05/29/09 R.I.P. Split Rim Pot!

Sad, sad news. The split rim, inherited bottle, and bowl that I called the Devil Pot in a previous post all bit it. lol. During the bisque firing (before you glaze and fire again). Shattered I guess. Jerrel was so nice about how he told me about it. He was even intending to call!

What was it I said about being too precious with the pieces? How I should just break some perfectly fine pieces to get past that feeling that each one is sooo precious? The kiln just did it for me!

05/22/09 The Wheels on the Bus Go 'Round & 'Round

Wheee! I'm getting a pottery wheel. An old wheel that hopefully is a workhorse that will outlive me!

And about a dozen bats!

And 150 lbs of clay!

And more tools!

And inspiration every day that will, with any luck, inspire other parts of my life as well. Yes, I'm a happy camper. I'll be a very poor camper - perhaps on hobo level! - but well worth it I think.

I stopped at the ceramics lab at the college last night from 10pm-midnight. I was shopping for stuff for the store shelves, go figure. I really should take a pick of the pile-o-groceries I end up with on one of those trips.... Anyway....

Ever heard of Devil Pots? Me either - until last night! I swear, there were evil gremlins in the lab last night. First I took my pretty round, slightly choked-in cereal bowl...and proceeded to wreck it! UGH! (Ok, so in reality I said something a little more colorful. lol.)

Trimming is when you smooth/level the bottom (or "foot") of a pot. Usually, you flip it over onto it's rim (or "lip") and carve away the bottom (or "foot") to make it flat. I like to put a fairly deep depression in the center as well. First, I center the thing on the wheelhead.

It was at this initial step that things went awry. The pedal to control the speed was sitting backward and I was using my hand to tap it to adjust the speed. Wellllll...lesson learned. I accidentally MAX SPEED instead of stopping. The pot went flying, scraping across both bat pins.

It dented and warped the heck out of my pretty li'l bowl! So I flipped it over, centered it right-side-up, cut off the lip, smoothed it out, flipped it over again, THEN trimmed it's foot. Little %#!&.

Honestly, I probably should have trashed it. lol. However, I'm still "precious" with my work: everything is special. It would probably be a good exercise for me to just smash a bunch of perfectly fine pots.

Then I carved the heck out of the inherited bottle using the "chuck" I had made several weeks ago.

A chuck is a "what" not a "who"!

Imagine a tire rim...how it flares out at top & bottom, open at both ends. You use a chuck to set pots in as you trim them. It helps with items like bottles, where the neck and lip are too narrow to support the body of the pot. The "shoulder" of the piece rests on that narrowed middle of the chuck for greater stability.

Finally...my super-purdy platter. I'm glad I saved that for last and got all my bad luck out of the way. It's going to be hard to resist doing another "ruffled lip" until I'm used to the new wheel at home.

I can't wait!

05/20/09 Anxious, Yet Fearless!

So, I was thinking about the jeep tour the fam told me they took in AZ. It was a lil hair-raising for some at times. We joked that I would have loved it.

AND I WOULD HAVE! To death - maybe literally, from the description of the trail? lol.

I think I've always been like that. I'm told that as a baby, I was a climber. On the other hand, I had colic and was irrationally upset by the loss of my pacifier. (Hello, food addiction!)

I thought back to when we were in elementary school. Dad was driving us there one winter day and took the Townline Hill - steep, narrow, curvy with a ravine along one side. We started skidding for a bit. Amy - & even Dad - were a little scared.

...I, however, thought it was a hoot! (I think I was even told to be quiet! lol. Imagine that!)

I started wondering how I can have anxiety issues, but not worry about dying? How the heck does THAT work?

Why does some speed bump in my life throw me for complete crazy-loop... but the big things hardly register?

I wanna know: Do you worry more about life or death?

05/14/09 Sign Project #1

My sign project. These are 8 foot x 8 foot...and there are 3 of them to be done. There will also be an 8x8 or 4x8 sign listing donors to the project, as well as repainted metal signs for the outside of the building.

