tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120822243690031772024-03-13T07:17:58.507-07:00Bungart Studiostroybungartstudios.comAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-24664806047640729352017-07-28T06:34:00.000-07:002017-07-28T06:34:04.262-07:00Brush Making WorkshopOn August 5th, 2017 I will be presenting a <a href="http://www.troybungartstudios.com/upcoming-workshops.html" target="_blank">brush making workshop</a> at <a href="http://www.pewabic.org/" target="_blank">Pewabic Pottery</a> in Detroit, Michigan. This is an exciting hands-on workshop. I will share with you what I have learned about making brushes while demonstrating the steps by making several brushes. I will provide you with a<br />
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assortment of materials to explore as you set down and make your first brush. We will then test our new brushes to see the variety of marks they make, and then make more!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-55098663862308473222016-06-07T14:24:00.001-07:002016-06-07T14:29:34.332-07:00Gaya Ceramic Art Center Workshophttp://troybungartpotter.tumblr.com/post/145523842431/day-one-here-are-a-few-of-my-students-at-the<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tsKn8zYlDKY/V1c7gLzrv_I/AAAAAAAAqDc/foltDiQ1CAc/s1600/20160604_083312_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tsKn8zYlDKY/V1c7gLzrv_I/AAAAAAAAqDc/foltDiQ1CAc/s640/20160604_083312_001.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AxLPbTGMoXI/V1c7g98MbFI/AAAAAAAAqDg/qdl4L719q0c/s1600/20160604_102747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AxLPbTGMoXI/V1c7g98MbFI/AAAAAAAAqDg/qdl4L719q0c/s640/20160604_102747.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q6fXvtmvwGU/V1c7iGcOwfI/AAAAAAAAqDs/ClpDBez3LY4/s1600/20160607_115609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q6fXvtmvwGU/V1c7iGcOwfI/AAAAAAAAqDs/ClpDBez3LY4/s640/20160607_115609.jpg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-26440899998826153912016-05-06T05:39:00.001-07:002016-05-06T18:01:19.950-07:00Gaya Brush Making Workshop <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am excited to be leading a brush making, tool making and wood fire workshop along side Hillary Kane at Gaya Ceramics in Bali, Indonisa. If you have ever wanted to learn about making brushes, your own tools or wood firing how could it get any better than this? Learning in beautiful Bali, what a wonderful place to explore new ideas. Please contact <a href="http://www.gayaceramic.com/cac-workshops/workshops-2016" target="_blank">Gaya Ceramic Art Center</a> for reservations. If you have any questions about what will be covered in the workshop you can contact me at <a href="http://troybungartstudios.com/">TroyBungartStudios.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-11959992342699595432014-03-28T15:53:00.002-07:002015-01-14T16:45:29.785-08:00Brandon Phillips<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Brandon Phillips has been Kicking out pots in his Abilene, Texas studio for about 11 years. His traditional functional ware has a durable nature that is infused with his personal work ethic. His studio is environmentally low-impact, using construction scraps to fire his kiln. Digging his own clay and formulating his own glazes with locally sourced ashes that would otherwise be thrown away plays a part in his environmental position. brandon Demonstrates an incredible amount of skill and dedication in producing work of such quality and consistency under these self imposed circumstances.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am drawn to the craftsmanship in Brandon's forms and to the simplicity with which he uses his glazes. There is an honesty that flows from his work which includes making and using his own brushes. It doesn't seem as if he strives for his work to be something that it's not. He aims and hits his mark.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A little over a year ago I picked out two of Brandon's yunomi. The first is decorated with a few clusters of dots on top of a combed background.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The tightly fit glaze enhances the thrown detail in the base of the form. Brandon creates a slow spiral from the middle of the cup down towards the foot. It compels me to turn the cup as I'm holding it, eventually drawing my attention to the crisp chop mark and the turned foot. In the center of the foot is a surprise: Brandon leaves a finial of clay when he turns the foot. The finial acts as a pivot point in my hand, further encouraging me to turn the cup in my hand as I hold it. As a potter, I find it comfortably interactive to hold and slowly turn a finished cup as I'm using it. This piece definitely delivered more than I expected from just looking at a photo of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The second yunomi has a colorful ash glaze with a sweet crystalline patch. Again, I have to remark how well he manages to get a homemade glaze to fit a homemade clay body. The glaze is thick and rich but not drippy. The inside is so glassy it looks wet. I like the weight of Brandon's cups, how they sit in my hand. They feel comfortable, sturdy and reliable in a way that helps me relax about using them. They aren't fragile; they aren't clunky. They are just right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The notches attractively capture the flow of the glaze and the shape of the foot's upper edge acts like a gutter that guarantees that the bottom of the foot stays dry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is a fine piece, exactly what I would expect Brandon to make. It's a flat plate with a bowed rim and trimmed foot. Carefully crafting the fluid marks as they are swiped into the glaze gives the plate a casual nonchalance that belies the skill it takes to make something hard look so easy. Like all of Brandon's work, it displays well by itself but especially shines when it's in use because it so well enhances the food served on it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Brandon's work is definitely of the kind on wants to purchase as it comes along. I am glad I have the pieces I own. They are like snapshots of a time and place in his professional journey. Brandon is making some exciting changes in his studio. He will be tearing apart his wood fire kiln, then rebuilding it to burn recycled oil. His work will grow and change in this process, I can't wait to see where he will go from here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can follow the adventure of Brandon Phillips at his blog <u><a href="http://supportyourlocalpotter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Support Your Local Potter</a></u>. You can check out his work at the <u><a href="http://www.schallergallery.com/artist/149/Brandon-Phillips" target="_blank">Schaller Gallery</a></u>. I heartily encourage you to support his <u><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/226942413/the-waste-oil-kiln-project/posts/789063?at=BAh7CDoMcG9zdF9pZGkDRwoMSSIIdWlkBjoGRVRpA%2Bfii0kiC2V4cGlyeQY7BlRJIhgyMDE0LTA0LTI1IDIwOjM3OjAyBjsGVA%3D%3D--241b6e90db62eee20edabdda9cb0610c50f7bd65&ref=backer_project_update" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a></u> kiln project which has reached its initial goal. Time is running down to be able to contribute to his upper level support, please don't delay.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-55542834448766911402014-01-10T19:26:00.000-08:002014-01-10T19:26:44.105-08:00Soda fired cup by Todd Pletcher<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Todd Pletcher in his studio</td></tr>
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When opportunity meets ability great things can happen. Let me tell you about a friend's enviable pottery results and the unusual piece I was able to pick up from him the other day. <br />
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I admire <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Todd-Pletcher-Pottery/210153085700245" target="_blank">Todd Pletcher's</a> work. His forms are fluid, delicate and light. I enjoy using the small selection of his work that I already own. <br />
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Recently Todd assisted Justin Rothshank with a decal workshop at the <a href="http://www.arrowmont.org/" target="_blank">Arrowmont School of arts and crafts</a>. While at Arrowmont they took advantage of the opportunity to do some soda firing.<br />
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I was following Todd's Facebook posts and saw pictures of pieces as they were coming out of the soda kiln. One special piece grabbed my eye. I mean, it was all good work, but one piece just started calling my name. I couldn't believe my luck when I visited his studio after his return and saw the piece in person. Not only was he willing to part with it, rare as it is, but no one else snatched it up before me. The moment I saw it on his display shelf, I grabbed it up before he could change his mind about parting with it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My recent acquisition, soda fired with decal</td></tr>
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Well, no, I did ask if he was sure he could part with it. He admitted this cup is special. He doesn't often get to soda fire. If I had been similarly "gifted" with such a fine souvenir of Arrowmont, it wouldn't be leaving my presence except under armed guard. <br />
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I look at this cup Todd made and appreciate it as a fine example of how he fits so much movement and grace into his forms. But this particular cup is a standout. It has a delicate, subtle band of decal work crowning the topmost undulating curve. Todd is a master of teasing decorative effects out of glazes to the amazement of the professionals who formulate them. Here Todd used his developed aesthetic to create a far more subtle effect with decals than I thought possible. The band of decals enhances but doesn't define the piece or overwhelm it. <br />
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Subtle the decal work may be, but this cup is far from being a poster piece for "Less is More." Not with this intense, delicious turquoise blue soda glaze. You just don't get a surface like this from regular atmospheric firings. This is center-of-the-shelf eye candy. I look at it and realize that this is what happens when a skilled potter gets the opportunity to play with friends. Professional synergy produces good results. <br />
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You can find more of Todd's regular work at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/toddpletcher" target="_blank">his Etsy store</a>.<br />
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Todd also has a video detailing how he does his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhDQJ9WNUDs" target="_blank">glaze layering on Youtube</a> using Amaco's Potter's Choice glazes.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-10586647061070414182013-09-01T11:59:00.001-07:002013-09-01T11:59:46.085-07:00Goshen Pottery Workshop, The First | Art by FuzzyRecently I was one of three presenters at a pottery workshop in Goshen, IN. I had plans for writing about the workshop but one of the attendees did such a fine job of it on his blog I thought I would share his thoughts on the workshop with you.<br />
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<a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/#.UiIIE-1hbAo.blogger">Goshen Pottery Workshop, The First | Art by Fuzzy</a><br />
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<h1 class="entry-title" style="background-color: #333333; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 0px 5px;">Goshen Pottery Workshop, The First</h1><div class="entry-meta" style="background-color: #333333; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 0.6em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span class="meta-prep meta-prep-entry-date">Published: </span><span class="entry-date">August 16, 2013</span><span class="meta-sep meta-sep-entry-date"> </span><span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author">By </span><span class="author vcard" style="font-size: 2.5em;"><a class="url fn n" fuzzy="" href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/author/Fuzzy/" schwartz="" style="color: #666666; font-size: 0.4em; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts by Brandon ">Brandon "Fuzzy" Schwartz</a></span><span class="meta-sep meta-sep-entry-date"> | </span><span class="cat-links">Posted in <a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/category/events/" rel="category tag" style="color: #666666; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in Events">Events</a>, <a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/category/events/workshops/" rel="category tag" style="color: #666666; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in workshops">workshops</a></span></div><div class="entry-content" style="background-color: #333333; color: #cccccc; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 40px; max-width: 1000px; padding: 0px;"><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">There are some great benefits to living in the Goshen area. On Saturday I experienced another shining example of this at the first installment of the Goshen Pottery Workshop Series. I’ll admit, it was my first pottery workshop so I have nothing to compare it to but the surface class I took last summer… but it was amazing. Not only did I get to spend half a day with some of Goshen’s finest potters, I got to experience 3 hours of the best demonstrations that money can buy. And it all happened practically in my backyard.