What’s NEW?

Chicken COOKER similar to a chicken” beer can” cooker only this one you cook with the chicken in the oven.  Adding a nice sauce in the middle cup makes it boil over in the chicken.  Ummmmmm YUMMY!

Than a Platter for the Cole’s Family in Kentucky.

They wanted a bit of a swirl in the middle not just a solid color.

And lastly is a soup “pot” in earth tone colors

I choose a flat lid for this one…I thought well…it looked better NO?

Lots of Color but rather subtle I think over all!

Jan 30,2010 Hummmmm back on track!

Finally…after the holidays, cold weather,changes,killer cold, visiting relatives (always a GOOD THING)…I’m back on track.  The kiln is loaded and FIRING. . .

I think it’s just taking a few weeks break to get back on track.  Lots of reasons but most likely I just needed a break. 

Do artist’s just take time….. sometimes…..A break from clay to just get on with life and all the possibilities?  It is fear to get started?  Just a break?  loss of creativity?  Lazy?

HUmmm maybe all of the above?  All I know,is I needed a break.  Took it and now I’m back on track!  Whew!  Just a few weeks and thank goodness for the folks requesting pieces, they have been patient.  All Orders should be complete as early as Sunday!  Whew…..and My studio is clean, ready to go into 2010 . . . . . . Finally!

They are all a DRYIN and waiting to be bisque fired!

 

Paula wanted to give her father a “Special Gift”.  He likes the family name and so she thought a Platter with “The Cole’s” on it might be nice.  Here you go Paula…It’s drying and should be in the mail in about 2 wks or sooner.

Melody wanted a SOUP Tureen with a ladle.  I am looking at a flat lid for this and it’s rather wide and Deep.  Let me know if that’s what you might like?  It will have handles,etc.

“Now Jillian wanted a Beer can Chicken Roaster”.  She asked a Weeee bit late ( right before Christmas) so we agreed that I would make one but not in time for Christmas.

 This is the middle piece for the chicken and you put the sauce in the middle of this.  Bubbles up nicely into your chicken!  Glad you could wait a bit…. I think this shape turned out nice!  Will have handles,etc.

Feels like MAGIC sometimes.. . . ..

There is just something about POTTERY that feels like well MAGIC sometimes. . . .   How potters  are able to get Clay in oval shapes, and then fire it up to get platters like this. . . I guess we can get CHRISTMAS  more than once a year. . . . HEHEHEHE.

I am a bit fascinated with MATT Glazes at the moment and what looks good with them?  Blues are always a safe bet and neutral colors.

I was thinking this might make a nice dinner line for 2010?

And maybe some nice SOLID colors for BIG Azz Bowls????  And what I learned from my Plates and Platter I took to my Bowls a bit more subtle on the outside and SHARPER on the inside!

This is the outside, just in case you thought my glaze wasn’t fully melted…well IT IS!  GRIN!

And still hanging with my BROWNS for 2010!~

Sneak Peek at my kiln and new firing temps. . . .

It’s not the best picture in the world but these really DO look good!  So  I learned that with new elements, BIG BERTHA (my kiln) fires a bit hotter.  Plus, I can do a slow cool from 500-1900F no hold and then 120 to 1600F no hold and get my matt glazes.  WHO KNEW?

YEAH if the rest of the load looks this good…well I am damn lucky!  I took a chance on the 2175F temp trying to get back to my cone 6 bent at 3 o’clock and this is nearly it.  In the right hand lower corner you can see my cone 6 bending…ahhhhh that lovely bend, not too much and not too little.  Looks like I  can hold at .06 minutes and get the exact bend I am looking for but even than….this is AWESOME.  Hope the rest looks this good!  WHEW!

Ahhhhh SUNDAY morning feels so GOOD!

Breakfast in BED…..and it’s eggs and cheese Omelet, hash brown potatoes, toast with orange marmalade jam, and raspberry coffee.    I have an  amazing friend and good cook….GRIN……He’s the BEST!

