from here on out

Lazy Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:34:00 +0000

It's snowing again. Just a few flakes, and not even sticking yet.
But after mowing the lawn yesterday so that hopefully our lawn will be better off next spring, I'm just glad it got done.
And seeing as it's all wintery outside, I figured it a perfect afternoon for folding laundry and watching movies.
That and I have a scratchy throat. I'm just pretending it's dry and that it's not a cold or anything more serious. And it's always a good excuse for tea drinking.

I do have some pictures somewhere of ceramics I've been working on, and seeing as the Fall sale is quickly approaching, I have been working hard, I just can't find the pics. They might be on my camera yet... hmm...

I shall have to find them.
As for now, it's folding time...

UPDATE: OK, now it's snowing buckets. still not sticking, but I expect it to soon...

Book recommendation

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:06:00 +0000

quick note.
Just finished reading "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" tonight.
Got it from my boss at the art center. Started it on Wednesday. Couldn't put it down.
Only reason I didn't finish it sooner was because of work. (thanks for getting in the way...)
So far, it may be the best of my reading year.
If you haven't yet, read it.
and then pass it along... so very good.

the day after... lol

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:31:00 +0000

ok, so here are some rough photos of the pieces that came out of the kiln today after cooling off all night and day...
just some pictures of the different surfaces we got... still need some cleanup and finishing, but I'm liking the flashing.

September studio time!

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:09:00 +0000

Lots of fun things happening in the studio...
Here's a few.

Getting ready for Fall sale... tumblers with designs. Not sure how I feel about them, but we'll see when they get glazed. Each is a set of four with the same design...

circles/bubbles/cells not sure...
i'm thinking green stain on the outside to fill in the incised lines,
with choy green glase on the inside and rim... maybe 1/4 inch down the outside.

Bees and flowers...
each tumbler has a different kind of flower.

Fish.
that's it.
just fish...

Altitude/terrain map.
I'm thinking red iron oxide on the outside
maybe black on the inside and rim...

As for tonight at guild, we had some fun doing a small low fire salt firing... here are some pictures of our set up and firing!!

stuff preped and ready to go
those bundles of newspapers are wrapped pieces that have salt and chemicals already burrito-ed together and I tried to isolate them for specific results... whatever those are!

all the pieces in the kiln, layered with paper, salt, and other stuff...

all covered up ready to fire!

just starting... you can see the flames all on the inside

our 'burritos' of salt, sawdust and other special things
that got thrown into the burning hot kiln
at various times during the firing...
yes those are tongs to assist in not burning ourselves.

the glowing arm of one of my guys in the kiln...
i promise that's what this is...
really.
i promise.

really hot... ready to shut down!

So that's it... that was my fun tonight. Tomorrow, after this baby has cooled, I'll unload it and see what surprises are in store. It might be scary surprises, because after all, a lot about this firing technique is chance and randomness! But it sure is fun!!

long time...

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 04:15:00 +0000

and things just continue to progress.

- the quilt is growing at a rate which is slower than I'd like, but it grows.
- pots at the studio continue to be made and I'm taking some new directions in handbuilding... we'll see if I put up some photos once something gets finished.
- work continues, and pays the bills.

that's all for tonight. I promise, more in depth update and pictures soon...

Updates

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:17:00 +0000

- Grad school is a go: including 2 10hour a week GA positions, one in ceramics, one in fibers. Meaning lots of time spent in the studio, lots of work, less tuition, a bigger stipend, and amazing providence providing for me!

- the Spring Guild sale is over and done, and I did well. Better than in November in fact. Yeah, I'm just as surprised as you! Here are some photos of me sanding, pricing, and packing my mugs.

Those big bins and box are what I used to transport back and forth
All 3 were full there and only 1 1/2 were full on the way back, which is pretty good all things considered!

- New work in the studio: large planters. Thrown from two pieces, a large 'bowl' on the bottom and a bottomless ring on the top. needless to say they're super fun to make (big things usually are) and even more fun to carve into. There is a 3rd one in the works, but I'm still working on it. the first and second one here you can see 'finished': they still need glazing and final firing. some of the in progress shots.

