Susan's sub-at0mic_rant

February 3, 2012

2012-02-03T10:18:00.002-06:00

A new post...got tagged by Cindy Bracker Sturm on her Facebook page...a photo from 2010 Orton International Cone Box Show http://www.coneboxshow.com/2010-award-winners/
Thanks Cindy!

no pots again, again...today

2011-07-22T08:57:00.003-05:00

Sorry clay fans,
I just don't feel like photographing or writing about pots at the moment...small crisis(es) happening around me and I'm not coping well.
I gotta be happy to make pots, so I guess it goes to say, I gotta be happy to write about 'em.

TLC gone.

no pots again, today

2011-07-11T10:25:00.006-05:00

Just got back from a wonderful trip to Taos, NM. Terry and I camped, but were busy in town or in the mountains or wild environs every day.

hiking to Williams Lake (alt. sickness....ugh!)

Ojo Caliente (all I can say is WOW!...but, ash in the water from the fires

Rift Trail overlooking the Rio Grande

Taos Box raft trip (Far Flung River Rafting with Ricus)...again, all I can say is WOW!

bought some pots...bought some earrings in SAnta Fe

ate a lot of Green Chilis...even GC beer at Eske's...great beer and pizza at Marble Micro Brewery in SF, too

visited the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum as well...really great! Santa Fe Clay as well

Terry had wonderful Marg's at Taos Inn...a great place to people watch...lemon curd cheesecake, too!

Off sometime in the future to the WHW.

no pot today

2011-06-26T11:16:00.002-05:00

I will be away from the computer for several days, besides I haven't taken an pictures of my pottery collection for a while...I ran outta piccys.

I *did*, with the help of several KCCG members and their loved ones, take down the 2011 Teabowl National. What a job!

We are looking for a new venue, so If you read this and know of a cheap or free gallery WITH pedestals...lemme know.

pot #53...beeen away soooooo long...

2011-06-22T11:17:00.003-05:00

This is just one of a set...
This is my olive oil server. I keep it on the stove on my Bill Alexander plate and my pepper grinder and salt shaker.
I traded for this set at the Smoky Hill River Festival in 2009. The mark on the bottom is 'P Frehm'. Can't find his name on the list of 2009 participants...cuz' there isn't one on the site anymore.
This piece is thrown, stamped, salt glazed and lovely.

pot #52

2011-06-14T16:43:00.004-05:00

Potter's Lunch at the Nerman Museum, JuCo with Carolyn, Nancy and Christy. Yummy.
But...onto the pottery. This is a small bowl by Anne Mulvihill of Kansas City and the Barbershop Gallery (www.barbershopgallery.org)
She also teaches at KC Clay Guild one evening a week.
This piece is eiether made of porcelain (it's really white on the bottom), carved and glazed...or maybe the other way around??? It is 2.25 x 5.25 x 5.25". Anne has signed it on the bottom with her last name.
I love this piece and I love Anne's work. She is one of my local pottery heroes. I will be reviewing another piece of hers in the upcoming weeks.

pot #51

2011-06-13T10:56:00.003-05:00

What shall it be?
Another small piece. The last few pieces on the blog ahve come from the top shelf of my dish dresser in the kitchen. I bought this at the Prairie Village Art Fair (I think)...in the 90's. I have forgotten what I paid for it...it couldn't be much as I had just bought my house. Pottery is my vice and even though money was tight, I bought a tea cup and saucer.

The potter's mark is scratched in...2 short lines intersected by a long line...like an elongated "H".
The entire set is 2.5 x 4 x 3.75". It is made of porcelain and has applied stained everywhere. What you see is what you get.

pot #50

2011-06-12T20:55:00.003-05:00

Well...the second part of today's blog has to be about the piece I bought from Steven at his KC Clay Guild workshop yesterday. It is a 'yunomi'. What is the greatest thing about this piece is that I know *how* he made it...(wondering if I can apply a little of the technique of 'stretching' to my handbuilt slab work???)
This piece has been thrown, stretched and altered, thrown again, slipped, ribbed, slipped again, ribbed, trimmed, dried, glazed and single fired to ^6, electric.
*whewwwwwwwwwww*
By Steven's own admission, there are multiple glazes...sometimes up to seven...on each pot and I guess this one is no exception.
I am drinking coffee from it as I write this entry. Yummy.

not pot #50

2011-06-12T20:30:00.005-05:00

I will start by reviewing the last weekend...clay, clay, clay.

The KC Clay Guild Teabowl National 2011 opening was this last Friday, June 10 and the Steven Hill workshop at KCCG was Saturday, June 11. I feel both were successful.

I haven't any pix of the reception (I forgot my camera), but I have a few of the workshop. I will post a few here, but will put the giant's share on KCCG Facebook page in 'photos'.

This is a photo of Steven pulling on the lip so that it will slump just a bit and change the shape...getting it ready to apply the spout and handle.

He seems so thorough and every step seems thought through. He knows his work and his techniques.

Thanks Steven!

pot #49

2011-06-08T11:17:00.003-05:00

another little treat...
I purchased this at the Prairie Village Art Fair...back in the mid-90's. I forgot who the artist is, but the mark on the bottom in Red Iron Oxide is 3 vertical slashed with one slash through the center.
This is one of my favorites and a bit of an inspiration for me. I can't tell if it is hand built from a porcelain slab or thrown and left rough. There are no seams (like I would leave). If it is thrown, then the lip was, obviously, cut asymmetrically and smooth and the piece was cut from the wheel and left as is.
A textured coil handle was attached in much the same manner as I do handles now (my inspiration)...
The piece is glazed inside and out with a clear glaze and some colored stain or glaze.
This cup is 3.5" x 3.5" (with handle) and 2" wide (w0/ the handle). It holds about 1/4 of a cup of liquid.
Sweet!

2011-06-07T18:11:00.002-05:00

New stuff. New direction...abandon old stuff and old work style.
Dislike: functional not funk-tional, sweetness, commercial
Like: easy to make, use silhouettes of other objects...bunnies, houses, birdies, trees...no glaze on outside (eliminate glaze problems...I hate glazing)...might sell more.

New shapes: cup, tumbler, saucer, trays, pitchers, cream and sugar, little teapots.

Problems: thinner porcelain, higher fire porcelain

pot #48

2011-06-07T10:07:00.003-05:00

Another lovely, sweet little thing. This one was purchased at the Brookside Art Annual a few years ago...5-7. I think the name on the bottom reads "Pishe." (?)...hard to tell.

It is very delicate...porcelain, about 1/16th of an inch thick. It was made starting with a slab base...a slab cylinder placed on that and attached, then folded at the shoulder. This makes 2/3rds of the height. "Leaves" were slab constructed and attached to the base and to themselves. Little "stems" were added for handles as well as "stems" on the leaves. My guess is that it has been stained and then glazed...fired to ^6. The entire piece is 2 1/4" tall, 2 3/4" wide and 2 1/8".

pot #47

2011-06-06T13:58:00.006-05:00

Hmmmm...takin' piccys of pots this a.m. AND trying out some new pieces and ideas.

Now...on to the work of Colleen Riley (http://www.eurekapots.com/)

She has yummy new work. These are several years old. We have been near each other at several art fairs, namely the Uptwon Art Fair. Her work is typically soda and wood fired. Go to her site and read all about it. (Her husband, Donovan Palmquist is a kiln builder and potter, too.)

This little cutie is 2.25 x 2.75". It is thrown, slightly squared off on the lip and hand decorated, glazed.

pot #46...where have I been

2011-06-02T12:01:00.004-05:00

Well...I had a lovely lunch with the 'Potters' hosted by Susan Hill on Tuesday. She has the best backyard and garden. I wish I could drop it down in my backyard...lush and cool on a hot day. Thanks Susan!

I have been quite busy the last few days and totally forgot the Blog. Here goes...

This random little, tiny vase was purchased in El Paso, Texas. I was in grad school in 1999-2001. One of my itinerant instructors was from El Paso. I guess he liked us so much he brought all of us a memento of his home town (He flew in for our classes).