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2345" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; margin: 30px auto; padding: 15px; width: 440px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/my-gifts/" rel="attachment wp-att-2345" style="color: white;"><img alt="The Goods" class="size-large wp-image-2345" height="302" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/my-gifts-430x302.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" title="The Goods" width="430" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">The Goods</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">So the following is my account of this tremendous time. Disclaimer alert: this is mostly from memory so there may be a few things that I don’t remember quite right, or things that I don’t remember at all!</div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;"><span id="more-2311"></span></div><h2 style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.8em; margin: 0px; padding: 40px 0px 0px;">Hangin’ with Other Mud Slingers</h2><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2329" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: left; margin: 22px 20px 0px 0px; padding: 15px; width: 130px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/pletcher-studio/" rel="attachment wp-att-2329" style="color: white;"><img alt="Pletcher Studio" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2329" height="66" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pletcher-studio-120x66.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="120" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Pletcher Studio</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">It was a beautiful day for anything on Saturday, including a pottery workshop. I arrived around 12:45 and the driveway was already lined with cars. (Note to self: arrive extra early next time!) As I walked up the driveway I was immediately greeted by <a href="http://www.pletcherpottery.com/" style="color: white;">Todd Pletcher</a>, the wonderful host and potter, who lives maybe 10 minutes from my house. Then <a href="http://bungartstudios.blogspot.com/" style="color: white;">Troy Bungart</a> introduced himself. I had been following some of his work on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Troy-Bungart-Studios/174662755925275" style="color: white;">Facebook</a> so it was finally nice to put a face with the pots (and tools). He mentioned that he had seen some of my glaze tests which, I admit, was a little flattering. I generally keep this blog and (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/artbyfuzzy" style="color: white;">facebook page</a>) more as a notebook for my own review but I’m glad that other people might be reading, possibly even enjoying it. I also noticed Troy’s Ron Philbeck <a href="http://ncclayclub.blogspot.com/2012/04/ron-philbecks-rat-tee-shirt.html" style="color: white;">rat shirt</a>. This guy is surely a potter’s potter! (Whatever that means?) Be sure to check out his <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/burlchaser" style="color: white;">Etsy page</a> for some top of the line tools!</div><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2342" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: left; margin: 22px 20px 0px 0px; padding: 15px; width: 310px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/free-stuff-table/" rel="attachment wp-att-2342" style="color: white;"><img alt="The Gift Table" class="size-medium wp-image-2342" height="373" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/free-stuff-table-300x373.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">So Many Choices!</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">After chatting a bit with Troy and a few others I signed in and received my packet and swag bag. Todd directed me around to the table of free stuff. At this workshop you received a gift from each presenter. I say “gift” but this is my first workshop and I’m not sure how pottery workshops are generally put together. Maybe you get great stuff at every workshop. And I’m sure the cost of these items were part of the registration fee but considering the quality of presentation and discussion I took in, these things felt like an added bonus.</div><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_2334" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: right; margin: 22px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 15px; width: 310px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/swag-bag/" rel="attachment wp-att-2334" style="color: white;"><img alt="Swag Bag Contents" class="size-medium wp-image-2334 " height="311" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/swag-bag-300x311.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" title="Swag Bag Contents" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Swag Bag Contents</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">I picked out a small wood fired cup from Dick Lehman, similar to the one I bought at his pottery sale. I also got myself a Justin Rothshank specialty; an earthenware cup with poppy decals. And to finish off the trifecta, I snagged a nice bamboo-handled brush with long squirrel tail bristles.</div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">From there I wandered around and looked at the amazing pottery; chatted up some of the local guys: Moey Hart (of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Studio-55-Goshen/222963581102151" style="color: white;">Studio 55</a>), Troy, Justin, Todd; met Len Cockman, the ceramics teacher at NHS; and got settled in before the first presentation. It was great talking to Len. He has been teaching at Northridge for quite a while and I can tell he loves it. He was telling me how he talked the administration into getting a wood kiln for the high school (a wood kiln for a high school!) and how he got it set up. He even invited me to join the next firing in October. He also talked about a number of his students who have gone on to explore clay on their own. He really seems to be an inspiration for the budding young ceramic artists in the area and offers them some great experiences.</div><h2 style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.8em; margin: 0px; padding: 40px 0px 0px;">Justin Rothshank – Decal Presentation</h2><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2331" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: left; margin: 22px 20px 0px 0px; padding: 15px; width: 294px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/rothshank-applying-decal/" rel="attachment wp-att-2331" style="color: white;"><img alt="Rothshank Applying a Decal" class="size-medium wp-image-2331" height="400" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/rothshank-applying-decal-284x400.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="284" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">He’s so good he can do it with his eyes closed!</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">Right on schedule, the presentations began. Justin Rothshank (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/justinrothshankceramics" style="color: white;">of Justin Rothshank Ceramics</a>) was up first. I had heard most of his spiel in last summer’s Surface Class but it was a great refresher. And I got a better understanding of the color decals. He designs custom color decals which he orders from a couple different places. There are ceramic printers which use pigments similar to china paint instead of ink or toner but they currently cost around $5000. Justin later said he is close to getting one, he just wants others to work out all the bugs first. There are also decals which are created through a screen printing process. This is how he gets the white, gold, silver and other metallic decals. The price of these depend on the colors used.</div><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_2332" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: right; margin: 22px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 15px; width: 310px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/rothshank-decals/" rel="attachment wp-att-2332" style="color: white;"><img alt="Rothshank Decal Pots" class="size-medium wp-image-2332" height="203" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/rothshank-decals-300x203.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Rothshank Decal Pots</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">The decal presentation was great. He did a nice job clearly explaining a pretty technical process and demonstrated putting decals on everything from a tall glazed vase to a leather hard mug. (If you’d like more information you can find a lot at his <a href="http://www.rothshank.com/" style="color: white;">website</a>. Or watch the demonstration from the comfort of your own home with a <a href="http://ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore/ceramic-decals-2/" style="color: white;">Decal DVD</a>!) As I explore the decal process in the future I’d like to use more full pot patterns and maybe try layering some of the decals. I don’t think I’m ready to try the color decals yet but maybe down the road. I’d also like to try some decals on bare clay.</div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">There was a short intermission where we had a chance to have some tasty little grilled cheese sandwiches and <a href="http://www.beachbarclarklake.com/" style="color: white;">Beach Bar-style</a> tomato soup. I introduced myself to <a href="http://www.bobsmokerclayart.com/" style="color: white;">Bob Smoker</a> at this time and talked with him about the Goshen Clay Guild and his experiences selling pots in the area. I’ve seen him a few times but never really had a chance to talk to him so it was nice to get that chance. He said that he does most of his work at the Guild which has around 30 members. He also said that the summer class that was scheduled for this summer didn’t have enough interest so it was canceled. I was going to sign up for it but didn’t feel like I had enough time to dedicate to it this summer. Maybe next summer.</div><h2 style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.8em; margin: 0px; padding: 40px 0px 0px;">Troy Bungart – Brush Making Presentation</h2><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_2336" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: right; margin: 22px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 15px; width: 310px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/troy-starting-a-brush/" rel="attachment wp-att-2336" style="color: white;"><img alt="Troy Starting a New Brush" class="size-medium wp-image-2336 " height="264" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/troy-starting-a-brush-300x264.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Troy Starting a New Brush</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">Troy put on a great show. He let his sense of humor really shine through and had a handful of volunteers help him with some of his demos. His motto seems to be: you can do anything! Along the lines of: try it and see if it works, don’t just take someone else’s word that it doesn’t. Often, if you do it right, you’ll get something unique. It might not perform just like a manufactured brush but if you learn to master it’s unique attributes you can make some wonderful marks.</div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">He had a whole collection of animal hides with him and demonstrated making brushes from hog hair, skunk, russian? fox and even a fresh? squirrel tail. You can tell just from looking at his tools (he also makes fantastic wooden ribs) that he is a master of his craft, but it was great to see the process to create them.</div><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2335" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: left; margin: 22px 20px 0px 0px; padding: 15px; width: 310px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/troy-bungart-tools/" rel="attachment wp-att-2335" style="color: white;"><img alt="Troy's Terrific Tools" class="size-medium wp-image-2335" height="193" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/troy-bungart-tools-300x193.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Troy’s Terrific Tools</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">He also showed us a couple brushes made from Bob, his former pet chicken; the hair of his friend’s collie and even told stories of porcupine hair (danger!) and dogs of other countries being trimmed for brushes. He said he uses a lot of road kill and taxidermists often have a good supply of extra fur. He has also received horse hair from a friend. The first batch was useless because his friend had just cut the hair haphazardly. The key is to get the hair just the way it is on the animal. Apparently, every hair has a curl to it so if you just jumble it together the hair won’t come to a fine point when it is wet. Once he gets a clump of hair cut and the loose hairs are combed out he ties it together as tightly as possible with carpet thread. Then he uses super glue to lock it all in place. As he mentioned, this is a chemical reaction which was proven by the wisps of smoke coming from one recently glued bunch of hair. Once it is dry he usually sands it down with a belt sander and glues it into the ferrule with 5 minute epoxy.</div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">The only thing I would have changed about the whole day would be a closer vantage point for Troy’s demo. He explained things well, but I’ve never made a brush so it would have been nice to be right up close viewing every detail. The whole process doesn’t sound very hard and watching Troy, it even looks pretty easy. But surely I wouldn’t be making brushes of the same quality on my first day of brush making as Troy. And I don’t imagine my wife being too excited about me scraping up road kill! So I think I’ll save that adventure for the distant future. And of course, after the last presenter, I realize that I have so much to master at the wheel that I probably don’t have time for much else anyway!