1st one bisque fired on it's shelf with all sorts of other pots (not mine however)

1st one on the table, gives you an idea of its rim...
I kinda like the larger flat rim for a planter and more shadow on the carved design
(took about 4 hours total carving)

2nd one about 1/3 done
design drawn on & started
added clay to the surface to bulge out, as well as carved away parts of the design

2nd one all done carved and added to
green, but ready to fire.
(carving/additions took about 5 hours)
I think they kinda look like pebbles... but not necessarily what I was going for.
I was thinking seeds/bacteria... who knows

3rd one, freshly thrown.
it's the largest and has a much longer neck to carve/draw upon
the design I've started looks kinda like grape hyacinth
the stems are carved out, and the 'flowers' are added on clay
I haven't added leaves yet, but I think they'll be a combo of added clay and carved

- work and teaching going well. but ready for a vacation and to see the whole family in a few weeks.

- that's about it for now, I'll try to update more often... and get more photos up soon... I have things I still need to photograph.

I GOT IN!!

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:29:00 +0000

just a quick note, I'll tell you more as I know it.

I just got my acceptance letter from EMU's art Department.

I still have to have the actual graduate school review my transcripts/whatever but the art dept is recommending full admission.

So needless to say, that hurdle where the art professors look at and judge my work has been crossed.

I am way to excited now to write more, I'll let you know more as I find out!

mix of work

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:41:00 +0000

Ok so I got off work early today and spent the majority of my afternoon/evening in the basement working on some things I've wanted to get done for a while.

First of all, here are three of the pears I made a couple weeks ago... yes, one's blue.

Anyway, so I've been thinking that these might be fun to try and sell at the spring sale. They're not a lot of work, as they're one of those that you need to work in stages to allow the clay to stiffen. So today I made 5 more; some a bit bigger than the littlest one that's fired already.

Stage one, roughly put together, with stems attached, but in need of lots of tweaking.

Stage 2, the pears shape has been refined, and the surface has been gone over once with a loop tool, carving away and smoothing. Next step, using a sure-form tool (think cheese grater) to get rid of some of the weight and thickness of the clay wall, and also smoothing at the same time. Then I'll use a 'green scrubby thing' (like the back of a scotch-brite sponge) to really smooth and finish before firing.

My other project I'm working on is more hand built forms, that will hopefully together make a cool sculpture. Because I'm in the idea of dealing with creatures that make up larger conglomerations/communities I thought that this would be fun. But of course I'm abstracting the forms, because it makes it more fun. Really. Fun.

Stage 1: pinched forms, joined and shaped; stiffening.

Stage 2: forms have been carved, and smoothed with damp sponge and a rubber rib.

When they are leather hard, I will see if I need to reshape any or get rid of some of the weight with the sure-form. Right now I really like the forms.

And for Mom, my progress on the quilt.

I'm very happy with the colors so far and am having fun.

So that's it for now. Hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently with pictures, I just keep forgetting my camera!

le Cat

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:31:00 +0000

I've discovered Annie's new sleeping place.

It's up on the ledge in the living room on the stack of quilts.

Comfy no?

Ok, a little high for my taste, but then again, she's a cat.

Friday work

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Friday I was off the retail job, and spent a good half day in the studio finishing up some pieces that I threw last week.

Included in the mix were:

6 white stoneware mugs, with incised designs

6 red stoneware mugs, with impressed designs

4 serving bowls, turned feet

3 pears, hand-built from pinch and coil

Not a lot I know, but enough to keep me busy for a while... I just need to find more time to get to the studio more often.

The pears are my latest attempt to create something exciting and fun to make, while at the same time thinking about what might sell at the spring sale. Who knows, they're kinda just fun to do.

I'm also trying to rebuild my stock of smaller pieces that will be for gifts and sale. Needless to say I love mugs and I'm a sucker for making and decorating them.... yeah, but it's fun.

I'll bring the camera to the studio tomorrow, and I'll try to get some photos of the green work... but who knows.

I'm also attempting a new (for me) technique, filling incised design on the white SW with red SW slip in an attempt to create a contrasting inlay... needless to say, at this point it's still experimentation. I'll let you know how it goes.

Setting Goals

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 04:27:00 +0000

One of the most difficult things I've found for me is knowing what to do in the studio.

I know that sounds oxymoronic, since I love being in the studio making things, and could spend all my time there doing just that if I could. But to tell the truth, because of the fact that I'm at an odd place in life it's often difficult to know what to focus on in my studio work. So for now I've decided to make a list. Hopefully this will allow me to develop my work while not wasting $$ on firing work that isn't up to par. One of the nicest things about clay is its recyclability. If I focus on these things, maybe I'll improve and keep on making better artwork, be it functional or sculptural. So here it goes!

