Ideas, ideas

We went to Uptown Market Saturday, which didn't go as well as some Saturdays, but that's okay. It's always fun to talk to people and watch the parade of pooches prance by. A few people stopped to admire certain pieces, and while they visited, they made some suggestions of items they would like to see on my tables. I'll try my hand at yarn bowls, honey pots, bacon cookers, and yazamashi pots (Japanese water cooling vessels for delicate teas) this week in the studio.

Attempt #3 in French butter crocks

Hopefully my attempts at the above pieces will be easier than--or rather, more fruitful than my attempts at someone's suggestion that I make French butter crocks. About two weeks ago I sat down and threw three crocks as a first attempt. The first crock never made it to bisque as the inner cylinder was too big around and split the base when I tried forcing it apart. The second crock has been bisqued, but it's just too long to work properly, I think, and will probably end up in the garbage.


So here is the third one, which I think will be good enough for me to try out. I certainly have to think of a way to jazz these babies up--so boring as is. The lid is also a wonky fit because I couldn't get the groove quite right. The tube was a bit long while in greenware stage, so I tried cutting it down with my fettling knife. It fits but has a rather ragged edge. As I said, this will be good enough for me to test.

I may throw a few more of these this week to try and get it right.

My thanks to all who gave me new tasks to try. I really have enough berry bowls and sponge holders, so this gives me a break from some of the normal pieces I throw. Whenever I try something new, whether a new form or new decoration, it's like play time for me!

It's Time for Berry Bowls

Berry Bowls with Lady Bugs

 I had sworn that this year I would get a big batch of berry bowls ready for The Market at Blooming Colors and for the Uptown Market, but my execution of this plan went very slowly. I think, in part, it's because I wanted to try something new instead of sticking with last year's design (shown above) with a simple Heiner Render glaze and lady bug accents.

One of my goals for the year is to do more hand building, so I had decided I would hand build berry bowls using strawberry leaves to form the bowl, and I wanted to put strawberry feet on the bowls as a decoration instead of the lady bugs. It was a disaster! I didn't spray the forms, so the clay stuck fast to the forms, and the bowls were destroyed in the process of trying to remove them. Next, I thought perhaps I could throw the bowls and cut out the strawberry leaves. That didn't work very well either. Add slow firing last month to the mix, and the result is berry bowls delivered at the end of May.

Ruffled Berry Bowl with Strawberry Feet

But, my experimentation did lead to some different shapes, different glazing, and different decoration. I stayed with hand-sculpted berries for feet. These are going with me to the Uptown Market in Columbus Saturday, although it seems that people in Columbus are not familiar with berry bowls. I had one a couple of weeks ago, and everyone who picked it up asked what it was. One person must have thought it was to store berries in because he commented that he had more berries than the bowl would hold. Someone suggested I make ceramic strawberries to put in the bowls as display. I have noticed that props can be helpful when selling some items like my sponge holders.

We'll see what Saturday brings. I'm learning that certain markets are better for certain pieces, and it may be that Columbus is not the right market for berry bowls. Or, maybe I'm the only one who likes the berry feet.

It's Been An Interesting Week

After my first experience with Uptown Market in Columbus, Ga., I was thinking, "How can I go more often?" Anthony came with me, and in between our little conversations, we talked to people, listened to live music, and watched the many dogs of all shapes and sizes. When the noon whistle sounded, we packed up and went to the brew pub down the street. A good Saturday. We're going back this Saturday for certain!

The week has been punctuated with fun and frustration! It seems I've angered the clay gods. Last week I repugged my scrap clay only to find it was short when I threw it days later. On advice from fellow studio potters, I added a bag of fresh clay and repugged again. Now four hours of wasted time (time away from the wheel). Yesterday it seemed no better despite wedging ball clay into it and sprinkling vinegar on it--I must have been missing the magic incantation because it didn't really help. So, I threw berry bowls but not nearly enough. The clay kept tearing on the first pull. Now I'm wondering if the greenware will make it through bisque fire. If it does, I may keep using it for berry bowls and buy fresh clay for teapots and mugs--or anything else that needs a handle.

Jasmine is starting to scent the evening air.

Thank heaven for cool evenings on the deck with my hubby and the dogs. Tuesday night I smelled just a hint of Madison Jasmine, and the next morning I went out to see if it was my imagination or if we had jasmine blooming. Voila! Two or three little clusters like this were in bloom. I can't wait until the deck explodes with the scent of jasmine.

Yesterday's frustration of the clay was followed by the frustration of knowing I would not be in the studio at all today. I suppose I'll use what little free time I have today to run errands--I need bags and stickers for Saturday's Uptown Market. I'm crossing my fingers that the teapot I want to take Saturday comes out of the kiln in one piece. I won't get excited until then because the last time I was excited about a teapot, the glaze ran, and the piece cracked while cooling. How does that happen? Especially after I ran a test piece through first. Grrr.

The first veggie baby appears!

But, fortunately, there are other gifts from spring that help relieve the frustration. Every morning I have to go out into the garden and check on plants. This morning I found the first tomato on the vine. I am sooo excited. It's only a tiny green bump, and like clay, you can't count on it until it goes through the process. So far, we have onions, garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, two bean plants (the only seeds that germinated from the dozen planted), and random volunteers from last year's cucumbers and squash.

The sole survivor.

My other favorite thing about spring is berry bowls! I've been playing with different shapes and colors from last year. Of the four thrown, only one has come out as it should. Two are going back to bisque fire with the hopes their little strawberry feet will fuse with the glaze "glue" I used. The fourth is probably going to Debbie so that she can smash it and use it for a mosaic.

I hope I have a photo of said teapot to publish Friday before packing up for the market.