First, and totally, completely unrelated, and not at all germane to this post, don't you hate those blogs that are all, "Look what I made, aren't I cool, I am so much cooler than you!" I like a blog in which the author admits to being a fuck up once in a while. Don't you?
Onto our regularly scheduled post, already in progress:
During the firing yesterday? I ran out of propane.
I am still not sure quite how that happened. I think I misremebered when the fuel truck was last here, and therefore how many firings the tanks had already served. I do know how it could have been avoided, however: there's a handy-dandy gauge provided for that very purpose, which a person who is not a fuck up might have checked.
Rest assured that I am past the self-castigation & am laughing, now, because it isn't the worst thing that could have happened; the burners started losing pressure around 012, so I put it into the deepest reduction I could get, given that there wasn't any fuel, and then shut it off and closed it up tightly.
I had an firing buddy loading with me yesterday, and she stayed for the early hours of the firing. Special message for her: DK, it's gonna be longer than I thought, to get the pots back to you; but they will still come out well. And thank you for your help.
Anyway. Delivering work to Portsmouth & Portland today, hopefully with a sales call in Kennebunkport of Ogunquit. Before I go, I need to ge ton the phone with the porpane guys to get a delivery before Wednesday, with I attempt this firing again.
pottery is a just a series of errors! any potter that doesn't admit it or believe it is lying to themselves... as an amateur I really appreciate when bloggers share their troubles, hopefully I'll learn from them and not commit the same. Hope the firing comes out great later this week
We learn from mistakes (hopefully) so a good blogger shares mistakes. I also like some triumphs too or else I'd get really depressed and stop reading. Right now I'm looking forward to the results, I bet the pots come out great.
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Lori Keenan Watts (aka me) is a potter, gardener, and avid reader from Augusta, Maine. Though I started my university education in surface design for fabric, clay quickly grabbed me by the heart and redirected my creative impulses. I have been a potter for over 25 years -- hard to believe. The most valuable years of my ceramic education were spent in graduate study at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, under the tutalage of Dan Anderson and Paul Dresang.
My aesthetic is guided by my love of the material itself. What fascinates me and makes a pot compelling for me is the clay-ness of clay: the squooshiness that becomes the adamantine solidity. I also like patterns, unexpected proportions, and when the flame comes along and dissolves part of my careful decorating efforts! I am obstinate about this aesthetic, to a point which might be called pig-headed, but hey, if you don't like what you make, why bother?
My happy little family also includes my husband, musician and photographer (and author of the book Alewife) Doug Watts; five cats; and a turtle, all foundlings and rescues of one stripe or another.
4 comments:
Yes, I like blogs where not everything goes perfectly as well. Hope this firing is the best of all you've done lately.
pottery is a just a series of errors! any potter that doesn't admit it or believe it is lying to themselves... as an amateur I really appreciate when bloggers share their troubles, hopefully I'll learn from them and not commit the same. Hope the firing comes out great later this week
Seriously? You ran out of gas :D No biggy. Who knows, maybe it will turn out to be the ultimate way to fire.
We learn from mistakes (hopefully) so a good blogger shares mistakes. I also like some triumphs too or else I'd get really depressed and stop reading. Right now I'm looking forward to the results, I bet the pots come out great.
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