I just posted a video of my recent work. The work is either woodfired, reduction fired, or cone 6 fired. If you have any questions dont hesitate to ask.

25th Anniversary

About two weeks ago I helped to fire the East Creek Anagama. This was a very special firing as it was the 25th anniversary firing of this kiln. All of the pots turned out very well and I am extremely happy with the results. Although I could ramble about the pots, I think I am going to just let the pots speak for themselves today.

Cups and Style

I made some cups this week. I made them by texturing the outside and then pushing them out from the inside. I'm still just playing around with the form of these cups and they are still very Simon Levin 'esc. These cups range from tea bowls to sake cups. I like the forms and I think that I have some good new ideas to go off of. I am struggling to make them my "own", but I think that will come in time.

This brings up another point. I have been talking and thinking a lot about personal style. Ceramic arts daily recently posted an article of Simon Levin's that talks mostly about self critique but also brings up some good points about style. Simon brings up the point that he would rather make good pots than make bad pots for the sake of originality. This point really speaks to me and I think it is very valid. The topic of pots being original and "your own" is a major concern of the ceramics community currently and I think that it may be a little over emphasized. A lot of bad pots are being made today simply for the sake that they are original or new. I think that this is a very wrong approach to making pots.

Although this may seem like a desperate way of me justifying copying other potters it is definitely not. I am fully aware that I copy others pots. I believe that finding your own style or voice is very important and I am practically obsessed with the idea. I am extremely envious of potters who have found their "style".

Back to Simon's point. The ceramics community is very generous with sharing techniques and glazes and anything else you are interested in. With resources like YouTube, blogs, and workshops it is easier than ever to copy others work. A lot of time this copying happens subconsciously. I have found that controlling the impulse to copy starts with copying the pot you are inspired by as best you can. Say you find a mug that you are very inspired by. Sit down and throw ten of this mug. As you go you will find qualities that you like and dislike about the pot. Then make a second series of the pot and emphasize what you like and discard what you don't. This process will eventually lead to "your" mug. This is a very over simplified description of the process and it is definitely easier said than done.

Well thats enough rambling for now. Please let me know what you think about style? Is it over emphasized? Is it important?

Continued Direction

I have continued in this new direction. I have been making some pots and just trying out new techniques. I feel like I am getting back into the fun of making pots rather than the routine restricted feeling that I have been stuck with for a while. I have been trying everything that comes to mind without dismissing ideas because "they don't fit my style". I like the idea of taking something and making it your own, in this case a certain technique. One of my main concerns at this point is texture. I like the idea of showing the textures that are left behind in the making process. My favorite being trimming lines/marks. These being the almost horizontal facets that a wide loop tool creates. I feel that, when done right, these lines show confidence and spontaneity.

Another technique that I have been working with is paddling. After making a couple of pots, the technique that I found works best for my desired result is as fallows. A bulbous form is thrown to the desired final shape (maybe a little less bulbous than desired). Then, before turning the pot over to allow the foot to dry (for me the next day) the pot is re centered on the wheel and, with a hand supporting the inside, beaten with a textured paddle. Then, a rib is used to push the form out from the inside to make the pot round again as well as finalize the shape. The pot is then allowed to dry further and is trimmed and finished the same as any other pot. I am still working out how to make bottles and other small necked pots with this technique. It is also difficult to do with smaller pots.

I have been using up some porcelain that has been sitting around for a while. A couple of months ago I was considering switching to working exclusively in porcelain (why I have porcelain). I eventually decided that I did not want to make the switch. The two pots above (lidded bowl and small bottle) were made from some "poor mans porcelain" that I tried out. The body is called "Hanjiki Porcelain" and is made by Georgie's Ceramic Supply.

Another change I am working on with this new direction is the feet of my pots. Before I would add two parallel concentric lines to the inside and outside of the foot ring and then sign and date it. I am currently favoring this style of foot. I trim the foot the same as I used to and then "mess up" the outer edge of the foot with my fingers. I also made a stamp that is simple but effective. I think that with this "new direction" I am trying to convey a more simple look, stripping the pot of many unnecessary details to allow the form and surfaces to stand out.

