Progress report

After a particularly busy week last week, I finally got a chance to get back in the studio last night.

I threw 2 2lb vase forms with the new Standard #240 white stoneware. I'm thinking it's at least as good as the old 563, if not better. I didn't have much trouble controling it or getting decent height from it, and that's significant given how out of practice and challenged I am right now.

Overall, a very satisfying evening.

Another day, another clay

I'd recently gotten a comment on my clay review post on Standard #563 from Curtis that it had been discontinued. Standard has replaced it with #240, another smooth white ^6 stoneware.

So when I went to buy new clay last night, and discovering they were out of my favorite Little Loafers, I got a bag of #240 to try.

It wasn't bad at all. I'm still out of practice, but it seemed a bit easier and well behaved than the old 563. I've mainly been trying to have fun and experiment, but I'll have to find out how well the new clay burnishes and polishes after a saggar fire.

6 months of blogging

Just recently realized that I've been doing this blog for 6 months now. Back when I started, I didn't know what direction it would take (still don't really), or if I'd even stick with it or have anything to say.  Apart from rather sparse posting recently, I'm pretty happy with it.

Here's a quick summary of a few fun stats so far:

1460 visits

36 Countries + US (All states except AK, HI, and RI)

Northernmost visitor - Rekjavik, Iceland

Southernmost visitor- Hobart, Tazmania

Top 7 countries in decending order:

US

CAN

UK

Italy

Brazil

Turkey

Australia

Languages:

English

Portugese

Italian

French

Turkish

Swedish

I'm going to head back to the studio today after work to celebrate!

New beginings for 2009

I finally got back in to the studio today. It felt good to get my hands dirty again.

My clay was pretty stiff after being there for the past 3 months, but I still had fun. I wedged up 3 pounds, cut it into 3 - 1lb balls and just played, making nothing in particular. Just ventering and pulling up, splitting rims, bellying out until it went wonky, then cutting it in half, and doing another.

I think the scraps are destined to be my next terra sig experiment, and I'll buy a fresh bag of clay next time

** Update **

I feel like I got kicked down a flight of stairs this morning....  but it still feels good to get dirty again!