I have recently heard the term “URBAN POTTER“. I had to think about this for a moment. I am an Urban Potter in that I live and work in a small city called Castle Rock, Colorado just outside of Denver.
I am also a “STUDIO POTTER“ since I have a Studio in my home and do most of my throwing and glaze firing right in my home.
I am a Colorado Potter. Since I live and work in Colorado but more importantly, my pottery takes on a Western flair. I have been working in clay for over 20 years and began in the Recreation Center Community Venue. My Studio is currently in my home and I design my own glazes from scratch. I have a computer software program called GlazeMaster where I can design my glazes and match them to unity formulas for stability.
I enjoy working with clay and produce mostly Functional Wheel thrown Pottery ith light handbuilding techniques. The kind you can cook with and eat off. I use mostly Stoneware clay in my pieces and Fire to Cone ^6 Oxidation in an Electric Kiln.. I have a shop online http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5531484 Where you can purchase some of my pieces.
I am a member of the Greater Castle Rock Art Guild http://www.gcrag.org/ If you see something on my BLOG that you like leave a comment or email me at mastarosta@gmail.com
Hope you enjoy my BLOG and visit often! If you are interested in my Process and how I make my pieces just drop me a question and I might just post the process in my Blog next time…….
18 responses so far ↓
Kim GyungMi // August 9, 2008 at 1:40 AM |
I m korean
i do like pottery too.
i add your website as my favorite
i enjoy your blog very much
marystarosta // August 9, 2008 at 3:01 AM |
Thanks Kim. Do you have any pictures of your pottery?
Tony Ferguson // September 4, 2008 at 5:36 PM |
Hey Mary, cool site. I like your extruder! Do you have any larger pictures of it? I am thinking of building one myself. Take care and keep up the good work!
Tony
marystarosta // September 4, 2008 at 7:15 PM |
Yes Tony, I’m emailing you the article I got the idea from. Hope that helps, if you need something eles let me know and if you want a specific picture just tell me what you want to see more closely and I’ll shoot a pic.
Mary
Judy // September 13, 2008 at 3:14 PM |
Mary, I just love your work! The turkey platter is wonderful! I love that you post on how to make some of your pieces. I try to pot when I can, but time is limited for me. You sure do get the creative juices flowing though, when I read your blog!
Judy
marystarosta // September 14, 2008 at 1:16 AM |
Thanks Judy! It’s just so FUN for me right now and the best part of my day! And when I can sell a piece it amazes me still. I can’t believe someone would like my work. . . it’s very cool!
Mary
Ruzanna // February 1, 2009 at 12:49 PM |
Hello,
This is Ruzan Harutyunyan writing from http://www.huliq.com. I visited your blog and liked your content.
Would you be interested to send us a guest post on any of the issues related to the topics that you cover in your blog. We will publish it in our site http://www.huliq.com
In return with each guest blog we will give one link in the author’s biline back to your blog. We only ask that the guest post ( we prefer it be a news coverage, sources can be Google News, CNN, MSNBC, Yahoo News, BBC and others) be a unique story and not be published in your blog.
HULIQ is indexed by Google News and Google requires that the length of the unique news is at least 5 paragraphs. We desire it to be at least 6 paragraphs if possible. And that all need to be a unique content. Once you send us a new story totally unique we will immediately publish it with you link in it, and within 15 minutes it should be indexed by Google News.
Please let me know if you may have any questions about http://www.huliq.com.
If you want to consult the topic with me first that’s perfectly fine as well.
Many thanks
Best regards
Ruzan Harutyunyan
Mary Starosta // February 1, 2009 at 3:23 PM |
Hi Ruzan,
Sure I would be interested just give me a few days to check out your site and see what I can come up with for an article! Maybe by Weds of next week?
Mary
natasha // April 24, 2009 at 11:58 PM |
Just made a comment about getting the ‘cranberry’ glaze from you…. would you be willing to share the red red that you finally achieved in march too?