</div><h2 style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.8em; margin: 0px; padding: 40px 0px 0px;">Dick Lehman – On-Wheel Alteration Presentation</h2><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">I’m no expert on ceramics history or even contemporary ceramics but <a href="http://www.dicklehman.com/" style="color: white;">Dick Lehman</a> seems to be a pretty well known name and a well regarded individual in the ceramics community. And I can see why. After talking to him for a while at his home <a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/07/28/dick-lehman-pottery-sale/" style="color: white;">pottery sale</a> and carefully inspecting a good deal of his work I was beyond impressed. Then to see him form these awesome pots right in front of me was almost magical. It was a little bit like a magician revealing his secrets.</div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">Dick is like a ceramic history textbook mixed with a culture and style documentary. He’s probably forgotten more about pottery than I have learned so far but he shares it in a humble and down to earth way. He not only showed us some great techniques and explained his thought process while making each piece but he shared stories and offered praise to the artists pioneering the techniques as well.</div><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2344" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: left; margin: 22px 20px 0px 0px; padding: 15px; width: 310px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/lehman-cups/" rel="attachment wp-att-2344" style="color: white;"><img alt="Dick Lehman Cups and Bottle" class="size-medium wp-image-2344 " height="153" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/lehman-cups-300x153.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Dick Lehman Cups and Bottle</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">He started by making a few cups. Each cup started as a taller, skinnier cylinder with thicker walls than it would end up with. This allowed him to add some simple texture and used a variety of cheese cutters from <a href="http://kentuckyspring.net/" style="color: white;">Kentucky Spring</a> to add facets. Some of the cheese cutters had wavy wires, some were straight, some had both. Then he formed the cup by putting outside pressure on the rim to keep it from expanding and applying pressure inside the cup to round it into form. Then he used a rib to add vertical or diagonal creases to add even more interest to each cup.</div><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_2339" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: right; margin: 22px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 15px; width: 310px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/dick-lehman-stamps/" rel="attachment wp-att-2339" style="color: white;"><img alt="Dick Lehman Stamp Collection" class="size-medium wp-image-2339 " height="199" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/dick-lehman-stamps-300x199.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Dick Lehman Stamp Collection</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">Then he made a small bottle in the same fashion but added a rope texture instead of facets. To this he added simple little handles made from rolled coils. Next he showed how to use the facets and texture to make a bowl similar to his series of cups. Then he talked about his bisque stamps that he had created from local vegetation. And, as I found out at his pottery sale, he has started to make stamps out of insects and fish. He has obtained some insect collections from local 4-H members which have been great stamp subjects.</div><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2338" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: left; margin: 22px 20px 0px 0px; padding: 15px; width: 130px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/dick-lehman-spider-cup/" rel="attachment wp-att-2338" style="color: white;"><img alt="Dick Lehman Spider Cup" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2338" height="93" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/dick-lehman-spider-cup-120x93.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="120" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Dick Lehman Spider Cup</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">He made another cup which he decorated with his sumac stamp and one press from a spider stamp. The stamp process works in a similar way to the facets. He throws a tall, thick walled cylinder which he stamps and then rounds into shape without touching the outside of the cup.</div><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_2343" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; float: right; margin: 22px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 15px; width: 310px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/lehman-adding-handle/" rel="attachment wp-att-2343" style="color: white;"><img alt="Adding a Handle" class="size-medium wp-image-2343" height="217" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/lehman-adding-handle-300x217.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Adding a Handle</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">If that wasn’t enough for you, he went on to demonstrate his technique for throwing a square pot on the wheel. Yes, actually throwing a square pot, not throwing something round and then taking it off the wheel to squish the sides. He started off with a round form and then marked four equally spaced points around the pot. As the wheel head was spinning he used a rib to gradually add extra pressure when one point passed then releases the pressure as the rib got to the next point. He did this four times as the pot went around and then repeated the process a few times until the pot was more square than round. Then he added a little extra movement to the foot and rim with an extra point of pressure on each side of the pot. I bet this makes a lot more sense if you see it instead of reading my description! Dick was prepared to keep going but he ran out of time. I probably could have sat there well into the night watching him but it was time for the food!</div><h2 style="color: #999999; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.8em; margin: 0px; padding: 40px 0px 0px;">More Pottery Talk</h2><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">Before eating I got a chance to get a closeup look at Dick’s work and explore some of his stamps and tools. I also looked around at some more of the pottery for sale. I talked to Troy for a little while longer as well. He told me about some of his other tools. He explained some of the wood he uses and told me that he’s getting ready to fire his big kiln again. He has been firing a smaller gas kiln but it fires so much different than his bigger kiln. He even invited me to come check it out sometime. I met <a href="http://goertzenpottery.com/" style="color: white;">Mark Goertzen</a> before the last presentation and talked to him for a little bit. He is scheduled to demonstrate large vessel throwing at the next edition of the Goshen Pottery Workshop Series. He said that he usually only makes them during one month of the year, usually in February when things are slow. Todd told me about his glazes. He uses Amaco glazes but fires them higher than normal. He actually holds the kiln at top temperature for a couple hours. I listened to Len and Justin talk about building kilns for a while as well.</div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2341" style="background-color: #444444; border: none; margin: 30px auto; padding: 15px; width: 440px;"><a href="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/2013/08/16/goshen-pottery-workshop-the-first/free-materials/" rel="attachment wp-att-2341" style="color: white;"><img alt="Magic Paper, Postcards, Handouts" class="size-large wp-image-2341" height="267" src="http://www.artbyfuzzy.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/free-materials-430x267.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 0px;" width="430" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #999999; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Magic Paper, Postcards, Handouts</div></div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">I stuck around until there were only a handful of people left. As a whole, the workshop was one of the highlights of my summer. It was very well done and I definitely plan to make it to the rest of the workshops in the series if I can. The next one is scheduled for April 5th, 2014. Presenters include Mark Goertzen, Jayson Lawfer and Israel Davis.</div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">And that might be the longest post of my blogging career! A little wordy, but it will be nice to have for future reference. I also shot a bunch of video that will be a great resource and inspiration in the future. I’m putting the finishing touches on a short highlight video with a clip from each presentation. Mostly to practice my video editing skills. Look for that in a couple days. And don’t forget the <a href="http://www.michianapotterytour.com/" style="color: white;">Michiana Pottery</a> Tour coming this fall!</div><div style="font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.8em; padding: 13px 0px;">Thanks for reading!</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-56346009740718059022013-06-16T15:46:00.000-07:002013-06-16T17:22:01.874-07:00Brushmaking workshopI will be demonstrating brushmaking at the Pletcher Pottery Workshop Series this summer with two awesome potters, Dick Lehman and Justin Rothshank.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">August 10 - 1PM to 5PM</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Justin Rothshank</h4>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Justin Rothshank is a potter in Goshen IN specializing in custom glaze decal pottery. He will be demonstrating a number of techniques for producing and applying ceramic decals. Each workshop participant will receive on of Justin's pieces at the end of the session. For more information about Justin's work, visit</span></div>
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Troy Bungart</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Troy is a potter and maker of high-end pottery tools and brushes. He will be demonstrating step by step instructions on how to make a handmade brush of natural animal and plant materials, followed by a discussion covering a wide range of handle, ferrule and brush materials. Each participant will make a brush to take home at the end of the workshop. For more information about Troy's work, visit <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/burlchaser?ref=si_shop" target="_blank">burlchaser.etsy.com</a></span></div>
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Dick Lehman</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Dick is a Goshen Potter Who has been making pots for a living for over 30 years. He will be our final presenter of the day, demonstrating a variety of techniques for altering pots while they are on the wheel. This will include creating textures and facets using wires, ribs, stamps, roulettes, sodium silicate, fingers and other tools. Each participant will receive on of Dick's textured ci[s. For more information about Dick's work visit <a href="http://dicklehman.com/" target="_blank">dicklehman.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Location: Pletcher Pottery, 57731 County Road 29, Goshen, IN 46528</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Cost: $165 per person (participants will receive a Rothshank cup, Lehman cup and Bungart brush)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">For more info / registration, contact Todd Pletcher at <a href="http://Todd Pletcher <toddcp@gmail.com>" target="_blank">toddcp@gmail.com</a> or call (630) 788-2901.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-38717619786659982802013-05-12T06:24:00.000-07:002013-05-12T06:24:06.614-07:00The magic of a handmade brush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
To me a brush is potential. A handmade brush is even more so. A new brush is full of unknown mark-making abilities waiting to be discovered. With wide eyed expectation I put brush to slip and begin to learn what it is capable of in my hands. What is it capable of in your hands? This is the magic of handmade: Its potential needs to be discovered and made a part of your life.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Heart handle, Wenge ferrule and a skunk tail brush head. The handle is 9-3/4" and the brush head is 3-1/2" by 1/2"</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-71366640956948479702013-04-22T18:17:00.000-07:002013-04-22T18:17:37.320-07:00Purple Heart Pottery Rib; Hard to let this one go!I just found some Purple Heart lumber that's both striped and curly. It makes a rare and delightful pottery tool. It was exciting to watch the figuring in the wood play across the rib as it took shape at the belt sander.<br />
