pots and other things

SHOW ACCEPTANCE

2008-03-11T22:04:00.005-05:00

___________________________________________________________________

yesterday i received notification that i have had work accepted in two national level shows. the oval baker above was selected to be part of the 16th STRICTLY FUNCTIONAL POTTERY NATIONAL which will be on exhibit at the Wayne Art Center May 27 - June 27. http://www.wayneart.org/ the entire show will then be online at:

http://www.strictlyfunctionalpotterynational.net/

and this teapot will be part of INFUSION 10x10 at Craft Alliance Gallery in St.Louis May 2- May 22. http://www.craftalliance.org/

NEW GALLERY

2008-03-01T16:06:00.002-05:00

Charlie and Sherry Blim, the generous folks behind VASEFINDER www.vasefinder.com

have given me gallery space on their website. You can find it under POTTERS GALLERIES.

thank you Charlie and Sherry

Winter

2008-01-08T06:05:00.000-05:00

with the holidays over and Winter descending ( 50 degrees here this week in N.H. - go figure ) we have decided to close the studio and not spend the money on propane to heat it. we are in rental space now, but when we build our future studio, i plan on having a Kachelofen, a type of wood burning tiled stove providing radiant heat. the Dec. '07 issue of Ceramics Monthly ran an article about them and a ceramic artist in Canada who learned how to build them in Europe. see http://www.stonehousepottery.com/ they are quite beautiful structures in themselves and one in a living situation would also be ideal.

here is what Mark Twain said of them in 1891

" the German stove - Kachelofen - is by long odds the best stove and the most convenient and economical that has yet been invented. one firing is enough for the day; the cost is next to nothing; the heat produced is the same all day, instead of too hot and too cold by turns; one may absorb himself in his business in peace; he does not need to feel any anxieties of solicitudes about the fire; his whole day is a realized dream of bodily comfort.
the American wood stove, of whatsoever breed, it is a terror. there can be no tranquility of mind where it is. it requires more attention than a baby. it has to be fed every little while, it has to be watched all the time; and for all reward you are roasted half your time and frozen the other half. it warms no part of the room but it's own part; it breeds headaches and suffocation, and makes one's skin feel dry and feverish; and, when your wood bill comes in, you think you have been supporting a volcano. "
from " Some National Stupidities, " from
Europe and Elsewhere, Harper & Brothers, 1923

because of the complex flue structure lined with a lot of thermal mass, Kachelofens are able to radiate constant, even heat for 12 - 24 hours. the small, high temperature fire of a Kachelofen burns at 99% efficiency, which surpasses modern gas or oil heating systems in emission tests. Kachelofens can be created to heat one or more rooms, installed with an oven and/or stove for cooking, designed to heat some of the home's/studio water, or used in conjunction with solar panels.
a big investment, but one worth the efficiency and aesthetics.

and remember - what would Scooby Doo?

have a good Winter. i will post as i find things that pique my interest. i've begun thinking about what work i will do when i get back in the studio in the Spring, sketching and buying tools ( a weakness ).

adios amoebas ~

KITCHEN FUN

2007-11-12T18:45:00.001-05:00

while getting dinner going tonight we noticed how light played through a measuring cup and made an interesting image. the counter was cleared and the camera fetched ........

only one image was doctored other than sharpening. this counts as " other things ".

WOODFIRING

2007-11-11T08:40:00.000-05:00

this is a picture of Michele and the N.H. Potters Guild kiln. it is designed to be fired with propane or wood. Michele and i took part in a Guild woodfiring last weekend, Nov. 3-4, one of several firings a year that include anyone from the Guild who is interested in taking part. our shift was on Sat. night from 7 p.m. until the wee hours of Sun. morning. since we live about 3 miles from the kiln location we went back and volunteered some more time Sun. afternoon. the kiln was unloaded yesterday and we all got some nice work. the firing went until 1:30 a.m. on Mon. the 5th. and reached cone 11 at least. i will get some pictures taken but in the meantime thought i would post some pictures of pots that have been fired in this kiln previously.

four mugs

ice cream mugs

bowl - about 6" diameter

triangle vase

this vase was included in the Vasefinder Nationals 2007

www.vasefinder.com

pedestal fruit compote

these pieces are still available for purchase. please inquire about prices/shipping.

jzpots@metrocast.net

603-942-7113

MORE NEW WORK

2007-10-28T16:28:00.001-05:00

here is some more new work from the last two firings.
square bowl

two small caseroles

drinking bowl

8" serving plate - thrown with cut rim

two more coverred mugs

and a fruit bowl/compote

the wood firing is on for next week with the loading beginning mid week. Michele and i are looking forward to a night under the stars feeding wood into the firebox.

