Time Flys!!!

Time just seems to fly by...it has been months since my last post.
I have searched and searched for the photo of the end result of my sad butterfly pitcher...I will take another.  It is still a sad pitcher...and you will see why when I post the photo (another day).

In the meantime I have had some fun successes and I am getting ready for the Holiday Pottery Sale that happens every year the day after Thanksgiving...yes...it is the dreaded BLACK FRIDAY and the next day also.  I am so happy to spend those two days at my table showing off the fun things that I get to make and share.

For those of you who are local to the Salt Lake City area, the sale is at SugarHouse Park...just follow the signs.  It is indoors so no need to fret about the weather.

Here are some pics of a few of my treasures...

I do enjoy making closed forms and then opening them up to become treasure boxes.

 I love to carve into the clay and then decide what glaze will make it all look lovely.  Sometimes subtle is so nice.

 Leaves are a passion.  I always do a few when I find a leaf that inspires me...this one is a sunflower leaf.  The glaze turned out to be surprisingly delightful to me.  These make nice spoon rests.  What better leaf for a kitchen than a sunflower?

I have begun making tumblers.  Not EVERYone likes mugs.       They are so friendly.  The Japanese used to say, "If it is too hot to hold in your hand then it is too hot to drtink."  I agree.  Hot cocoa in this tumbler will stay warm for a while and taste so delicious.

  But there are still those who love mugs.  I love using porcelain slip to decorate the nearly black "dark brown" stoneware, then glaze it with a thin coat of Semi-Gloss White glaze.  It makes the porcelain stand out (when it cooperates *^^*) and the dark clay still looks warm.

Thanks so much for dropping by.

Feel free to leave a comment.

Until next time...

Here's to Growing and Glowing!!!

Onward and Upward!! ™

                                                                                                                                         Tari

OH, Pottery Is Such A Crap-Shoot

I keep saying it.  It is so true. And it has proven ever so true again.

I was so excited to see how this pitcher would come through the processes of completion.  It started out so lovely...then someone pressed an indent into it....so, I punted and covered over the boo-boo...like this...

It looks so lovely in the greenware stage...don't you think?  Everyone ooo-ed and ahhhh-ed over it.

THEN it went through the bisque firing and came out ....

                                       

                                       like......................

                                                       this......

You know...I guess it is a lesson in disappointments.  I am not sure if the handle will make it through the glaze process let alone the firing but I am going to try anyway.  After all...what have I got to lose really, right?

So I took some cobalt carbonate and painted the tracks of the butterfly and I will glaze it Semi-Gloss White...cross my fingers and hope she makes it.  You see, it is HOPE that keeps me in the pottery studio at all.  I love the feeling of possibilities...even if they seem to be such long-shots so often.

Here's to Growing and Glowing!!

Onward and Upward!! ™

Tari

Birthday! 4th of July! New Book Came!!

My birthday was so nice...it stretched over several days.  THE day was spent in the pottery studio.  I thought I would be alone but happily there were several other die-hard potters there. I say that because the studio was technically closed for the holiday.

And my book arrived...the one I ordered...the one by Ben Behunin...this one!

It was waiting for me when I got home from the lovely day I had.

I got to spend my birthday in my favorite place.  I liked that.  And then I got to get cleaned up and was treated to a delicious steak dinner by my youngest son and his family!  How sweet is THAT!?!

Yesterday was the 4th of July and my family carried the birthday celebration over.  We had wonderful grilled delicacies a la Joseph (my son-in-law) and the cake was lovely...best ever cuz it was entirely from scatch...watermelon, fresh fruit salad, green salad, roasted corn on the cob, potato salad, etc.  Oh, and the hamburger and hot dog buns were made from scratch also!  DElightful!

After dinner all the little ones got excited about the fireworks!

The really nice part...and my favorite part...is that we were ALL together.  That is what makes any special day the MOST special.  Family and being together.

I just want to say thank you to my wonderful children!  They are the best on the planet!

Here's to Growing and Glowing!!

Onward and Upward!! ™

Tari

Friday Was A Very Fun Day

Friday (yesterday) was a very fun day for me.  I started it out at Ben Behunin's Wild Rooster Artworks.
His place is whimsical and fun.  His tiles cover his gateway and the supports of his important structures...and up the stair way to his gallery...and all over the walls of his storage cupboards around his kiln.  And if you watch the video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GkG_Clzk5I  you will see that it is all through his home as well. (I didn't go into the house).

I have to say that walking into his world was magical.

Of course I bought a couple of his books.  And a few things for my lovely daughters and daughters in law...for Mother's day.  And I got to visit with him for just a little bit...it was very busy.

Ben is an inspiration.  And he is very friendly.

After Ben's place I went to the studio where I am blessed to teach.  I found that the kiln had been opened and I had treasures on the shelf waiting for me.  One of those treasures went to a former student who is moving away to Tennessee...I will miss her...