I imagine it was handbuilt of the reddish-brown earthenware you see on the unglazed portion. Is was decorated with black slip, burnished and fired. It measures 2.5 x 2.25". It rocks on it's rounded bottom and it sits on my giant book case.

pot #45

2011-05-31T15:43:00.003-05:00

and now...something different. Another piece from my daughter, Fiona. She made this at Brownies and I recieved it as a present...Mother's Day or Xmas...1997 or 98. I wish I could remember.

Anyhoooo...it is a pinch pot of red, air-dried clay with various seeds and acorny things pressed into it. It measures 3.75 x 2 x 3.25".

It is next to a picture of me when I was 4 and my red SOMA puzzle...on our broken gas fireplace in the 'TV room.

pot(s) #44

2011-05-30T10:15:00.004-05:00

Another horrible piccy. I am getting lazy.

I used to get little things like this from my previously mentioned grandparents (Kerr) when I was little. I found these at a flea market or garage sale or somethng a few years ago, because they reminded me of that.

None of the pieces are over an inch tall...nor much over an inch wide. I am missing he sugar bowl lid and a teacup. They are made of a white earthenware and have wonderful handpainted floral designs on them...over a white Majolica glaze.

pot #43

2011-05-29T11:14:00.004-05:00

This piece is a bowl made in Mexico, purchased by my Grandma and Grandad Kerr...Rose and Vergil. They used to vacation there alot and my grandad probably used it as an ashtray.

It is 7" from head to tail and about 5.5" from side to side. The height is 4.5". I believe it is made of earthenware with handpainted details in slip with a clear glaze on the inside. The outer surface is unglazed, but the bottom has the location of it's creation written on it...The School of Painting and Culture, Durango [Mexico].

post Saturday...well, Sunday

2011-05-29T11:03:00.006-05:00

I had a stressful and wonderful day at the same time, yesterday. Melynda Steward, Jan Pickler, Paul Storms, Tery Cain and I just installed the 2nd KC Clay Guild Teabowl National.

With their tremendous efforts we have put up a beautiful show at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center (3700 Blue Parkway, KCMO).

It opens on June 1 and closes the 30th. There is an opening reception on Friday, June 10, 5-8pm...with awards and a short talk by the juror, Steven Hill. (BTW...Steven is presenting a demo workshop the next day at KCCG...Saturday, June 11, 9-5pm)(go to kcclayguild.org for details)

There are 90+ teabowls from all over the USA. There are teabowls from local and regional artists as well. All will be for sale *at* the opening reception and then afterwards, online.

pot #42

2011-05-27T20:22:00.003-05:00

Fabulous pieces...maybe. For some reason I love this little cornball, campy 'Arabian' couple. I bought them at a garage sale in Overland Park, Kansas about 6 years ago for about $5.oo. My daughter hates them...one more thing for the 'estate' sale when I go toe-up. They occupy antique shelf in my paneled rec-room.
They are slipcast white-ware or porcelain and are stamped on the bottom, "handpainted' "Japan'. They are commercially glazed with lusters. Each piece is 10.5 x 3.25 x 2.25".

pot #41

2011-05-26T15:59:00.003-05:00

Another Cindy Buehler! and another kinda bad picture. This lovely sgrafitto piece by Cindy is 3.25 x 3.25 x 1.75". As with the other sgrafitto piece, it was thrown, trimmed and then coated with black slip over ^5-6 porcelain while leatherhard...the slip is then carved away when the slip is dry enough.
This piece is glazed with a clear glaze on the inside and a purple glaze on the outside.
It sits on my stove...waiting for a spoon or fork to rest upon it.

pot #40

2011-05-25T09:31:00.004-05:00

It's a Cinderelish jubilee! Another great piece by Cindy Buehler. This is a nice long tray made with a 'wiggle wire'. Basically, Cindy pulled one of those spiral wires through a block of clay and then 'threw' it horizontally against a table top to stretch the form. She bent up the sides and the ends for easy lifting.

It is 15" long by 6" wide and is about 1-1.5" tall at the ends. It is made of ^5-6 porcelain, oxidation fired and glazed with a commercial green glaze.

Love it! It is great for olives, berries, cheeses, small cup-cakes.

finally!!!

2011-05-24T16:52:00.003-05:00

REVISION:
I have figured out the maker of a pot I own. Pot number #3, from March 29, 2011. The artist is Roberta Polfus (http://robertapolfusceramics.com)
Her other work is gorgeous, too! Go look!

pot #39

2011-05-24T09:18:00.004-05:00

Cinderelish...Cindy Buehler made this. I keep vase/large tumbler on my counter with kitchen tools in it. I love the blue. I have a rather dull counter top and tiles and this pot jumps out...adds life to the surroundings.
I bought this at the Crafty Chicks holiday event in Liberty last year...where I also bought a wonderful bird pin made from tiny beads.
The vase is 7 x 4.5", made from ^5-6 porcelain from Bracker's. Cindy threw the piece, coated it with black slip and sgrafitto-ed the surface so that the white clay will show. She fired and then glazed it with this great blue glaze.
Lick-able and luscious.

pot #38

2011-05-23T21:06:00.003-05:00

This is my daily salt shaker...loaded from the bottom through a cone shaped orifice. Theoretically the salt should only come out when the salter is shaken in an upward motion.

It looks like salt-fired porcelain. It was thrown and has pressed and rolled texture on the surface. The glaze may be a Shino...or is just the result of the salt/soda glazing.

The piece is 3" tall and 2.5 inches at it's widest point. No interesting stories...I have even forgotten the name of the artist...I liked it...I bought it (at the Plaza Art Fair...I use it.

pot #37

2011-05-22T20:13:00.004-05:00

Wish the picture was better...
This piece is by Jamie Johnson. She used to live in KC and was a member of KC Clay Guild. She has mooved several times...and I think she is in Austin, Texas. Before she moved we traded artwork...she wanted a BoneGuy Teabpot and I wanted one of these>>>

This is a stoneware tree set on a ceramic base. It is all attached to a particle board base. There is a watercolor attached to the board behind the tree. I have placed a tiny, tiny vase by the same Jamie Johnson in the knot hole at the bottom of the tree. I have also placed bird eggs beneath the tree. It is one of my favorite pieces and it hangs in my home studio.

The board is 15/5' x 8" and the tree is 7.5" tall. The tree is glazed, the base is stained and apapears waxed. The tiny pot isabout 1" tall and is glazed in Turquoise Oribe and a Copper Red.

pot #36

2011-05-20T11:08:00.003-05:00

Here is one of my favorites. I fell for this piece at the Pittsburg NCECA...the cup sale. I stalked it for several days...moving it around so no one would find it again. I got there late!, but somehow it was there for me. I cannot imagine why no one picked up this wonderful little cup and spoon.
It is made by a Danish artist. I have her name somewhere.
It is 3" tall at the handle. It is 3" wide and 2" front to back. The spoon, on it's own, is 4.5" long. It is extremely thin...less than 1/8". It is handbuilt of porcelain with a slightly uneven lip. It has a flat foot. The inside of the cup is covered in a clear glaze. The handle of the cup is made entirely of little handbuilt flowers...all with 5 petals. The spoon's handle is topped with a flower as well. There are no potter's marks or signitures.

pot #35...hi Bunny

2011-05-19T09:42:00.005-05:00

I miss my 'Bunny'. Sorry...I miss my daughter...had to get that in, in case she reads my bloggy-wog.

This pot is by Bede Clark. (www.bedeclarkestudios.c0m)
He instructs at my alam mater, the University of Missouri @Columbia! (He was not there when I was matriculating. One of my instructors was Robert Bussabarger.) I met him during the Brookside Art Annual a few weeks ago. I walked in his booth and surprised him taking a drag off his pipe in the back of his booth. I have asked him to be the juror for the TEABOWL next year.