1. Better Forms - taking inspiration from potters I like and constantly looking for forms that are both more aesthetically pleasing, and at the same time better functionally.

2. Cleaner - not less clay mess but finished, clean, fingerprint free work that looks more professional and clean.

3. Repetition - working on getting better at creating sets of things... size and form.

4. Finishing - working on design elements, additions, and other ways of making forms more interesting. Include painted/drawn additions, handles and lugs, sprigged decorations, and better turned feet.

Just a few things to start but, I think that they are a good place to start to develop my artwork further and keep my vision going forward.

We will see how things progress...

Classes again!

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:16:00 +0000

My classes start again tomorrow, and I couldn't be more excited!

Should be fun!

DAM fine afternoon!

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:51:00 +0000

This afternoon some friends from work and I took the light rail into a snowy Denver and braved the cold for the free Saturday at the Denver Art Museum.

It was the first time I had been there and the collection was spectacular! The new building was constructed a couple years ago and is a great building filled with modern and contemporary artworks, and one of the great things was seeing so many great artists I know and love...

And then there was the old building. Floor after floor of art that was curated in the most fantastic way; the art was arranged by culture, and time period, but they also stuck in contemporary works of the same cultures in the exhibits as well...

For instance, traditional native american pottery was placed right next to contemporary native american potters that I've studied.

A contemporary Chinese painting of a goldfish was hung above a 10 foot Ming dynasty table.

Needless to say it was amazing and a blast to experience.

It also got me super excited to get back into the studio and start making new work of my own!

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:07:00 +0000

Beth and I spent the day watching movies and catching the ball about 10 minutes before it dropped. All in all a good day.

Hope everyone has a blessed new year!

Also, hopefully, I'll post a little more frequently. That's on my list of things to do this year. It's not a long list, but it has a few things on it. :)

Night for now, and hope everyone's tomorrow is good as well.

almost

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 21:50:00 +0000

My grad applications are almost complete. My portfolio is ready to go and I think I'm good with it. No all I have to do is send it out and hope and pray!

This is one of my final works that came out of the kiln... it need to get bigger (more parts to it) but you get the idea... ideally I want it to be around 9 'rocks'. We'll see.

Fall Sale

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:58:00 +0000

So, my first pottery sale is almost over. Let me say it is an experience. Different expectations, different pricing and different work than anything I've done before. The last couple of weeks have been a little frantic, attempting to get work finished, glazed, sanded and (the worst) priced has left me with little time for anything else. I don't know how people who do numerous sales over a year do it.... I mean I also have 2 jobs, so that may add to the craziness, but still.

I'll let you know later how I do, hopefully I will at least recoup my entry fee!

time to reflect

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:32:00 +0000

The funny thing about this time of year is how reflective one can become. Maybe it's because of my recent trip and how I'm looking at where I want to go in the next year. Maybe it's because of the fact that it's fall and things are winding down outside. Maybe it's because of the fact that I'm getting ready to apply to grad schools and I'm looking back at my work, but this past few days have been very reflective for me and I've had lots to think about.

Needless to say, I'm fairly sure that there are some big decisions I have to make in the near future. And at the same time, it's kind of fun to see how my reflection will influence my artwork and what direction I will be going in.

I do have a few pictures from my trip, but they will have to wait for another day, as my camera batteries need to recharge!

Ok, enough sappy self reflection. I'm going to have a cup of tea and do some research for a new art piece I'm working on...

more work...

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:33:00 +0000

Since the 'baby poo plate' or 'snot plate' or whatever went over SOOOO well, I thought I'd show some more better work... or not, you decide opinionated people that you are!!

Barnacles and Sea Snail

Barnacle Bowl with Choy Rim

Tea Set for Beth: Teapot, 4 cups, creamer, sugar bowl, 2 squared plates

Black and Rutile Round Mug

Hope this is better received than the last post!

just a bit...

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:20:00 +0000

New work... not much else to say, but enjoy!

Frustration overwhelming

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 05:02:00 +0000

I'm sorry, I had to.
Just a little bit overwhelmed with disgust right now.
And I know politics should stay out of most discussions since we don't all agree, but this is so tragically accurate.

Lord help us all...
Don't even get me started on the debate.

Snippets

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 04:23:00 +0000

* My latest attempt at the barnacles theme... I'm thinking of calling it 'Barnacles and Sea Snail'. I like that the snail is just a little surprise and not too overstated, but still gives it some sense of reality that is different than the previous ones. I'm actually kinda geeked about it.

Can you see it??

