Whistle Creek: Time to Feed the Blog

Monday, November 19, 2012

Time to Feed the Blog

Hello everyone. This week has been busy without a lot to show for it.The weather has been good with frosty mornings and warm afternoons.This has led to yard clean up and building shelves for the newly roofed barn. The days when I can work outside without freezing are getting fewer and fewer as the year marches on so I have to take advantage of them. I have not been totally away from the pottery. I have two classes of clay monkeys that are great fun to teach and I have been making a few pots of my own. The big change you will see when you look at the pictures is that I washed down the studio and changed over to white clay. I love the red stuff and how my glazes look on it at cone 6 but the lure of reduction firing is calling again.I have been making big platters and mugs that I am anxious to finish but instead of Michael Kline's 12 by 12, my production has been more like 2 by Tuesday. I have a mixed load to bisque this week then glaze next week and fire for a show I am hopefully going to be in on the 8th. I'm next on the list and people always drop out but I wish they would get on with it. In the mean time, Happy Thanksgiving. Do what you love with those you love and it will all be fine.

2 comments:

Barbara RogersNovember 19, 2012 at 9:46 AM
I'm doing mainly white clay too, but not as ambitious as you are. Mine is cone 6, and I don't do huge things yet. Hope you have a good Thanksgiving too!
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Linda StarrNovember 19, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Clay monkeys and feeding the blog, it's all good. I am not as productive either, but I can work in a small space inside so my poor circulation in the lower legs doesn't suffer too bad. Have a relaxing thanksgiving.
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Why Whistle Creek

Whistle Creek is near the area where my ancestors settled in East Tennessee. It is about 6 miles west of I-75 and 8 miles south of Jellico.At various times the land was claimed by England, France, Spain, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky,Tennessee, the Union,the Confederacy, and the Cherokee.My family was there around 1800 and possibly before.My brothers and I still own the top of the mountain and it is still very rough country. I named my studio Whistle Creek in memory of the Allens who scraped their living from the earth and managed to keep it for two hundred years.

Bricks,Bricks, Bricks

I have two loads of kiln brick at home and one more to go. Weather permitting I will get some help from my newly retired brother and haul the rest home next week. I'm still early in the planning stages for the kiln. I haven't decided yet whether to make the firebox perpendicular to the arch a la John Theis managama and groundhog kilns or to place it parallel to the axis of the arch. I do know that with #2 three inch arch brick It will be a 3"6" sprung arch on top of low walls with a sunken firebox. If i can find a saw that will cut 41/2" I can rip some of the arch brick to fill in the ends of the courses and use the arch brick on edge to make 9" thick walls. Any input appreciated.

The Pitcher and the Nun

Yesterday a couple of sweet elderly ladies came into my booth and fell in love with the pitcher from the last woodfiring. (See last Blog entry) They said they wanted to give it as a wedding gift, then they said the fatal words-" Do you take Mastercard? " I replied-" No, but I want this piece to go to a good home and I believe that if I send it home with you, you will send me a check." They agreed and we exchanged info. It turned out they were nuns.Instead of mailing me a check, they brought back a check and some homemade candy a couple of hours later.It was nice to make the sale, but even nicer to send out a little faith in mankind and have a good deed returned.

Ohio Slip

More Spring Fair Prep....

Today was spent loading a bisque kiln with pots I have been throwing the last few weeks.They are made with a really nice red clay that a friend sold me when I couldn't get earthen red at Highwater. I should be able to glaze Monday and fire the whole load again next week. This is the only clay that I fire in the electric kilns but it gives a look that a lot of people like and I can fire economically. This plus pots on hand and pots I have been glazing for the gas kiln should be plenty for spring fair so now I can concentrate on the booth.

Spring Fair

The main project of the week was to try to finish throwing a batch of red clay that I have been working on so I can get the pots fired and glazed for the big Spring Fair sale that the Clay Alliance is holding on May 2. This is the big annual sales event for the club and I am very happly to be included this year but I do feel a little pressure to up my game and have a booth that doesn't look like a yard sale. Once I get the pots fired, I will have to spend some time focusing on display space and building some nice shelving. The sale is 11 to 4 at the corner of Madison and Woodburn ( DeSales Corner) Just take 71 to Edwards rd., Edwards to Madison, Right on Madison and you will be there in a few minutes. You will have a great time and get to meet 40 of the best potters and ceramicists in the region. More info at http://www.clayalliance.org/.

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