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!

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!
   

03/04/09 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!