This 'diamond in the rough' vase was created from dark stoneware. (Help me!) I think it is wood fired. It is 4 x 2.5 x 2.5" and is square-ish. The texture on the bottom half reminds me of having been paddled with a ribbed board. Two corners have little lug handles. There is a stamp on one side and four dots in a square on the othere face.
The glaze is white-ish in teh photograph, but actually has a lavender tint where it is thick. The bottom half has what I think is a Shino. It is a lovely orange with some speckles where it is a little thinner and meets the top glaze.

pot #34

2011-05-18T21:14:00.006-05:00

Just got back from driving my daughter to Albany, NY, where she will be an intern with Bimbo (pronounced Beem-bo) Bakeries. The Mexican bakery company is the largest in the world...just bought Sara Lee. Albany seems ok...just far away from my 'Bunny' now. Drove long...rainy, rainy days, but visited my piping friend Martha Robinson in Clarion, Pennsylvania and had a great time.

The pot...Fiona's favorite cocoa cup. I took it as a surprise to Albany for her. Thsi shot was taken on her window sill at her little studio apartment where the Bimbo Grupo is lodging her.

This fabulous cup was made by Rebecca Koop of Kansas City...owner of Back Door Pottery in the 'Northeast' section of KC. It holds a lot of cocoa...2 1/2 cups. It has a beautiful brown glaze...maybe a reduced Albany Slip with spirals of...maybe a glaze with some Rutile. I got this in the early 90's when I went with my mom to the KC Renaissance Fair in Bonner Springs, Kansas. Becky used to have a booth out there.

I had forgotten that Fiona had borrowed a favorite Michael Smith cup and had packed it as well. I do not have a picture of it, but will review Michael's work soon.

pot #33...double tre

2011-05-13T21:15:00.003-05:00

Pot #33 is by my friend Bill Alexander. I think we have know each other about 10-12 years. He just celebrated 25 years with Gayle Martin (I guess I can say that!!). Gayle is also a ceramic artist and makes wonderul clay ornaments. Bill hasn't made pots for a while, but I love the ones I do have. This platter sits on a burner of my gas stove and hold my salt shaker, pepper mill and olive oil container (you'll see these a little later). The yellow is actually a waxy, buttery color...the blue is a bit brighter than the image.

This platter is 10 x 6.5" and is about 1.25" high. It is made of stoneware and reduction fired in Bill's own kiln. It has a yummy surface that you can't really see in the image.

pot #32

2011-05-11T09:28:00.007-05:00

One of my 2010 Cone Box purchases, this teapot is by Susan Beiner. www.susanbeinerceramics.com/home.html
Looking at it now, I should have taken a better picture...better background. I was in a hurry. I will try to load a less cluttered piccy soon.
This piece, with all the accompanying florals, is
5.5 x 4 x 1.5". It's a multimedia piece...made of porcelain with stains and glazes, metal rods, foam and thread. Along with my Yoshi Ikeda piece (and my daughter's pieces) it now one of my favorites and ceramic hero. Susan is also a painter. You gotta check out her website. Luscious!!!

puppies

2011-05-10T22:50:00.003-05:00

I shot this today after I got home from Potter's Lunch*. I had to blog about the puppies.

This is Duncan and Angus. Duncan is IN the chair and Angus is ON the chair. I puppie-sit Angus a couple of days a week. Oooo! maybe I should do some dusting.

*We met at The Westside Local near 17th & Summit, KCMO. I had Tarragon Chicken Salad sandwich...all dark meat...ick. Shoulda had fries with that. I got my Cone Box pieces, too. Cindy Buehler brought them from Lawrence for me...very sweet. They will be featured soon.

pot #31...not a pot

2011-05-10T10:13:00.002-05:00

It is a trinket I got from another potter...a momento.
I imagine it started as a porcelain clay disk (1 x 1 x .25"). Then a thumb print was pushed in...stain, then name, JENORE, applied...and fired.

What you see is what you get.

Still...pot #30

2011-05-09T08:41:00.003-05:00

Kelly Mulloy's 'Pigdog' tail end.

I keep wondering what to *do* with mine.

It's mouth needs to hold something...

candy...Q-Tips...clay tools...jerky...cheez-curlz?

Time to take more pictures...I have no more.

pot # 30

2011-05-09T08:30:00.002-05:00

Another 'Pigdog' from my cousin, Kelly Mulloy. This guy is bigger...7 x 7 x 3". The first Pigdog was lucky Pot #13.
The colors and patterns are obvious. P.D. is mad of white clay that has been stained or underglazed with a clear glaze over all. I orginally thought that it was lgazed with many different colors, but NOW I think it is as I described earlier in this post.
Kelly signed her first and last name on the belly along withthe year, 1993, in underglaze.
Fun piece.

pot #29...Happy Mother's Day to all

2011-05-08T10:38:00.002-05:00

Changin' it up. the piccy is on the left today.

Woooohoooooo!

This is a little Mexican made bird. My grandma Kerr got them as gifts for her daughters in the 60's. Rose and Vergil used to 'winter' in Mexico and they would always bring back pressies for everyone. The Speck girls got Terra Cotta doll dishes and little rush seated painted chairs. My Grandma was divesting herself of things when she moved and I took several of these birds.

It is made of a white ware...low fire I'm sure. They might even plaster. There is an obvious hole in the underside...made after the firing. It's jagged. The makers name is also on the bottom...'Solis'. The bird is decorated with 'painted' on underglaze and then burnished.

pot # 28...the day of Tyrel...Tyrel Reed

2011-05-07T22:28:00.005-05:00

This is a pot from a leftover pile. Taren Scott of Edwardsville, Kansas (a little west of KC) made it. I love the red-orange stoneware it is thrown from. Judging from the trim marks, it looks like a pretty groggy clay. Taren applied a yellow semi-opaque glaze on the inside and let it drip down the edge of the lip. The glaze might have Mason stain in it. I was in an Oxidation glaze study group with Taren for 7 years and this might be on of our glaze tests. Actually, it was her idea to get a group together to test glazes. On the front of the pot is a stamp of a Ginko leaf. The same yellow glaze has been applied and wiped off the stamp to let the image show up. On the back at the bottom is her potter's mark...a rounded square with a capital T S.

The pots stands 3" high and is about 3 1/8" wide.

***

I was the total nerd and went to Miege HS to get Tyrel Reed's (of KU b-ball fame) autograph. I also got Mario Little and Brady Morningstar's.

pot #27

2011-05-06T09:26:00.008-05:00

I got this great teapot at a Plaza Art Fair...between 2003 and 2005. I had passed up buying one the year before (no money), so I saved and got one the next year.
Obviously, it has a hand made can handle. It is nearly 6" tall and a Little over 3" wide. From spout to back it measures 4.5" wide. It is made of light colorred stoneware and textured with a comb and one stamp on the left side. It is thrown...the lid is trhown as well. The foot has been pressed against a ribbed object...there are grooves in it. Love the glaze...wondering if it is wood fired as it is so simple.

pot # 28...my god I'm bored...

2011-05-05T14:20:00.005-05:00

It's raining and I can't plant my plants or train for my walk. Grrrrr.

Here they are: two tiny pinch pots from a show at the Indianapolis NCECA. They were made my students at a community center. I thought they were great.

The largest one is about 3 x 4 x 3"...the smaller one is 2 x 3 x 2". They are pinched, glazed and raku fired. Theey still had a bit of raku residue on them when I purchased them. They were a dollar a piece and I paid for them on the honor system.

POT # 27...TWO IN ONE DAY

2011-05-05T13:25:00.008-05:00

I had lunch with this potter two days in a row this week...Tuesday and yesterday. She is my friend, Mary Kay Porter. (http://www.moonflypottery.com/) She also has work at STUFF in Brookside.

We went to Cafe' Verona (off the square in Indpendence, MO) with potters from the new '323 Clay' studio ...more about that later. Yesterday we went to Avenues Bistro in Brookside shopping district during our long walk I am training to walk 95 miles in 6 days in Scotland this summer).

