Texture, texture… TEXTURE. Yep, a lot of that going on in the studio today! Assembling my latest batch of “hybrid mugs” with great textures made with my MKM Pottery Tools! Wheelthrown bottoms with handbuilt sides… combining to make my “hybrid mugs”!

Just doing a little stamping this afternoon!
Using my own handmade clay stamps… pressed in one by one… by one… by one…

After finishing up some class demo pieces & posting a bunch of THROWDOWN pictures today… it was time to get back at it in the studio with a new batch of mugs now in the works!!!

While sharing my textured hand rollers from MKM Pottery Tools in class, one of my Intermediate students tried to make her own version of my “hybrid mugs.” Darcy has been getting some great results by wheelthrowing a cylinder, then rolling a textured pattern on the sides & then cleaning up the rim again on the wheel. Always good to a student take your “inspiration” and then find a way to twist it & make it their own!

In between sunrises & “4×4” show times… I’ve been busy in the studio keeping the new batch of Shamrock Mugs on track. Deadlines are coming quick… but if all goes well, watch for my annual SHAMROCK MUG SALE only on my pottery Facebook page Wednesday evening. More details & photos to come! Mark your calendar!

While all of my focus has been on getting ready for “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” this weekend… I couldnt stop making mugs! Especially when I realized that St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. And you know what that means… SHAMROCK MUGS !!!

So I’ve been making some rings…
making something new & special for next weekend’s “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” show in Evanston.
Hoping these all come together… slow going one ring at a time!!!

I just took the new hybrid mugs & dipped the sides of them into some colored flashing slip. So much easier & cleaner than trying to plaint it on, while not messing up the textures & patterns. And if all goes as planned, the slips will change to some fun colors with cool flashing effects after being soda-fired!

Just pulled some handles for my latest bath of hybrid mugs. These will set-up for awhile before I start attaching them to the mugs. But not too much… because if they were to dry too much they might crack as I refine the final curves of the handle after attaching… and that would be bad.

Bottoms trimmed… one step closer to becoming “hybrid mugs”!
We just need to add some handles tomorrow!