Pottery Collection: Johnston

I'm still trying to get my photo system setup. I have been able to take decent pictures using one system, but it was cumbersome and I had work on the image quite a bit after it came out of the camera. I'm getting closer to being able to have a simple, compact system with little image processing, but still a ways to go. Here is another practice shot of one of my favorite pots.I realize I need to just use a reflector to cut the glare, but for some reason I just won't give in.

Daniel Johnston - Seagrove, NC

Current system:

Two years already

It was two years ago this month that I first touched clay. I had wanted to learn for a while and I didn't have the opportunity to take any classes. So when I saw a Brent B on Ebay I went for it figuring I could sell it later if it didn't "take". Well, it did. Meaning at least I was hooked.

So I didn't have to sell the wheel, but pottery is definitely eating the entire downstairs and back yard of my home. There is clay drying in my driveway with covered with window screen as we speak. There is a utility sink where a normal vanity once stood in my downstairs basement. There are bakers racks with bisque ware on them in the "guest bedroom". Christy says we're the only ones she knows working to un-finish a finished basement. At least she says it with a prideful smile.

Etsy Shop Up

I finally got an Etsy site started yesterday:

http://barberpottery.etsy.com

Window Wonderland Video

Every year,  Franklin has an event called Window Wonderland. The main street shops stay open on Friday night and serve things like cider and cookies. There are carriage rides, carolers, and luminaries. The really neat thing is that most of the windows have live people in them creating a scene. For example the shoe store has a cobbler and other stores might have children for a Christmas morning scene. Our shop doesn't have room for people in the window space so we're getting creative. We've shot a short promotional video that we are going to have playing in the window instead. It's not a high quality production, but maybe it will occupy the men while their wives shop.

I've put it up for now on BarberPottery.com @

http://www.barberpottery.com/seeitmade.aspx

Unaker - Processing

I'm trying to get a little more of the white clay processed so that I can make a few items for processing. Also, Annie mentioned the pieces I showed in the blog earlier, wondering how they made it through the kiln

Well, they made it fine. This clay is very high fire so it isn't vitrified at cone 6. I'm almost positive it wouldn't be at cone 10 either without amendments. But it looks good for decorative purposes with the clear glaze. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the bowl before I took it over to Tom. This time I'll actually post of photo of the next finished piece.

Anyway, here is a short video showing how I process the clay:

Smiley Face Thing

An explanation of the smiley face thing in the last blog post.

Evening's Work

After work I started slaking down some of the unaker I still have from the Rose Creek mine, trimmed some work from yesterday, and threw a batch of dessert cups along with a couple of vases.