Shout Out!

Just wanted to say congratulations to my friend Brandon Lutterman, who recently got the news that his teapot was selected for Lark Books 500 Teapots, due out in August of this year. (You can pre-order the book here.)
Way to go, Brandon! Can't wait to see what else author Jim Lawton has chosen.

48 Hours

That's how long before I can start unloading the kiln. The firing itself was uneventful, if that can can be said about such an exciting process - although I didn't realize until too late that I didn't have any salt, so it was straight soda this time.

What can I do with my 48 hours? How about, make 48 bowls!! I am still reaping the bounty of the 100 mugs in 100 hours project, and as I said, I got a lot of really good mugs out of that. (Also some stinkers: but that's unavoidable.)

In other news, here's how the stack looked before I bricked up:

"But wait, what's going on with those teapots? It looks like...yes, I think..."

You're right: they are completely covered in wax. When I glazed for the last firing, I used wax over the flashing slip in some places, because removing errant drips from the slipped surface is tough to do without leaving a scar. And "Errant Drips" is pretty much my secret name. (That should be my Twitter handle!) So I waxed areas that I thought would likely be receiving said drips. Just wax, nothing in it. And look what I discovered upon unloading:

Look close, especially on the right-hand side of the photo. See that rectangular mark? That is the edge of the waxed area. To be clear, the inside of the rectangle is where there was no wax. The area that had been waxed is juicier and more lush with soda glaze, and took a richer color. It feels nicer, too. I don't have a good explanation for this. Here's the flashing slip recipe:

41.9 EPK
41.9 OM 4
5.7 Borax
10.5 Zircopax

The wax, of course, burns away long before anything active happens with any of those ingredients...or so I thought.  The results say different. Maybe the wax leaves just enough carbon to change the outcome?

Much as I hate not knowing why, (and I will find out) it doesn't really matter why. I coated most of the flashing-slipped pieces in this load with wax, and will find out Sunday whether or not this was some kind of fluke. Of course, I forgot the salt, so if I get a different result, that could account for it. Will keep you posted!


Okay, off to make bowls.

500 Teapots Call For Entries

I found out about this a bit late for myself: I have teapots in process but there's no way they will be finished, never mind photographed, by the upcoming deadline for entry into Lark Books planned 500 Teapots publication. But it might not be too late for you! Check it out here.
The deadline for submission in April 20th; you can submit up to 4 entries.

Lark already has a 500 Teapots book, with which you are probably already familiar. I would so love to be in the new one! But I guess I'll just have to wait for volume 3.

A Herd of Teapots!

These are thrown as closed forms, then the lids are cut out. I attach a flattened coil on the underside of the lid to prevent it sliding around when the pot is in use.

Not that I expect these to get a lot of use. They are perfectly functional, except one which has an opening a bit small for a teabag; and the spouts should pour like ya see inna pictures. Once they are fired, though, they will be one- or two cuppers. But what do I know? Maybe people use teapots for a single cup of tea.

I had a great time making this lot, but I might be all teapotted-out until next year.

It's Teapot Day!

It's that highly unusual event, rare as papal elections or the transit of Venus. That would be, the day when I actually feel like making teapots!

Part of what stops me from enjoying teapot-making is ADD: there are so many fiddly little steps to them, by the time they are ready to be assembled, I no longer feel like making teapots. I have solved part of the problem by employing a rubbermaid container from my kitchen: I can, at least throw the spouts while I'm still enamored with the process, without having them dry out too much to use. I will also lay out a sheet of plastic and pull some long handles, and cover it with another sheet, so the handles will be firming up while the bodies dry, also.

I've got a guest artist visit this afternoon at UMA - just a few miles from my house - so by the time I get back, maybe these will be ready to assembled.

There's kind of a funny story about how I came to be inspired to make teapots today, but I haven't got time (got handles to pull! :) ) but I'll relate it when I show you how these turn out.

One Tree Hill Teapot Video

Watch Judy Pierce of One Tree Hill Pottery making one of her fantastic teapots!

Thursday Inspiration

In keeping with our class theme for this session - "Around the World" - I really wanted to show students a selection of Yixing teapots. Much to my surprise, it took all of my powers of google-fu to come up with good images. Not that there aren't lots of Yixing and yixing-style pots out there -- they are just so poorly photographed, or the web images are so tiny as to be useless. Anyway, here's what I got:






And then I remember Richard Notkin!





A right little ray of sunshine he isn't; but what compelling pieces!

AGAIN, with the TP

Am I cheap, or resourceful? Both, but whatever works, right? And there really isn't anything better than a roll of TP to support a teapot handle until it is dry enough to hold itself up. It has 3 major advantages:

1. It's customizable. You can remove paper to make the interior curve of the handle smaller. You can squish the roll a little to get a more parabolic shape, in either direction.
2. It's cheap and readily available. If there's no TP in your home, better stop reading and go get some.
   
3. It compressed as the handle dries and shrinks. So, you won't crack your handle if you fail to remove the support at the exact moment the piece is firm enough.
   

Oh, and:
4. If you forget it and the handle gets too tight around the TP to remove it, you can just bisque it away. No harm, no foul.

I Hate Teapots

Well...hate is a strong word. And I don't hate teapots so much as I hate making teapots. Other people's teapots can be quite delightful. And, since it's just you and me, I'll admit: I hate teapots for the same reason I used to hate lids and handles, many years ago. I just didn't do enough of them, so I wasn't very good at them. Any of my students will gladly tell you my stand on handles now: Anything that is good without a handle is better with a handle. And making lids gives me joy, because lidded pots are so very useful , but also just because I feel good at it. I have a facility with the form that allows me to relax and enjoy the process.

So, the real problem is that I only make teapots once a year. And that time is upon us! Portland Pottery's Annual Teapot show is opening Friday May 7th, from 6-9. There will be lots of wonderful pieces by lots of wonderful artists; door prizes; and guests can vote on their favorite teapot.

In preparation for this event, I took a quick tour of the teapots that have ended up as garden sculpture, due to stuck-down lids, cracked bottoms, funky spouts, or general disfunction. Most are mine, but a couple were donated by a student. BTW -- not that I wish ill fortune on anyone's efforts -- but there is always a home in my garden for any teapot whose original calling does not work out. I love teapots!