These signs and the purchase of two coolers and a freezer are part of a grant I applied for through the Griggs-Steele Empowerment Zone. Donations of money and time by area citizens/businesses comprise the matching funds.

Now, to finish 'em and put 'em up!

05/10/09 In the Market for a Wheel!

Disclaimer: If you're really not THAT into making your own pottery, you're probably going to find the following very, very boring!

I want a pottery wheel. I NEED a pottery wheel.

Pottery wheels are expensive.

While I've researched brands and models of wheels, electric and kick, reading just isn't the same as doing! So, the other night I played around with the various types of pottery wheels at the ceramics lab.

I started out on the kickwheels - something I've never tried. Not really my cup of tea. I think there might be some tips I could have used from an instructor???

I liked that the seat height was adjustable, but didn't like the slower speed. No matter how fast I kicked, I couldn't get it going at the rate I wanted. I could also definitely see some knee issues if I used a kickwheel for years.... I guess that would be ok as long as I could get a rehab model wheel down the road. But considering how much I like to use my legs, this may not be the wheel for me.

It had the motor, which I DID remember to plug in! After reading more today, I found out I had to step on a lever to engage a rubber wheel on the base. (Is this where an instructor comes in handy? haha!) Basically, I was using it as a manual kickwheel!

Then I moved on to the Amaco No. 1 model. There's one for sale in Minneapolis, and I wanted to use one before I made an offer. From pictures, I wasn't sure I would like the seat.... I LOVE the seat! It's molded to conform to my tush. Nice! Way better than a hard wooden stool or the board on the kickwheel.

I also liked the height and positioning to the wheelhead. It was perfect for me to wedge my left elbow into my thigh when first centering the ball of clay.

This model has a high/low setting for wheelhead speed. I wasn't really a fan of that, but was prepared to keep an open mind after talking to a former instructor about wheel types. First, I had a hard time locating the switch on the side without stopping what I was doing and looking for it. The high setting was too slow for how I like to center, and the low setting was to fast for some of the more delicate throwing I sometimes do at the end when pot walls thin out. I think I COULD get used to those two speeds if I had to.

Turns out, each type of wheel has it's pros & cons - for me anyway. I learned a lot about HOW I throw. Apparently, I really kick the speed up when I center the ball of clay. Whether you're looking to buy a wheel or not, I would really recommend switching up your throwing once in awhile by trying a different piece of equipment.

...Someone remind me of that statement a few years down the road when I have thrower's block?!? Thanks a million!

05/08/09 For the Love of Mud

Can you believe that last night, after many weeks away, I almost went left Valley City without going to the pottery studio? I went there TO DO pottery! What was I thinking? lol.

(I was thinking "It's already 8:00 and I have my dog along, maybe I should come in for a full day Sunday." Thankfully, I came to my senses and hit the studio.)

It turned out to be a great night! First, I threw a rounded bowl...like a large cereal bowl, I suppose. The next was supposed to be a low, wide bowl. It flopped! UGH! I was torqued, to say the least. It's only the third piece to flop so far, but grrr.

I was so upset I grabbed twice as much clay and tried it again.

Holy Hannah, look what came off the wheel on the second try! It's pictured above. I would guess in this wet stage it measures the same as the wheelhead - about 12 inches? I managed to leave enough clay at the lip to split and pinch it. I saw this technique in a video at Ceramic Arts Daily and have been wanting to try it.

I have to say, I'm in love. I might end up with a series of these.

My friend in the art department stopped by the studio & said I was turning out some "thin" pots. Woohoo! I always worry they're going to be thick. They start out thin when they're wet, then they shrink as they dry and the walls become thicker!

She also mentioned that there will be a new ceramics professor. I inherited the bottle a candidate threw during his interview. :-P I didn't get a chance to get to know the current professor Jerrel well, but wish him all the best when his work at VCSU finishes up!

