WillowAK Pottery

 Earlier, I may have mentioned a mug order.  Here is what 54 porcelain mugs look like when unloaded from their first firing to 1830 degrees F.  No glaze on them yet, but once cooled they are ready for a stain on the logo, a clear glaze over the logo, a wax over the clear glaze, and then a dip in a bucket of a newly- mixed glaze before a second firing. Found it a bit concerning that a label was on the dry glaze announcing that it is a "new formula." Hmmm...I sure hope the change is minuscule in appearance and behavior.  ( An aside.  I just asked Siri how to spell miniscule and the audio response is "minuscule," although on the screen the word appears as "miniscule." A little research suggests, to my surprise, that minuscule is "correct" with miniscule being a "new-fangled" spelling considered a "variant" by many. ) Admittedly, so easily sidetracked. Back to mugs. These are made to be "no spill" in design and have a lo...

Hello!  Unless someone says otherwise,  I've completed and notified people who have ordered pottery and patiently waited to hear from me.  Some of you recently returned to your lake homes for the summer and may be in touch soon. Is there anything you're still waiting for from WillowAK Pottery? Out of the kiln recently are plates headed to Talkeetna's beautiful Dancing Leaf Gallery.  When the plates are delivered, I will also submit a large wood salmon that has been decorated for the Talkeetna Historical Society Salmon Run Art Fundraiser. Many decorated salmon will be auctioned to benefit the Museum and the Historical Society.  Right now, the Seven Sunshine Salmon piece I have is a work in progress, but it will end up looking something like this:  It could end up being ugly...or not. Time will tell.  Eclectic, yes, and smiling!  Now, to the pottery: Below, are images of the most recent porcelain items out of the kiln...most of which are ready for...

Happy Mother's Day!   We awoke to a beautiful day. Blue lake.  Sunshine. Warmth. Calm. No bugs! We were engaged in wonderful family events before Mother's Day--  Seldovia trip, UAF graduation, Denali Park, MN family visitors, etc.  Since I did not post sample pieces from the last kiln firing,    I am now doing so.   All are porcelain and available. Images should enlarge to show details.  1.  Various pendants/ornaments 2.  Glaze testing with dark woodgrain 3.  Glaze testing with light woodgrain 4.  Test tiles to experiment with surface design 5.  Several fish 6.  Large moose with trees 7.  Fun plate #1 8.  Fun plate #2 9/  Fun plate #3 10.  Pie plate 11.  Charcuterie platter Some pistachio-serving options 12.  Tumbler, covered soup mug, heart bowl 13.  Bowl and Kim's soup mug with saucer  14.  Mug, Barbara's pistachio-serving option and Patricia's soon-to-be s...

  A dmittedly, I do love making pottery when inspired to do so. It's satisfying to wire off a slice of porcelain from a 25# chunk that has traveled from Tacoma to Alaska. In the past, I would order a palette of porcelain that came by barge to Anchorage, by Span Alaska to Wasilla, and finally to Willow in our Ridgeline. Each 50# box contains two 25# bags of porcelain.  Once unloaded and stacked under the studio, I was set with a good clay supply for months. Keith would deliver the bags as needed.  R ecently, we shifted to a USPS delivery of only a few boxes at a time, not knowing how long the hands, back and joints will hold up, and not wanting Keith to navigate the outdoor stairs year-round to retrieve boxes of clay from under the studio. So now, it's fewer boxes at a time, stored in the garage for easy  access. Although Flat Rate helps, just getting the wet clay to Willow is expensive, but isn't most everything these days?  I'm grateful we get it here as easily...

🎶🎶🎶🎶 ... said the night wind to the little lamb These are lyrics from a Christmas song "written in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis as a plea for peace. The lyrics reflect a hope for peace on Earth..." which is our hope for people around the world. The lyrics, by Noel Regney, conclude with, "The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light, He will bring us goodness and light."  That, too, is our hope for the future: goodness and light!   Merry Christmas to each and every one of you.   May we all spread goodness and light in 2025!  Keith and Carol 🎶🎶🎶🎶   🎶🎶🎶🎶   🎶🎶🎶🎶 ___________________________________ What I see tonight are tables loaded with pottery in my studio.  All you see here are made  of porcelain. Samples of recent pieces should enlarge when clicked. Small rectangular dish Disks for floral arrangements Butter crocks or butter bells Covered container, mug, shallow dish, vase  Yarn bow...