NEW WORK

2007-10-26T05:30:00.000-05:00

it's been a while since i have posted images of new work. these pots come from the two most recent firings - in Sept. and just last Sat., Oct 20th.
first up is a drinking bowl. i've started refering to these pieces that way since watching a video of Pete Pinnell talking about cups. the glaze is a Binns rutile with some cobalt carb. and chrome oxide added. dusting with wood ash when the glaze is wet brings out the turquoise color. i'm always striving to introduce that color in my work.

if i have a signiture piece it is this covered mug. again, it is the Binns rutile glaze on white stoneware with temmoku inside and overlapping on the top part of the mug.

these are two small teapots. they are sitting on a 9" firebrick so you can get an idea of their small size. i made them to enter in a small teapot show. i think the title of the image should be

" T41x2 " tea for one x2 ...................

........... and an oval teapot. i made two of these - similar, but different proportions - also with the thought of entering them in a teapot show.

a pitcher with a glaze combination of sprayed blue ash glaze, covered with a dip in

my " wheat " glaze. with dots of orange in between. there is just a little copper in the wheat to give it the color and just a little wood ash as well. this pitcher is white stoneware and i find this combination works better on it than more iron bearing clay.

a 1.5 quart casserole. i've had this glaze for years and haven't known what to do with it. it is a fritted glaze that, originally, was teal. i took out the coloring oxides and added my own combination of cobalt and copper. the handle is dipped in Temmoku, as is the inside. and just a bit of wood ash dusted on the lid. on white stoneware. i'm happy with the way the glaze highlights the decoration which was done with a broken bit of seashell and some stamps i made just after trimming.

and a large 2 -4 quart casserole with the blue ash/wheat glaze.

.......... and another 2 - 3 quarter with my most popular glaze combination.

i have set up a PayPal account to handle online sales. please contact me if you are interested in any of these pieces.

jzpots@metrocast.net

603-942-7113

History Lesson

2007-10-17T07:49:00.000-05:00

along the lines of the previous post ........ i'm often asked about the history of the potters wheel. where it originated and how long ago, etc.. my stock answer has been " well, it's considered the first machine ...... " and pretty much left it at that. mostly because i didn't have a better answer. Ceramics Today website has a wealth of information and i found this link recently about the history of the wheel

www.ceramicstoday.com/articles/potters_wheel.htm

now i can add a little bit more to my answer and really be a geek/nerd. after the invention of the wheel i think the second greatest invention was electricity to make the thing go 'round. i still prefer a live flame over electricity to fire the pots though ........ and along those lines i'll be getting a firing in this weekend and will have images of new work to post. didn't get any pics taken after last months firing, so some of that work will be posted as well. this will be my last firing for the year. gonna close up the studio after the holidays and not heat the place. i'm sure i'll find plenty of stuff to talk about here over the winter.

adios amoebas ~

ADJUSTMENTS . . . .

2007-09-02T07:23:00.000-05:00

making pottery is a lot like playing baseball ....... one is constantly making adjustments. there is no really good way to throw - sitting, standing ........ like most potters i learned to throw sitting hunched over at a wheel. after a ruptured disc caused by kicking a flywheel i started to throw standing. this was great for a long time but has it's drawbacks also. keeping your foot on the pedal causes one to keep most of one's weight on the left foot and cocking your hip so your spine is out of alingment. here is my latest adjustment. i got a stool and set it at an angle, padded the seat for my butt and now throw " sitting " with my legs in a more relaxed outstretched way. it's kinda like riding a motorcycle now. and i find i can keep my back straighter and get right over the wheel head. i'm liking the new setup, but if i drop anything it's a real bother to get off and pick it up. once i'm up there i want to stay awhile. we'll see how long this feels good.
here are some pieces i'm having fun with lately. a couple cruets that were thrown and then attacked with a pony roller.