After getting back in the groove of things again, I've come to realize I NEED to get a pottery wheel at home. I'd still audit courses at VCSU for instruction on firings, technical advice, access to lab equipment and supplies, and - maybe most importantly - communication with others who are interested in pottery.

I think that if I had a wheel and could sneak in a half hour here and there or an entire day on the weekend, my skill level would really take off. When you think about it, the hour I spend sitting in the car driving to the studio could be better spent sitting at a wheel! The more pots I make, the more encouraged I am that this really COULD be a career down the road.

...And that prospect makes me feel pretty damn good!

05/07/09 No way? I get to play again?!?!

Yep. I'm a big freak. I'm completely excited at the idea of going to Valley City to sling some mud!

I don't remember the last time I was there...4-6 weeks ago? I'm not completely positive that the restrictions on sewer usage has been lifted in Valley yet, but...I'm going even if I have to haul the water I used back home!

And I'm NOT going to buy stuff for the store until 9:30 at night either...well, maybe just until 5:30. (Come on, I'm almost outta pop! :-P) But after that, my time is MINE.

Gawd, wonder if I even remember how??? hehe.

05/01/09 VIDEO: Coil & Throw Method

Throw, Dry, Add Coil, Repeat
Using the Coil and Throw Method to Make Large Pottery on the Potter's Wheel
http://www.ceramicartsdaily.org/video/index.aspx

OK! So, how enthralled do you think I was while watching this video?

First reason for my fascination with anything having to do with clay: Due to forces beyond my control involving a river, flooding, and a university who's classes had to cease early this semester...I HAVEN'T BEEN AT A WHEEL IN WEEEEEEKS! :-P

Second, I've always been interested in "bigware". I think because, although I'm not a weakling, I always had a hard time centering the large amount of clay. Then it was a challenge for me to keep twist out of the bottom of the pot as I worked higher up around the neck.

Also, let's face it: I'm not a svelt chick! My hands and arms are anything but delicate, so reaching down into the pot prevented me from keeping the pot collared in at the top sometimes.

I think this might be a sweeeeet solution! I didn't even know you could do this - maybe I missed that day in class 10 years ago? lol. What's nice is that even if I don't go into bigware, I can use this technique to keep the pot narrower than my arm and not have to deal with trying to throw with a long stick to increase my reach.

I may have found a couple wheels for sale in the Minneapolis area. Keep your fingers crossed! Maybe I can try out this method soon!

04/24/09 LINK: "The Private Lives of Keeners"

Robert Genn

Wow! Robert Genn replied! To little old me! In his newsletter, no less!

To back up a little so you know what's going on:

I'd been feeling more than a little frustrated and weary lately. Weather and Mother Nature had shut me off from the ceramics lab for weeks, with more weeks to go since Valley City's flood situation is still wreaking havoc. Hand building clay at home wasn't working out - and that was when the time that I've set aside FOR art was actually USED for arting! So often I end up doing store stuff or housework instead of getting my hands in clay.

So I wrote a letter to Robert Genn. I had signed up for his twice-weekly newsletter. I really like it, so hoped that he would be able to point me in the right direction. I received an email from a lady who read it (my address was postedat the bottom of the newsletter). Her advice was so on-target it almost trumped Genn's! I think she's psychic! lol.

Between the newsletter email, facebook, and his site The Painter's Keys, I was really touched by the number of people who empathize and care. They took time out of their own busy schedules to encourage me to find time in mine for art. I thank them and any of you who read this and also feel supported!

Anyway, here's what RG had to say:

"The private lives of keeners
April 24, 2009

Dear Artist,

Yesterday, Sara McManigle of Luverne, ND, asked: "How does an artist maintain the energy levels, motivation, and passion to realize her dreams? As hard as I try, I still get bogged down by others' condescension, the financial aspects, and time management. How do you keep the fire burning when you're so fizzled out?"