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Purple Heart or Amaranth is native to tropical regions of Central and South America where it grows in the tropical rain forests of Brazil, Guyana and Suriname. It has the unique characteristic of being UV sensitive. When it is freshly cut or sanded the surface is brown but after exposure to sunlight it turns a wonderful shade of purple.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Purple Heart after it is shaped but before exposure to sunlight.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The same Purple Heart rib after only two days of exposure to sunlight.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Close up of the curls in this piece. No stains or dyes! </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-82336130080138675732012-04-08T15:53:00.000-07:002012-04-08T15:53:08.553-07:00Jeff Campana, Sectional CupI purchased this cup made by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/CampanaCeramics?ref=pr_shop_more" target="_blank">Jeff Campana</a> from his Etsy store. He masterfully used the five allotted photos to bring this cup to life. Each photo was a different view, including a photo of the bottom of the foot and an interior shot. I loved the photos, but it was Jeff's description that helped me truly appreciate what I could see in the photos. His writing was interesting and easy to read. It taught me about his intent, his techniques, his style and the quality of his work. His whole presentation made me feel and appreciate the effort he puts into his ware. He was enthusiastic about his pottery and conveyed how special it is to him. That type of attitude is contagious. I had no doubt that I wanted one of his cups.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/CampanaCeramics?ref=pr_shop_more" target="_blank">Segmented yunomi by Jeff Campana</a></td></tr>
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Jeff forms his vessels then cuts them apart into sections. He smoothes the edges of each section then reassembles them so the sections seem to barely touch. His cutting lines become graceful, flowing designs that twine three-dimensionally from the outside to the inside then back out, up and around. The glazes catch in the seam lines, creating a subtle outline of each section that emphasizes the design work.<br />
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To form a foot, jeff grooves the inside bottom of his wall pieces like barrel staves then insets an initialed disk that becomes the bottom of the vessel. He finishes each piece by polishing the foot on a diamond pad until the vitreous porcelain gleams.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/CampanaCeramics?ref=pr_shop_more" target="_blank">Bottom of yunomi, by Jeff Campana</a></td></tr>
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I remember, back when I was learning to throw, how I was taught to achieve uniformity of wall thickness by cutting my work in half to study the cross-section. of course, cutting a bowl or vase or cup from top to bottom "ruins" it, but you learn and go on. Jeff, I think, learned this lesson so well that he focused on making thin-walled vessels thinner, then even figured out how to put his cut-apart pots back together again!<br />
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It's really how he puts his pots back together that sets him apart. There's a "rule" they teach first year pottery students. The whole purpose of a functional vessel is to hold together and not crack or leak, so we're taught to score and slip or otherwise eliminate evidences of slicing or joining. We're taught that we shouldn't rely on mere surface tack to hold our pieces together, yet Jeff some how manages to do just that (though he does admit that his failure ratio is higher than mist potters')<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/CampanaCeramics?ref=pr_shop_more" target="_blank">Interior of yunomi, by Jeff Campana</a></td></tr>
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Jeff's done many things to make his work seem delicate and organic, like something that grew instead of being thrown or assembled. The smooth, thin porcelain clay body sections are tapered and rounded at the edges. He's cut a bevel on the inside of the lip. This makes his already thin-walled construction seem thinner still. The sections he's cut are all slightly different, symmetrical yet irregular, like flower petals. The tulip shape on the outside and the daisy-ray continues the theme.<br />
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I had a marvelous experience with Jeff's cup and discovered how much he relies on glaze to hold his vessels together. I was sitting on my deck, drinking from Jeff's cup, watching a sunset. I was turning the delicate form in my hands, enjoying the tactile nature of the design work. Suddenly some of the glaze-filled joints began to glow. The sunlight was shining through the glaze in a seam so it was lit from behind like stained glass. What a moment!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/CampanaCeramics?ref=pr_shop_more" target="_blank">Yunomi by Jeff Campana</a></td></tr>
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I am filled with a deep respect for what jeff Campana has accomplished. His mastery of materials and technique have produced something very special. The effort and dedication it takes to make a cup like this is not lost on me. Jeff admits that it's an extraordinary effort for production pottery, but he thinks it's worth it when people can truly appreciate everything he does and marvel at the pieces he produces.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/burlchaser" target="_blank">Troy Bungart</a></td></tr>
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I am also grateful to jeff for the time and attention he puts into presenting his work. If it weren't for such a fine store listing, I wouldn't have connected with his work and I would have missed the pleasure of owning and enjoying his work first hand.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-51565049844085652022012-03-17T12:36:00.001-07:002012-03-17T12:42:15.846-07:00Pangas Pirates<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I bought two skull and cross bones cups from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/nicolepangas" style="background-color: blue;" target="_blank">Nicole Pangas</a> as gifts for a couple of my favorite weekend pirates. To my surprise Nicole sent a third cup and a note explaining there was an extra cup in her studio and room in my shipping box. I was delighted. Who doesn't love a little extra treasure? Yo-ho, a pirates life for me!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I delivered the first cup to my friend and co-worker Shawn. I always like it when a gift is well received. Shawn couldn't wait to take it out on its maiden voyage. Up to this point all of his experience with cups has been purely functional: Get the liquid from bottle to mouth without spilling too much on the floor.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WhM6chGgLvw/T2TIko3VmPI/AAAAAAAAAKo/Vht4Waf-3rc/s1600/shawn+and+cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WhM6chGgLvw/T2TIko3VmPI/AAAAAAAAAKo/Vht4Waf-3rc/s400/shawn+and+cup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This was Shawn's first chance to experience a cup as a piece of functional art. I explained to him why I like functional art and he understood once he tried using the cup. He said he hadn't realized what a difference it made to drink out of a special cup, that a person could appreciate the drink better by appreciating the cup while drinking. It helped him slow down and savor the moment.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I gave the second cup to my daughter Lydia. She is not a potter (sigh), but she is an awesome photographer and an amusing writer.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Her thoughts on this cup come from way down, deep inside, where her weekend pirate lives. She put on her best pirate glare and described this cup as:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"The perfect seafarer flagon. Every sailor (and land-lubber) worth their salt needs a good drinking vessel. This be that vessel! A swig from this cup sets the pirate in me free. I enjoy the raw, nubby matte texture. It provides a valuable grip on a surface made slippery by storm tossed waves.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Drinks go better on the rocks than ships and this glass is the ideal size for anything from a taste test to a cold gulp of my favorite grog. This is a cup I will use for years, with a squint in my eye and a swagger in my step. Drink up me hearties, Yo Ho!"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've kept <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicole-Pangas-Ceramics/121432934605196" style="background-color: blue;" target="_blank">Nicole's</a> bonus cup to share with my other two daughters. Jolly Roger grins at us from where it makes berth on the TV stand near our stack of pirate movies.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SWp_PYnxgZ8/T2Tf4MmpZuI/AAAAAAAAALo/TUb9MyRi4hA/s1600/skull+cup+videos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SWp_PYnxgZ8/T2Tf4MmpZuI/AAAAAAAAALo/TUb9MyRi4hA/s400/skull+cup+videos.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I know some people think "good" cups are "too good to use" In my opinion, a cup rises in value every time you use it. As much as I enjoy using handmade cups myself, gifting others with pottery really puts the wind in my sails.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-80815671474446375662012-03-05T17:45:00.000-08:002012-03-05T17:47:15.938-08:00Ron Philbeck's Possum Cup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Whimsical possums appeal to my odd sense of humor. My brother once adopted </span><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">a baby possum that sat on his shoulder like a pirate's parrot until it got bigger and took to </span><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">nibbling not-too-gently on his ear. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Back in college I played with possum imagery using underglazes on cups, bowls </span><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">and tiles. It kept me amused for a long time. A few years ago I painted a series of </span><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">watercolor possums on ACEO cards. When I saw <a href="http://www.ronphilbeckpottery.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">Ron Philbeck's</span></a> possum cup it brought </span><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">back a flood of memories.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5oX7fIY4ww/T1VVGLkeIII/AAAAAAAAAKA/DOBylsALMpE/s1600/possum+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="128" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5oX7fIY4ww/T1VVGLkeIII/AAAAAAAAAKA/DOBylsALMpE/s400/possum+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Troy Bungart possums: L underglaze on bowl, R watercolor </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron Philbeck Possum Cup</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Ron's terra cotta cup is coated with buttery white slip then hand-incised with a </span><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">sgraffito design of a grinning possum hanging by its tail. The bold color is entirely the result </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">of his rich red clay. The cup is sealed with a clear gloss glaze that fits remarkably well, with</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> no pinholes or crazing. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Ron's relaxed approached to his functional wheel work results in a comfortable feel </span><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">and posture to the cup. He gives the cup a solid stance by trimming the foot with a wide base. </span><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">He doesn't consider finger ridges or tool marks to be defects, but instead incorporates the </span><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">parts of the process into the design of the cup. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Ron has impressed his name with a well-made chop low on the side of the cup along with "signature" finger indentations. His spiral tool mark on the bottom is a decorative element, a hidden surprise. The "paint drips" of slip on the inside could be an "oops" that wasn't worth fixing, but they are too well placed to be really accidental. They carry the casual humor to the inside where I can notice them as the level in the cup goes down.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"> For a while most of my own pottery work involved surface imagery. Imagery is a </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">quick way to convey the emotion of a pot. In his lighthearted way, Ron pushes his possum </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">into the realm of the comical. He isn't dealing with the reality of a possum. His is a cartoon </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">depiction from our collective imagination where possums hang by their tails (they don't). </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">Possums are sometimes known as "grinners," and Ron's sports a huge, comical grin. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2JsqycSVAWo/T1VVukdkihI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/irebLP8VxKM/s1600/ron+philbeck+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2JsqycSVAWo/T1VVukdkihI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/irebLP8VxKM/s200/ron+philbeck+3.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Ron's work is easy to enjoy. It lightens the load after a hard day. He explains </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">his work on his Etsy profile page: "Pots are made in small series, each similar, but not the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">same as the rest. Think of them as a large extended family." I like his metaphor. When I look </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">at <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/RonPhilbeckPottery?ref=seller_info" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">Ron's Etsy gallery</span></a>, I see chickens, goats, rabbits and possums staring at me through lines </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">of laundry like snapshots in a family photo album. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Fact is that I feel rather akin to the little possum buddy on my cup. He puts a smile </span><span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">on my own face. It makes me feel like Buddy and I belong in Ron's family album, too. </span></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-26665361990199840442012-02-19T15:45:00.000-08:002012-02-19T15:52:47.742-08:00At Peace In The Moment<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SnR_48tv-xk/T0GCk0RoTzI/AAAAAAAAAJw/4axMLCwKoWw/s1600/carpenter+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SnR_48tv-xk/T0GCk0RoTzI/AAAAAAAAAJw/4axMLCwKoWw/s400/carpenter+1.jpg" width="336" /></a>I found this dynamic salt-glazed cup by Kyle Carpenter on Etsy. The attractive surface design caught my attention. Kyle used a flashing slip to paint wind-blown grass on a shino background. The cup has a lot of elements that work together to give a sense of movement.<br />