THE POT...sorry for the blurry pix. I *did* like the 'star' reflection through the plastic covering my ware shelves. Back to the Pot. It is a little vase or bowl about 4" tall x 5.5" wide and 4.25" in depth. It was thrown of ^5-6 porcelain from Flint Hills (Bracker's Good Earth Clays), fired in oxidation with glazes she has made. (We were in an oxidation firing study group for 7 years). I think I recieved this at a potter gift exhange within this study group.

LUNCHES...Cafe Verona good salad and coffee and BREAD ...yummy
Avenues Bistro...had a wonderful and filling quiche with chirizo, tomatoes and onions and a nice little salad.

323 CLAY...at 323 Maple in Indpendence, MO. a new studio with residents Steven Hill, Tara Dawley, DAvid Lee, Carolyn Summers, Cindy Buehler, George Chrisman, Maria Morales Kim Walsh and one fellow I don't know. Nice space...cool people.

THE WALK...the West Highland Way sometime soon.

pot #26

2011-05-05T08:29:00.005-05:00

A tiny little house sculpture by Mary Fischer. Following is the one of the url's where I could find her work.

(www.mudfire.com/mary-fischer.htm)

I bought this at the Plaza Art Fair...maybe 2007. I had been wanting a piece of hers for years.

This piece is 3.25" tall at the chimney and a little over 1.25 square. It is made of porcelain with stains. I am not sure about a glaze over all...probably not...this is just vitrified porcelain.

pot #25

2011-05-04T21:29:00.005-05:00

Michael Corney.
I bought this at the Santa Fe Clay's 'La Mesa' exhibit at Baltimore NCECA. Was that in 2006? I went with Todd Scholtz and Elly Biggerstaff. Elly and I walked into the La Mesa exhibit, late, and most everything was sold already. We walked over to the little table and saw all the Michael Corney cups. We both bought one. Elly's was a tad obscene on the back. I was already making BoneGuy cups, so I had to have this guy's work.

This piece is 4.25 x 3 x 3" and what you see is what you get. I am guessing it is thrown from porcelain, but I see no throwing rings...it is very smooth. It is pressed in where you see the drawn stain (or underglaze) eyes, nose and mouth. The outside surface is matt, but the inside is glazed. The lip is marked with cobalt of a blue stain. The foot is concave and glazed a vibrant yellow. There is no potter's mark or signature.

Fun cup! You can find his work at www.michael corney.com

pot #24

2011-05-03T09:04:00.006-05:00

Nee how (phonetic Chinese),

Yxing teapot...bought at a antique/junk store...I think near Lone Jack, Missouri. It is a typical Yxing teapot, made with red clay, unglazed (inside and out). The flange on the lid, is a good 3/4 of an inch tall. No falling off there!

The pot itself is 2.75 x 5.25 x 4". The lid is about 1.75" tall. I also has a hole right through the center (and the knob) for release of hot air. I never noticed until I now that the body of the pot is slightly larger towards the front...slanted towards the back.

There is a chop mark on the bottom. Needless to say that I can't read that.

pot #23

2011-05-02T17:20:00.004-05:00

This tiny cup is from Nancy Gardner...on the ill fated trip to the Plaza Art Fair with the boy friend who had a panic attack.

I digress...

This sweet thing is made of red-ware with commercial glaze or underglaze. It is 2.5 x 2 x 2.5 (with the handle). The opposite side has the same motif, but without the curly vines on each side of the stems.

Brookside Art Annual

2011-05-02T17:09:00.003-05:00

*whew*...it's over and I am exhausted. Taking the day off of all things clay (except the BLOG)... (and reading some clay mags)
It was a nice show for me...not fantastic...but nice. The weather was kooky...nice on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday!...wintery.

Thanks to all friends and customers who purchased and stopped by...including students from Longview...Billy, Danielle, Tracy and Jackie...you made my day! A special HI to Jeanine Akins. We were in graduate school together and is the only one of 22 I run into...ever. She teaches Art at Lee's Summit North HS. She is also the Art Dept Chair.

pot #22

2011-04-28T10:43:00.005-05:00

By Robert Lugo. I met him at last years (2010) Art Westport (art fair). I saw this piece in his booth and just fell in love with it...had to have it. I *do* have a vice and it is pottery.

I call this the Alfred Hitchcock Tumbler...can you see Alfred's image there in the red? (My favorite Hitchcock movie is 'Rear Window'...can't tell you how mnay times I've seen it.)

This piece is 4.5 x 3.5". It's made of porcelain, with stains and glaze. This is a littel bit of sgrafitto work on the sides. The opposite side has something that looks like a decal of an angel...plus more red & blue stains and more sgrafitto.

April 29 and 30 and May 1...this weekend

2011-04-27T14:36:00.003-05:00

I will be showing and selling artwork at the Brookside Art Annual in Brookside, KCMO.

I am in the center center....both 31.

See you there!

Holy Cow!...how do I say that in French?

2011-04-27T11:10:00.008-05:00

She came out 'alive' and in one piece...MarieA, 2011. *sigh*

pot #21

2011-04-27T11:03:00.004-05:00

This tile was made in Scotland. I got it on our Highland dance trip in 2003. Our group was on a bus trip to a highland games...or maybe it was an historical trip. Anyway, I bought it at a tourist trap. It is a commerical tile, made by H&R Johnson Tiles (made in England)...BUT it was "hand decorate in Scotland by Elspeth Gardner Ceramics".
I like to buy artwork wherever I go. We never went anywehre 'arty' so I was stuck buying something like this. It's cute for what it is.

pot #20

2011-04-23T19:07:00.004-05:00

This pot was made by Maryville, Mo. artist, Andy Rogers. I met Andy at the Prairie Village Art Fair in 2005. We traded pots and this is what I chose. Love it!

It is 5.5 x 2.75 x 2.75" and made of what looks like B-Mix. I love the glaze...very soft...sprayed on (?)

I believe Andy has since given up making functional ware and concentrates on sculptural forms based on the natural world.
www.facebook.com/pages/AndyRogers-Ceramics205754003109

pot #19

2011-04-21T10:11:00.007-05:00

This fabu piece is by Cathy Broski. She calls the 'Chicks on a Stick'. Originally from St. Louis, Cathy moved here to go to KCAI. I got this piece from Cathy when we traded work at my first (in a long time) Art Westport. She picked out a BoneGuy. I love it for it's texture.

With the stand this piece is 8.75 x 2.5 x 2". The piece is made of stoneware (it's hard to tell) , coverd in glaze (which was wiped off) and was fired in oxidaton.

She is in alot of outdoor fairs and teaches at KC Clay Guild.

Ooooooops, my camera was crooked.

pot #18

2011-04-20T16:27:00.004-05:00

Hmmmm, what shall it be today?
How about this piece by Nancy Gardner?
Her work is so much fun...it cracks me up! This little guy is a jar. I feel so UN-clever. =O(

His hat is the lid.
With the hat/lid, this piece is 4.35 x 3 x 1.5". It is made of read earthenware...no grog. Underglazes and or colorful glazes...I can't find any information on her website. It's a well kept secret I suppose.
Because one can't see the back, I'll tell you all about it...the hat and shirt have the same coloration and form all the way 'round, the back of the head is lavender with a yellow ponytail.

I purchased another piece the same day...the day I call "The Panic Attack". I was dating someone (nameless) and we were at the Plaza Art Fair. We had a had a beer (a Falstaff) and yummy hotdog and were taking in the fair early in the weekend to avoid the crowds. We were shopping in Nancy's booth and couldn't make up my mind. The date excused himself. Unbeknowst to me he went to get some cigs, but the Diebel's was closed. He came back all anxious and for the next hour we were on a quest for cigs. We ended up going home early so he could have a smoke. Grrrrrr.
Anyway, later dropped him...but have some wonderful artwork!
"Sweeeeeet!"
See Nancy's work at: www.nancygardnerceramics.com

pot #17

2011-04-18T15:53:00.003-05:00

This next little pot is also from Tara Dawley. This is the dinosaur whistle mentioned in the previous blog post.

It is made of unglazed stoneware...save for the horns on its head. It reminds of a Triceratops. )I love that you have to blow through its tail, too.) The whistle is about 2.5 x 2.5 x 2".