She graciously gave me permission to post her photo.  She is a real go-getter...and BRILLIANT.  I wish her so much success.  She has the sweetest husband.  They are the epitome of balance.

I am anxious to get all of my pottery polished and photographed so I can post ... maybe another video...it is really piling up on me.  Making time is a challenge...but one that I am up to.

I have a couple of projects that involve my pottery and glass.  I hope they turn out because I really want to show them off when they do.

After seeing Ben's studio and work yesterday I have had a few ideas solidify in my mind.  I hope they work out too...growth and experimenting is a good thing, right.

I have a wonderful student in my Friday evening class who is a wood worker and he rises to every challenge.  He presented me with some molds that he made in his shop a few weeks ago.  I have been waiting for him to come back to class so we could make some things on them.  Next week we go for it.

I made a couple of teapots out of the flameware clay...I am kind of excited.  I hope the lids fit properly after the final fire.  And I hope that I can get those lids off once the handles are installed.  I am feeling a little giddy and excited about them.  If I really can boil water in them I will be so very happy.

Time to run...

Onward and Upward!! ™

Tari

Papillion Pots Pics

I do have about 3 photos to share today.  One is the bowl that I gave my little 8 year old niece on Saturday.  She had a special day and I couldn't be there.  I wanted her to know that I was thinking about her and that I love her...so...

I gave her this one.

I didn't get to see if she likes it or not.  I can only hope.  She is the cutest thing.  And she just got a baby sister.  She is sure growing up.  She is really starting to look like her beautiful mother, too.

Another photo of one of the little bakers that I make.  We had chicken pot pie for my daughter's birthday dinner.  I think they turned out looking as good as they were delicious.  We have fun making them and the bakers are a hit too.

I think I have mentioned that I collect teapots.  I started taking lessons in pottery because I wanted to try my hand at making some.  Well, the first two I made left a lot to be desired, in fact, one isn't even usable at all because the holes glazed closed.  (Please tell me that I am not the only one this has happened to...I even blew the glaze out!)  So, I am trying again.  This time I threw 2 bowls and rolled 2 slabs and I have scored and slipped them together,  I trimmed the bottoms of the bowls, which are the tops of the teapots, and cut a hole in the bottom/top and made them ready for their lids.  I put...lugs? ...to attach handles to.  And I added spouts like the ones you find on whistling teakettles...without the whistle part.

I should mention that the clay is flame ware and I am hoping these hold up on the stove top.  I am waiting with baited breath to see how it all turns out.  I will surely post the results...good or bad.

I am anxiously awaiting the latest glaze firing at the studio where I work and teach.  I have mugs and pieces for other projects that I am itching to finish.

I will keep you posted!!

Onward and Upward!! ™

Tari

Just a Thought or Two -

I don't have any photos today.  But I have decided to not let that stop me from sharing a thought or two.

I have been experimenting with FlameWare clay the past couple of years and I did something this week that has me a little excited and a little apprehensive.  I made two teapots from it.  Teapots that I hope will hold up to actually sitting on the fire and boiling the water.

I threw two bowls, turned them upside down, cut the hole for the lid in the bottom of the bowl, rolled a slab, and fastened it all together the usual way...scoring and slipping.  I attached "loops" to hold handles that I will make handles with wire and wooden beads.  (I will post photos next week).

I guess I would like to know if there is anyone out there who knows a lot about FlameWare who can tell me if this is something that will actually work.  You know, hold up to the heat?  The slipping and scoring has me a little nervous. And I want to know if carving in the clay will affect it's ability to withstand thermal shock. It is an adventure for sure.

I have been enjoying the "company" of a lot of fine potters via Facebook.  It is so inspiring to see their work and "hear" them talk about solving problems successes, offering advice, sharing sources and resources.

I have to stand by an earlier assessment I have made about potters...they are truly the NICEST people I know of.

Onward and Upward!!
Tari

April 2014 Pottery - Mugs, Pitchers, Jars, and Bakers

I am very happy with the pottery that has come out of the last few firings.  I love the agate-ware mugs, and covered jar that was thrown as a closed form.  The pitcher with the porcelain slip decoration is my very favorite treatment for Dark Brown clay.  The bakers are made with Flame-ware clay that my kids bring to me from Seattle.  It's tricky to glaze but I love it.  The Flame-ware mugs turned out to be just right, in my opinion. The ginger jar is the perfect size for loose tea, I think.

I just really love to throw pots.  And I do have some clay bodies that I tend to avoid doing too much with...like porcelain.  I love to put it with Death Valley, or Dark Brown clay either as agate-ware or as the decoration.  Then I like to do a thin coat of Semi-Gloss White and the porcelain pops.  This seems to garner oohs and aaahhhs from all of my students.  Some of them are even trying it.  That makes me smile.

Hope you liked the video!  It is my very first and I am so excited about it!

Onward and Upward!!
Tari