A Friend in Need...

Joe Frank McKee is a potter and gallery owner in Dillsboro N.C. You may know him through his work or because he puts on THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA POTTERY FESTIVAL in Dillsboro every November. Last night, his studio at his home burned to the ground. The fire did not reach the house and everyone is fine but the studio is a total loss. He is scheduled to do Raku and Demos at Mike and Karen Baum's Studio sale in Lebanon, Ohio in a couple of weeks and says he still plans to attend. Here is the letter I got from Mike and Karen...

Clay Alliance Members:

We just heard some really bad news. Our good friend and potter, Joe Frank McKee, of Dillsboro, NC, lost his entire studio in an electrical fire last night. Luckily, no one was hurt. As many of you know, Joe Frank is the guest artist at our upcoming open house, March 22 & 23. Trooper that he is, he is still coming but he and his family need our help to rebuild. The scope of his loss is incomprehensible.
If you can please send a check to:

JOE FRANK McKEE
TREE HOUSE POTTERY
148 Front St
P.O. BOX 253
DILLSBORO, NC 28725.

You can also show your appreciation and support by purchasing his pottery at the openhouse.

Joe Frank is one of the hardest working potters that we know; please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks,

Karen & Mike Baum

Tool Time

Meredith Heywood recently posted about her favorite tools and inspired me to do the same. When I first started potting, I bought a lot of tools. Their most important function is to cover up the few tools that I really do use. Many of the tools I like best, I make myself. . One of the materials I really like is scrap plastic from old Rubbermaid tubs or trashcans.You can cut it with scissors and quickly smooth the edges with sandpaper.Here are a few tools that I made for special purposes that I keep reaching for.

The outer legs are fixed, the center one slides

The exposed section of the center dowel shows 

the thickness of the bottom and leaves no hole.

The dowel has a 5/16 long brad in the end. Stick it in the center of the 

plate you are throwing and it imprints the depth you need to open to.

the big rib flattens the bottom of the plate ,sets the radius of the bottom,

 and sets the curve that transitions the bottom to the sidewall.

Special purpose ribs and my "chop"

This one is really handy.

Pack It or Whack It ?

Welcome to tonight's episode of of the new hit show "Pack It or Whack It ?" Tonight we will explore what happens to a kiln load of tests and refires. I have included some select examples. Rest assured that there were many more that did not make the cut. There were a bunch of blue bowls with too thin glaze that broke to an ugly green and some pieces that were dipped in the white that convinced me to spray it from now on. I like the decoration on the iron red oval dish but I got a little split where the sidewall is joined to the base. Still, it gave me good information.

A Proposal.

 

Earlier today I made a comment on the blog of a well known Canadian Potter. His reply was ,"Dennis we just gotta meet up sometime. Texan music, fishing, motorcycles and pottery. Now tell me ya like bourbon and I'll ask ya to marry me" Well I do like bourbon and BACON. So I guess I have a decision to make.There are pros and cons to every opportunity. First of all each of us is already married. We couldn't just ditch the wives after all these years. I don't know about Canada, but plural marriage is illegal in at least 49 of 50 U.S. states. There is also the issue that as far as I can tell neither of us is gay or has any interest in switching teams. On the other hand, the guy does look pretty good in a hat and he can make some serious pottery! Decisions, Decisions. He might just be after a U.S. Green Card. On the other hand, I might be able to get Canadian health insurance. He could be tired of Ontario winters and be yearning for some time in Ohio where the temps are a balmy 20 degrees but does he know that's Fahrenheit  not Celsius ? I wouldn't mind some Ontario fishing if we could work it in between black fly / mosquito season and ice up. But what if it rains that day? These things might be manageable but there may be an insurmountable ( I spelled that right on the first try) issue. I don't know about Tony but I fought in the War of 1812. The Canadians think they won! I am just not sure I could put that behind me but at my age I'm not going to get many more offers. It's always something.

The Biscuits Are Done

 

In very uncharacteristic fashion, everything in this bisque load came through intact. No blow ups, no S cracks, no warpage.I'm trying to lay in a good supply of tableware bisque so this made me very happy. Mugs are already stocked. Plates go off tonight with more jugs and crocks.I should be getting close to changing over to red clay for a few weeks.That way, I'll be ready for quick turnarounds this summer when I run low on certain colors. Beats starting from scratch when you are in a hurry. I'm also getting some show applications out and will be able to update the show schedule in the right hand column soon. Thanks for stopping.