Just doing a little trimming working on some of this week’s class demo pieces! Sure, I make them in class, but find I need to finish them up in my studio before the next class so they don’t dry out too fast over the week. So I spent some time tonight trimming a few pots… always more fun with my DiamondCore Trimming Tools!!!

Boy, these class demo pieces sure seem to dry out fast?!…
even though it was under plastic, this lidded jar demo piece was surprisingly dry when I checked on it. Too dry to stamp!!! So I resorted once again to carving some patterns on the lid with my DiamondCore Tools. Sure they work best on leatherhard clay, but still work great on drier clay too!

Today my Summer Campers switch from wheelthrowing to trimming… and carving, decorating, stamping, adding handles & a lot more to make their pots more special… and thinner! No plain paperweights this week – HA!!!

Another week of Wheelthrowing Summer Camp…
bring on the kids, bring out the sponges!!!

Carving through some white slip decoration… playing with my DiamondCore Tools again! Making fun leafy patterns through the widest band of white slip… to create a little color contrast when it’s glazed later.

Spinning fast… trimming bottoms… loving my DiamondCore Tools for smooth trimming! A perfect combination when used with my Giffin Grip to help center & hold the mug down for easier trimming!

I’ve been working on another batch of mugs after the Glenview art fair… thrown, stamped & leatherhard… and getting ready to trim the bottoms this afternoon. Ready to use my trimming tools from DiamondCore Tools for clean & smooth trimmings!

Just doing a little carving tonight on this little bowl… that I kinda forgot about. It was one of the bowls from my “bowls on purpose” demo hidden under plastic. Too dry to stamp… so I decided to carve patterns into it. Good thing I have a collection of DiamondCore Tools that still carve clean lines even in almost-dry clay!

Always willing to share my DiamondCore Tools with my students… especially when they do some crazy cool carvings like this lidded jar that Ari was working on in class! Crisp & clean carving lines for everyone!!!

Celebrating another MUGSHOT MONDAY while getting ready for my next art fair… prepping , pricing & packing some new pots for next weekend’s Glenview Summer Art Fair… Saturday, July 30th & Sunday, July 31st.

When dealing with drip runs & chunky bottoms with errant kiln wash… nothing works better than the DiamondCore Grinding Disc. Just wet the disc, wet your pot, and press the mug bottom to the disc while it spins fast on your wheel. Before you know it, the excess comes right off the bottom. And if your turn & shift your pot just right, you can get a pretty “perfect” footring on a pot that might have been “ruined” by a bad bottom!