I bought another one from Tara and it will be reviewed in the future.

pot #16

2011-04-15T12:54:00.004-05:00

An oldie, but a goodie. This is a pot I got in trade from Tara Dawley before she joined Red Star...before there was a Red Star. If I recall, she didn't have a kiln and needed a place to fire. So she heard I had a kiln and I let her fire here. She let me have a pot and this is what I chose. She also gave my daughter, Fiona, a dinosaur whistle. This pot is 17.25 x 7 x 7" It is thrown from a dark stoneware. It has a semi-matt glaze over all with another glaze brushed over the neck. It was obviously fired in oxidation (at my house). Tara has added spiral coils just under the neck. You can see her stamp near the foot...it is a capital 'D' with a lower case 't' inside it. I wonder if she still signs her pots like this. It sits atop my clay bookshelf. I love having pots from different times in a potters career. It is fun to see the changes.

Pot #15

2011-04-14T14:52:00.005-05:00

I gotta love this one. My daughter Fiona made it. It is on my 'wall of fame' along with many other great pots from famous people. Fiona had just gone with me to the KC Clay Guild Holiday Tour and she had seen and visited with Tara Dawley. At the time Tara was using a chair forms in her work...in particular, as handles on lids. Fiona loved this idea, so she went home and began making chairs from slabs (with a little instruction from me). It is 6.5 x 3 x3". It is made of porcelain and glaze with some commercial glazes. Luv, luv luv it!

Pot #14

2011-04-12T09:10:00.004-05:00

The piece you see in this photo was created by Jim Sandefur. He resides in Georgia. His web address is: www.jimsandefur.com/home.html.

I donated a purchase prize at the first KC Clay Guild Teabowl National last year and this is what I chose.

It comes in two pieces.

The base is 1.5 x 2 x 2". It is made of porcelain, unglazed, rough formed to hold the teabowl.

The 'teabowl' is 4.25 x 3.5 x 3.5". It is also made of porcelain. It is glazed inside onlyand it looks like a clear glaze. This piece was thrown. I queston whether it was thrown from widest pot to the tip (upside-down) or from the smallest point to the mouth. Jim's website states that after his 'sabbatical' he began firing in a friend's anagama kiln. Is this a wood fired piece???

Anyone? Jim?

Pot #13...Lucky No. 13

2011-04-11T15:06:00.007-05:00

This is one of my cousin's pieces. Actually, she is my mom's cousins daughter. What does that make her to me? Yikes! I dunno, except some kind of cousin. Her name is Kelly Mulloy. Originally from KC, she has moved around a a little, but now lives back here in the KC area.

This fun piece is called a 'Pig-dog'. I have several. I love them. They are hand build and have open mouths and hollow bodies. It is made of a whilte clay. It appears to be stained, because the bottoms of the legs are colored. It is glazed with commerical glazes. Kelly has signed her work on the creature's tummy with the date, 1993 near that. This Pig-dog is 5 x 6 x 2.75".

Kelly also works in fibers...wool primarily. Here is a site where you can find her fiber work. www.designspongeonline.com/2005/04/kelly-mulloy.html

Pot # 12...whoops, I missed Sunday...

2011-04-11T14:52:00.005-05:00

I got this plate on a trip to Washington DC in 2002. I took my mom and my daughter Fiona...she was 13. We went primarily to see the usual...the stuff everyone else wants to see in DC.

While we were there, there was an international fair going on in the Mall. Countries had huge booths, tents and display set up in the Mall. I happened into an Uzbekistan area and found some pottery. This was all I could afford. Most everything in any cultural area was quite pricey.

Here are the facts: the clay body is tan with a slip over it, then all the colorful glazes. I think it was fired upside down as there are drips from the lip pointing 'up'. There are bubbles in the clear glaze that have been popped and smoothed a bit. (I wonder if this is a LEAD glaze??)

It appears to be thrown as I can see some throw marks on the foot...unless that was how it was trimmed. There is a big capitol 'H', with a lower case 'f' through the crossbar of the 'H'.

The plate measures a little over 4. 75 x 1.25".

a day at Brackers

2011-04-09T15:39:00.002-05:00

Today I spent part of my day at Bracker's Good Earth Clays watching Cindy Buehler's demo. She was demo-ing her slab building and sgrafitto techniques. It was fun and informative. I got to eat lunch at one of my favorite places in Lawrence (or elsewhere)...Esquina. I had a great fish taco...white fish, cabbage, plantains, cilantro and salsa...had chips and salsa as well and a Juaritos Pineapple soda pop.

Yum.

I forgot to bring my camera...so if you have pictures send them along!

Pot #11

2011-04-09T08:12:00.006-05:00

This is the first Jenny Mendes piece I bought...pre 2004, I think. Just like the Friday's piece, it is a pinch pot made of Terra Cotta. It's measurements are 1.75 x 3 x 3". It is glazed only on the inside...with an opaque white glaze. The lip is detail with black dashes and hatched dashes. At the bottom are two black birds and a vine. All details are sgrafitto-ed into the black slip or glaze. Like Friday's piece, her potters mark is 'jM', with a horizontal slash through the top of the 'j'. Now that I look at it, the image might be upside down. I dunno, you decide. Look for Sunday's pot late in the day...

Pot #10...for Friday

2011-04-07T22:43:00.006-05:00

It is only 10:45 pm on Thursday, but I will be busy with company tomorrow, Friday. So...I am going to write this early.

Darling little pot. Jenny Mendes made this. I bought it at the Plaza Art Fair...forget when. This piece cost me $50.oo, about all I could/can afford.

This piece is a pinch pot made from Terra Cotta. The dimensions are 1.75 x 3 x 3". I suspect she uses commercial glazes or slips with clear over them. I have never talked to her as she is always so busy selling. The exterior body of the pot is not glazed. The interior is glazed with e red glaze overall, with a white band around the lip. There are small black circles on the white band with even tinier dots inbetween the larger circles. A funny white bird is in the center and it is detailed in black.

Her potter's mark is 'jM', with an horizontal slash through the top of the 'j'.

Pot #9

2011-04-07T09:09:00.003-05:00

This tasty little treat is a plate from Lisa Orr. She is from Austin, Texas. She was a demonstrator at the sam NCECA (2005) as Sam Chung. The funny part is that I went to the demo specifically to see Sam Chung work, but I was mesmerized by Lisa Orr's demo. (It's a good thing they were working at the same time and I could watch them both.) A few years later I bought her NCECA video. Lisa works with a Giffin Grip and one and two part molds. She throws in the molds...removes the piece...flips molds...adds feet or lips...alters the pot in the mold and add slips and sprigs. She uses a red-ware and I forgotten what she fires to. She uses several glazes and her glazing technique is loose...very loose.

Pot # 8

2011-04-06T09:47:00.004-05:00

This pot was made by Sam Chung.

I occasionally go to the NCECA conference (the national clay conference). In 2005 I went to the one in Indianapolis. One of the demo-s that year was Sam Chung. I also got the chance to watch him demo again at Red Star a few years later. I bought this tumbler there.

It's height is a little over 5"...width is 3.25". It is made of thrown porcelain. The glazing is subtle...I have forgotten if Sam wood fires, but I do see evidence of some sort of reduction on the foot. Let's call it wood fired. The glaze is creamy, but has a dark blush moving towards the 'back'. There are green dots of glaze over the body and they have a darker blush around the edge of each.

POTS #8

2011-04-05T13:57:00.004-05:00

I went to Scotland by way of Iceland in 1998. I like to get artwork from any place that I have visited. Even though I didn't step outside the Keflavic airport I considered myself to be in Iceland (I did walk on the tarmac from airport building to the plane.)

I walked into the gift shop at the airport. I wanted some Icelandic pottery, but everything was sooooo expensive. I settled on these little tiny houses. I am still not sure what I paid for them as the items were sold in Icelandic currency. (Maybe I should look that up.)

