all in a day...

And such a day! I'm waiting for a break in the rain so I can take Lissa for a walk before we head home, so thought it would be a good time to share some of the events of the day.

These were the highlights of what was scheduled. Glenda is the newest member of Team Crazy Green, offering 'gentle accounting for artists', and that it is. We bookended the day together, in the morning meeting to figure out if she could help me, and then she came back tonight to help clean up my accounts for a review later this week. As soon as I get a good link to her site, I'll add it to my links - she rocks!




After our meeting, I took a few tumblers over to Krug to do some test shots. I think with a little camera fidgeting, I'll be able to get some really good shots so I made an appointment to shoot some of the load I'll fire next week.

This is a nice little collection showing variations on my series of brushwork tumblers. The two outside tumblers were fired in the soda kiln, one just nekkid clay outside (left) and the other between layers of shino glaze. The one in the center was thickly applied shinos fired in pretty heavy reduction. Got some good crawl and this was one of the 'melt down' survivors.

The gas kiln holding the Empty Bowls load was too hot to open all the way, but I peeked before going to the first Bowl Project class and it looked good - forgot the camera all times at the kiln, so you'll just have to take my word for it. Happy with the glazes, happy with the firing!

- John Hartom opening the Empty Bowl Project


And speaking of the Bowl Project, we kicked off in great style today with our first guest potter - Linda McFarling(link is to Spruce Pine Potters Market - go see it in October!). I first joined the Bowl Project class two years ago, a few months after my Asheville arrival and just a few weeks before I was offered the Residency. In another nice, karmic touch to the end of my Residency, Linda was the first guest potter in that class as well as this one, and I'm as rapt by her demos now as I was then, and as I ever will be. Plus, she demo-ed my favorite new technique of fluting!

But even before class, I got to Odyssey with just enough time to glaze a handful of bowls that will go into Akira Satake's next firing. He kindly invited me to put bowls in and join the firing this week, and I'm heading out there Wednesday evening to keep him company during the mid-evening shift.

So after class, John and I headed over to unload the kiln, and fortune smiled upon us in the form of Beth Flanagan, to whom I'm passing the Odyssey Empty Bowls czar-ship, and Kate Reis, seemingly innocent bystander at the right place at the right time. They were both willing and available to come along and they helped unload the kiln in record time. Bowls are all packed and ready for the trip to Michigan!

I got in a little catch up book work before Glenda came back, and there we have the day's list just about accomplished in order!

What's not on the list is 'throw enough flat bottomed things that will dry by Thursday to fill one more bisque' and 'trim everything you threw yesterday that needs trimming'. I did get everything trimmed, with just one platter fatality. I got a few more tumblers and cups thrown, but with the arrival of the long-awaited rains comes the 'runningthroughjello' slow down of all drying in the studio. Fans will stay on tonight and tomorrow I'll set up my little make-shift drying lamps again, but I fear I won't have a full bisque to run on Thursday. I'll run something, just to get more pieces in this kiln, but I don't think the trays and platters will make it.

The other visitor to the studio tonight was an unexpected delight. I still don't have a screen for the front door, and the sprinkly-rain breeze was just too nice to close the door after dark so the bugs were invited in. In what both Glenda and I took to be a very good omen for the studio, life, the universe and everything, a nocturnal preying mantis came in to hang out for a while:

He was very kind and patient while I jockeyed for the best photo angle, and a bit later I looked back over to see him still there and 'praying'
...no doubt for world peace and the overall success of Crazy Green Studios, which is pretty much what I pray for every day. I shut the door when the heavy rains came, and he was gone from his perch, so he's either on his way to spread blessings elsewhere or hunkered down somewhere else in the studio.


And I'll leave you tonight with the face that gazes at me now, so patiently waiting to go frolick in the rain. It's not letting up so we're going for a little wade and turning in...good night!