Stack Workshop

Finished Works!

Experimental re-glazed piece and lil' monster peeking out from behind. 

Stack pieces made the day before, dried out overnight in kiln

Stack Toppers

The first Stack Starter Workshop held yesterday and today.

With the help of the sun, we cut out, dried out, pieced together and finished 3 simple shapes and a "topper" for a mini-stack. When the day started out drizzly--in AUGUST!--this workshop host was a little worried, but the sun came out just in time and dried things out pretty quickly.

Glazing Party: Annclaire, Alexis, Joni

Spent the morning flipping them and making sure edges were covered up so they didn't dry out too much. After lunch everything was dry enough to put together and finish up using ribs and surforms.

Everything spent about 17 hours at 175 degrees in the kiln over night and only a few cracks had to be filled in with paper clay this morning. 

Glazing party with Velvet and Duncan underglazes and everything back into the kiln to once fire up to Cone 6.

Annclaire, Alexis and M'liss

First Mini-Workshop

These simple looking pieces belie the many layers of colors layered on them that will soon be revealed. Participants in my first mini-workshop came and glazed last night, inbetween talk about hot-flashes, the mean-street playgrounds on which we played as kids, and things learned in other clay classes.

Next week they'll return to these pieces after they've been bisqued to a lower temp than normal, to sand through to see what they get. Fun for me to see what color combos they chose opposed to the same old tried and true that I seem to do.

This spring I did a major garage and studio clean up with hopes I'd have room to host mini-sessions in my studio. It is an intimate space but seems to work... Next month I'm hosting two stack-making workshops. One is already full, but the second one has two slots open. FMI:  Clay Play with Cynthia

Gimme one more hour!

Spent today making pots in front of an audience of fellow potters at the Benton Center Pottery Studio at Linn-Benton Community College for the Spring Workshop. Took requests and someone wanted to see one of the more complex twists I do. Of course. 

Many have been made, but not many have been successful, but what the heck. It was a chance to let them see just how rough and crazy it all happens in real life. Decided to make a mini-version and cut out all the pieces to make two-thirds of the shape.

On my side: dry air, a couple extra hands, a concave form and a warm bisque kiln helped get the beginning shapes dried out enough to put together.

Against me: Time. It ran out before I could get the base part dry enough to add the final touches. Came home and used all the scraps that were still wet enough to piece together the top curved piece in gradual sections, and then goo glue it all together and gave it shape with some very soft clay. 

Tomorrow after this is dry enough to work on I'll attack it with my stainless rib with the teeth to give it more defined shape and then see if it's thick enough to carve.