The bisque kiln fired today and hopefully all is ok, will know soon enough, with quite a decent steam after the pack all felt dry for the fire...I have some market wares in that i'd like fired for this wkd and hopefully tomorrow I will get this sorted..more decorating to be done and reload the glaze for a mid week firing..
With the sun out this afternoon it was ideal studio time and the bees were buzzing that's a good sign the apricot tree is flowering and the other fruit trees won't be far behind it...a not so good sign i had the first fly inside today just a reminder to fix the fly screen on my door!
so a few closeup shots of the big tile deco, mmm and a lil throwing this afternoon i decided to bite the bullet and try some throwing with the local clay mix again the red is the best feel, it really seems to open up the clay that is probably the sand content it is the easiest to throw with that i've ever used, the test of course will be the glaze fire...These guys are all in one i'll cut the lid holes later and maybe do some reshaping too.. What will be interesting is seeing how this clay copes with stoneware temps and how my glazes react..then it will be back for some more samples of clay across the road..
This afternoon I was trying to concentrate on getting some tea sets together you know how distracted i can get, so ive started on my usual teapot forms, the lids go on separately with off centre lids and off centre handles.. they look like fat bowls at this stage and with a lid, a couple of handles and some textures and a spout they come to life...Rose and i have a commission to explore this week more later on that one and some lovely studio time planned this week with another kiln commissioning firing for k9 ..
and a lil raku firing on saturday at the club, drop in if you're local 11am - 3pm with a BBQ lunch...@ TEA TREE STUDIO crouch rd Golden Grove a couple of dollars should cover it plus gas if you use the big kiln...there's a polling booth next door at the church so very handy for us we can vote at the same time as raku firing...YEY!!
Local clay that's easy to throw, that' cool, glad better weather is coming your way.
ReplyDeleteI am loving the tiles, looks like cake frosting in the still wet stage doesn't it. I have a little nagging in the back of my head for a Raku,need to make some stuff and get it done!
ReplyDeletehiya linda all good so far yet to see the clay responding in form with some chun or shino on it yet..
ReplyDeleteooh yeh just like icing, get to it trace the raku beckons...
flowers and flies just as we have hope of having some fall weather!
ReplyDeleteLove the tiles and you are busy as a bee with your pots, tiles and raku!
you've been busy! :-)
ReplyDeletecan't wait to see your teapots finished, I have a crush on them....
Good luck on the local clay and glazes!
Grtz,
Monique
Working those winter days away, eh, Ang? And spring's on its way ...
ReplyDeleteyey flowers and flies means warmer days next month, the apricot tree is always a tad early! yes a good week for clay meredith! :))
ReplyDeletehey monique the teapots do take a while to assemble doing them this way but pics will follow their progress..cheers...
howdy hollis, yeh some good moments and some bad yesterday a lil readjustment to my throwing and back on track with some wee teapots... :)) woohoo for the sun...
i think it should be mandatory to vote and raku simultaneously. i know those big covered bowls are on their way to becoming teapots but it's a lovely shape all by itself too.
ReplyDeleteHA jim well yes it should!! it's mandatory to vote anyway and the peeps next door will feel like they're rakuing if we dont keep the smoke under wraps....hehehe we're pretty good at that these days though some nice wet newspaper traps the smoke in the bins..:P
ReplyDeleteahh cheers must get up there in the studio but its cold outside, i might bring them inside to work on....mmm
Love the tile -- and it does look like cake icing. I still think it's crazy that you are on the other side of the planet - watching spring be born while we long for cooler days!
ReplyDeleteI agree those teapots are very cool shapes -- looking forward to watching them change. And can't wait to hear how the local clay performs. You are busy!
hey judy well spring is trying the rain pelted down today and now the sun is bursting through again! bizaare weather :P the lil teapots are under wraps which is fine its cold enough for them to get finished this week...yeh busy more of that next post i think....love the local!!
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