Whistle Creek: Excessive Handle Disorder

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Excessive Handle Disorder

Mom always said " If all the other boys jumped off the roof would you? " ( Maybe, depends on how high the roof was) Dad said " If you lie down with dogs you get up with fleas" I think I've been paying too much attention to my friends Dan and Tony AKA the handle kings. I've been very happy making nice little pots. If they had to have a handle, they got a handle. If they didn't need one they didn't. Then this crap started happening around here.

The vase on the right will hold flowers just as well as the one on the left., The one on the left will never be hung by those handles,. Either one can easily be picked up with one hand. Why did this happen? I couldn't control myself . GOD FORGIVE ME I JUST HAD TO DO IT !

It happened again this morning.

Does anyone know of a 12 step program for excessive handle disorder? STOP ME NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

6 comments:

Liberty StonewareJune 30, 2015 at 3:08 PM
I got bit by a three-handle bug a few years ago. It seemed like all of my lidded jars were calling for three handles. After looking over a few of these pieces that have ended up on the "seconds" table I wonder what in the world I was thinking, but I guess in order to grow new feathers we have to stretch our wings and preen sometimes, right? (that was a really bad analogy, I realize)
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Linda StarrJune 30, 2015 at 5:32 PM
I get the new feathers and preaning, that's why I like taking photos of pieces I make because sometimes I see that I had no idea what the piece really looked like till I took the photo.
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Michèle HastingsJune 30, 2015 at 5:43 PM
Just have fun and enjoy the ride!
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smartcatJuly 1, 2015 at 7:09 AM
Handles yes! Remember: Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess!
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Tracey BroomeJuly 1, 2015 at 8:14 AM
Some of my favorite mugs are those that have amazing handles. A great handle can add soooo much to a pot. I also have a great vase from Seagrove that belonged to my grandmother, really good hanles on it. I guess in the end the customer will decide for you, haha!
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Tony ClennellJuly 14, 2015 at 8:56 PM
Dennis: We don't make anything anyone needs. They want it. Your pots want arms. Glad to see the disease is spreading south. Get a handle on it! t
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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

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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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