Let’s see, my kiln was 37F last night so I got the second firing in.  WHEW!  I am about 1 week or 12 days behind on my Christmas Firings.  The weather was too cold to fire up my kiln in the garage even with a portable heater I bought to try to warm it up a bit.  It has to read 32F before I can fire OLD BERTHA.  YEAH!

And the weather out side was a frightful -12 degrees. Brrrrrrr  So what did I do in the mean time?  Well My Amps were reading 14,11,14  on the series of 3 which I knew was low so I called Perry up in Oregon (Skutt home quarters).  My kiln is still under a 2 year warranty and Perry, being the kind Gentleman that he is, Sent me a whole new set of elements ($268.00 new) for free.  I called my other gentleman friend ,Mike from Mi High in Denver, and he came over on Weds of last week and showed me how to put them in.  Also, Mike, added a new thermocouple as well with my new elements. I gotta tell you, we froze are BUTTS off in the garage that day. No charge again, warranty work!  YIPPY and thanks to SKUTT, you so ROCK and Mi High!

So Now my Kiln is like brand new sorta, maybe better?  I did the first firing with all the shelves in but nothing else.  Everyone says you can bisque that first firing, but I wanted to follow the “RULES” of Skutt’s advise, I figure they must know something more.  I fired it empty with just shelves to let the new elements burn off and oxidize.  They say it helps them last longer and well, I’d like to make it another 2 years if I can before replacing them.  The Amps now read 18,15,18 and my Code mode O4 Med For this heat work, was done in 8.5 hrs.  A bit longer than the book says but it’s ok!

My advise from Perry, was to get my ramp hold program a bit more cost affective.  So in my series of 5 seg.  I programmed in 100-220F no hold,350-2000F no hold, 150-2175F .05 min hold ( the test fire was a bit hot at code mode 04) So we’ll see here? 500-1900F no Hold and finally 120-1600 no hold.  Perry thought if I tweak my slow cool I might get more life out of my elements?

It’s Firing in the 5th seg now and is at 1652F so close to being over.  I’ll post pics,hoping for a good firing!  Update, my firing was CPL (complete in 11.5 hrs) last time it was 18.5 so that is an improvement and means it is not struggling to reach temp.  However, I still have to wait for results……

Later…..

Large Bowl and Ladle

Hope that helps some in judging the size of Ladle…should fit most large bowls and hold at least a cup of soup or more.

Custom orders this week is last before Christmas!

Jasmine these are the last 2 dinner plates in your set of 8 Dinner plates,8 salad plates, and 8 bowls.

Special order “GUMBO” bowls set of 4 (you know who you are…WINK)

Large SALAD BOWL to match soup bowls bought this summer.

Pie plate for that “College Student” 12 x 2 inches with a splash of  Blue highlights,will be ready for you to pickup when you get home!

Ladle handle with a bowl and one spout for pouring to the person in the Fort Collins area!  Should be ready in about a week and 1/2.

The last 3 bowls for that special order with 4 Large Oblong platters that say “Jesus Said, Feed My Sheep”.

I think that is everyone, OH and the 8 mugs can be pickup later today at my office for Wendy!  WHEW!

Fresh from the Kiln 2 clay bodies

I wanted to post a picture of what I have been working on.  2 clay stoneware bodies that I have (one lighter and one darker) with a clear glaze.

I photographed these is different places outside trying to pick up the colors.  I don;t think the photos do it justice and I’m not sure how to show it any more vibrant?  The Blak is an undergalze I use and put the clear over it.

Ok how to make 2 clay plates

I was able to get pictures of the process so I will have to explain and use pic’s I already had. 

First I take 2 clay stone ware bodies (cone 6) light and dark works best.  I wedge them together ( the more wedging the finer the lines are).

Than I put the clay on my slab roller and create a slab of the clay big enough to fit on my mold.

I made this plate mold from a thrown  plate.  I used pottery plaster to make the mold and put to little holes on the bottom of the mold for my pins on the wheel.  I suppose you could just use clay to secure the mold to the wheel as well.

I place the slab on this mold and I am basically throwing the plate upside down and forming the foot of the plate.  When it dries enough to remove, you will see the two-tone clay on the face of the plate.

Happy PLATE making!