I told you the tale of the completely overfired pots … so, the last couple of days were spent painting the darn things (don’t want to throw out a kiln load of otherwise perfectly good pots!), and some of them are now in the oven warming up so I can clear glaze them. This is the pain the ass part — trekking them upstairs to the oven, then dashing them downstairs to the glaze. Would glaze them in the kitchen, but my poor house is already covered in enough pottery stuff and dust!
Going to have to do this with a pile of student work too, although most of this kiln load was my stuff (thank heaven for that!).
There are potters out there who probably don’t make this kind of mistake though, so we’ll head down the rabbit hole and find a couple for inspiration! The first is #Leslie McInally. Geez, I like her work. She’s another potter who has definitely made her mark — with awards, ceramic articles, shows all over the place — and she does it with such grace. I’ve been to a couple of her workshops, and she’s generous with her information as well. That’s a sign of an accomplished potter.
The second is #Marcelina Salazar. Her work makes me crazy. It is simply elegant and beautiful, and functional. She wood fires with soda, and her surfaces are smooth as butter. Makes me want to burn my electric kiln! You know when you want to collect all of the work that a potter makes, that they must be on to something!
Having to make a few decisions myself about distribution of my work … I’ve taken most of my work back from galleries (just tired of paying 50-60% commission) and I’m going to give some local venues a shot. One is the Tweed Art in the Park in August, and the other is the Campbellford Farmers Market. Not my usual venues, but what the heck, if I don’t try, eh? So right now I’m into making mugs — big mugs, little mugs, green mugs, blue mugs, and butter dishes.
Mugs drying in the cupboard …
The beginning of the butter dish brigade!
If you can think of anything else pottery-wise that might sell in these venues, let me know! I have monstrous wedding-present type bowls just waiting for glaze (I LOVE making these), here’s hoping there’s lots of weddings coming up!
Anyway, that’s it for me today. Hope you’re having a good one. You know what I’ll be doing … the upstairs/downstairs shuffle!
Susan McD