the first of a series of square dishes. i had a couple drape molds made by a woodworker friend and have gotten the idea worked out. this is the only one that has been fired so far.

and a couple things drying - an oval baking dish and a squared, cut rim serving plate. i'm bisquing and have begun another glazing cycle in preparation for a couple firings later this month

please inquire about availability and prices.

jzpots@metrocast.net

603-942-7113

2007-08-14T14:43:00.000-05:00

NEW WORK

following is work from the two most recent firings.

porcelain cup

this piece and the next one were made for "DRINK IT IN " - a show that will be at the Worcester Craft Center in Worcester, Mass. this Fall. i have just begun to work with porcelain on a regular basis and while i don't really like throwing it the glazes look so good on it i make myself use it. i tend to work fairly small which helps

the following three pieces are teabowls made with white stoneware and glazed with a combination of sprayed slip, orange matt and sprayed blue wood ash glaze.

this next piece is a covered sauce pot and is made from porcelain and glazed with the same combination as the teabowls. it is lined with temmoku.

this is a serving plate that was thrown and the rim cut when leatherhard. it is 10" diam. and is glazed overall with a Shino type glaze, dusted with wood ash, dipped in orange matt, sprayed with blue wood ash and trailed with a wheat colored glaze and white.

the following two shots are a new glaze combination that i am very happy with and look good on functional ware. the pitcher is 9" ht. the spoon jar 10" and the covered mug 7"

and this last piece is a platter that is 16" diam. slip trailed with thick white slip when leatherhard, dipped in orange matt, sprayed with blue wood ash with more wood ash dusted on top.

please inquire about availability and prices

jzpots@metrocast.net

603-942-7113

2007-08-14T10:40:00.000-05:00

KILNGODS

potters are a superstitious lot. there is so much that happens unseen during a firing that the idea of using a figure to watch over and bless the firing came into being long ago. some of us that fire " by the seat of our pants " still find the idea valid ......... and fun. those that fire with the aid of a computer program probobly find the idea quaint, and maybe silly. i have come to a feel for what is going on during a firing by observing the flame at the burner, the amount of backpressure that occurs when the spy hole is opened, the look of the exhaust from the chimney, etc.. you might say i need all the help i can get. i'm starting a collection of kilngods from every firing. they are quite small. the mexican looking fellow below is just several inches long.

and this cowboy - buddha is even smaller. he kept watch over the the firing before the most recent, and the mexican fellow the firing before that.

i fashion them just after bricking in the door of the kiln and they get glaze fired in the following firing. they have been good to me and i will post some images of the two most recent firings.

Demonstration

2007-07-28T06:31:00.000-05:00

yesterday, Michele and i travelled to Center Sandwich, to the League of N.H. Craftsmen gallery there, to demonstrate for the day. in 1926, Mary Coolidge started a shop to sell handmade work and named it Sandwich Home Industries. http://www.nhcrafts.org/center-sandwich.htm in 1932, the Industries went on to become the founding member on the League of N.H. Craftsmen. Center Sandwich is in a very beautiful part of N.H.. near Squam Lake where On Golden Pond was filmed. we felt priveledged to be able to spend the day there making pots and talking with customers to the gallery. Corner House Inn http://www.cornerhouseinn.com/ a great restaurant and Inn, is right across the way from the gallery. yesterday was our second trip to Ctr. Sandwich - we delivered pots to the gallery earlier in the month - and has become our favorite spot to visit. i have already talked with the gallery about coming back next year to do another demonstration and teach a class.

and speaking of demonstrations, we are scheduled to demonstrate at the League gallery in Meredith, N.H. next month and also at the League gallery in Littleton in Sept..

there have been two firings since i posted shots of new work and i will get some of that work photographed and on here soon.