The shorter of the two houses is 1.5 x 1.25 x .5", the larger one is 1.75 x 1 x .5" There is decoration on the front and top...resembling a door, windows and roof tiles. There is a potters mark on the back...it resembles an 'H'.

meet Virginia

2011-04-04T14:57:00.005-05:00

More pots from my long distance friend, Virginia Ostergren. Yummy!

Virginia

2011-04-04T09:51:00.010-05:00

I talked yesterday with my *invisible* friend, Virginia Ostergren. She makes the most beautiful pots. She entered both the 2010 and 2011 KC Clay Guild Teabowl National. I happen to the be the Chair of this exhibition and get to see (and load) 300 slides each year.

Virginia's have been some of my favorites.

Over informational conversations about the TBN and KC Clay Guild, I learned that her daughter Tempe is dancing with the Kansas City Ballet and danced in the recent production of 'Giselle'. I wish I had known. I might have gone to the ballet!

Virginia even came to KC to see Tempe. I missed her visit. Anyway, here are Virginia's entries from last year. I hope she doesn't mind.

POT #7

2011-04-04T09:29:00.006-05:00

Raku work by M3...that is what is scratched onto the bottom of the pot. I got this pot at a tiny gallery on the NCECA tour in Pittsburg, 2007. (This is where *I* forgot to go to the Andy Warhol Museum...duh!)

My friends and I loved this woman's work. I bought one piece and may have paid $35.oo. My friends bought several pieces and spent wads. I wish I could remember the artist's name or if I had her card somewhere.

Help!

The piece is 3 x 3 x 2.5". It is hand built with the pinch method. The surface was scraped with a rib as *I* can see scrape mark all over the surface. The piece is very round...perfectly balancing on its rounded bottom. That is why I love this pot.

The pot has been, as stated before, raku fired. There is no glaze on any surface, but obviously smoked/reduced with with ferns attached to the surface. Is this some sort of "naked raku"? Since the bottom is NOT reduced, I am guessing that the bottom was waxed and the ferns were attached with wax. I may go rifle through my cards so I can find the information on firing.

*I'll let you all know.

As with no glaze and being smoked, the surface color is greyed...dark to light. There is even a tiny bit of white (wax residue?) and of course the UN-reduced bottom is whitish.

Mystery pot.

April 3, 2011

2011-04-03T19:01:00.004-05:00

Works in progress.

Cake plates...waddya think? Are the bases to wide? Lemme know.

I am out to make new cups and a new Shiva Diva bod...the last one broke.

POT #6...I missed Saturday

2011-04-03T14:16:00.005-05:00

I bought this pot in the 1980's. I think I paid quite a bit for it in 1980's money...$25.oo. The date on the foot is 4/86 to be precise. I purchased this Crystalline glazed pot at the Brookside Art Annual.

(I will be in this show this April 29, 30 and May 1.)

The artist is Frank Neef. Read up on him at the following address:(www.potterybyfrank.com/crystalline.html)

This tiny piece is 3.5 x 3 x 3". It was thrown and trimmed on the wheel. The lip appears to be thrown and then folded over to create a rather ragged and uneven lower edge. Average crystal size is 3/4"...the smallest budding crystal is 1/8" and the largest being about 1 3/4 to 2". The base color of the glaze is green with crystals of various hues of geen, silver and a tiny bit of black or deark green. The is made or porcelain.

POT #5

2011-04-01T09:47:00.012-05:00

This gem came all the way from Australia. It was in the 2008 Cone Box and was made by Greg Daly. I am going to challenge my students at Longview to research his work and tell me all about it. When that is done, I will fill in everyone else it about this piece. My students from Longview Community College were given the assignment to research and write about the artist and his work. This is from Malaina Harrington (LVCC student): Greg Daly- Born 1954 Melbourne, Australia. He started off making a variety of work ranging from thrown functional ware, moving to large sculptural forms and miniature slip cast bone china forms. More recently he has concentrated on the decoration of traditional vessel form. He uses lustrous glazes and incorporates abstract patterns. His work is known internationally and he is also the author of "Glazes and Glazing Techniques". www.ceramics-aberstwyth.com/greg-daly.html www.gregdaly.com.au/surfaces/s01/bowllstrgsen88.html thanks Maliana! Five pots down and ??? to go....

POT # 4

2011-03-31T08:56:00.008-05:00

This is a pot by Yoshiro Ikeda. He is a professor of Art at K-State. I feel very fortunate to have this teapot. I missed out on buying one at the KCAC art auction a few years ago...just a little too much money, but cheaper than buying one from a gallery.

Anyway...I contacted Inge Balch at Baker, told her I was looking for one of his small pieces from the Cone Box (usually they are purchased before I can get there). She told me she had some in storage and I could come get one. YAY! It is the prize of my collection!

This little treasure may be made of porcelain or B-Mix. The body is pretty creamy in color. The body and lid appear to be thrown, but I'm not sure (maybe I should read up on his technique???) The spout is surely hand built as well as the squeezed together handle. The bottom is covered with 9 little feet.It is 4 5/8 x 31/2 x 21/2". There is a black slip on the body with a white crawler over that. There is a band of black slip or gun-metal glaze around the middle as well as on the feet. The middle band also has a band of red and touch of what appears of be Higby Water Blue.

This piece almost looks rakued, but there is no reduction on the inside (where there is NO glaze). There is a spot of red at the tip of the lid and each of othe 9 little feet.

I love this pot.

POT # 3

2011-03-29T08:05:00.006-05:00

I have forgotten who made this delicate, little teapot. If someone out there knows, please tell me. I purchased this teapot at the 2006 Cone Box. This teapot appears to be hand built from porcelain slabs. It has five concave sides, coming to sharp points at the seams. The surface has been chipped/loop-tooled away. The lid is cut from the body of the form and a star shaped flange has been added. The fit is not terrific, but does the job. The side and top handle are created from slabs...textured with lines and added. It is glazed white or clear inside, but the outside surface appears to have been sprayed with stain. The base 'cushion' upon which the teapot sits is fashioned from the same clay. It is heavily textured with pressed lines. The base is glazed and relatively smooth considering the texture. The teapot is 3.75 x 2.75 x 2.75. The cushion is 3 x 3 x .75". Together they are 4.5 x 3.75 x 3".

March 28, 2011...POT # 2

2011-03-28T10:37:00.008-05:00

NEWS FLASH! 04/21/11...I just found a very similar pot in "500 Teapots"...same glaze, forming method...same stamps! The pot was credited to Donna Cole!

Whaddup with that...I will have to get to the bottom of this!

I am going to open a glaze kiln later today...always a little scary.

POT #2...from the Cone Box Show. This piece is circa 2004 (I think). It is by Mika Negishi Laidlaw. http://www.msnu.edu/artdept/gallery/Laidlaw.html

She got her MFA at Kansas State University. I bet she studied under Yoshi Ikeda. She teaches at Minnesota State U. at Mankato. This teapot is 6 x 2.75 x 2.5" and appears to be made from cream colored stoneware...maybe B-Mix. Hmmmmmmmm.

It is slab built from pieces that have finger grooves or throwing grooves in the surface. There are very tiny stamp marks to act as joints/biscuits. These are spiral is shape. The glaze is mottled light to very dark green (almost black) and looks like it was fired in a reduction atmosphere.

I do not remember what I paid for this teapot, although I *do* know that it was under $150.oo, because that is the limit to what your piece may priced at.