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The thrown form grows from a narrower base into a full, gentle curve. It swells as if the fullness of the cup is stretching the form from within. The leafy decoration fits the form very well, lifting, opening up and curving across the swell.<br />
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The smooth lip makes a visually light and clean top line. The rolled edge of the trimmed foot captures a thin dark line of salt glaze that anchors the decoration to the bottom of the cup, just above the shadow line.<br />
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There are faint lines in the background shino that suggest to me that Kyle brushed shino glaze diagonally onto the cup. The shino trapped peppery particles in the glaze while the slip decoration attracted salt glaze formation. This subtle dark-in-light and light-on-dark speckling assures that there is something happening everywhere on the surface.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vR6tYxtM4Ns/T0GCN4IhUBI/AAAAAAAAAJo/0lgNOebPNxc/s1600/carpenter+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vR6tYxtM4Ns/T0GCN4IhUBI/AAAAAAAAAJo/0lgNOebPNxc/s400/carpenter+4.jpg" width="218" /></a>I find Kyle's cup to be the right fit for when I want to relax while I sit and sip. I can turn the cup in my hands and feel drawn into a grassy dune landscape with a moist offshore breeze. Or maybe it's a warm current wafting strands of sea kelp. I can lose myself in the sublet differences and overall sameness all at once and feel at peace in the moment. All the little details add to the experience and increase my enjoyment.<br />
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Kyle's distinctive cup works as a stand-alone piece in my collection of cups. It doesn't get lost in the crowd. However, if your tastes lean to sprucing up the dining room table, there are many companion pieces in Kyle's Etsy store that would look marvelous grouped together serving a meal.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-82332741349523972842012-02-07T18:42:00.000-08:002012-02-07T18:42:54.883-08:00Black as Carbon Trapped<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">Have you ever seen a B&W photo and then found out that it was actually a color photo? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">That happened to me when I was scrolling through an etsy search. Not many product photos are B&W, for a good reason. B&W is more artistic than descriptive. The product photo is the first and most important selling tool, and color is an important selling point. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before in this blog how I sometimes try to add eye-catching color to my photos. If the point is to catch attention, you want the searcher's brain to say "Wait a minute, let me take a closer or longer look at this." That's the only way a seller has a chance in a sea of product photos on the internet. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Q_WeCa-Moo/TzHaNK1TSVI/AAAAAAAAAIs/OpQ8Kz2_vrw/s1600/morales+cup+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Q_WeCa-Moo/TzHaNK1TSVI/AAAAAAAAAIs/OpQ8Kz2_vrw/s1600/morales+cup+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><br />
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So, I'm looking through an etsy search and here's a B&W photo - I thought. I marveled that <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/rmoralespottery" target="_blank">Ray Morales</a> had posted a B&W product photo, I wondered what color his cup really was, and I clicked to read the description. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />It was a huge surprise to me to realize what I had actually been looking at. Ray explained in his description that he had applied a pale teal celadon glaze, but that he reduced early in the firing process and the celadon glaze unexpectedly trapped a lot of carbon, giving the cup a rich black exterior surface!<br /><br />Then, setting my mind straight, I saw another photo where a blue interior peeked out at me, surrounded by a "B&W" exterior. I was in awe. It was almost like it was photoshopped. <br /><br />I have to admit that since I played with shino back in college - back when shino was considered an exotic glaze - I learned an awful lot about how to fire a gas reduction kiln, about flame paths and atmosphere all because I wanted to figure out how to trap the maximum amount of carbon in the best possible way. So, I'm a real sucker for carbon trapping. <br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l0_o9LK9qR4/TzHKXelBMBI/AAAAAAAAAIk/KVjTZb2mGFo/s1600/0125A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l0_o9LK9qR4/TzHKXelBMBI/AAAAAAAAAIk/KVjTZb2mGFo/s320/0125A.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><br /><br />If Ray had not included the information about carbon trapping in his description, I probably would have just moved on to the next thing that caught my eye. He had a great product - so great that I bought it! - but the photo and the description worked together to bring me around to understanding what I was looking at. I keep trying to analyze what it takes on the part of the buyer and the part of the seller to make an e-commerce sale of pottery. In this case it was seeing a photo that kept me from skimming past it, even though in this case it was for a reason I wasn't expecting, and a description that connected with my own experience and interest. <br /></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmibVBQ0Aik/TzHKRziXniI/AAAAAAAAAIc/-SGDcWbgfKU/s1600/IMG_0119A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmibVBQ0Aik/TzHKRziXniI/AAAAAAAAAIc/-SGDcWbgfKU/s320/IMG_0119A.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">Now that I have it in hand, I can tell you the cup's beauty is more than skin deep! It is thin and lightweight, "delicate" enough to be a lady's teacup if it only had a handle and saucer, and small enough to tuck intimately into the palm of my hand. The lip is soft and rounded, feeling very pleasant when I drink from it. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">I have had my eye on Ray Morales' work for quite a while, waiting for that "tipping point" that would connect me with the cup that would make it into my collection. I never would have expected that what I was waiting for would turn out to be a case of mistaken identity. </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-86075593135163126212011-12-04T16:25:00.001-08:002011-12-04T17:12:47.456-08:00A Sarah Chenoweth Davis CupI had another great Etsy experience adding a tripod cup from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SarahChenoweth" target="_blank">Sarah Chenoweth Davis</a> to my collection. You may be familiar with Sarah's work
through Ceramics Monthly magazine. Sarah had listed a cup that caught
my eye but it was a bit larger than the cups I usually like to shop for.
I emailed her to ask if she had anything like what I was looking for
not yet listed.<br />
<br />
Here's how Sarah's customer service savvy impressed me. She was busily
occupied with other matters but took a moment to acknowledge my email to
let me know when she could get back to me. In our "instant everything"
world, did that offend me? No. I was assured that here was a person
who respects people enough to give each one her full attention in turn.
True to her word, Sarah got back to me and sent me photos of pieces she
had not yet listed that matched my description of what I was looking
for.<br />
<br />
I found just the right cup. I was delighted not only by her work but also by her service.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i7jTnCTF9Dc/TtwQLBeGQNI/AAAAAAAAAIA/v0aRkgC8TgY/s1600/12+04+11+ribs+and+tripod+cup+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i7jTnCTF9Dc/TtwQLBeGQNI/AAAAAAAAAIA/v0aRkgC8TgY/s320/12+04+11+ribs+and+tripod+cup+029.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UCdFt8-Q18E/TtwQP8nXjAI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/L_aZIh8bgwk/s1600/30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UCdFt8-Q18E/TtwQP8nXjAI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/L_aZIh8bgwk/s320/30.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
I chose this wonderful cup for several reasons. I like the fluid
detailing in the construction of the tripod feet, the clean, soft lines
in the form and the arches that create an intimate negative space under
the foot. I have a bit of a sweet tooth for a surface that captures
that "certain something" of the atmospheric firing process - especially
when combined it involves soda firing - and the subtle, satiny surfaces
of this cup are very satisfying.<br />
<br />
<br />
Sarah's also good at describing her pottery experience in a way that
helps her customers appreciate the pieces they've purchased from her.
Here is an excerpt from the hang tag that came with my cup:<br />
<br />
"Sarah continues to experiment with a variety of construction and firing
techniques, and her unique style combines her favorites. Her newest
body of work explores the wealth of creative possibilities in combining
bottomless thrown pieces with slabs to create soft, intimate forms.<br />
<br />
Some pieces are decorated with delicately carved free-hand brushwork,
infused with energy and movement. Other pieces are given over to the
unpredictable environment of wood- or soda- fire kilns. These
atmospheric firings leave marks of flame, vapor and ash which chronicle a
moment that will never be repeated."<br />
<br />
She uses dynamic words to help convey the excitement that a unique
artisan-produced piece carries with it from maker to seller. A mass
produced item couldn't shoulder the same weight. She's chronicling the
Etsy experience.<br />
<br />
I've had several months to use and enjoy this cup. I check back into
Sarah's Etsy store every so often and am happy to see that she is
continuing to explore a wealth of creative possibilities.<br />
<br />
Thank you, Sarah for a delightful cup and the additional pleasure of seeing an Etsy pro at work.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_9WMls6ozRw/TtwQNFiK9JI/AAAAAAAAAII/-zWsC8UpzOA/s1600/29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_9WMls6ozRw/TtwQNFiK9JI/AAAAAAAAAII/-zWsC8UpzOA/s320/29.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-80559137409099269682011-11-20T03:42:00.001-08:002011-11-20T07:47:24.190-08:00Photo Props<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Not every picture's worth a thousand words. We've all seen product
photos on online sales sites that detract from the product or leave you
still wondering what you're looking at. One of the things I like to do
with my etsy photos is to add something to the photo besides the product
I'm selling. These added items are photo props. I always try to
ask myself what props I can use to add information, color, interest and
relevancy.<br />
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h0KMLOAkr4k/TsjpityNa2I/AAAAAAAAAHA/nT21hae-KJQ/s1600/blue+parrot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h0KMLOAkr4k/TsjpityNa2I/AAAAAAAAAHA/nT21hae-KJQ/s400/blue+parrot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This kitchen utensil holder was made by John Spiteri spoons by TB</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV2gI5vVL0Q/TsjsB8Y455I/AAAAAAAAAHg/Ydd0pvb1JZI/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV2gI5vVL0Q/TsjsB8Y455I/AAAAAAAAAHg/Ydd0pvb1JZI/s320/002.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cup and spoons by TB</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV2gI5vVL0Q/TsjsB8Y455I/AAAAAAAAAHg/Ydd0pvb1JZI/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a> <br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV2gI5vVL0Q/TsjsB8Y455I/AAAAAAAAAHg/Ydd0pvb1JZI/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PV2gI5vVL0Q/TsjsB8Y455I/AAAAAAAAAHg/Ydd0pvb1JZI/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Props are important in photographing work for my etsy
shop. On the internet I don't get the same interaction with customers that I
can have in person at a show, so I try to plan my photos to go with my
description and to answer questions. A photo prop can give a sense of
scale to an item. I have found that most people will misjudge an item's
size in a photo
without a known scale to judge it by. Recently I took a snapshot of a
snake and showed it to people at work. Only the snake itself was in the
picture. Most people thought the snake was up to twice as large as it
really was. <br /> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ShXmJCKaxLI/TskdWR4wcqI/AAAAAAAAAH4/LL69hHsS6qo/s1600/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ShXmJCKaxLI/TskdWR4wcqI/AAAAAAAAAH4/LL69hHsS6qo/s320/001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Another reason to use props is to add color to the
photo. You want<br />
to add punch and interest, but you also have to be
careful that you're not distracting from the item being presented.
