6-9-19

Last night we went to a party at B&M's house and today I taught my young friend how to use my wheel. I realized I need to know how to teach pottery, especially if I ever have my own studio and offer classes. Just as science education has research-based methods, I'm sure ceramics has the same. I taught her the same way I taught Squirt to drive a car.... here are the keys!

6-7-19

It's here! My FIRST ever pottery craft fair. I could NOT have done it without Kismet. She decorated the space with a rug, a dog water bowl, burlap sacks, the ladder display, a shelf, crates, etc. She has a brilliant mind for design and I so appreciate and value my friendship and collaboration with her. 

We sold a ton of stuff. We had LINES at times! It was really exhausting but really rewarding and fun, especially to see former students, current students, and friends show up.

6-6-19

I just love these little coasters. Totally too much work, but great fun for doodling.

Another large thing made at the university class... a stick bowl this time.

And I made jewelry and button cards for the craft fair. I wont really sell any (Hope got sold to a little girl by that name).

6-5-19

The craft fair is almost here! I'm busy working on my sign painted on clay-stained canvas.... 

6-4-19

My goal in the university class is to learn to make big things. I have been commissioned to make two big planters, and have failed on numerous occasions. So this evening in pottery class I made this large planter from 14 pounds of clay! 

6-3-19

A porcelain pig!

Kismet and I decided to do a craft fair downtown and we are getting ready. This month starts a real summer of pottery for me.... a single minded pursuit to get better, diversify my offerings, find my true style, and get my name out there. I start thinking about maybe retiring from academia at the age of 60 and starting up my own studio. This dream fills me with joy!

6-1-19

This is a big planter I made with my signature style of leaf...

And I cleaned my desk in my mud room... (Squirt's old bedroom)

And THIS is what the rounded bottom mug looks like now!

5-31-19

This mug is significant. I decided after making it that is is my signature style, and in the months that follow this date, I make many other things with this style of leaf with the three dots. I love the blue interior. Unfortunately, the shape is not ideal-- top heavy or something like that. Too much torque required to hold it up. Wide handle, wide lip... do the math.

5-30-19

This is a photo of a mug I made IN HAWAII! I mailed it to a friend for her birthday and she took pictures of it having a great time on the beach,

Now, this picture is important. I was making something for the first time, a request by a person I met on Instagram, for a special kind of mug. This begins a fascination with this style of mug. You will see it unfold. Hint--- the lower clay all gets trimmed away so that the bottom is rounded.

5-28-19

I got some little dishes back today. And my friend Kismet decorated this mug below. It has her little acorn symbol on it. Tonight she and I start pottery "lessons" together at the university.

5-27-19

This mug, which was bought by a former student, is said tot be reminiscent of the Coliseum in Rome.

This one which was given to my friend, Kismet, is said to be simple and strong.

Since I am writing this two months in the future, I can not remember the day when I took these photos. My calendar says it is the day before I start pottery classes at the university.

5-26-19

These Japanese woodworking carved mugs came out of the kiln today!

5-25-19

Don't you think I look like this actress????

5-24-19

Four of the chicken mugs turned out great! One was a bit wonky so I set it aside...

5-23-19

Today is Dan's birthday. We had to leave the hotel... and we went shopping in Fairhope on the way out of town. We also looked for my friend's husband's sculptures and found a couple.

5-22-19

Today we went to see a nature preserve where a ton of carnivorous plants live...

 And while Dan was on a bike ride I made some pots from Lizella.

We also went to see a local potter and this bee hive kiln is in his back yard,  but he doesn't use it.

5-21-19

Sat out by the pool this afternoon

and knitted while Dan swam.

Then we went to a museum where I saw POTTERY!!!

5-20-19

We left today for south Alabama to stay at the Grand Hotel for a few days.

The sunset was amazing.

We ate outside of the main building and watched this view.

This is the view from our room.. we have a balcony overlooking Mobile Bay! 

5-19-19

I'm test knitting a pattern to see if there are any errors in the pattern.

5-18-19

I'm trying my new style on the chocolate clay. 

Below is a painting I traded for the chicken mugs. My distant cousin in Louisiana painted it for me in exchange. It's of some wetland in south Louisiana.

5-17-19

Here it is! All glazed. See the dots? See the hint of blue? I used Standard 112 clay, which is why there are speckles-- the manganese in the clay. Next time I try this style I'll use chocolate clay (Standard 266).

5-16-19

My friend, Kismet, loaned me these Japanese woodworking tools that belonged to her grandfather. I used them to carve on these two mugs!

5-15-19

Here is that mug that I posted a week or so back... with the dots under the rim. I just glazed it.

Got this berry bowl out of the glaze kiln.

And this cake stand.

5-13-19

I got an order to make four chicken mugs so I made five.