enjoy the summer ~

Glazing

2007-06-18T07:36:00.000-05:00

On Sat. I was talking about glazing. Here are some pictures of where that stands. The first shot is of my spray booth made from cardboard, duct tape and some nifty plastic fasteners that aren't visible. i spray a thin coating of slip on the bottom portion of pots that gives the clay some richness. It really is adding another " skin " of clay. You can see that in some of the shots. Also, that eliminates the need to wax the bottom of pots. I don't care for wax lines - they're too sharp. I've been spraying glaze more often as well as it allows for subtle layering and gradation. My spray gun gives general coverage and it might be fun to get an air pen at some point for spraying finer lines. This firing will include glaze tests using white stoneware and porcelain with the sprayed slip and some new glazes and combinations of glazes I've been using for some time. Also I want to mix up a concoction of soda ash, baking soda and salt to spray on top of glazed pots to see if it will approximate a salt/soda look. i was given some silica sand that was wedged into some porcelain and it looks great in a wood firing incorporating an addition of salt/soda. My aim is to see if that can be done in a regular gas firing. It could work ........

size does matter. or at least make a difference . . .

2007-06-16T19:21:00.000-05:00

I'm nearing the end of a glazing cycle and loading the kiln as i go. it's a 60 cu. ft. kiln and holds a lot of pots. i do all my own work and it seems to take forever to get the pots in, the door bricked up and get the thing going. i think it would be great to have a smaller kiln and be able to fire more often. i always have glaze tests in every firing and am anxious to see the results.

i DO have a small guitar amp. it's a Fender Blues Jr. and it's all of 15 watts. that's not much when you consider players like Hendrix used STACKS of amps of 100 watts or more apiece. the thing about small amps is that you can really drive the power tubes 'til they distort and yield that " break-up " tone. ahh ...... the quest for tone. not too far removed from the constant tweaking of glazes. it's all the same to me, anyway. " lookin' for the heart of Saturday night ".

as soon as i can get this firing done there will be new images of pots to put on here. 'til then

happy trails ......

New Work

2007-05-11T05:48:00.000-05:00

some new pots from a firing on April 21. the teabowls are small - about 4" in diameter. teabowls are "potter's pots". a favorite form we like to explore, born of the ancient tea ceremony/ritual. i'm not Asian and don't even drink Lipton very often but enjoy visiting this form regularly. it's a chance to "stretch out", in muscian's terms, and jam a little.

i've had numerous requests to make garlic keepers and have found them to be a popular item. they are 7" in height and retail for $35. just got a nifty hole cutter and used it on the latest batch that are in the bisque kiln right now.

the teapot has a spout that is "pulled" like a handle, cut in half, hollowed out and rejoined and attached to the pot. a lot of tedious work but it produces a gracefully curved spout. this is my first teapot with this kind of spout and i see doing many more like it.

all of these pots were sprayed with glaze. one can achieve subtle layering this way.

i'm well into another cycle of throwing and will be firing again in a month's time. it would be great to have a smaller kiln and be able to fire more often. mine is 60 cu. ft. and it takes a lot of pots to fill it.

jz jzpots@metrocast.net 603-942-7113 www.jzpots.com

In The Works

2007-02-05T06:44:00.000-05:00

well, good morning. just got back from starting another bisque load and it's COLD here in N.H.. 2 degrees to be exact. thought i would post some shots of things in the works. these pieces have been thrown, and assembled in the case of the pig banks, and are drying. i like taking pictures of pots at this stage. something about the surface .......... they almost look like black and white images. we're doing the Boston Gift Show next month as part of a multi-participant booth sponsored by the League of N.H. Craftsmen, and we're taking the piggy banks to offer to the wholesale market. hoping they'll be a hit !! i've made so many of them i have it down and can generate cash flow with them. gotta do a little more work on the kiln. have discovered the second stage regulator that was part of the system when i acquired it isn't designed for that application and is acting as a restriction and has to be removed. i'm counting on good 'ole Home Depot to come to the rescue and thread some pipe. the kiln should fire like a rocket ship after the change and i'll have to make sure it doesn't go too fast. but i need it to fire as efficiently as possible with the price of propane being what it is.

guess i'm rambling now ....... i said i would probably talk too much.

one more thing - Michele's brother Paul built a light box for taking images and we tried it out last Fri. night for the first time. i'll be borrowing it and working with it, so will get the results posted.

adios amoebas ~

2007-01-09T06:51:00.000-05:00

mugs

2007-01-09T06:36:00.000-05:00

mugs are the most intimate item a potter makes. they get used often. choosing the right mug for that first cup of coffee is the first decision of the day. mugs are most likely the first form a potter masters. and they are all about the handle. well made handles make the mug successful. handles also become a stylistic trademark. like achieving your own " sound " as a musician, handles become recognized as made by a particular potter. i still love throwing 100 mugs in one sitting. after the first 5 or 6 it becomes a meditation ........ lately i have been stamping designs into them before attaching the handles. the mugs pictured above are made with a white stoneware, sprayed with slip and glazed with an amber glaze, fired to ^10 in reduction.

more coffee ................

