A little early morning trimming! I’m trying to speed-up the drying process a bit. So they’re drying upside-down on elevated plastic grids. Better air circulation on all sides this way.

Just me here painting some accents of colored flashing slip on this next batch of mugs.
The colored slip should turn orange & show good flashing marks after being soda-fired.

Here’s my latest batch of hybrid mugs… with groovy cool patterns & textures made with some of my newest MKM Pottery Tools handrollers. Now they just need some flashing slip while they’re still leatherhard. Then it’s off to drying, bisque firing, glazing, wadding & soda-firing. Still a long ways to go before these are ready to go!!! Lots of steps… not just in the making, but also in the finishing.

This might be the best & funniest Facebook comment I’ve ever gotten?! I don’t think that I’ve been compared to “AI” before?… but I’m kinda flattered in a weird way!!!

Assembled… now with handles! This latest batch of hybrid mugs finally all have handles… thus making them MUGS!!! I’m a firm believer that a “mug” by this potter’s definition must have a handle!!! So they’re all attached & ready to “relax” a little under some plastic overnight… before I come back to touch them up a bit more before drying.

Here they are… a bunch of handles pulled and almost ready to go! I like to loop them over like this so they can set-up for awhile before attaching. I want them to be soft & malleable… but not sticky & squishy. Plus, the loop sets-up most of the handle’s curve for later when it goes onto the mug!

And here we go… this is how my mug handles begin!
Little wedged clay nuggets ready to be pulled the traditional way!

Hybrid mugs moving along! Trimmed the bottoms today on the wheel. You know how much I LOVE trimming & a good footring!!! Gives everything a sense of style & refinement.

Some fresh new berry bowls just in time for some fresh Spring berries… also ready for my first few art fairs! First up… the Schaumburg Prairie Arts Festival on Memorial Day weekend. Well look at me trying something “new” by having these ready ahead of time!!! Shocking, I know!!!

You can check out this year’s art fair schedule by clicking here : Summer Art Fairs 2025.

It’s been a productive afternoon assembling these “hybrid” mugs… wheelthrown & handbuilt combos. There’s still a good amount of work to do on them… refining, trimming, adding handles, drying, firing, etc. But this feels like a good start. It’s always great seeing these “hybrid” mugs come together!