Cookout!

This Labor Day weekend we enjoyed barbecue-teriyaki grilled chicken, roasted Olathe sweet corn, and ice cold watermelon.

August poll results

Granted, it's a very small data sample and very unscientific, but among those that responded to the poll, the majority throw at the wheel standing up and/or elevated in some fashion. In an unrelated conversation, someone told me they knew a potter who kneeled at the wheel.

Standing - 3
Semi standing - 2
Sitting - 1

Which reinforces something that's been bugging me for a while now.
-Even before I hurt my back this last time, I was putting my wheel up on bricks to raise it even 3". . .
- Nearly all of the serious potters I know have jerry-rigged their wheel(s) to raise it in some way
- The ones that haven't either complain of back problems, and/or have a hunch (whether they realize it or not)

So -why- are wheels built so low in the first place?

The wheels I speak of are SO short, they couldn't possibly be at the right height for any normal human. OK, maybe a 3' child.

Potters from 'across the pond'

Just thought I'd mention some potters I've been following 'across the pond'.

There's Alan from Argyll's blog and companion website -beautiful domestic ware, interspersed with gorgeous views of the Scottish countryside.

Paul the Potter - Barrington, Sommerset, UK.

Douglas Fitch's A Devonshire Pottery, Devon, UK

Hannah McAndrew - more beautiful slipware, located in SW Scotland.

Check them out! They make some great work.

Just had to share this

Always on the lookout for interesting art forms, this one is simply mind-boggling...

This guy makes life-sized bears out of pine needles. Amazing.

and people call -me- patient.

Don't forget to vote!

There are only 2 days left to vote on the poll in the sidebar.

I am interested in finding out how my fellow wheel-throwers prefer to throw. So far, the standers and semi-standers are in the lead.

So go ahead and vote! And feel free to comment here as well, the Blogger tool doesn't leave much flexibility for freeform 'Other' choices.

Clay challenges

I'm having a much more difficult time adjusting to the 'old' clay I used to throw with than I thought I would. Even though it's supposed to be good for beginners to learn with, I'm finding it a lot more finicky than I remember. It's soft, yet stiff at the same time. And STICKY. It doesn't want to move when doing a pull, instead preferring to carve off in my fingers and on my sponge. And yet, I somehow keep putting thin spots in the wall at random, which later either collapse or tear. aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!

I did manage some small 1.5# bowls Tuesday, but the misbehavior seems magnified on larger amounts. I tried a 4# vase tonight which took an hour of finessing to get into shape. Then it collapsed when I put the plastic over it to dry. And then there was a good pound at least in the bottom of my slop bucket when I cleaned up. -- not happy.

Not giving up, but definitely frustrated. I'm going back to small bowls and mugs until I get a handle on this sticky stuff. I remember my begining wheel instructor throwing VERY dry with this clay. I'm thinking that's the only way to battle the stickyness.

But, what's it good for?

I got asked this one again the other day from someone admiring my 'beautiful' saggar pots (their words). And in the same breath, 'But what's it good for?'

It seems to be happening more and more as the economy gets worse, and I'm thinking that this same tendency to connect value with utility is connected to the recent problems at Arrowmont and the NC Pottery Center, and every other arts organization in the country struggling to keep their doors open. As living get's more difficult, it seems the first things to go are those which can lift us out of the dark spaces of 'just surviving'.

Then I read this today over at the ArtBizBlog --Overheard at an art fair 'I don't mind spending money on art--as long as it's useful.'

While I do understand this on a level of someone looking to get the most for their art-purchasing dollar, I think pottery is more connected with an expectation of function than other art forms. I'm not aware of anyone asking 'what's it good for?' of an oil painting for example. You would not expect the buyer to use it as a functional canvas, a pillow top or shower curtain perhaps. (would you??) But make something out of clay and people immediately want to brew tea in it, eat breakfast out of it, drink coffee from it, or stick flowers in it.

'Because it's beautiful and uplifts the human spirit' just doesn't seem to make it with the more practical customers out there. So I'm working on a more concrete list of benefits; here's what I have so far -- please add any others you have in Comments

Studies show that contemplating art lowers stress. (full paper)

Art enhances patient well-being in hospitals.

This is not news to those of us involved in the arts. So let's all start a new campaign -- "Buy Art and Live a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life!"

Now available on Google Groups

For those of you not using feed readers, you can now subscribe via email to Brian Fields Pottery by joining my Google Group. You'll find the subscription box in my sidebar. Just enter your email, click subscribe, and then confirm the subscription email you'll get.

After you subscribe, you'll automatically get an email any time I post to my blog. I rarely post more than once a day, but you can choose to get a once-a-day digest if you choose.

I do not buy, sell, rent, trade, swap, share, or otherwise distribute your email address. The group is only used for announcements pertaining to Brian Fields Pottery, and you can unsubscribe at any time - no hard feelings.

For the time being, I'm using it to email the blog posts to those who prefer their updates that way, but the group has other functions that might be useful in the future for other things.

Circle of Eight at Pullen Art Center

I don't know where my head has been but I just realized that Jennifer Mecca and the other Circle of Eight potters have a show at the Pullen Art Center in Raleigh, where I do my clay work.

It will run from September 2 until October 31, so if you're in the area, check it out!

I know I'm looking forward to it!

Circle of Eight:

• Adrienne Dellinger


• Jennifer Mecca


• Ron Philbeck


• Amy Sanders


• Greg Scott


• Sandy Singletary


• Julie Wiggins

Changing gears

About 2 years ago I made the decision to concentrate my efforts on learning to throw the white stoneware clay as well as I could. Until then, I'd been switching between 3 or 4 different clays, all with drastically different feels, and I felt I was not making much progress with my skills.
I'm still no expert with white stoneware, but I do know my skills have improved farther and faster than they would have had I kept changing clay bodies every time I threw.

So now with the saggar firing behind me, I'm considering a change. I've had some requests for bowls, and I'm thinking I might give some functional glazed ware another try for a change. I just used up the last of my white, divided it up into 3 1# balls and did some quick pieces. It was fun to throw some quick one-pounders.

To get the requested glaze colors, I'll need to change back to the grogged, buff stoneware we have at Pullen. It'll be a fun change, but I'll be back to white stoneware soon. I can't help myself.

Two more saggar pots

Here are two more saggar pots from last weekend's firing. The tall vase has terra sig, the rounder form is unburnished, natural finish.


I'm hoping to get the last of them cleaned up and finished this weekend.
I've already been examining them, gathering ideas for the next time.

New site established to save Arrowmont

There is now a place to go for news and updates on the situation at Arrowmont as they unfold.

From their About Us page:

The Save Arrowmont! blog was started to raise awareness and share information about the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (AKA: The Pi Beta Phi Settlement School, founded in 1912) and their struggle for preservation.

The blog is run by a loose-knit conglomeration of concerned citizens, community leaders, former staff, artists, writers, reporters, grandmothers, teachers, you, whoever has an affinity and concern for Arrowmont and its future in the arts & crafts community.

http://savearrowmont.wordpress.com/

Light red/pink swirl vase

Here's one of the experiments that turned out.


When it was bone dry greenware, I first put a layer of white terra sig on it, then a couple layers of red. I originally intended for it to be much more red, and more of a solid coat, but the clay had other plans. Turns out the red sig streaked as the pot spun on the wheel, I'm guessing because it was still too thin/watery. I think it's far nicer than what I was going for.

One of my favorites

I really like the way this one came out. The dark grass-like line left by a copper wire couldn't be better if I'd planned it that way.