tokkura

Started rolling on some tokkura today. They are white and tight, it's a good starting point, maybe some slip deco or the shino dip and finger swipe.
The weather was almost springlike and I started measuring out for a small wood kiln for the spring. Things like that are such a treat.

Yunomi

Today I made some tight yunomi for the tight folks, and some loose yunomi for the loose folks. The weather here has started to calm down a bit. Those poor buggers in the Dakotas are feeling the wrath of Mother Nature. A flood and a blizzard at the same time, hopefully the levee will hold.

Trapped in a Snowglobe

Sometimes I have this feeling that I'm trapped in a snowglobe. These flakes are big enough to cause some serious bodily harm. The snow came down again today for most of the day. Winter has returned. Spring is just to timid for it's own good.
Back to work. The spring (did I say spring) firing is coming up. Maybe I should say the late winter firing. Make good pots!!

Three Graces

It was one of those days that felt kind of loose. I stacked up these little vases on a whim. There were three of them... hmmmm.. the Three Graces? It's snowing right now.. snow globe sort of snow... huge flakes!!
Enough blogging. Gonna go make some evening pots. Take care and Make good pots.

The nicest person you will ever meet

There isn't much going on at the pottery today. To balance out life, here is this picture of Shinsaku Hamada, Shoji's oldest son. I had the pleasure of spending some time with him, he is with out a doubt one of the kindest persons I have ever met. He gazes into paradise, and shows you the mountain top view. Sometimes just thinking of him makes my pots better. Well, that makes me want to make pots. Which I will do. So have a great day, and Make good Pots.

The meaning of Big

Not much going on today, it's a sort of rainy day. Doing reclaim and cleaning and some odds and ends. I thought that I'd put up this picture for anybody. It's a large woodfired jar with flyash dripping down. It's maybe 3' tall, the size doesn't translate as well as it should. It is one of Svend Bayer's, perhaps one of the largest that he makes. I walk by it everyday when I go into the work room, it says "Well what are you going to make today... it better be good".
Well have a good day ... Make good pots.

New tea bowl and saucer

I've been goofing around with a new teabowl and saucer to go along with the new teapot design. This is where I ended up today. Not to sure about it. What do you think?
It's turned into a rainy day, perfect studio weather. The rain is melting the ice and there is an earthy feeling about. Love it.
Well back to the studio. I need to pug up some reclaim and get ready for some throwin..
Make good pots!

Pilsners

I have an order for some pilsners. These were made first thing in the morning. Usually I like to get the throwing done early as before the day takes over. This is one of my favorite stages of pots, they're fresh and still alive.
It turned out to be a short day in the pottery. The weather was a perfect spring day. We took advantage of that and spent the rest of the day in the yard.
Well have a great day, and keep the wheels spinning.

Randy Johnston Plate

I was going through a pile of plates and came across this one by Randy Johnston. It's from the mid 70's. Will Ruggles and Douglas Rankin were working with him then. Randy was experimenting with enamels. This is really a wild one for him. It's a shino glaze with kaki trailed, then red and green enamels fired on in a second firing.
This is one of those pots that have been around for so long that are there but you only see them out of the corner of your eye.
Well, I haven't had my morning coffee yet, so first things first and then off to throw some coffee mugs.

North Devon jug

I pulled this nice North Devon style jug out to show a group of high school students how a well designed pot will anticipate that it will be used. This a large piece, made by Svend Bayer. I'm not sure if you would call it a tall tom or a thirty tales. You can see where it sat in an ember bed during the firing.
Spring is still springing!! These last few days have been making some tea bowls and listening to the birds as they come back to Minnesota.