Thanks, Sara. Artists need to be self-sustaining, private, "follow-your-bliss" islands unto themselves. Self-directed and independent, they make their own fizz. But artists need to realize that there are more than a few ways to become enthusiastic and motivated. One size does not fit all. Not surprisingly, artists with obsessive-compulsive tendencies and an addiction to work appear to be the keeners.

One way to understand motivation is to look at the symbols represented by the things we do. A passion for kayaking, for example, might represent a desire for freedom or escape. That of dancing, for romance and love. Among other things, painting can represent a desire to re-order the universe or simply to fill the beauty gap. Nothing wrong with those. These passions, whether intrinsic or learned, are integral parts of our natures and need to be honoured. When we begin to understand our symbols, we can get on with the more mechanistic of the ploys--head down, focus, shutout or postponement of impedimenta, pump priming, multitasking and the wisdom of time-management.

Furthermore, amateurs have a wisdom that professionals know not of. One can learn from amateurs. Successful self-motivators at any level are able to regularly return to their beginner-minds and rekindle earlier enthusiasms. Never underestimate your inner kid.

Artists also need to be aware of their personal blockers--people, places and things--and be prepared to substitute positive over negative. Without trashing the wonderful mothers of our world, a frequently reported situation is the demanding, impossible-to-please mother who derails daughters and sons. Oh yeah, dads can do it to you too. Critical, failed, or bitter themselves, they are the kernel of a rolling, generational snowball that is difficult to stop. Stealthily and unwittingly a keen edge becomes dull and jaded. Artists so afflicted need to give thought to re-sharpening with alternate role models.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: "If you can give your child only one gift, let it be enthusiasm." (Bruce Barton)

Esoterica: From my perspective, every situation, every human being, is unique. While the loving input of true friends is certainly valuable, more than anything, each artist needs to work out private ploys that beat back the unique bugaboos. I appreciate this is not always easy, as circumstances can run powerful interference. But if I didn't know it can be done, is being done, and will be done, I wouldn't be tapping on this laptop. The word is "character." Character is built, not granted. "

I particularly like the quote by Bruce Barton! A couple friends and their 4-month-old have been staying with me until Valley City's flood situation stabilizes. The quote is something that made me stop to reflect, imagining the joy that their baby finds in the smallest things.

04/17/09 VIDEO: Show Up, Even If Your Muse Didn't

Burden of Genius
Elizabeth Gilbert
http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1472

Elizabeth Gilbert's book "Eat, Pray, Love" was so successful that everyone worried if she'd ever be able to repeat that creative performance. The concern led Gilbert to investigate how past cultures and societies handled creative strokes of genius, and she discovered a rather curious insight from ancient Greek and Roman cultures -- that people aren't geniuses, but rather they have a genius. Funny, personal and surprisingly moving, this TED talk received a full standing ovation from an audience of people who generally don't give in to beliefs about muses, fairies and god forces!

****I found a link to this video through the Robert Genn Facebook Fan Page. (I'll post about the Genn newsletter another time...)

The video is 20 min. long but definitely worth it. Definitely inspiring for anyone who has a creative soul. If you can't watch the whole thing right now, bookmark this link:

To watch the video, be sure to pause the music on my page in the black player in the upper right corner. If the video loads slowly here, try clicking the above link. Enjoy!

03/27/09 VIDEO: North Dakota Flood 2009

Wish I were there to help with the flood preparations. My thoughts are with all of you sandbagging day & night, fighting not only water but also sore muscles that can't keep working forever.

You've done what you can, our prayers are behind you. It's ND - those who's efforts weren't enough will have our help when it's over.

03/24/09 Flood at the Clay Station? (PICS)

So, it's spring in North Dakota and it's time for our second or third 100-year-flood in only a decade. lol. I'm in a new house this year, so a little unsure of what to expect in my basement.

From what neighbors have told me, between the old cistern below the basement floor and the submersible sump pump in it, I should only have to worry about a little water that seeps over/through the walls. As of last night, there's some water seeping in behind the wood paneling on the walls near a window, but since the basement isn't a finished living space, let 'er weep!

