Chance of Snow

Although it's not much, I was able to put aside some time to throw a few pieces on Sunday. It seems that there are just too many other things that must be done - I can only put off grading quiz papers so long! I started making small face jugs early on as a way to recover something from battles I had with a portion of clay and in which the clay was winning. The little guy here is the result of having a hard time with what started out as a two pound bowl. Nothing was going right and I kept trimming away bits and pieces until there was just enough left for a small jug about 4 inches tall!

I did accomplish getting my corner straightened up and started the process of reclaiming about 40 to 50 pounds of scraps that I have been saving over the last few months. So, I guess the weekend was productive to a point. The forecast is calling for a 30 to 40 percent chance of snow tonight and tomorrow morning - a pretty good chance for this part of North Carolina. I, like my students, am hoping for at least enough to have a delayed opening. A full day off would be wonderful and I could spend a good part of it on the wheel. Teachers like snow days as much as the kids!

A couple of average size bowls, a pie plate, a tumbler, a vase, and the face jug is the product of a few hours at the wheel. Besides working on size and lighter weighing pieces, I probably should also be working quicker. But, since this is not my main means of income, I would rather work on quality instead of quantity. I have a "order" for a set of bowls and a pie plate that I am trying to fill for a friend. The other pieces are just me trying some different things or, lately, making things for myself, like the tumbler. Thursday nights are my regular pottery nights at Finch's Pottery and I spend my time there glazing pieces that have been bisque fired the previous week. The glazed pieces will then usually be fired the following week in Dan's gas kiln - so the whole process from beginning to end takes about two weeks on the average for me to see the final work. Maybe I will have something to show after this Thursday.

One last picture. I had cleaned my little corner studio (even cleaned all my tools) and after working with the scraps for reclaiming, I left a muddy tub under my workbench because it was really cold outside and I didn't feel like messing with the hose and cold water in the dark. The next morning when I checked on the pots I had thrown, I was greeted with this sight of muddy paw prints all over the floor. Apparently one or more of the cats (we have four) decided to walk around in the tub and then leave the room, leaving their tracks as evidence of their presence. Back to cleaning!

I hear ungraded quiz papers calling to me. I sure hope it snows!!!

cmj