WillowAK Pottery

Quite a week of weather in the Willow area!  Rivers are over their banks and folks have been evacuated from Talkeetna. Our property is water logged, with the meadow looking like a pond, but it appears that the heavy rains are over.  Hopefully the drying out process has begun. Some sunshine would help!  We'd just had loam and topsoil spread before the rains began, so that soft ground became pretty mucky in a hurry. No personal injuries that we heard of, but considerable loss of property in the area, which is sad. I'll get more news about local impact when the knitting group meets on Wednesday. Did get some studio time last week. How nice to have full control over space, temperature and the environment in general.  Turn on my tunes, wedge the clay, spin the wheel, and enjoy the nice view -- until the phone rings. Still need to answer calls since the electrician, gutter installers, plumber, builder, and others have been in contact regarding a few follow-up tasks, and ...

How can it already be mid September?  There was definitely frost on the deck tabletop this morning, but we still need some "growing season" since the dump trucks have been rolling in all day with topsoil and we're still thinking grass seed and bulbs.  Any of you master gardeners out there think it's too late for that? Hunter -- test driving the wheel and tools Oops -- this blog is supposed to be about pottery, not seeds and bulbs.  I am getting back into the studio just a tad.  Did a handful of what were going to be mugs, but didn't get back to them in time for adding handles, so they'll be small tumblers and bowls, instead. Made a good "warm up" activity. Keith put fresh water in the Cink buckets; the water was stinky from just sitting too long. She's good to go, now! Yesterday there was some cleaning to be done in the studio since seven-year-old Hunter had his first wheel-throwing experience Labor Day weekend; with too much water, too m...

Back-to-school talk is making me well aware that there isn't a lot of summer left in Alaska for 2012.  No complaints, though.  We've been busy and fortunate -- and fall is a favorite season, so life's good. Starting to think less about packing and unpacking boxes -- and more about clay and all things related to creating pottery.  After taking a painting lesson today at Willow Creek Studio , where I noticed the pottery shelves are a bit sparse, I came back to my own studio to select, price, and inventory pieces to take over to replenish those shelves.  No individual photos, but these serve my purpose of having a visual reference of what I'm taking to WCS.  In about a month, they'll probably drop back to being open only on weekends, so it seems important to get some more WillowAK Pottery "pieces with personality" out for the browsers and buyers at Willow Creek Studio at mile 69.5 An orange dot goes on the bottom of each piece. Some serving bowls...

Hello! The good news is that we're getting settled into our new home in Willow; once that happens, some  attention will return to pottery -- designing, throwing, trimming, firing, decorating, glazing, and firing again.  Meanwhile, it's great that Willow Creek Studio on the Parks Highway, mile 69.5, is catching the attention of passersby and selling local art in the new gallery and gift shop.  Scott Thompson's website and Willow Creek Studio on Facebook provide more detail.  I'll continue to have pottery available for purchase at Willow Creek Studio; please inquire about it if you don't see casseroles, bowls, covered jars, plates, etc. amidst the varied displays of many local artists. If you'd like to be notified of firings this fall, please let me know and I'll add you to my mailing list.  Enjoy the rest of the summer!  May the sun shine regularly between now and the start of school!  We need it for lots of reasons -- including the Willow Garden ...

Well, today was a pivotal one, for sure. In the afternoon, we made our first delivery of pottery to Willow Creek Studio, which is having its grand opening next Saturday, May 19.  The former Rock Shop building on the Parks Hwy in the "heart of Willow" was purchased by artist Scott Thompson and his wife, Joan; they've been busy setting up a gallery and gift area, lining up artists, building a deck, and preparing to operate a new business. We delivered 35 pieces of my pottery, a variety of serving bowls, berry bowls,  plates, soap/candy dishes, casseroles, etc. and hope business will be booming at Willow Creek Studio. In the evening, UAA Ceramics instructor Steve Godfrey, hosted an end-of-semester gathering at his home, recognizing a number of us who have had some recent good news or developments with our ceramics work.  It was fun, appreciated and a delicious collection of fine food! I will definitely miss the wonderful people with whom I've worked over the years in...

Good news:  talked with Clay Arts and new kiln shelves, clay, and supplies will be shipped either this week or next. At the moment, their staff is busy with NCECA set-up and activities; many of those in my class will be attending that event in Seattle later this week. Loaded the new Geil kiln at UAA and will be firing there with TJ beginning at 8:00 a.m. Have lots of test glazes and a variety of forms in the firing, so should be gathering valuable information when we unload on Wednesday. Firing all day Tuesday means working in the studio all day -- a real treat!  Will start with making a couple batches of clay, then decorating five trimmed pieces before they go to bisque firing, then move on to throwing new forms if time allows.  Wish I had left the five pieces covered, but hopefully they'll still be OK for accepting slip, stain, and or wash.  If not, off to the bisque shelves they go. Timing is everything in ceramic work! Time to test a link to see if I can conven...

Tomorrow is the first day of SPRING!  It's time to be thinking about leaving the comfort zone of many years in the UAA ceramics studio and transitioning to studio potter at WillowAK Pottery.  A shipment will arrive soon, including kiln shelves and posts, 500 lbs. of porcelain clay, glazes, studio equipment and supplies, and The Cink.  A new Skutt 1222 kiln, without furniture, and a Thomas Stuart wheel are already in place. We soon face moving, selling our Anchorage home, establishing a pottery, landscaping, and being happily retired!  What:  WillowAK Pottery pronounced "willo ak" and revealing the where and what in a whimsical way; will post photos so you see sample pieces. Where:  the studio, above, is about 90 minutes north of Anchorage; lakes, woods and wildlife create a naturally peaceful and inspiring setting year around. When:  we expect to be up and running in May 2012. Why:  love creating with clay -- making bowls, cups, pl...