Pottery seems to go hand in hand with the spoons that I make and I have
enjoyed pairing pieces together. I've also used food like bright green
apples which attract the eye faster than the brown of the wood. Once
the brain catches up and notices what the eye is looking at, then the
quality of how the photo speaks about the product is important, but the
color served its purpose by attracting attention. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n4a-iRvuxhI/TsjpRyNJepI/AAAAAAAAAGo/pyjadn0sAZA/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n4a-iRvuxhI/TsjpRyNJepI/AAAAAAAAAGo/pyjadn0sAZA/s320/04.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yunomi by Hanna Nussmeier, Oak Burl spoon by TB</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IpTynz2HtCQ/TsjpcKdeWFI/AAAAAAAAAG4/hFNWlkANGE8/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IpTynz2HtCQ/TsjpcKdeWFI/AAAAAAAAAG4/hFNWlkANGE8/s320/14.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shino bowl and Cherry spoon by TB</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another good
reason to use props is it allows me to show someone what the item would
look
like in use, or how they could display it. I've done art shows where
people come up, obviously interested in an item then they ask me what
they could do with it. It's funny. It's not enough to make a good
product and put it where people can buy it. I also need to show them
what they can do with it! When I pair a hefty cooking spoon with
lentils or a serving spatula with a piece of sushi I help people imagine
the quality of experience they can enjoy with a well made wooden
spoon. I often show a pottery tool in my hand or a ceramic vessel with a
suggested use. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tjTHEV7_s6U/TsjpN6wWPvI/AAAAAAAAAGg/96UjNebFe5g/s1600/01+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tjTHEV7_s6U/TsjpN6wWPvI/AAAAAAAAAGg/96UjNebFe5g/s320/01+%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shino jug and Osage spoon by TB</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KfBmTMvEYAk/TsjpXOaYRDI/AAAAAAAAAGw/284ZJiAH1sM/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KfBmTMvEYAk/TsjpXOaYRDI/AAAAAAAAAGw/284ZJiAH1sM/s320/13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fake Ash platter artist unknown spoons by TB</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />My job when planning a photo goes through quite
a checklist beyond lighting and focus and exposure. They’ve got a
thousand words to say. I need to make sure they’re saying what I need
them to say. <br />
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You can see John Spitteri's kitchen utensil holder at his Etsy shop <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlueParrotPots">Blueparrotpots </a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-89365746949149370152011-10-02T09:36:00.000-07:002011-10-02T09:36:24.749-07:00Patrick L. Dougherty Sinks And Sconce Workshop That I AttendedI try to maximize the vacation days I get, so I use them as sparingly as
possible. I like the end of the year to come around and still be able
to count some days to spend on broadening my horizons. My favorite way
to spend a vacation day is to take an out of town workshop. <br /><br />There
are many reasons to attend a workshop. It takes very little effort to
learn something you've been wanting to know how to do. With an open
mind you can even learn something unexpected and make a real
breakthrough in your personal artistic journey. <br /><br />Sadly, it's
been quite some time since I attended any ceramics workshops. As my
pendulum of interest has been swinging back towards pottery I felt it
was time to refocus, catch up on current events and reinvest in the
pottery
side of my studio. I hunted down a few workshops that would fit my
interests and my fall schedule. <br />
<br />
<br />
The first place that I looked for inspiration was from Patrick L. Dougherty of Cincinnati, Ohio, my former university pottery professor who has lived
his life as a studio potter and whose work continues to be more<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKyOwIVof1M/ToiK-RvMzGI/AAAAAAAAAFM/Z4PH6FTcAyw/s1600/0049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKyOwIVof1M/ToiK-RvMzGI/AAAAAAAAAFM/Z4PH6FTcAyw/s320/0049.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick L. Dougherty working on bowl sink</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3CB60bO-11A/Toh-GdAfmtI/AAAAAAAAAE4/8JZFp3g1YUI/s1600/0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3CB60bO-11A/Toh-GdAfmtI/AAAAAAAAAE4/8JZFp3g1YUI/s320/0012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">double wall sink</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HYKVklr2ouQ/Toh-v4bZk-I/AAAAAAAAAE8/tzpFXH4iUs0/s1600/004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HYKVklr2ouQ/Toh-v4bZk-I/AAAAAAAAAE8/tzpFXH4iUs0/s400/004.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">double wall sink with mirror and dispenser</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
exquisite with each passing year. He is a great teacher, so I was
pleased to discover he conducts workshops. I have been
interested in Architectural Ceramics, but I was amazed he was offering a
Sinks and Sconces workshop, two items I have never even imagined
making. In two days' time we covered bowl sinks, drop in sinks and
pedestal sinks, then, once these were well under way, we also worked on a
set of sconces that were shaping up nicely.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PjMot3RP99o/Toh_66TqHJI/AAAAAAAAAFA/6ZuSlsnKP9I/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PjMot3RP99o/Toh_66TqHJI/AAAAAAAAAFA/6ZuSlsnKP9I/s320/003.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick L. Dougherty and I are about to set the slab.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
While there wasn't
time over just two days for attendees to make a sink to take home, I
learned The fine points of what I needed to know to make a
sink on my own. Sinks are a fantastic large scale functional ceramic
form that will help me expand and explore in a new direction. It's been
years since I worked with such large surface areas, so it's a new way
to go back to large scale work, and the unique function opens up new
possibilities for exploring forms, surfaces and decoration. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J5qjON1ucjs/ToiB4iDqOjI/AAAAAAAAAFE/y5Nsx9ed46k/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J5qjON1ucjs/ToiB4iDqOjI/AAAAAAAAAFE/y5Nsx9ed46k/s400/002.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drop in sink with overflow and bowl sink</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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To
say that Pat's pottery is a source of artistic inspiration is an
understatement. I have no doubt that the value of his past and present
work will grow in leaps and bounds. It has to. He is not a minimal
effort person. He is one of the few people I know who are not trying to
make more by doing less. So many people I know working in the Arts
tend toward either technical skill on one end of the spectrum or else
expressive decoration on the other end. Patrick Dougherty defines and
fills a spectrum all by himself. His technical knowledge and
craftsmanship is
impeccable and his artistic decoration is vivid and unstinting. The
totality of his work is amazing. Photos can not do it justice, but if you want to see more of his work check out his web site at <br />
http://www.doughertyclayworks.com/ <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I
have learned many things from Patrick -- and there is not enough room
here to cover all of it -- but his attention to detail is permanently
etched into my mind. In the case of the sinks, it is amazing to see the
care that he places on details that only the plumber will ever see.
Another thing he demonstrated is how, in large functional work, the
thickness of the piece needs to be increased proportionately. I've
always been a make-it-as-thin-as-possible type of a potter and I've run
into disasters when I wouldn't allow myself enough clay to support the
mass of what I was trying to make. Pat, of course, has studied,
developed and tested production methods that work beyond the
conventional wisdom of introductory pottery workshops. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zXMULukyLgA/ToiDgARRuyI/AAAAAAAAAFI/gj2rMhlwmYA/s1600/scan0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zXMULukyLgA/ToiDgARRuyI/AAAAAAAAAFI/gj2rMhlwmYA/s320/scan0006.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bowl sink with faucet coming out the mirror.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But the
topic is never just the pot with
Pat. It's the mindset and the dedication to the craft. His workshop
style was fluid, fast and interactive. While he was very considerate of
the needs of the workshop attendees to grasp a functional knowledge of
what he was demonstrating, he went beyond and got inside my head and
challenged me to recognize personal barriers I've put in place that have
kept me from accomplishing more. Without his probing insight I would
have continued to think that the Answer was to be found in a different
material or method. I've been to many hyped-up business "Success
Seminars" without effect. Coming away from his workshop I feel capable
of being more of me. <br /> I can't wait until I can attend another of
Patrick's workshops. Whatever the topic may be, I am ready to learn!