There!

And close up...

* I was watching 'Stranger than Fiction' while I worked on the new piece Saturday night, and again I was struck by the genius and humanity of that movie. Seriously, how great.

And my favorite line of all: "Harold Crick lived his life."

* Spent time with Jess, Justin, Benjamin, and Philip Saturday afternoon... Philip slept on my shoulder for a while and he was too cute. All warm and snuggly... and after his bath smelled like wonderful baby.

* Sunday went to a friends in the afternoon to watch the Bronco's pull one out (somehow!) over the Chargers. Seriously, super game.

*For some reason, I've been having some bad headaches over the last few days. Methinks the weather has been a changing quite a bit.

* I'm debating setting up a website (or having someone do it for me) so that I can have a place where people can look to buy my work... I've had about 10 questions about that in the last week. My only issue is business issues about which I have no idea. Hmmm, things to consider.

* Favorite CD of the moment: Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida' some people can't stand it (overplayed) but I think the title song is amazing. And as a whole it's a great collection of new songs...

Sunday 'relaxing'

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:15:00 +0000

So part of my Sunday afternoon consisted of working in my makeshift studio at the kitchen table. Why the kitchen you ask? Well there's no tv in the basement, and while there is radio, when I'm planning on working for many hours at home, it's nice to pop in a movie and have some background noise going on. Yes, that's an upside down crate being used to elevate the pot so I can work on it at almost eye level. I find that if I work above the pot, it always ends up being top heavy (in other words, lots of additions at the top, and none near the bottom!)

This is it about halfway finished... the largest and middle size barnacles have been added, the smaller and tiny ones need to be attached.

These are my water cup, my pretzel bowl, and my tea mug... essentials in studio work. Though the pretzels may be interchanged for other snacky treats... but cheese puffs or doritoes tend to leave cheesy residue on the clay... yes, it has happened.

Well, here it is 'finished'. And by that I mean I'm done with more green additions... I think. And while it may not look all that different from the halfway, it is... trust me, there are dozens more barnacles on here than there were.

And all wrapped up, ready to dry slowly and head back to the studio for firing.

Most likely, this will be another red iron oxide exterior, with some dark glaze on the interior. But I'm debating doing something different. Oh, and the rim is something new I've been doing. It's a rolled rim, though I alter it once I do the roll...

And that's my Sunday accomplishment... which took a nice 7 hours of additions to the already thrown and turned/trimmed vessel . Oh the difference between a 5 minute bowl, and an 8 hour barnacle pot.

Quartz inversion and other technicalities

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:28:00 +0000

I had the day off and after making breakfast for Beth, I spent most of my day reading, and really trying to retain a lot if fascinating information on glazing. I've had the book I'm re-reading for a while, but the fun thing is to really absorb the information that is presented. A lot of it can be fairly technical in that the chemistry and physics of glazes is pretty intense, and yet it is so fun to learn.

In the studio, I've been trying to find a difficult balance between the creation of functional ware, for sale and for demonstration purposes, and my own more sculptural work. Right now I have to really plan my time for adding the hand built additions that I really like onto my pots. As of today, I have two large pots in the works that I'm planning on adding barnacles to. I've gone back to the barnacles for two reasons: one, I really like them! and two, I don't think I've really explored the potential of the barnacle form.

So much to do, and time flies! Speaking of which, I'm hoping to make a trip later in October to visit a couple grad schools. Hopefully it will end with acceptance later in the year (or early next!) but for now I need to focus and apply myself to my work... and it helps that it is such a nice distraction from retail!

More new work, finally

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:22:00 +0000

New work from June, July and August... I finally had time to photograph!

President Jimmy Carter!

noreply@blogger.com (bob) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:05:00 +0000

So, you are all aware that the DNC is happening in Denver this week. And if you aren't, open a newspaper, please.

Anyway, so one of the dignitaries that is making an appearance is President Jimmy Carter. I'm bringing this up, not just because I like peanuts, but because on Wednesday, Carter, his wife and a few other delegates are taking time out of their busy schedules to plant some trees in Aurora. Specifically at Bicentennial Park, home of the Bicentennial Art Center where I teach!
No, I won't be able to go as the Secret Service is closing the center for safety, but if you watch your local or national news, I'm sure you will see some footage of Carter et al. planting trees and if you look carefully you may see the BAC, a small brown building with perhaps a mural on the side, which is where I work!

So stay tuned and keep your ears open! Its day one of the DNC and things are already crazy!