My "Clay Station" is being set up down there in the basement. Thankfully, clay is a messy thing anyway and I'm not too worried! I just lifted a rug off the floor, stacked the laundry tubs and it should be good to go.


Fargo and other communities along the Red River (of the North) are in the middle of another frenzy to fill sandbags. Thank God for the students who go out to help...they're a huge chunk of the workforce. One county has 85% of its roads under water. Schools have closed because of lift station issues, and those that are open have opted not to send out buses on these flooded roads.

And we're supposed to get snow tonight! lol. Really, ND is NOT for the faint of heart, is it?

I've posted a couple pics I had taken of the Sheyenne River in Lisbon near the dam in 1997, the last Big Flood. In one you can see the ice around a tree after the water level dropped. Some of you might remember national coverage of the flooding in Grand Forks, ND that year.


For those of you fighting with flooding, I wish you the best and take comfort from a community that rallies around each other in times of need.

03/23/09 LINK: Great Newsletter & Free Gifts

I really am loving Ceramic Arts Daily more and more. Usually when I've subscribed to a newsletter, no matter the topic, I've been disappointed....

Not the case with Ceramic Arts Daily's emailed newsletter. It's short, it has purdy pictures for days I don't wanna read, and whether I follow links or not it keeps my head in clay each day!

When you subscribe, they now offer several free book downloads. At the time of this post, I've only looked through the 7 Pottery Projects download, but I have to say I plan to try all seven projects! Below is a list of the offered downloads:

~ Buyers Guide to Ceramic Supplies and Materials
~ Emerging Ceramic Artists to Watch
~ 2008 Workshop Handbook
~ 7 Great Pottery Projects
~ 33 Tried and True Ceramic Glaze Recipes
~ Ceramic Arts Handbook

If you'd like to subscribe, click this link: www.ceramicartsdaily.org

03/18/09 The VCSU Ceramics Lab

I thought everyone might like to see the area in which I'm fortunate enough to play in clay.

The ceramics lab is located on the campus of Valley City State University in ND, where I once attended classes. Jerrel Holm is the ceramics instructor, and I have to say I was amazed at how clean and orderly the place is.

I've missed the studio! The first time I walked in after 10 yrs away, I realized how much I loved even the SMELL of the place! Mmmm...dussst. lol.

1. The Wheel-Throwing Area. So far, I've still got a few of the wheels to check out. lol. Each is different, ya know! One of these nights I'd like to try one of the two kickwheels, too - I've never used one.
   
   
2. The Work Tables. There are four 8-foot tables and a long bank of shelves along the back wall. One of the two sinks is also located in this area, as well as the instructor's dry erase board and A/V screen.
   
   
3. The Glaze Room. This room is where the color lives! lol. Each 5 gallon bucket contains glazes for reduction firins. There are bins and shelves for the various minerals and compounds used in the glaze recipes. Basically, you end up with runny mud. In the kiln, the crystals in this "mud" melt to form something like glass. You've heard that glass is made from "sand", right? Similar idea.
   
   
4. The Electric Kilns. I hope to become better acquainted with these one day. lol. So far, I haven't had much to do with the technical end of how my pots turn out, but I'd love to learn. I believe Jerrel fires these to Cone 6. There is a larger brick kiln in the back room that I believe we used to fire to Cone 10....don't quote me on that, though!
   

03/17/09 LINK: Health Ins. Through Potters Council

Ok, so not sure that this counts as a "fun" link, but it could be useful to anyone who wants to take pottery from hobby to career.

http://www.ceramicartsdaily.org/feature/featuredetail/2009-02/pchealthinsurance.aspx

03/15/09 VIDEO: Thrown/Handbuilt Baker & Lid

Combining Wheel Throwing and Slab Building Techniques to Create a Functional Baking Dish

Laura Ross

http://www.ceramicartsdaily.org/feature/featuredetail/2009-03/videorossbakers.aspx

So, I'm diggin' the functional stuff I think. This is a link to video of someone making a large rectangular "baker" (casserole?) with a domed lid. Partially thrown, partially handbuilt.