In the meantime, I am pumped to do something new. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-5755312761715768702011-09-05T14:59:00.000-07:002012-03-23T16:00:13.870-07:00Soda fired Cup By Anthony MilletteAh, the complex world of soda firing. This cup is by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/Anthony605">Anthony Millette</a> through
the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Anthony605?ref=pr_shop_more">Anthony Millette Ceramics</a> Etsy shop. It's one I looked at and watched over for a
while, wondering if it would be as good in the hand as it looked in the
photos.<br />
<br />
The photos advertised some very juicy wood fire flashing, a shino liner
and a hand trimmed foot. The roughness of the thrown form is just about
the opposite of what I most often try to do in my own wheel work, yet I
definitely connected with the piece and kept coming back to view it. I
generally prefer a cup that is taller than it is wide and more purposely
finished than this one, so after it drew me back a few times I started
to wonder what about it intrigued me so much. I noticed how many views
and favorites this cup was accumulating and I started worrying that if I
didn't buy it someone else would and I wouldn't be able answer my own
question.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L24bDg5yC90/TmVCi_RfSZI/AAAAAAAAAEU/oFyBMqEuJmU/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L24bDg5yC90/TmVCi_RfSZI/AAAAAAAAAEU/oFyBMqEuJmU/s400/02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm not even really sure how to word the question, but it was something
like "how can I be attracted to a cup that has details that I would
never try to put into my work," or "am I so interested because I have
never given myself permission to express myself in clay this way?"<br />
<br />
An important enough, almost visceral question. So here it is in my hand
now. I have the cup and I find it to be a fascinating and revealing
experience to hold it and use it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYf2A3d2AW4/TmVDKs2MSrI/AAAAAAAAAEY/OLX2TqhUmVI/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYf2A3d2AW4/TmVDKs2MSrI/AAAAAAAAAEY/OLX2TqhUmVI/s400/01.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
It looks as if it might feel heavy, even clunky like a beginner's
wheel work, but the wall thickness is even top to bottom and only thick
enough to feel comfortably solid. So the potter really knows what he's
doing. He's found a way to capture the slip-surface softness of the
moist clay in a finished, fired piece! The throwing technique that at
first seems unrefined reveals itself to be a way of capturing the loose
fluidity I feel when I'm forming clay on the wheel. In a totally
"backwards" way, the texture creates the form which creates the cup.<br />
<br />
This piece fooled me. It reminds me of a couple of soda glazed wood fired pieces I own. I thought for sure it was wood fired, but Anthony tells me it's not. It's been soda glazed in a gas fired reduction kiln. It's remarkable how much is happening on the surface of just one cup. There are gray soapstone smooth areas, atmospheric flashings that show me the flame path and wet orange soda splotches. The shino liner looks
great on the inside underneath a puddle of crackled clear salt glaze that resembles bottle glass. <br />
<br />
I enjoy holding this cup, feeling it's weight in the palm of my hand
as I sip from it. It has a varied tactile surface that ranges from the lumpy, quickly thrown clay to a glassy wet glaze to a smooth matte that feels like water-worn stone. There's a strange and wonderful mixture of sensations to have different fingers touching different surfaces. <br />
<br />
Somewhere in this rich enigma of a cup is the answer
to my question, but I'm not in a hurry to find it. I'm finding that I like living with the question, that it adds to the enjoyment of using the cup. This simple cup is not as simple as it looks. I think it will teach me a lesson that's best learned over time. This is a good cup for when I feel restless to move into new, deeper areas, something of a doorway to the unknown. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-48447323236722828982011-08-14T12:37:00.000-07:002011-08-14T12:37:27.064-07:00Sawmill timeI got out my sawmill for the first time this year to cut up some black walnut logs for a friend. The tree had been toppled by a passing summer storm. It was just going to be cut up for campfire wood, so I suggested we cut it up into lumber instead to see if there were any wood grain surprises inside.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RLPFMHzYOx0/Tkgcr89ROvI/AAAAAAAAAEI/qt_mci-3un4/s1600/photo+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RLPFMHzYOx0/Tkgcr89ROvI/AAAAAAAAAEI/qt_mci-3un4/s1600/photo+%25286%2529.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The tree was an old yard tree. The trunk was about three feet across at breast height, short and full of limbs and crotches. Now, I happen to know that if the crotches are cut right, that is where the curly flame wood resides.<br />
<br />
After all was said and done I cut about 700 board feet of lumber out of a tree that would have been turned into fire wood. Now it will dry and eventually be turned into something fantastic - I hope.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ya7i4nqjdpQ/Tkgc522Ab0I/AAAAAAAAAEM/fEXgTw0EEes/s1600/photo+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ya7i4nqjdpQ/Tkgc522Ab0I/AAAAAAAAAEM/fEXgTw0EEes/s1600/photo+%25287%2529.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I worked at lining up the crotch wood just right to get some awesome bookmatched slabs. These boards are 18" wide and about 54" tall each. I saved some of the smaller crotch wood slabs for making spoons. Stay tuned. The wood will probably be ready to work into spoons early next spring. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-23644749834257212362011-08-05T18:54:00.000-07:002011-08-05T18:54:41.708-07:00Rabbit yunomiBrowsing for yunomi, I find myself falling in love with the image of the cup - or the decoration, or the story - long before I get to hold the cup. As a tactile person who thinks and senses in 3-D, I'm much more suited to a sidewalk art fair than the internet. <br />
<br />
You always know a fellow potter at an art sale because the knowledgeable person picks up a piece in a certain way, testing the weight and the wall evenness then turning it over to check the foot. Next comes the critical twist and turn to judge the wrap around design or glaze effect. Then the eye travels over the body of work on display to judge consistency of quality, trying to find the one piece that stands above the rest. And there's always a silent little assessment in the back of the assessor's mind (you can see the wheels turning), asking "is this work better than mine, less than mine, different than mine, similar to mine?"<br />
<br />
On the internet, however, cup sales are no longer about tactile assessment - or even "perfection" as a potter (whatever that is) - as much as conveying a story about the piece through image and back story. In effect, after we potters make our wares, we have to lay down rabbit trails and try to get someone to chase our work through the burrows and tunnels of cyberspace. <br />
<br />
Recently I was browsing etsy for yunomi, and a photo of Thea Patterson's work arrested me. Her cups appear well done and her design work is appealing. <br />
<br />
The cup I ended up buying from the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/fleurdelysarts?ref=pr_profile">fleurdelysarts</a> shop is, indeed, now that it's in my hands, a well-thrown functional form. It's decorated with a black underglaze slip removed in a scraffito method. It reminds me of a primitive wood block carving. A glossy, slight crazed clear glaze finishes the surface. <br />
<br />
So, I like her style, but it was her subject - an excellent rabbit design - that really tickled my sense of humor. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ToKyajN-SYc/TjydEnnHNvI/AAAAAAAAAEA/fr54jqe9GOU/s1600/01+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ToKyajN-SYc/TjydEnnHNvI/AAAAAAAAAEA/fr54jqe9GOU/s640/01+%25283%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Looking at the cup brings back memories of raising rabbits. I raised them as a kid, later with my wife, then again with my kids. My favorite rabbit was the one I let run free range. We have a dog now, and the dog believes rabbits are no longer allowed.<br />
<br />
I've often used rabbits as a decorative element in the past. I've painted a lot of rabbits. Rabbits are a great subject that can have wonderful lyrical lines that take you around the pot and back again.<br />
<br />
I bought this cup because it was fun to look at. Unlike other cups that have haunted me and forced me to figure out why I like them, the appeal of this cup was obvious to me. The rabbits grabbed my attention, and I did not want to let them out of my sight. <br />
<br />
I imagine these rabbits are greeting each other or doing a victory dance because they outsmarted the dog. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cToknjXc2XA/TjydyJNPc3I/AAAAAAAAAEE/TmOxAxCOoNw/s1600/01+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cToknjXc2XA/TjydyJNPc3I/AAAAAAAAAEE/TmOxAxCOoNw/s320/01+%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
I'm very pleased with the purchase, which was shipped quickly and well packaged.<br />
<br />
Sitting here, holding the cup and thinking about the way I found it makes me realize that when we hunt for treasures on etsy, it's fun to go chasing rabbits, but we have to be mindful that we capture the rabbits when we find them so they don't disappear into someone else's collection! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-52728600142722262592011-07-23T10:52:00.000-07:002011-07-23T10:52:25.515-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I enjoy unwinding at the end of a day with a cup that I can contemplate while I sip my drink. I found <a href="http://www.etsy.com/transaction/52482309">this cup</a> on Etsy at John Spiteri's shop <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/BlueParrotPots?ref=pr_profile">BlueParrotPots</a>. It's a good contemplation tumbler, first and foremost because it holds at least 14 ounces. That gives me more sipping and thinking time than your average yunomi. <br />
<br />
It's a pleasure to close my eyes and run my fingers over the outside surface as I turn the cup. I like the tactile quality as the surface textures range from matte to light orange peel. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rXRsElxjuo/TisIo6qzvZI/AAAAAAAAAD0/pDNPE6BRATU/s1600/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rXRsElxjuo/TisIo6qzvZI/AAAAAAAAAD0/pDNPE6BRATU/s320/21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I prefer a cup without a handle. A handle makes you hold the cup at a distance. I like to cradle a cup with my whole hand in a more intimate way. As I hold the voluminous cup in my hands I find I'm grateful that it has a short pedestal foot that doesn't interfere with being able to fully hold and savor the form and outer surface. <br />
<br />
A few sips into the contemplation, I'm ready to open my eyes and drink in the visual surface subtleties. On the outside the colors flow from rust to orange to creamy white in a way that only fire and soda can create. The flow of color speaks to me of other pieces that sat on the kiln shelf nearby, of flame paths and magical soda vapors. The shino liner in the cup picked up a golden metallic luster during the soda firing. As the level of drink goes down, more of that luster is revealed and the depth of the sheen draws my attention further down into the cup. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PSaOrJsrFyw/TisIWTvQMgI/AAAAAAAAADw/1fulznQdAkE/s1600/25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PSaOrJsrFyw/TisIWTvQMgI/AAAAAAAAADw/1fulznQdAkE/s320/25.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
