And so the glazing continues… painting temoku glaze on top of the stamped impressions. I let it dry and then I wipe off the top layer with a damp sponge. That way the temoku glaze stays in the impressions and make the stamped texture really pop!

No exploded bottoms from firing my vases while they were still wet.
Even more to glaze tonight. Success!!!

So now that I’m on Instagram, and yet still not quite sure what I’m doing
I’ve been wondering to myself what the difference is for me?!

How should I treat Instagram different from blogging or Facebook?
So I think I’ve come up with a plan.

Since Instagram is really all about pictures, that’s what you’ll get.
Altered pictures. Vintage-aged pictures. Filtered pictures. Pictures!!!

However, I’m thinking that the blog & Facebook will continue to get stories & real photos. While my Instagram feed will be photos with filters!!! I figure since they offer them up, I might as well be using them, right? So if you like “altered” photos go to my Instagram page. If you want clearer, truer & straight-forward photos & stories, stay here! Or what the heck, do both!!!

So there it is… a little something for everyone!
Unfiltered or Filtered. You choose…

Tonight I started glazing… and I have a LONG road ahead of me.

I need to have everything glazed & wadded by Friday so I can load the soda kiln. I’m starting with inlaying some temoku glaze into the stamped impressions. Once they are “covered” with glaze, I will carefully wipe off the top surface to reveal the glaze-filled stamp.

As always, the Minnesota Pottery Tour was a great time.
A lot of wonderful pots made by a lot of talented artists.
And as always, I did a little admiring… AND a lot of shopping!!!
So here’s where our little online game comes in…

Which three plates did I come home with?
Of the fourteen plates below, I came home with three of them.
You’ve read my blog, seen my pottery & seen my influences.
So how well do you think you know me?… can you pick which three came home with me?

Bob Briscoe                                                    Delores Fortuna

Suze Lindsay                                                 Mary Barringer

Ikuzi Teraki & Jeanne Bisson                    Sarah Jaeger

Mary Barringer                                            Simon Levin

Ryan Greenheck                                            Matt Krousley

Matthew Metz                                               Ikuzi Teraki & Jeanne Bisson

Matt Krousely                                                Suze Lindsay

So there they are… the fourteen plate contenders. Once again, the contest…
Which three plates did I come home with?

Place your guesses in the Comments section… and I’ll reveal the results in a week or two!

With the crabapple trees in full bloom, there were continual whiffs of their fragrance wafting across the bike trail.

And sure the trees look nice in the sunlight…
but the flowers are pretty darn sweet up-close too!

What started out as a perfectly clear morning quickly changed as planes were leaving faint contrails through the sky… and as they dissipate, they kinda become fake clouds?! Another beautiful morning nonetheless.

Tonight I loaded the last bisque kiln before this weekend’s soda kiln. Okay, sure, it may not be the best & well-loaded kiln ever… but at this point, I just need to get ’em fired so I can glaze ’em.

Kiln Layer #1 – large stamped bowls and wall pocket vases.

Kiln Layer #2 – textured tiles.

Kiln Layer #3 – stamped vases, wall pocket vases and the textured slab vases I made last night. Of course, they’re still a little more damp than I would like, so I’m going for a couple hours of pre-heating with my fingers crossed.

After the Minnesota Pottery Tour, I’ve been working frantically to get “caught up” with everything I need to do. My next soda kiln is in a couple days so I’m glazing, wadding and trying to get everything ready. So I was very pleased when I got my postcard finished and sent off to the printer. I may be running late… but it will be there!!! Just barely in time. The first show on my schedule is just 12 days away! Yikes.

This is exactly why they even offer up the “Rush Charge” option, right?!

Tonight I made one last set of textured slab vases. My soda kiln is less than a week away, and tonight was my last chance to make new work… and HOPE that they’re dry in time to bisque fire!