'the swine' and grading interrupts everything!

My first week that I kept track of studio time I spent about 10 1/2 hrs making pots!  So I was planning on kicking major butt last week in a similar fashion, but about 5 kids from each of my classes were out with either H1N1 or the regular flu. Talk about crappy timing.  Which in turn got a TON of teachers sick and made me have sympathy sickness.  (never having a fever, which is okay by me!)  Plus I had to grade a ridiculous amount of work, so alas, no studio time.  I did find a few minutes to fire a small load of pots...

I'm still testing the dots.  The first 4 came out looking nice but if you handled them the dots fell off :-(  I think I just added them when the pots were too dry because this load is better.  

I'm also working on testing close to 20 cone 10 glazes. Which has made me realize how much I suck at and/or dislike glazing.  In college I borrowed a lot of glazes from Grad friends, but without really recording what I used (beyond just the names) I'm pretty much at square one.  Not to mention that I have no access to a soda kiln which makes me sad for when I make large work again. I should be firing student work soon so I'll be able to test them out in the gas kiln but time will tell if anything actually looks good.  --If you have some sweet glazes or ones I probably used on work previously, feel free to share!--   I'm starting to think about cone 6 glazes, but I'm not sure where to start. I guess more research in my little spare time.

This week will probably be spending some time on detail for a damp box worth of pieces I still need to finish. Plus I want to start teaching my Advanced students how to throw larger forms in sections (they're diggin my big work & want to watch how it's possible).  I'll post some pics of my progress- goal is about a post a week to make sure I'm doing something!

what's the happenings...

 1st 4 cups from my new work

This is where I tell you why I decided to make a blog...

  I'm tired of being a lazy ass and not making work.  There, I said it.   

Since I graduated I've only made demo pots. I had a go at big pots again last year, but alas, it ended in tragedy. *RIP big pot* I went back to just demo pots until this past spring when I made a ton of simple cups & bowls for my Avon Walk fundraiser. Things seemed to go pretty well so now I'm back at it. Soon after the fundraiser I came across the work of Peter Pincus in Ceramics Monthly & got inspired.  I began to realize how much I love tactile pieces.  I hate going to galleries where I can't touch things that I really REALLY want to touch.  Maybe I've been working with high school kids too long, but I think I'm a little ADD. 

 

My 1st big pot since 2005, which blew up cause I suck.

Anyway, I've started to throw smaller pieces in porcelain & experiment with surface more.  These cups were the first in a body of work I'm currently creating.  I wanted to make something tactile that's fun & keeps your attention.  (Hence, the little tiny clay dots that make you blind while making them.)  I also wanted to make a comfortable form & focus on the negative space created by the beneath the base of the cups.  I'm still attempting to translate these ideas into other utilitarian objects- (vases, jars, teapots, etc.) while exploring added pieces.  I think my next step (now that my clay order has finally arrived!) is to expand these ideas into big pots again!  I've always loved throwing large forms & I really need to just dive back in. 

So, back to my previous statement of being a lazy ass... I've spent the past 3 yrs teaching high school ceramics.  This leaves you little to NO time/brain power to make art or even function beyond relaxing. My goal is to record my weekly time in the studio & occasional images (but not before things are bisqued because that's awful luck... see below) and post them on this blog. 

I know that several friends may help keep me in check & give me some feedback.  I've definitely realized that not being in a studio makes it hard to get feedback on the good, awful & potential in pieces.  Plus I'm used to giving all the time with little take from kids. (anyone who teaches or has kids would understand this one!) I'd love to hear suggestions, ideas pretty much anything about the work so please, send it my way! :-D