Thanks for your interest in pottery!
Unloaded
another glaze kiln and learned a lot, once again, from the
results. Am good with the decision not to do a hold on the firing
schedule and to leave the kiln undisturbed for 24 hours after the
completion of the firing. Here are photos of what was just fired:
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| Nature in and on porcelain |
A variety of forms and glazes -- many with designs incorporated into the glazing process.
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| Keith's favorite...not surprisingly |
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| Two pennies in this photo, to help suggest size of pieces |
Some familiar color combinations and some new discoveries. Trees, leaves, buds, and flowers easily find their way into the design work, aiming to give each piece its unique personality.
If you see some of these pieces in person, turn them over. You may find a pleasant surprise on the bottom side.
 | Reminiscent of Alaskan lakes, trees, and adventures in nature. |
| Blue and black, blue and nutmeg, shore break and sage, shore break and blue. Mother Nature has been more than generous! | . |
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| Then there's the fluted bowl in classic black, white and gray, with a bit of pussy willow accent in the same coloring. Subtle, special, and sweet. |  |
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| Pieces for those who favor blacks and blues. |
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| A closeup of blue created with combining black and white |
Lots of possibilities with combinations of blacks and whites. Try enlarging the photo to see some of the detail in color variations.
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| Berry bowls for rinsing those gems you picked or purchased |
How was berry picking for you this year?
Rumor has it that the low bushes were loaded with berries, but the taller bushes had little to offer. I didn't get out to pick, but am still listening carefully to see if anyone discloses a good place for picking -- one I could check out next summer.
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| A test of colored slip with clear glaze -- love the results! |
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| Yarn bowl -- some developed more character than intended |
This plate was a pleasant surprise. I created it to test many different colored slips I'd made, thinking some bright colors could be fun on some whimsical work. With a clear glaze over all, the colors stayed vibrant and I see lots of potential. Watered down the clear glaze considerably and it seems to have liked the new firing schedule better than it did previously. Three cheers for testing -- and good results!
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| The shallow fish bowls are a hit with Alaskans |
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| Small bowls -- varied shapes, colors, and designs |
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| A little treasure -- with my "mystery" glaze |
There always has to be a photo of various small bowls, the ones you use for pickles, ice cream, cereal, candies, chips, fruit, olives, relish, dips, and whatever YOU put in small bowls in your home. Yes, all the pottery can go in the dishwasher, the microwave, even the oven and freezer. Use it and enjoy it! Maybe everyone in your family should have his or her own bowl, not to be confused with the bowl of anyone else. Maybe it's time to start collecting these for family and friends?
I visited a potter friend in Wisconsin who kept a bucket of glaze "leftovers" that changed composition as she rinsed out sediment from the bottom of buckets and cleaned off glaze from stir sticks and other sources. Although I'm not sure that she called it her "mystery glaze," I think she did. So, I'm developing a "mystery glaze" bucket and try it out from time to time on a piece. It's fun to see how the mystery glaze changes over time with the addition of more "leftovers" here and there.
| Wow! This is dramatic! A rich glaze combo that I hope can be repeated in the future. | | |  |
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| Distinguished glaze -- you'll probably see more of this soon |
This mug was the only mug in the kiln. I was trying to touch up a spot on the handle, but the mug warped a bit during this third firing, so is now Keith's new mug. Yes, occasionally we need to test drive a piece in our own kitchen, and this glaze combo is a good one to put through a use test with a dedicated coffee drinker.
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| Some French butter dishes, small bowls and toothpick holders |
Thirty more mugs are being delivered this week, so the next throwing cycle, again, will start with mugs to replace those leaving the studio.
The "miscellaneous" photo has some French butter dishes, toothpick holders, a covered butter dish, and a couple small bowls. Had problems with the French butter dishes, so they, too, are on the "to do" list again, along with more goblets and a redesigned yarn bowl.
If you're in the Willow area or planning to come through, feel free to arrange a visit at the studio to see what's being made Sometimes the studio is tidy and even clean; sometimes it is not, but you're still welcome to see what's going on.
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| Thinking about jewelry and ornament possibilities -- maybe stars? |
I'm planning an open house again this year, with Saturday and Sunday, November 16 and 17 as probable dates. Please stay tuned for more details, MARK YOUR CALENDAR, and thanks for your interest in WillowAK Pottery.
On Facebook the pottery posts are at: https://www.facebook.com/WillowAK.Pottery
You'll find the work available at Sourdough Mercantile in the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, at Willow Creek Studio in Willow, at Town Square Art Gallery and at All I Saw Cookware in Wasilla, and at The Tangled Skein in Eagle River.