Kristy Szymanski // August 22, 2009 at 4:14 AM |
Hi Mary,
I am so inspired by your work. I am still in awe by all the amazing pieces you have made. How long have you been potting for? I can only dream to be as creative and consistant as you!! I see that you mix your own glazes, how do you know/make sure they are food safe? Could I also be so bold to ask for a couple of your cone 6 recipes? I am in LOVE with all of the colors you use!!
Thank you for the inspiration. I was about to throw in the towel, but I think I am going to keep going with it!!
Kristy
Mary Starosta // August 22, 2009 at 6:01 AM |
Oh don’t give up, I was just telling George I always have self doubt after leather hard stage. I have been potting off and on for 20 some years. Just recently though, I began this journey of a home studio and the learning curve increases quickly. Most of my glazes are from the book, mastering Cone 6 glazes by John and Ron Roy. You can get that from your library, but you might find you want your own copy. Otherwise I have posted the other glazes I use except for HOOKER RED.
Kristy Szymanski // August 22, 2009 at 3:41 PM |
WOW….i don’t see how you can have self doubt!!! you are amazing!! I have been potting for a few years and still suck. I have recently built a very small studio at home as I really enjoy hand building. My biggest fear is poisoning people…is that a fear all potters have? I just started mixing my own glazes I heard the vinegar test is one way to tell they are food safe. How do you make sure your glazes are food safe? Also, where on your website do you have your glaze recipes posted?
Kristy Szymanski // September 25, 2009 at 10:04 PM |
Hi again Mary. I find myself back to your site looking at all your beautiful work. How much time a day do you spend in your studio? With my 11month old daughter I find I can hardly find 2 hours a night to be in mine, and I am rushing through those 2 hours. I took your advice and bought MC6G. I made five 5 gallon buckets, however for the LIFE of me I can’t get waterfall brown to look even remotly close and all my glazes are either too runny or too thick. How long did it take you to master glazes? I am once again feeling really broken about my choice to spend so much time and effort on this craft when everything seems to be failing…especially the glazes. I am glad to be back admiring your work, perhaps there is another spark of inspiration to keep me going.
Mary Starosta // September 26, 2009 at 2:03 AM |
Yikes, Ok Kristy, what’s your firing schedule? You need a slow cool from 1900F down to 1400F should be like 125/hr or 120Fper hr. If you are just using the automatic slow cool cone 6 on your kiln that maybe why? Also, I use cone 6 bent at 3 oclock. If you are flat out cone 6 you maybe firing too hot? I fire to 2185F or 2190F (depends) with a 10-15 minute hold at top temp. Hope that helps some. I spend about 20 hrs a week on pottery and than about 4-5 hrs a month selling.
Kristy Szymanski // September 26, 2009 at 11:34 AM |
My kiln is really old, so i have no idea what temperature it gets to, I use witness cones through the peep holes to determine when it has gone to temperature. I then turn it to med for a couple hours then to low for a couple hours. This is my first time making glazes, so maybe that is why they are all terrible? I guess all I can do is take out some water and try again, it’s too bad that my pieces are getting ruined. I used test tiles but they turn out so differently than on the pieces themselves. I am starting to think I was/am too ambitious. In any case, your work continues to aww me.
Mary Starosta // September 26, 2009 at 1:35 PM |
Awe Thank you Kristy, Hang in there, it will get better and take good notes, you will learn alot about your kiln!
Joan Conklin // November 9, 2009 at 5:39 PM |
Hi Mary,
I am a Canadian potter working at cone 6. I can’t get over your beautiful glazes. I have used Ron’s book but have not gotten the results you are showing in your blog/web site. What is your magic. I love the waterfall brown results…stunning. I have mixed up waterfall brown…and my first tests two years ago gave me nothing but a dirty muddy brown. I admire your work. Please share your secret.
Mary Starosta // November 9, 2009 at 5:45 PM |
Joan, I’m going to email you later tonight and see if any thing I can say will help you. I know you don’t want to hear this…but to me it’s simple, So give me sometime to put my thoughts together and see if I can help. Mary