ready, set, fire!

loaded and started the kiln this morning. I hope it's a good firing. My goal for this next month is to start an online store through my website, keep it updated, and put a choice few pots for sale from each firing. Inside of the kiln I have some pots with new ideas, dead fish, babies, and longhorns.

I fired the kiln yesterday. Cone 9 up top and 10 was good and down at the bottom. I heard someone say a good downdraft gas kiln fires hot at the bottom? Maybe that's just what I tell myself. Oh well, I hope I had a good firing. I will unload tomorrow morning and probably take pictures later tomorrow. I peeked this morning and it looked pretty good. There is some sort of mystery when you turn off a kiln...all you can really say is, well, I hope it went o.k.! Then when it is time to peek you get so excited to see 1/4 of a pot, haha! It is kinda ridiculous.

I have two new test glazes I am eager to see, one is a subtle matte blue and the other is a green. I like to use a little color for accents sometimes. I think with this load I am going to update the portfolio on my website and probably goin to enter a couple of juried shows. Most of the pots in the kiln have drawings on them that I am pretty excited about. Some whales, fish, birds, horses, and a few hogs as well. It should be interesting.

Good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise...

The end of Summer

I am back home from Penland.

It's time to start working.

Overdue (or just pastdue)

These are a couple of cups I made from Michael Kline's last kiln firing

Below are some pictures of a few pieces I had in the Animal themed show I had with photographer Tammy Mercure

At the table we had swine sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, rabbit food, blue chips and lemonade.

Love, John

Penland continued...

Well, I have been on the mountain a full week now and things are going well. I've met some pretty great people and had some good times. I gave a slide show last Tues. and things went alright I guess, it was my first slideshow so I was a little nervous. In the pot shop we are rakuing and I think I have removed (or canceled out?) 5 to 7 years from my life. That stuff is like mustard gas! It also completely saturates your clothes with the raku smoke stank. It is a very distinct scent. Its the kind of scent that makes you want to wake up in the middle of the night and smell your t-shirt, then punch yourself in the throat, and splather ferric chloride on your pillow.



Next Session: Posey Bacapaulos-Majolica- Cone 05 and 1/2



I am going to start taking pictures to document all the madness.



Then the final session for me is Jack Troy.



I've got 5 more weeks left up on this mountain and I miss my darlin' girl, wears them sevens on her sleeve, dances like a diamond star, tells me lies I love to believe. Her age is always 22, laughin eyes a hazel hue, spends my money like water falls, loves me like I want her to. Loves me like I want her to.