Snow

It has been a cold and snowy week in Ohio. Mid week we hit -15 F with a daytime high in the single digits. It finally warmed up a little Friday night and into Saturday so we could get 8" or so of fresh snow on top of out previous layers of snow. The studio is well insulated but the electric heater only kept it at 37. Nothing froze but even turning on the big gas heater did little to warm the clay. What few pots I made this week were done with water from the microwave and popping the clay balls in too for a brief warm up. It helped a lot but it is a slow way to produce much work. This has put me a bit behind schedule but I'm hoping for spring and hope springs eternal. I shoveled the drive a couple of times but after yesterdays blessing I had to get the tractor out this morning. I dug the car out and made a path to the studio and I'm hoping warmer temps today will help clean it up a little more.My biggest help all week has been my 16 inch, insulated waterproof, snake proof Bass Pro boots. They are the only thing that has let me get to the studio and back without frozen toes. Style be damned, they work. The astute viewer will see that a zipper pull broke but a spare split ring was a quick fix and I think maybe an improvement over the original little tab.

 

I had really wanted to go to the first (annual?) Clay Alliance Garage Sale yesterday but it would have been 60 miles round trip through heavy snow. I wasn't registered but I still like to go visit and be supportive of my friends. Good sense won out and I hear it went ok without my attendance. Maybe next year.

 

It is nice enough today to go jam with the balladeers tonight. Here is this weeks offering. Just imagine a fiddle break at the designated spot. Thanks for stopping by.

 



 

The youtube link is  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-D5TT-s6Lc in case you prefer to go that way.

 

 

 

February

Hi everyone. It has been cold in Ohio except for a couple of days last weekend then it got cold again. I think it is about 20 F outside I've had a cold for a couple of weeks but am finally recovering and coming back to life. Haven't felt like doing much so I didn't. I've made a few mugs and bowls but nothing exciting or much of it but hey, I'm not going to climb in the rankings of " Top Pottery Blogs " by posting once a month. I've been nominated by a couple of people to post pictures of 3 pots/day for 5 days on Facebook. Again, I didn't feel like doing it so I didn't. I have been teaching the Clay Monkeys on Tuesdays and a wheel class on Thursday. Both of these have been going well. I have one wheel student who took classes as a kid and a couple of times I subbed for her teacher and showed her some wheel tips but she had mainly done handbuilding. She is making altered casseroles in a wheel 1 class ! Another class member who started in Nov. is making mugs with nice sprigs on them and doing some pierced carving ! I better find a way to stay sharp.

My usual plan for Jan and Feb involves making a bunch of bisqueware, hopefully enough to take the pressure off this summer and fall when I am doing shows. I am a load or two behind with firing but basically I'm on track. I did get into a bunch of clay that was too wet to make jars and vases with so I switched  and started making plates. Soft clay, warm water and blues on the radio helped a dozen or so jump off the wheel yesterday. They are sitting on every available flat space until they get dry enough to trim which should be tomorrow. Then it will be time to make another batch. Some people don't like to make plates. One of the best potters I know confided once that she couldn't make a plate to save her life. I like making them and I love selling them. People may buy one mug and never come back. If they buy a plate, I know I will see them again and again !

Here are a couple of studio shots and a video of the first song I felt like singing after being sick.

 

Here is a link to the video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIyJ_AVkq4M