***If I post incorrect information about your pots, please let me know ASAP***

march 27, 2011...POT #1

2011-03-27T22:27:00.008-05:00

I am going to start with my Orton International Cone Box show purchases. I love this exhibit. The show was started by Bill Bracker (Bracker's Good Earth Clays) while he was teaching at Purdue University. All entries are juried by piece...no slides...and must fit inside an old fashioned Orton cone box...6 x 3 x 3"...although they do not have to be shipped in an old cone box. After moving around for a bit, the show settled at Baker University with Ceramics instructor, Inge Balch. The show moved again in 2010 to the Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, Kansas. This was the first piece I ever purchased at a Cone Box show. It was 2002 and I also happened to be in the show. (It was my second attempt at being in the show.) This wonderful little teapot was made by Becky Posnac. She is from St. Louis and it cost me the tidy sum of $35.oo. It appears to be made of stoneware, reduction fired with a buttery green glaze. It is 4 x 2.75 x 3.25" The Orton International Cone Box show is a wonderful opportunity to have beautiful work by famous, and not so famous, artists at a reasonable price. It is also great for an artist that does not have the facilities and equipment or the money for professional images. Check it out at at every NCECA. The next show will be accepting entries in fall of 2012.

march 27, 2011...Pottery documentation starts

2011-03-27T22:23:00.002-05:00

I have decided to photograph and document all the pots in my house. I will try to remember everything I know about each pot:

WHO made it

HOW it was made...forming method, materials, firing, dimensions

WHEN it was made...WHEN I acquired it

ANECDOTES

Here goes..........

march 27, 2011

2011-03-27T21:04:00.003-05:00

Holy Cow...what a day...

it snowed

KU lost...no more Tyrel (sob)

I glazed

I took piccys of some work

I think I will begin taking piccys of all the pots I have purchased throughout the years...see if I can remember WHO made them, WHEN I bought them and HOW much. Should be daunting.

I also have to clean out a space for my new furnace!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

2011-02-24T18:13:00.001-06:00

It is snowing again...and sleeting...quite cold. I was dying to get out to my class at Longview, but no class. They are fun and nice people, but we are getting so far behind, because of the weather...3 classes missed already.

In between times at Longview I have been working at Red Star, as my own studio is so cold. I love it there. I wish KC Clay Guild was able to move so that we could have a larger space where I could work and hang out. We're working on it...it will happen sometime.

Here are some pix of things I have been working on...mainly a new plate and saucer. I also made some molds for handbuilding so that I could make bigger plates and other objects. I hope to be at RSS tomorrow to refine some itms and start another mold.

February 17, 2011

2011-02-17T08:47:00.002-06:00

Belated Happy Birthday to my sister Mindy!..Feb. 15.

Joined Red Star last week. My studio space is waaaaaaay too cold and I have an art fair to prep for...so I there I am. Made 12-13 bowls and 11 small plates. Plates were started from a mistake. I like it when that happens...something serendipitous. I am going down soon to work on cups with handles...cream and sugar...a teapots.
I am going to work on 'odd' things at my house...bone guys and related items.

KC Clay Guild got new wheels!...5 Brents in the last month...stop by for a look and a spin.

2011-01-31T16:31:00.003-06:00

I am loving the changes made by creating the pot in a new mold. There is no added foot. The lip is altered as well. I like that alot.

Off to make some more pots today. I just got the acceptance from BROOKSIDE ART ANNUAL. I have not been in that show since 2002...WOW! a 9 year hiatus. I gotta get reaaaaaaaaally busy.

I can't wait to see these with color. I need to test fire those glazes I purchased last week.

January 31, 2011

2011-01-31T16:22:00.004-06:00

piccys of the work from yesterday

...with no shellac

January 29, 2011

2011-01-29T19:51:00.003-06:00

Well, I haven't written much since last year. Ther has been a lot going on...Scottish activities, Terry leaving for New Orleans for 5 weeks. I have a mde very few pots. My studio is not well insulated and the heat just seems to flow right out the poorly designed space. The glaze area in the basement is too cold as well. Brrrrrrrrrr

I have asked my students at Longview to follow a blog or two and in grading them, I have found some new potters to drool over. Karin Eriksson is my favorite among them. One of my students is going to follow me...that is whey I am writing today.

I am going to use some commercial glaze...a silver-ish and a gold-ish glaze...because I can't buy lusters anymore (What will Eric Abraham do?)
htttp://www.ericabraham.net

2010-12-20T22:28:00.002-06:00

Yellow Queen's Cup...$38.oo

Yellow Queen's Saucer...$25.oo

Sold together...$55.oo

This fanciful teacup and saucer are handbuilt from porcelain slabs, with added embellishments. Both pieces are glazed for use and are sturday enough for the microwave. I recommend handwashing.

(to order, click the email link on the CONTACT page)

(be aware that all work will vary slightly in color, form and embellishment)

December 7, 2010

2010-12-07T16:13:00.004-06:00

the *NEW* and official KC Clay Guild facebook page is: KC Clay Guild (with the logo)(not the building).

http://www.facebook.com/pages/KC-Clay-Guild/133792773345434

November30, 2010

2010-11-30T14:45:00.006-06:00

MORE PICCYS

November 30, 2010

2010-11-30T14:31:00.005-06:00

YAY!!!
Unloaded a kiln yesterday and I am pleased with all of it...FINALLY! Kilns are such fickle things, expecially when they get theirelements replaced. All my blues came out...even the new one(although it wasn't put on thick enough).

No red stain burnout either~!

It's time to ell me what you think...I am wondering ifI need the 'insert' of texture and color...maybe the cup has enough texture on itself...maybe leave it off the saucer.

HMMMMMMMMMMMM

I like the added second color. I learned a wonderful technique at a Julia Galloway workshop. I need to refine it, but I like it. The technique makes for a longer glazing process, but I sure do like the outcome.

November 28, 2010

2010-11-28T21:13:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is my little Duncan-dog's 8th birthday. I am going to get him a Quik-Trip hot dog. Loooooove my puppy dog.

I am currently firing a glaze kiln load of cups...new cups...cup I constructed, shellaced and washed away excess texture. I glazed them with Higby Water Blue on the inside and in deep crevices on the outside.
To the smooth places outside I glazed:

tinted liner
Ron Roy's black
yellow liner

We'll see how those come out. I am going to /\5 as I don't have a /\4 cone to use. I tried /\3, but I felt those were underfired.

November 19,2010

2010-11-19T10:07:00.002-06:00

I went to the 'Ladies Night' at Sav*Art gallery last night. Lots of wonderful art to look at and BUY! I hung out with my buds, Cinderelish Andrew Johnson (and Ted), Robin McIntosh. I ate a few yummy snacks and a little wine (and Bailey's in a chocolate cup!)...and sold a few things. YAY!

I also met some other artists, Tammy Smith of 'Homemade Circus' and Christy of 'Dirty Cupcakes Pottery'...going to meet them along with Cindy at Chez Elle for lunch today. I also met Cale, a painter. Everyone was really sweet and we had a good time hanging out.

November 14, 2010

2010-11-14T15:30:00.003-06:00

I am home after a Saturday at the University of MIssouri-Columbia. I took my bf, Terry ("Mr. KU") to an MU football game and a tear around the campus. He indulged me even though he was kinda sick. We should have left right after the game, but he further indulged me and ate at one of my fave pizza places ever...Shakespear's Pizza. It was a lucsious taste treat. I hadn't had any since the fall of 2006. YUM, YUM, YUMMY!

odd fact, today is Prince Charles' b-day. I don't know how old he is...just...older than me. Is he 63?

I spent the day Friday making pots and pieces for my little galleries. I bisque fired them yesterday and today I must stain and glaze them. I really need to go into the studio and make other things on my list.
Go, Susan, go! Go make pots!

November 11, 2010

2010-11-11T23:05:00.003-06:00

Lovely morning at Terry's and the Leavenworth Veteran's Day parade playing pipes with friends.

Just want to say 'thanks' to Sav*Art on the Plaza...for the opportunity they've given me. I made my first sale...a big Santa BoneGuy! I am off to make more and rescue a few others on a shelf downstairs.

November 09, 2010

2010-11-09T21:12:00.003-06:00

3pm: I refined cups and saucers by adding shellac edges. I also made ornaments for the Xmas sales at KC Clay Guild and Eclectics...snowmen, Xmas trees and snow globes...10 each.

10pm: I will go out to photograph and uncover the work I made the last few days.

Today: I went down to the Plaza and into Sav*Art. I talked to Jenny Meyer* and walked around the store. I can't believe my artwork is in a store on the Plaza! There are other great artists and friends there...Chari Peak, Andrew Johnson, Gayle Martin...and of course Mike Savage. (*I had never seen Jenny Meyers work. It is fantastic.)
More on this endeavour later.