I liked the way she made the slab lid, and the details she showed on keeping the lid tight.

03/13/09 Red Clay, Big Pots, & Underwear

Oooo...Friday the 13th! Nothing had better happen to my pots sitting all lonely in the studio 25 miles away!

I threw a "big" vase last night around midnight. (Shush, I didn't get in there until 9:30!) It's the biggest piece I've ever done, I think. It's also red clay - another first!

Beforehand, I had gone shopping for my store (When don't I, right? lol.) Lately I can't seem to get out of a place without buying something for playing in clay. Last night this compulsion brought home:

(1) Herb Mincer - the handled thing with multiple rotary wheels? Yeah, all I saw was something to engrave the outside of a pot!
(1) Glass Iced Tea Dispenser with Spout - I saw this "recipe" for Magic Water that's supposed to be great for attaching clay to clay...and it just happened to make a gallon!
(4) 4ft Fluorescent Bulbs - the workspace in the basement would be dark otherwise.
(1) Dustpan & Sweep - I'm working with dirt. Need I say more?
(1) Dollar Bin Table Cloth - Hey! I can move another small ugly table into the gallery area at the store!
(1) Set of Dollar Bin Scrubbies - I now have so many I will never have a rough pot again.

You get the idea. No store is safe!!! lol I'm guessing if I went into...say Victoria's Secret... there would even be a gorgeous clay-colored ensemble that I just had to have for those days you just wanna sit at the wheel in your underwear.

...There's no picture for that!

03/10/09 The Blizzard Stomp

Alrighty! I knew it was gonna be a nasty storm when a meteorologist friend mentioned "Armageddon on Tuesday" in his Facebook status. I've also been predicting it for months. It's my birthday tomorrow - it always storms the week of my birthday! lol.

But this is ridiculous. I know the Post Office has that splendid motto (you know how it goes), but when the higher-ups make us postal employees go out in a currently-raging blizzard where the snow is 3 feet deep in front of your door...THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

And the funny thing is, there isn't even any mail today. They just want the P.O. box barcodes scanned and sent in on time. The postmaster in Hope went in the ditch trying to get to her post in a 4x4!

I walked so I wouldn't get stuck. Snow almost to your knees the whole way with ice under your feet is an interesting walk. On the way I saw a couple using one 4x4 to pull their other 4x4 out of the snow....in-town...IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET! lol.

I think we need a new, more realistic motto. At least for P.O.s in the upper midwest! Come on, everyone already knows it's a freaking tundra up here...pretty sure the Postmaster General himself would say "You went to work? What's wrong with you?"

So, here I sit in the store. It's closed. There's no mail. Just waitin' to hear from the postmaster in nearby Hope. I figured I'd get confirmation that my scans went through because there is NO WAY I'm making this trek a second time! lol.

STAY HOME, EVERYONE!!!!! :-P

03/06/09 First In-Progress Pieces

Ok! So I took pics for everyone to see a few of the pieces I've been working on. The images are fuzzy - time for a new camera! (Preferably a Canon Powershot S2 IS, thank you very much!!!)

It may be awhile before they're finished. The studio is getting rid of the "old" glazes and using all new, so I think in the first test firing of those new glazes I'll just put in a few sample tiles.

Unless I can't wait that long and just hope for "happy accidents"! lol.

03/04/09 Playin' in Mud Again!

I'm very excited to announce that I will finally be doing pottery again! I will be working in the VCSU pottery lab this semester as an alumnus auditing the ceramics courses.

For ten years I've been looking forward to this! Yay!

If anyone knows of any used pottery equipment, let me know, as that's my next goal. Let's hope it doesn't take ANOTHER 10 years!