Rules . . . . .

2006-12-30T07:14:00.000-05:00

John Cage wrote " ten rules for teachers, students and anybody else. "

rules about no rules, really. good rules to live by. i can't say i understand his music very well but i admire his attitude toward it.

Solstice

2006-12-21T06:12:00.000-05:00

tomorrow is the Winter Solstice - the shortest day of the year. oh yeah, Christmas is right around the corner too. my buddies, Daniel and Joseph, who i mentioned in the previous post,helped me to understand that the holidays we celebrate are connected to the Earth's trip around the Sun, and to the thinking that existed before Christianity. no one knows the actual birth date of Christ, so it was deemed a good idea to use the Winter Solstice, since it was already being celebrated. our Christmas holiday was " piggy - backed " onto the pagan observance. and look into the history of Coca-Cola to find out why Santa Clause looks the way he does. in Europe, where Christmas began, he is depicted as tall and lean. that guy could more easily get down one's chimney. hmmm ......... start piercing the veil. it's a whole lotta fun !!! so, what does all this mean? we are still connected, in our thinking and actions, to something bigger ....... though we don't know it. i just came back from turning a kiln on and it is starting to get light in the Eastern sky and the traffic on Rt. 4 is picking up. being a potter is a lot like being a farmer. once into a cycle of production it is a daily thing. and i mean every day. seven days a week. it's a privilege to be able to work like this and to be outside before the Sun comes up. and to have this quiet time of day to think about it all ......

go in Peace

other things . . .

2006-12-19T07:35:00.000-05:00

OK ...... so i'm a potter ..... but i intend to have different links and what-not here on my blog. the " usual suspects " in terms of pottery books, magazines, links, etc. are pretty well covered. if you are reading this you most likely have an interest in pottery and are already aware of all that stuff.
that being said, some interesting reading can be found in the work of Daniel Quinn. how we got to this point from the advent of agriculture. the first book of his that i read was My Ishmael and it was a real eye opener. don't be fooled by the seemingly simple writing.

along the same lines another hero of mine was Joseph Campbell. i recommend The Power of Myth, and that can be digested most easily in the interview format with Bill Moyers on dvd. his phrase " follow your bliss " keeps me making pots ............ and music. more about music and guitars especially in future " other things " blogs.

lovecompassionhumor and good Rock & Roll.

2006-12-15T23:11:00.000-05:00

ahhh ....... the female form. Artists have been intrigued by it forever. And for a lot of us the love of women draws us to capture that spark. Or edge ........ I have just recently started making these " lady " pots and they are a nice change from throwing - they start out as thrown but are then finished by hand. And each gal is different with her own personality. It's about time to start a couple more. They have been getting more life like as they go along. I may have to find a gallery that deals in erotic Art

5 1/2" ht. celadon glaze cone 10 reduction

bread plate

2006-12-14T13:16:00.000-05:00

7" diam. sprayed slip and glaze cone 10 reduction

My Logo ..........

2006-12-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

........... was drawn by hand using a Sharpie on paper that was attached to my wheel. Eric Ott, who built my website then scanned it and made it red. I use it on my business cards and other two dimensional things. All of which are just as important as the pots themselves as they become associated with the work and the maker. Byron Temple is my biggest influence and he was known for taking as much care with the things that represented him and his work as with the work itself.

The spiral ..... it speaks of how clay is formed on a potters wheel and is a design element commonly found in nature.

Day 1 ..........

2006-12-12T06:40:00.000-05:00

Greetings.

I have created this blog to post pictures of current work and to exercise the part of me that likes to put things down on paper ........ in this case via keyboard and electrons. As we know everything is connected and an interest in Art/Craft/Music, etc. leads to many fascinating places.

onward .............