Two Mugs on a Log

 I'm happy with these two "beer stein" mugs. I used all Amaco glazes on the outside. Obsidian on the bottom, Ancient Copper on the top half and Seaweed in the middle overlapping. That Seaweed glaze overlap created a very pretty turquoise band of drips which happen to match the interior turquoise color. I live for those happy accidents. The interior glaze is Seattle Pottery Turquoise. Cone 5/6 on Laguna b-mix with grog.

Mix and Match Glazing

This was a glaze experiment, which more often than not, is the case. The bottom half of the mug and interior has Chris Wolf Plumb Glaze. The recipe for that glaze can be googled. The band of white is Opaque White by Seattle Pottery and the creamy looking  top inch, inside and out, is Albany Slip Brown glaze by Amaco. They are all 5/6 glazes that seem very compatible. Clay is Laguna b-mix with grog. I will try to duplicate that combo in my next firing to see how predictable it is. And why do mugs look so great on weathered wood?

I HAVE RETURNED

Yay, I remembered how to log in and post photos on this blog after a year and a half! My pottery production has slowed down to a crawl but break-time is over. Our winter and spring gave us great amounts of precipitation which is unusual for this high-desert area.  Greatly appreciated, however, since we are always recovering from a drought. Tons of yard work since everything had been growing like crazy. My ryobi electric mower is my best friend right now. My new best friend will be my kiln. I'll post pots from my glaze fire soon.

I Did Like It!

 Last year I had to figure out how to get myself out of a non-creating rut, so I purchased some new glazes to help to inspire me. Two of the glazes were Amaco Potters Choice Cosmic Tea Dust and Cosmic Oil Spot. Now I personally am drawn to glittery things but I wasn't sure I would like the look on my stoneware creations. I used Tea Dust on a cloaked figure (pictured a few posts back) and I kinda liked how that looked. To get the best reflection of the glittery particles in the glaze, I applied two coats of Amaco Obsidian glaze and then two coats of the Cosmic Tea Dust to my small lidded pot that's 3 inches tall by 2 inches wide. It's so beautifully glittery in the sunlight. I'm mesmerized. 

The mug has Cosmic Oil Spot on the rim and sprig. I like the watery/oily look but the glittery flecks are larger. I think it's use on the mug is successful but I'll have to figure out how else to make it work. And isn't that part of the fun.

I'm Back At It!

Me, when I realize that almost another year has passed without posting to my blog!

I kinda took a break from pottery this past spring and summer. I worked on my neglected garden to grow some garlic, onions, golden zucchini and sweet red peppers. Soil needs more ammending to lighten the clay.  I'm pleased, especially since we had 30 plus 100 degree days. Love breaking records 😓 . After I recovered from covid AGAIN, I started to miss working with clay and got back to work. More to follow, I promise.

 

Happy Holidays to All

 Enjoying a cold rainy evening by the fireplace this Christmas eve. This laptop is quite the heat generator, adding to the total affect 😄. Remember to take a deep breath, relax and reflect. It's good for creativity which, in turn, is good for us all. 🌟 

Spiffy and Sparkly

 This is a statue I made just for my own amusement.  It's about 6 inches tall. I threw it on the wheel as a thick-walled enclosed shape. Once it got to be a soft leatherhard, I carved away the excess clay to reveal this figure. I carved a space behind the hands to put a crystal or a tiny bowl for an incense cone as shown here. The sparkly robes are are from Cosmic Tea Dust glaze by Amaco. I used it 3 ways: alone, layered over a black glaze and over Iron Luster glaze (Amaco). The glittery glossy black finish is my favorite. The others resulted in a dark brown glittery finish which works well in texture and adds depth and interest to another wise dark piece.