More Than the Turkey is Stuffed!!!

You know, the best thing about Thanksgiving dinner is all the leftovers.  I think I like the leftovers as much or more than the regular meal.  The problem is that it is like nonstop eating until they are all gone - so I am stuffed!

Since Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday (Pottery night), I did not go into the studio this week - yet.  I may go in sometime over the weekend just to drop off my latest work to be bisque-fired.  I saw an article in the latest Clay Times magazine on making jug pitchers and tried it out for myself.  It realy works out pretty easy.  Maybe I need to add a face to some of them to turn them into Face Jug Pitchers.

I also started working on replenishing my supply of face jugs since I sold all I had at the Finch Open House.  Everyone has been remarking lately on how "big" my beard is getting these days so I thought I would do a jug with a big beard, as well.  The cat jug was on a whim - I had made a cat mug last year for one of my boys and it went over well, and I think I did make a cat jug that sold pretty quickly at the Heart of Virginia Festival in Farmville last May, so I felt like it was time for another.  Maybe it's time for a whole line of animal jugs!


I hope everyone has had a great Thanksgiving holiday.  The holiday season is really getting under way, now.  I have been listening to Christmas music for the last month and I am ready for it!

Quick Update

It is late and I had a long day - parent conferences for the next two days at school.  But I wanted to post a quick update on the Finch Pottery Open House.  It couldn't have been a more perfect day!  Great weather.  Great crowd. Good sales.  As usual, I should have had more face jugs.  I only had about eight and they all sold.  In fact, I had three different people lined up to buy the last one!  Every year I vow to bring in a whole three tier shelf of face jugs, but always get sidetracked trying to do something new.  Next year . . . .

This year I shared a space with Danny, who I had taught with in Roanoke Rapids.  It was a good mix of wares.  He does almost exclusively hand-built pottery and mine is almost all thrown, so we had a little bit of everything.  Danny already has us lined up to do a "Sip and See" for the arts council in Roanoke Rapids early next year.

It is hard to believe that next week is Thanksgiving.  I have poured the slab for the kiln and hope to move it within the week.  The nights have cooled down enough that I have had a small oil-filled radiator on in the shop at night to keep the temperature bearable.  Time to focus on some Christmas gifts and special projects - and to determine what my New Year's pot will be this year.


Hope all have a wonderful Thanksgiving - I know that I am looking forward to all the turkey and fixin's!

Meeting Robin Hopper

Robbin Hopper & Me during the morning break

 
I just had a great weekend at Finch Pottery attending a workshop with Robin Hopper.  Besides watching him work and talk about his craft and his life, it was a chance to meet new potters and just enjoy a time fully absorbed in pottery.  I picked up a lot of tips just from watching him work, but one of the most important things for me was seeing him do things with techniques that I had already figured out and have been trying to master.  I was very validating.  Maybe in another 50 years, I will be able to throw pots like Robin.  Hmmmm....I will be 107 - maybe not!


Another thing that really appealed to me and is something I need to develop more fully is the final decorating of the pieces.  I have tried some, with success, like the cave art plates.  However, I really want to do more and watching him paint beautiful lines and designs on about 9 or 10 pieces in 40 minutes was truly inspiring.  For more information on Robin Hopper, check out his web page at www.chosinpottery.ca.  He and his wife do some amazing work.

Anyway, I came home fired up to do more and determined to get things set so I can finally get my kiln wired and working.  A week from today is the annual Finch Open House, so that is where all my energy will go this week.  Luckily, I have Thursday off for Veteran's Day and can spend some of that day organizing my pots to take to set up on Saturday.  If you are in the Bailey, NC, area on Sunday, come to the pottery.  There will be about 60 potters selling just anything you could want in the way of pottery - a great time to pick up some unique pieces for Christmas presents.