November 7, 2010

2010-11-07T21:36:00.003-06:00

Hello clay world,
Gearing up for the holiday season...making work, testing glazes, [trying to] figure out the kiln issues and creating a newsletter to inform customers and friends.
I went to STUFF to see my friend Amy Meya do some demos. Cinderelish and I met there and quizzed Amy about a wholesale market she and another potter go to in February. I think Cindy and I will attend and go to some workshops to learn all about the market.

I decided I like the Xmas trees that are finished. I refined the form and made some more today...5 of them. I will make ornaments and Snowmen and some cups, saucers and ice cream bowls this week.

*pictures to follow*

November 1, 2010...again

2010-11-01T22:21:00.001-05:00

Did I fail to mention that I did create some pretty cool cups and a small teapot using my techniques plus the shellac technique I saw Julia Galloway use in Lawrence a few weeks ago at the symposium at Lawrence Art Center.
I think I will love it. It will give me more opportunity for color on the outside of the pieces.

*PANIC* Ya know how much I dislike the glaze process?...this will just add to the stress.

November 1, 2010

2010-11-01T22:17:00.002-05:00

Firing again...refiring I should say.
Yesterday, I had to throw out an entire kiln load of cups and my new tumblers for over firing AND some unattractive residue from some shellac I used.
*sigh*
I am so tired of messing with this kiln. Ever since I had it rewired, the firings have been haphazard and unpredictable. I fell like I have to continually adjust the kiln sitter and fire it empty to see what it will do.
*argh*

I am taking what I can to SAV*ART on the Plaza tomorrow...crossing fingers on this kiln load AND that it will be out early enough so that I can go to Terry's on time.

October 28, 2010

2010-10-28T21:42:00.001-05:00

Pots...lots of glazing today...firing...and making some new things.

Ok...off to do something a little new, BUT I feel like I've been trying something new for 35+ years. When and where do I find a...vision(?), a statement to make in clay? I go, I learn, I see...try something new again and again and again. Whattup? I know it is a never ending process, but DAMN, I feel like I re-invent the wheel continually.

I like what I make, but they don't sell well. I hate making some item and they DO sell. JeSUS.
The art world is a fickle, fickle, unpredictable place.

*sigh*

October 27, 2010

2010-10-27T18:12:00.004-05:00

Went to Cinderelish's house today to work on pots. Cindy did some carving and I did mason stain washes on my pieces. As I dug out my pots form the travel bucket, I had several broken pieces...candy man and 2 Santas. *aaaaarhhhh*

After a yummy cheeseburger and tater tot lunch at the RetroBowl in Liberty, MO, we talked about improving our respective work. I love it when I can get a second opinion. We deduced that my work is too fragile...too much breakage from the extreme elements and thinness of my pots and their body parts.

I might:

add text
change forms
eliminate *some* work, especially the extremely fragile stuff
change up some of the decorative elements...add more...change the shape of those elements
work on color
work on new pieces to round out the bulk of my work
make more molds to press into

*WOW* looking up /\ that seems like a lot to do.

October 25, 2010

2010-10-25T21:32:00.002-05:00

In the clay world...
I made some glazes today. I repllenished my Higby Water Blue and my Yellow Liner. I am going to do some glaze tests on alternative colors with the base of HWB.

I think I am going to do the same with my YL. I have already reduced the amount of Talc by 5% and increased the amount of Flint 5%. My line glaze was a little too cloudy. I am trying to reduce the cloudy by reducing the Talc. I am not much of a chemist, but that sounded logical.

October 24, 2010...later

2010-10-24T21:12:00.007-05:00

I made a bunch of small bowls...18...an inexpensive price point. Most of them are alike, but one has a snowman face. Cornball.

I altered the centers a bit after I took the picture. I left an 'empty' spot in the center. I thought there was just a little too much texture. I needed some contrast. A few have triangular centers, from sprigged detail to detail.

I am making glaze tomorrow after my busy day working my random day job, riding my bike, picking up rat poison and visiting my dermatologist.

I am mixing my beautiful Higby Water Blue and some variations (tests), Yellow liner glaze and and some clear with a little yellow stain it it.

I found an article by Vince Patelka I want to read about stains, patinas and glazes. Sounds interesting. I don't want to use Terra Sigs or *just* slips. I can't wait to read and try it all out.

October 24, 2010

2010-10-24T18:09:00.007-05:00

It is Sunday and I spent a great weekend at Lawrence Art Center...at a ceramic symposium. My favorites were Julia Galloway, Matt Long and Dave Hintler. Got lots of great piccys and ideas. I bought a Matt Long shot glass and a multi-media piece. The piece is an edgy image of a Lawrence artist by a Denver artist Jouvelt...look him up.

I think the funniest and fun potter was Matt Long...sweet work with slips. My video won't upload, but I have some images.

October 21, 2010

2010-10-21T16:52:00.003-05:00

Getting ready for the Xmas season.

I will have work at Sav*Art on the Plaza

beginning early November.

Sav*Art will be located in the former

Banana Republic (next to the Gap Store).

I will also have Xmas themed artwork at

Eclectics and the KC Clay Guild

Holiday Pottery Tour and Sale...more

on that later.

October 21, 2010

2010-10-20T22:52:00.006-05:00

I've been working alot more the past week. Perhaps going to the gym and riding my bike on a regular basis is helping my attitude. Despite the fact that I got rejected by an online ceramic artist's gallery this week, I am trying to keep a positive frame of mind. I think I am past getting rejection notices, but I am afraid it still throws me.

I am trying some new forms. Here's a sample that included tumblers...not sure about the the foot. I keep thinkking they need to have a wider bottom to the body so that the foot will not so dainty. Hmmmmmm.

I am trying new impressed textures and shapes in the walls of my cups, too.

I include some candy jars with serving trays...and Santas.

October 18, 2010

2010-10-18T10:26:00.000-05:00

I am pretty excited, but I am gonna hafta bust my butt. I contacted a gallery and they want work by November 2. Yikes! I will be in the Plaza SAV*ART gallery (http://www.sav-art.com/)

I spent most of the day in the studio. It was hard as it was a beautiful day yesterday. Spent a lot of the day, Saturday doing the same.

I made boneguy snowmen with lids, a couple of Xmas trees, a some boats/wagons with wheels to set the bone guys in.

Susan's sub-at0mic_rant

February 3, 2012

no pots again, again...today

no pots again, today

no pot today

pot #53...beeen away soooooo long...

pot #52

pot #51

pot #50

*not* pot #50

pot #49

pot #48

pot #47

pot #46...where have I been

pot #45

pot(s) #44

pot #43

post Saturday...well, Sunday

pot #42

pot #41

pot #40

finally!!!

pot #39

pot #38

pot #37

pot #36

pot #35...hi Bunny

pot #34

pot #33...double tre

pot #32

puppies

pot #31...not a pot

Still...pot #30

pot # 30

pot #29...Happy Mother's Day to all

pot # 28...the day of Tyrel...Tyrel Reed

pot #27

pot # 28...my god I'm bored...

POT # 27...TWO IN ONE DAY

pot #26

pot #25

pot #24

pot #23

Brookside Art Annual

pot #22

April 29 and 30 and May 1...this weekend

Holy Cow!...how do I say that in French?

pot #21

pot #20

pot #19

pot #18

pot #17

pot #16

Pot #15

Pot #14

Pot #13...Lucky No. 13

Pot # 12...whoops, I missed Sunday...

a day at Brackers

Pot #11

Pot #10...for Friday

Pot #9

Pot # 8

POTS #8

meet Virginia

Virginia

POT #7

April 3, 2011

POT #6...I missed Saturday

POT #5

POT # 4

POT # 3

March 28, 2011...POT # 2

march 27, 2011...POT #1

march 27, 2011...Pottery documentation starts

march 27, 2011

Thursday, February 24, 2011

February 17, 2011

January 31, 2011

January 29, 2011

December 7, 2010

not pot #50