Technical difficulties resolved… and now retroactively catching up!

With my soda kiln less than a week away, I’m now in “full-on glazing mode.”
Luckily, since it’s a soda kiln, glazing is pretty much inlaying glaze into my stamped
textures. So I paint on a layer of temoku glaze, then gently wipe off the top surface with
a damp sponge – leaving the temoku in the recesses of the stamps. I find assembly-line
is my favorite method… thanks to the brilliant Henry Ford!

Then a quick liner glaze, some sprayed on glaze color accents and they’re good to go.

Oh yeah… plus some small pieces of wadding glued onto the bottom to keep the pots
from sticking to the kiln shelf during the atmospheric firing.

Technical difficulties resolved… and now retroactively catching up!

Tonight in class we tackled another demo… The Menorah Challenge! So let me
just say, I’ve never made a Menorah before. I’ve never even USED a Menorah before!
But I’m always up for a challenge! And tonight was the night.

Each session, I “encourage” my students to choose what object they want to learn
how to make – in addition to all of the usual basics. Two sessions ago it was sake sets.
Last session was goblets. This session it turned out to be Menorahs! Uh oh… what?
A Menorah?… in a wheelthrowing class? Well, like I said, I’m always up for a challenge
and want to keep my students happy!

So, I decided to show my class how o make a hollow tube on the wheel. Which is always
a fun “trick” form to make. I then showed them how to turn it into a Menorah, and we
discussed some of the other options of what they could make out of it.

And just to show my “Gentileness”… I realized the next day that there was one too few
candle spaces on the second one! Oops… luckily, it was still leather-hard so I had a chance
to correct my mistake.

Technical difficulties resolved… and now retroactively catching up!

After an INCREDIBLE morning bike ride, it was back to the studio to continue
production for the holidays. After a few days of drying (or a few hours if you’re
a mask) it was into the electric kiln for another bisque firing. Luckily, I had some
extra time which allowed for a few hours of preheating before the kiln kicks into
full firing mode. So it will give the “ever-so-slightly-so-damp” masks a chance to dry!

Layer One: Two new masks, ornaments and a lot of tiles “protecting” the masks
from drying too quickly by the electric elements.

Layer Two: Two more masks, more ornaments and more “protective” tiles!

Layer Three: Bowls, mugs, votives, and a few more ornaments here  & there…

Layer Four: Bowls, tumblers, wall pocket vases and some tripods!

Tripods you say?!… what are they going to be for you may ask?
Well, my plan is to bisque them, dip the tips in kiln wash and then “perch” my ornaments
onto them in the soda kiln. Hopefully, they will give me some good exposure in the kiln
on all sides of the ornaments without needing to wad each of them individually. At least
that’s my plan… we’ll see…

So I’ve been working on a “new” item for the holidays…
somewhat “traditional” wheelthrown, soda-fired Christmas ornaments made out of clay!
I’ve been working on a batch of twenty… and I’m not sure if I’ll have time to make more
OR if this batch is even going to work?! It’s still very much a “work in progress.”
So at this point, it’s looking like these 20 may be considered a “limited edition.”

So I still need to decorate them more, add the tops to hang them by… and figure out
how they’re even going to be placed in the kiln for firing?! Still a lot of work… and still
VERY much a work in progress! But I’m excited… and hoping to have them ready
in time for my next soda kiln… which is firing off two weeks from today!

Today I packed up and sent off over fifty new pieces to Louisville, Kentucky!
One of the galleries that sells my work was looking for more… and luckily for me,
one of their people were visiting Chicago and they offered to come and pick up my work!
So I didn’t even need to ship anything?! Could it be any easier?

Gallery Janjobe is located in the Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center in
Lousiville, Kentucky. They’re mission is “Offering Art With Attitude”… and I’m pleased
to have my work on display there. I’ve been part of their gallery now for four years…
and looking to continue for many years to come! I love giving them “art with my attitude”!
So if you’re ever in Louisville, be sure to stop by!

Gallery Janjobe
1860 Mellwood Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky 40206
(502) 899-9293  *  www.galleryjanjobe.com

After a beautiful (yet windy) afternoon of riding…
I went back to the studio this evening for some more fun… and more stamping!
Including another batch of mugs, this time made with B-Clay for the back of the kiln!

And there’s never enough bowls, right?
But don’t ask my Mom, she already thinks I have FAR too many bowls in inventory!

Plus, after a lot of stamping… I also cleaned my studio. Long overdue.
Okay, let’s not get crazy. There’s still a LOT to do. But I did make some good headway.
And, prepared another great surprise for my class this coming Tuesday night.
It’s going to be a big night of demos catching up from last week’s impromptu night
with Amy Higgason. So it’s going to be a night of plates, ovals and lidded jars!
And a special surprise “treat”…

So I’ve finally scheduled my next soda kiln firing for Wednesday, November 10th.
Now I’m trying to make all of the work I’ll need to fill it. And to be ready for
my Holiday Home Show which is now just four weeks away! So tonight I stamped,
and stamped, and stamped… larger bowls and smaller cups to become votives.
Looks like tomorrow I might have a LOT of trimming to do?!

This afternoon in the studio, I tried to “finish up” all of Amy’s demo pieces from last night.
A little touching-up, a little cleaning, a little trimming – and now they’re drying! I also took
some time to stamp the plate that I made last night as part of my “scheduled” class demo.
So now, that too is drying, but just to the point where I can trim it!

Another productive day at the studio.
Had to do something with all those cylinders, huh?!
So I turned them into mugs over the course of this afternoon.

Cylinders stamped. Next step… trimming of the bottoms.

Handles pulled. Setting up a bit waiting to be attached…

Handles attached. Now they look like actual mugs!!!

Slip accents painted. Mugs finished… now drying for an upcoming bisque kiln!

Another night at the studio…
and another batch of wall pocket vases ready to be stamped & finished!