Spent the day with a bunch of great kids at Vernon Hills High School today… making a bunch of bowls, chatting about pottery & trying to inspire them to play with their clay more. After I threw two bags of clay… two dozen bowls… we talked some more and then started altering rims & decorating bowls. Great fun with a good number of “wow” moments… until the school bell rang & we ran out of time!!! Luckily, all of my bowls are staying there so that the students get to finish decorating, trimming & glazing them… and keep their new bowls!!!

10×10 : It was a busy morning trimming & making things “festive” in the studio.
More than ten done by 10:00am!!!

Just a little detailing & decorating… and they’re looking a lot more festive!!!

Putting the finishing touches on… a layer of clear glaze. Starting with the interiors & bottoms. The exteriors will be sprayed to cover with the shiny clear glaze… which when applied looks strangely like chocolate chip mint ice cream?!

Fun in the studio earlier this week trying to get these Ghouls finished.
Great colors & coverage with Amaco Velvet Underglazes.

Base coat of underglaze colors… already looking better!
Gotta add more color… say it three times!!! … Underglaze. Underglaze. Underglaze.

At one point last session, one of my “advanced beginning” students requested a demo on making a moon jar… well, there’s no lid… so it’s more like a spherical vase. We made one in class, and I was kind of enamored by it. So I made a few more!!! Thanks Allison for the request & inspiration!!!

Excited that I pre-purchased my new Amaco Underglazes in some fun colors…
so I can paint the newest Ghoul to really bring them to life… err, well maybe after-life?!!!

With all my focus on the Ghouls lately… I totally forgot to post about these! A batch of new birdhouses for ART IN THE BARN. Assembled & painted with colored flashing slips for the soda kiln.

Wanna see ‘em finished?… posting that next!!!

Okay, so here’s some of “glamorous side” of being a potter. Sure, it’s great fun to make the pots. But everyone forgets about all of the heavy busy-work that goes on behind the scenes. I was pondering this tonight as I was busy cleaning the soda kiln after my recent firing. Removing all of the shelves & posts, scraping the shelves, kiln washing them all (my least favorite part)… plus the sweeping & mopping!!! At least I got some beautiful pots out of it all. Ha!!!