Brandon and Izzy

Brandon and Izzy have been working at the studio the last couple of weeks. They are two art students from the High School. I've been showing them how to make slabbuilt pots. They are really doing well and I'm very proud of them. Wednesday is their last day so the pressure is on to finish their work.

Teapot, tools

Here are some of the tools that are good for teapot making. The traditional water buffalo horn rib has been replaced by a Micheal Shirrell, soft rib. All the other tools are from Yixing, China. The mallet to pound out slabs is really useful, and after a little getting used to is almost as fast as a slabroller... plus I think that you get a better slab. The clay is more lined up and doesn't curl like a potato chip. The tool in the exact center is a spouting knife, it is used sort of like a reamer, it makes the spout super smooth so you get a nice clean pour. If you center click on your mouse the image get much larger so you can see the tools "up close".
Enjoy the rest of the day .... Make good pots!!

teapot

Here is the latest teapot. It is the one that I posted the how to on. It's been firing in an electric kiln.. This is supposed to be a blog about wood firing, so I apologize about that. It's still a couple of months until it will be warm enough to fire the wood kiln. I've started on another 10 of this form for the spring firing. They are in a bunch of different claybodies, from a couple of porcelains to some stony sigaraki like clays, and a few in between.
I don't know why these teapots are being made. I was showing Cody my YiXing teapot tools and the next thing we were making teapots. I really like them, and completely enjoy making them, just never expected to be making them right now. They bring back some good memories of Po and Mei-gun Goo.
Well time to have a cuppa and off to the studio.. the teapots are waiting for their spouts.. patience little pots.

snow kiln

Here is the sorry state of the kiln after the last snowfall. The shed works really nice for rain, but the snow can blow and drift sideways. It's warming up this week so it will be really great to get out to the kiln and sweep of the snow and straighten up from the winter. I like to keep the kiln and woodpile clean and the wood stacked nicely. Somehow over the winter it gets messy and confused, not really sure how that happens.
No pots today, I have a grant review panel this weekend, so today is reading a couple hundred pages of grants.
Well time for the afternoon cuppa and continue to muddle though the pile.
Enjoy the day and as always, make good pots

A few for the spring firing

Most of the day was spent shoveling snow but I did manage to get to the studio and make a few more guinomi for the spring firing. I really like these little pots. They fit in all those odd little places in the kiln. I use one all day long to drink tea from. A couple sips in between pots or whatever I'm into.
Winter is back in full force with temp at -11F this morning. Nature is pistine with the new snow and cold temp. Everything is white, all the animals are quiet, and all the smells in the air are gone. When it gets about 20F birds will start to chirp again, around 30F smells will start to return. A very good time to stay inside and get pots made!!
Time for some tea and pots. Enjoy your day...

Kiln Pictures for Jake

My friend Jake wanted to see some kiln pics of the seitma and grate. I finally found these after sorting.. and sorting. I really do need to get the pics organized.

It was -8F this morning so needless to say I will not be crawling around in the kiln today. To all that are firing there kilns today... Good Fires!!!

Snow

It started snowing Thursday morning and never stopped all day... all the schools got out early.. there's a lot of happy kids today!!
I just heard that the schools will be two hours late on Friday. Definitely a good day to walk to work.

Teapots 2

Ahh.. here is the second post on the new teapot. The first pic is with the handle and spout in place. So is the second picture, just a little more cleaned up and showing off my nice black backdrop. The spout was made using the Yi-Xing method. They have developed a couple of tools that work really well for this. One is called a spouting knife, a long narrow knife that makes for a really smooth inside of the spout.

I cut out a circle for the lid to see the fit.

Then fluted it and put on a small handle. Well that's everything I know in under five minutes!! It's snowing again... maybe 5 to 10" today... natures little miracle. It's been a late lunch, so off to the shop to make and make and make... Have a great day and make good pots!!

New Teapot

Friday and feeling the winter blues, and then it started snowing. Snow is one of those little amazing miracles of nature, like when grapes turn to wine. Snowfall is a guaranteed mood elevator, redeemer of winter. I started doodling about with snowflake designs and a teapot started to develop. The final pot has no semblance to a snowflake, but what are you gonna do.

Here is the form for the body of the teapot.

The top and bottom of the body with the spout on the left.. gotta look to see the spout.

Below are the handle parts, spout and the body put together. You'll have to wait for the next post to see the finished teapot as the blog can only do four pics at once. Well, time to do some chores outside, a beautiful day, sunny and 34F. A storm is brewing in the Dakotas that may bring another 6-12" of snow... yikes!!!

The line up

We are cleaning the gallery last week and these jars got lined up for cleaning. Usually they are not all in the same place, flying in formation. It looked like a "Kodak moment" Well off to make... Have a great day.