I think that my main idea is to capture the "done with ease factor", "Rakuness" as Soldner would say. Although it may be ironic to talk about something that I want to seem natural or easily well done(for lack of a better term) I think that it is a point worth mentioning. I am (very clearly) having trouble putting this into words, but that is why I am a potter not a writer.

Cone 6

I have talked a little bit about some of the cone 6 glazes I have been messing around with and finally got some finished pieces. The dark amber glaze is a glaze that we have had in the studio for a while. I like the glaze but it could be better. The off white matte is a glaze that I made from a recipe I got from Jeff Campana. I took the base recipe and tried some line blends with different colorants. The glaze I liked ended up being the base with 4% rutile added. I like the way the glazes turned out; however, I have since got my reduction kiln working and am starting to test glazes for cone 10. I think that the accessibility and ease of firing in an electric kiln is very attractive, but I don't think that it is what my pots want right now.

New Teapot

I trimmed and assembled this teapot today. I put the plaid pattern I've been working with on it and really like the way it turned out. I also tried a new spout that I think worked out OK. The biggest change in the spout is that it has that little ball shape at the base. This allows me to cut the bottom of the spout to get a better angle. I also made sure to make the handle plenty wide and generous in size as I have somewhat a phobia of thin weak handles. I also think I improved the shape of the pot by making the belly start lower to achieve more of a spherical form. All in all I really like the way it came out, tell me what you think!

Concentration Progress

I have been working towards completing my concentration and finally got around to finishing these mugs. Ive been working particularly on my handles and am getting more confident about them. I feel that I am getting the size and shape of the handles just about right for two fingers. I used my regular process of making prototypes and then choosing a shape to duplicate. I feel that this helps to develop the form as much as possible before making multiples.

Speaking of prototypes I made my first prototype for a set of plates I plan on making. I like the shape and I feel that I have a good base to go off of. I like the relationship between the squarish outer edge and the round interior. To make this plate, I threw basically a dog dish. I then cut the rim from one corner to the next. I then pushed the rim down flat to make it a plate. Then before trimming I ran a sure form around the outer rim to sharpen up the shape. I am happy with the way it came out and plan to make my set similar to this one.

I just fired my reduction kiln yesterday and plan to make a post on that in the near future.

Video: trimming bowls

I saw Brandon's post (support your local potter) the other day and thought I would have a go at making a video. I just happened to be making a set of bowls for my concentration and thought it might be interesting for you all to see me trim one of them. I didn't think to make a video of throwing them so that will have to wait. I apologize for the terrible video quality but I think it still serves the purpose.

Semi Productive Weekend

This new pitcher form is I think just about right. It was thrown in two sections inspired by a video I saw of Linda Sikora on the craft in America website. I feel that, as Linda talks about in the video, throwing in sections really ads a lot more potential for interesting forms. I like the clean break between the belly and the neck. I think this is pretty much my ideal pitcher form and I will definitely continue to work with this process.

These new mug forms are essentially the hand cup "yunomi" style cups that I showed in my last post, but with a handle. Although these cups are originally inspired by Tom Turners cups I feel like I am slowly moving away from his design. After visiting Tom it has been really hard for me to break away from his influence, probably because his pots are so good! My main influence for putting a handle on these cups was from Don Sprague. Don has started to work with making tumblers/yunomi/whatever out of the same form as his mugs. I think that this is a very cool freedom because it allows you to do what the pot calls for, rather than deciding right away whether it will have a handle or not.

I have been working towards throwing larger forms, this one is about 6.5 lbs and about 9x9 inches. I like the form a lot and will probably leave this with no surface decoration and save it for the wood kiln. I find that the wood kiln helps to emphasize a good form while the electric kiln can make them very static and boring.
I have been making a lot of jars recently simply because that's what I feel like making. I tried out some new ideas on these two and I am reasonably happy with the results.

All in all I would say that I tried out some good ideas this weekend and have some good stuff to go off of. I am still working on getting up the second "journey of a cup" post which SHOULD be up in the next week or so.