Flux: Thaw at the Hungerford

Teapot 8

After quick thaw last week, the winter storm came back over the weekend.  Winds was glowling overnight with snow.  We found one of the tree broken on the ground. It is a rather tall tree. We are expecting warm weather for the rest of week. Hopefully no more wind, as I will fire the kiln this weekend.



Teapot 8.   I like the lid. It is a time to move on to different shape .

[caption id="attachment_1411" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Teapot 8"][/caption]

Quick Thaw

Last two days, temperature went to up above 50F, and most snow are melted. Small creeks run like wild river.



Sun felt very nice.  Trimming today. Why trim?  I like to trim most of my pots.  It reduces lots of weight from the ware by trimming away excess of the clay. A foot give a balanced shape to the entire form, from ground up. It needs to be right width (or shape and size) to the opening of the pottery to look nice.  If you are handling the hot food or drink, the foot give a bit of cushion from the heat.



Well, I made the replacement for the teapot 3.   I enlarge the handle so the lid is easier to remove.  This lid has better fit.

[caption id="attachment_1406" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Teapot 3 replaced"][/caption]

Teapot 6 & 7

Unloaded the kiln.  Good firing.  Snow is melting quickly, but another snow is in forecast for this weekend.  Dreadful winter continues.

I fired Teapot 2. Glaze with tenmoku and rutile blue. Tiny lid looks great compared to a large lid below.  But this lid is too small for making tea.  I need work on the lid.

[caption id="attachment_1396" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Teapot 2 fired"][/caption]

I found the clack inside the teapot 3 today.   I forget to sponge all water from the bottom.   I dried the outside bottom with the heat gun. That created too much tension.

Here is teapot 6 & 7

[caption id="attachment_1398" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Teapot 6"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1399" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Teapot 7"][/caption]

Tureen

I finished the tureen today.  I rarely make them, as it is hard to bring the ladle to the shows. It is kind of odd shape.



This weekend is the second sale at the Mostly Clay.  I brought lots if bowls this year.

Getting ready for next firing this weekend.

Teapot 5

The lid for teapot 3 does not fit well, I measured twice.  I think this is due to the  fast-drying (using heat-gun).   I had hard time making the replacement lid for teapot last year.  It was way off, two large.  My thought then, was that if  the lid  is left overnight to dry (under the plastic), it dries  upward, meaning the nine o' clock toward twelve.  When I dried these lids with heat guns to speed up the process, these shape stayed the same (flat).  I don't know my studio is always hot and dry,  that may be the factor. Am I making any sense ??

Here is teapot 6. I wanted the body to be more projected  compared to teapot 3.  It looks a lot better than this picture, I thought.  A handle needs some more tweaking.



The color of new batch of clay is very different from the last batch.  Much dark-gray...  I need to make some tiles to compare the glaze color, now.

Teapot 3 & 4

Here is teapots from yesterday and today.  I thought the first two teapots do not have enough opening for tea/ teabag to be functional,and widened the opening a bit for these two.  I do not like the shape of teapot 3, so decided to have a fun with teapot 3.  I like the way the cap sits on the teapot 3, but the body does not looks good with feet. Turned out this practice is forcing me to stay an extra hour at the studio, and helps the greenwares just dry enough to cover with the plastic without deforming.  Before I lost couple pieces a day as the fleshly thrown pieces are too wet to cover.

[caption id="attachment_1379" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Teapot3"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1380" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Teapot4"][/caption]

I am getting 1000lb of clay tomorrow, and lots of trimming.

Mugs week and teapot

Once again, mugs week.



Have you seen at the Fong Choo's teapot making videos in Youtube?  His teapot shape is amazing, and his speed of making the teapot  is also amazing.  For inspiration,  I will make one teapot of different shape on my throwing day for a while.  Here is last two days.

Teapot1

Teapot2