yunomi workshop day 1: 'I glazed the alphabet!'

This week I'm working one-on-one with my very own workshop victim...er, student. Matt and I actually met while we were both taking a workshop with Akira Satake, and in addition to being avid clay enthusiasts, he and his lovely wife Lisa have Inkstone Gallery in Winterville, NC (where I am fortunate to have work represented).

Matt and I co-designed the week's workshop, which will focus on working on the wheel and making variations of yunomi, or everyday tea bowls. In addition, we're doing some experiments with the clays and glazes that he uses in the community studio where he does his work. That was the plan for today, and we've had a blast cooking up combinations of his commercial glazes and playing with techniques from underglazes to wax resist. We even have a super-secret slip test in the works...stay tuned for more on that! And on top of it all, Matt helped me remove a very stubborn tick from Lissa's ear and taught me another great use for tangerine oil (ticks hate it!).

Here are some images from day one's work:


Matt, ready to go with recently made glazes

Matt brought bisqued pieces to use in our glaze tests ... 26 to be exact, and all carefully logged and documented, A-Z

for tomorrow's throwing fun, some homemade lizella clay

Matt's wife Lisa decided to take advantage of the Crazy Green 'garden' and got in a nice summer read

glazing in progress

more glazing in progress...

wouldn't be complete without test tiles!

one happily tick-free dog