I’m also thinking about my inspirations for new vessels. Color wise I might just do a white slip and a black slip and see how many combinations I can come up with. In fact I could even do a white on white stoneware and see how many combinations I get. I can think of dozens of ways to decorate using slip, wax, wipe, dip, dunk, splash, brush, hakeme brush, etc… Actually now I’m getting excited.
The raku clay has treated me nicely as far as firing goes. I would prefer something with less grog for throwing though. I need 2 white clay bodies so I can make one into a slip of a slightly different white.
FireCrown Pottery 