As I finish my drink I marvel at a wonderful finger swirl at the bottom of the interior. It's almost as if the cup is winking at me knowingly, acknowledging closure to a drink well delivered.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-utaFAcSn_rA/TisJFyIB1jI/AAAAAAAAAD4/a_yLKQUshcE/s1600/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-utaFAcSn_rA/TisJFyIB1jI/AAAAAAAAAD4/a_yLKQUshcE/s320/20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I think as potters we have an ability to take a fellow potter's work and absorb a richer story from it than mere muggles would. Artists need to make the effort to sit and visit with other artists' work. Every potter needs a shelf of contemplation mugs. <br />
<br />
John has recently listed some attractive new work at his store. Many of his pieces have handles. I still haven't gotten around to contemplating handles, but I know they have a lot to say to those who are listening. Take a look at Johns work and give him a shout. I know he would like to hear from you.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-46754920425066375102011-07-09T15:54:00.000-07:002011-07-09T15:54:58.433-07:00My Mudhole Pottery CupGood photos are so important. Here's a case where a great photo resulted in a sale. Etsy's <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/StudioPotterArchive" target="_blank">StudioPotterArchive</a> team did a feature about <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/MudHolePottery">Mudhole Pottery</a>, Adam Knoche's Etsy store. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/teams/9121/studio-potter-archive/discuss/8585630/page/1/" target="_blank">http://www.etsy.com/teams/<wbr></wbr>9121/studio-potter-archive/<wbr></wbr>discuss/8585630/page/1/</a>. <br />
<br />
I read the feature and did what I recommend you do: I followed links to his shop and checked out his listings. <br />
<br />
The attractive photo for this cup caught my attention. The algae stained wooden bench captured and drew out the color of the green ash glaze build-up on the surface of the cup. Artistic photography helped market the cup because it drew my attention to a sweet detail. The thoughtful marketing photo was the deal sealer for me. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FpUXrs6x51s/ThjZX8f83HI/AAAAAAAAADg/rAlrixwwxD8/s1600/il_fullxfull.2516564212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FpUXrs6x51s/ThjZX8f83HI/AAAAAAAAADg/rAlrixwwxD8/s400/il_fullxfull.2516564212.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Adam Knoche</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This illustrates my point. On Etsy you have two opportunities to make a connection with someone viewing your work: Visually through photos and descriptively through writing. A seller has to make an effort in both areas to have the best chance of connecting with a willing buyer. Even a willing buyer will wander away unconvinced if the quality of the listing is poor. <br />
<br />
That said, there have been times when I've seen work I've previously admired in photos and been disappointed because the piece didn't live up to the great photo work. That's not the case here. <br />
<br />
I generally prefer a cup without a handle, but I really like the shape and position of the handle on this cup. The form is strong and purposely designed, yet it is by no means tight. The gentle slumping and casual out-of-round rim gives the piece a relaxed and comfortable appearance and feel. Adam recessed the foot of the cup by tapping it in during the trimming process, allowing it to sit on a ring rather than a flat bottom. Everything adds up to an attractive and visually well balanced cup.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vFl6wfziQpo/Thjao839qXI/AAAAAAAAADk/-IbkBk9248E/s1600/IMG_7077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vFl6wfziQpo/Thjao839qXI/AAAAAAAAADk/-IbkBk9248E/s320/IMG_7077.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
Wood firing can produce wonderful colors. When I look at the glaze on this cup I see deep chocolate browns, metallic blacks and dark iron blushes with specks of green. As a potter I can admire how he forced an almost magical reduction atmosphere during the cooling process. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XGI16ZFwjVs/Thja98YxJPI/AAAAAAAAADo/lcim9BLpNNo/s1600/IMG_7055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XGI16ZFwjVs/Thja98YxJPI/AAAAAAAAADo/lcim9BLpNNo/s320/IMG_7055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<br />
Take an opportunity to visit Adam Knoche's <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/MudHolePottery">Mudhole Pottery Etsy shop</a>. He can also be found at <a href="http://www.knocheclay.com/" rel="#external-link-overlay" target="_blank">www.knocheclay.com</a>. I hope you discover something you'll enjoy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-5109005805182817962011-07-02T16:13:00.000-07:002011-07-02T16:13:13.395-07:00Ceramic Bowl Purchase From Jim Gottuso of Sofia's Dad's PotsI was following links and favorites on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/" target="_blank">http://www.etsy.com</a> when I came across this listing <a href="http://www.etsy.com/transaction/40696133" target="_blank">http://www.etsy.com/<wbr></wbr>transaction/40696133</a> at Sofia's Dad's Pots. Sofia's Dad's Pots is run by Jim Gottuso and is named for his Daughter Sofia who is known as "the bug" on his blog <a href="http://jimgottuso.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">http://jimgottuso.wordpress.<wbr></wbr>com/</a>. I had an instant connection with this bowl and Jim's work in general, so I hit the button and made the bowl mine. I could not believe how fast Jim shipped this bowl to me, I bought it on a weekend during a holiday season and still received it in two business days!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3xawGKw6Rg/Tg-iYeTcP_I/AAAAAAAAADQ/-EVJ6kHDAZI/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3xawGKw6Rg/Tg-iYeTcP_I/AAAAAAAAADQ/-EVJ6kHDAZI/s400/03.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
With bowl in hand I gave it the critical potter's look-over. The bowl is crisp, clean and tight. Jim's wheel work is outstanding. He trimmed the foot in a way that gives the illusion of a floating bowl, which is a presentation that I enjoy. <br />
<br />
The chatter marks around the exterior of the bowl combined with the underglaze pattern create a visual excitement that adds movement and harmonizes with the underlying tight form. The overglaze gives a pleasant soft feel to the bowl in my hand.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7wzDqIcH2eI/Tg-lEbAHmOI/AAAAAAAAADc/HLdkh7E5sRQ/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7wzDqIcH2eI/Tg-lEbAHmOI/AAAAAAAAADc/HLdkh7E5sRQ/s400/01.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I found it to be an excellent bowl paired with one of my elm burl wood spoons for enjoying a hearty bowl of chili. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DExkbG4sFRQ/Tg-i_412NnI/AAAAAAAAADU/NZnWazXBgfU/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g_Ubw8pdaDA/Tg-j2UauEBI/AAAAAAAAADY/KNZ-5_T6-Mk/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g_Ubw8pdaDA/Tg-j2UauEBI/AAAAAAAAADY/KNZ-5_T6-Mk/s400/02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DExkbG4sFRQ/Tg-i_412NnI/AAAAAAAAADU/NZnWazXBgfU/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DExkbG4sFRQ/Tg-i_412NnI/AAAAAAAAADU/NZnWazXBgfU/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>I was so pleased with Jim's work that I bought a second bowl.<br />
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If you follow his blog <a href="http://jimgottuso.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">http://jimgottuso.wordpress.<wbr></wbr>com/</a> you will see that he is going to continue to delight us with exciting, well crafted pieces to use and enjoy. Plus you get to see what "the bug" is up to!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-7307061787820708902011-06-25T10:48:00.000-07:002011-06-25T10:48:02.100-07:00Yunomi cups by Hanna Nussmeier of La Paisible CeramicsI recently purchased a set of two meoto yunomi cups from La Paisible Ceramics through Etsy.com. <br />
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/transaction/50730380" target="_blank">http://www.etsy.com/<wbr></wbr>transaction/50730380</a><br />
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Meoto means married couple and yunomi is a Japanese tea cup. These cups have a great appeal to me. <br />
They give the impression of being a simple set of cups that are rough and unfinished, but that does not mean they were made by unskilled hands. The maker of these cups is reaching for a higher aesthetic, creating a record of her efforts and the process from start to finish. <br />
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The maker's tool marks have been left on the foot of the cup, on the rim and in the deliberate cracking of the surface which gives it the look and feel of the surface of a brick. These marks are left as ornamentation. I really like the faceted surface with the squeezed indents where my hand just naturally falls into place. It feels like it was meant to be held, an often unmet requirement of a functional pottery cup. <br />
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The glaze or even lack of glaze on the surface of these cups talks to me about the firing process and the type of kiln that they have been through. In my mind a wood firing is a journey where you take all of your loved ones into a very difficult place and none make it through unmarked by the process. Some do not make it at all, while a few seem to be in the right place at the right time. These fortunates go into the kiln plain, simple and unadorned, but inside they are transformed into something exquisite.<br />
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As a potter I know that a kiln firing never gives you 100 percent perfect results, there are just too many variables. So when someone with the skill and talent to wood fire yunomi offers to sell such fine results of a difficult process, I am impressed enough to be a happy customer. <br />
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I hope all the best for Hanna Nussmeier in her La Paisible Ceramics shop on Etsy.com. You can see and purchase other pottery by Hanna Nussmeier through her Etsy store.<br />
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LaPaisibleCeramics?ref=seller_info<br />
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With Hanna's permission I have used one of the cups I purchased from her as a photo prop in my own Burlchaser Etsy shop. Follow this link to see it. <br />
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76643692/curly-swirly-oak-burl-wood-spoonAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912082224369003177.post-85877518486981877552011-06-17T16:15:00.000-07:002011-06-17T16:30:39.052-07:00Oak Burl Serving SpoonI just listed this crazy figured spoon on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/listing/76189847/asymmetrical-oak-burl-serving-spoon . This spoon was a blast to carve but also it had some tense moments as well.<br />
The shape was one that I had been drawing on paper and turning over in my mind for some time. I was waiting for the right piece of wood that could carry this form. Even though I knew that this special piece of wood was strong enough to complement this form I was intimidated by the rarity of the piece of wood itself. I have only ever found one oak burl large enough to make a spoon out of and I did not want to waste it and I did not want it to go underutilized. <br />
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My daughter Lydia shoots my photos. It is fun to work with her while we set up the shots. I have to adjust my thinking from being fully in the round to two dimensional. I have held this spoon in my mind for so long I can see it with my eyes closed. When we start shooting photos it can take a few shots to get the ones that can represent my minds image of a spoon that I know so well but most everyone else will only see two dimensionally.<br />
I am pretty happy with the photos that we took and I look forward to making another spoon out of crazy red oak burl.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LyUrIufundg/TfveVHcGzII/AAAAAAAAAC4/2hjg0lzJhCw/s1600/08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LyUrIufundg/TfveVHcGzII/AAAAAAAAAC4/2hjg0lzJhCw/s400/08.jpg" width="266" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15317698896040996194noreply@blogger.com1