Redware

I have a couple of prefired lovelies to show today.

These are pre-fire and pre-glaze. I am hoping for a close to terra cotta look once they pop out of the kiln.

I have discovered that red clay is very difficult to work with on the wheel. It makes porcelain seem like working with a cloud. It took me a while just to get the clay centered.

The thing I hate most about it is that it's MESSY! At least with stoneware I can brush off the dried bits and run to the store afterwards, with red clay, it has me rethinking the whole "apron" thing.

Big news!!! How could I forget to mention this! THE NEW KILN WORKS! I tested it with a very low firing cone, but it shut off great, so YAY!

With the new kiln working means that the

Houston House is prepping for classes! We hope to have more info posted after the new year!

With the new kiln came some extremely old glazes, and I mean OLD... like... glass-jars-and-crumbly-yellow-labels-old. Also, they are toxic, so no chip and dip bowl decorating with them. So I've dusted off the cobwebs, squished the black widows, and added some water to them... hopefully to bring them back to life.

Sorry--- no pictures. It's hard to take pictures when you're jumping and screaming about spiders.

With new-old glazes comes testing, so I spent a short part of my evening making small testing tiles.

I am thankful for Thanks-Giving, which gives me time off from day work to immerse myself in the studio!

UPDATES--UPDATES---UPDATES

Whee! Updates! First off, as I am typing this the kiln is getting all wired up and ready to fire, which is GREAT, because I bought some red low fire clay after checking our CAD's story about potter Daniel Ricardo Teran who uses such a simple technique, but BOY what talent does he have!? I am absolutely inspired from his studio to the techniques and meanings behind his work. A lot of Daniel's work displayed on his site depict the works of a man caught in between a tin foil hat, and an environmentalist... but it's all in good flavor.

Another cool thing I discovered was this Siphon Blower, which makes penny pinching potters like myself drool. With this product there is no need for an expensive air compressor, and then the expensive gravity fed spray guns. All you need is this helpful gadget and a good set of lungs. Genius!

WELL, look at that purdy pot sitting on my work desk! Yep, this is one of my smaller Mayco pieces I didn't take home. While I'm not 100% thrilled with the outcome of it due to some glaze not reacting like how I envisioned, it still makes a nice little pencil holder, and I got plenty of comments about it at work, too!

POTTERY CLASSES ARE COMING TO THE HOUSTON HOUSE!!

You should be very excited, because I am SUPER excited and can't wait to get started!!!!

New Baby!!!

Yay!! Isn't is beautiful!? We got it in at the Houston House on Wednesday along with a bunch of Duncan glazes and ceramics tools.

I can't tell you how bad I am clawing at my cubicle at work to get out, and go play!!

It's a bit smaller than the old one, which is fine with me, because I never did utilize the entire space in the old kiln. Sadly, it is getting a burial in the basement until we feel like getting it fixed.

A new kiln brings new ceramics classes, which also has me excited! I was also named head of the ceramics committee for the arts center! I'm just exploding with enthusiasm and excitement over here! I really think next year will bring some great possibilities and experiences at the Houston House Arts Center!

I can't wait!

Santa came early at the Houston House!!

Now, I have to go find some clay.