Two of These Things

♫ Two of these things
Belong together
Two of these things
Are kind of the same
But one of these things is not like the other ones
Tell me which one
And win the game! ♪

I used to make clay fruit - apples & pears, mostly -  not out of any great creative compulsion, but often just to amuse myself. I wasn't aiming for a trompe l'oeil effect; what I liked was getting the shape & surface right, then choosing a glaringly incorrect color. I'd forgotten that - even that I used to make them - until I was cleaning out some kitchen drawers & found this one. It happens to be a perfect albino twin to the two real apples I had on hand.

Hope your Wednesday has been great. 🌝🍎

Committed: See You In MPLS!!

Just booked my flight for NCECA, which is in Minneapolis this year. I can't afford to go to NCECA every year, but since I lived in the Twin Cities for several years, and haven't been back in almost 20 years, I couldn't resist the opportunity.

Our first real snowstorm of the year is happening right now (18-24" predicted, although forecast have been a little less reliable since the federal government has been shut down - some of the folks who interpret the data are furloughed, I guess? IDK) This weather is making me remember that Minneapolis is not a garden spot, in March! It will still be deep winter, in fact; but it's not the weather I am travelling for.

Workshops, demos, discussions, exhibits, those are all marvelous reasons to attend the conference, but I am mostly excited to see old friends, and maybe make some new ones.

I've been listening to a new podcast in the studio - this one is called "Happier," and it's all about little actions and habits that make overall for a happier life. A theme the main presenter, Gretchen Rubin, keeps returning to is the idea that relationships are one of, if not the, key feature in happy lives. During the Week of Reflection, I arrived at the conclusion that I don't put enough effort into maintaining friendships, and resolved to do better. Here's me, keeping a promise!

Hope to see you there.

MAKE IT STOP

My wheel has started to make a horrible grinding noise, like so:

The annoyingness ...that's a word, right? Hmm, maybe not. How about the "irritateousity?" Wait, no, "vexatiousness!" That is a word!...OK, the vexatiousness of this sound does not quite come through in the clip; it's so loud IRL that I can't hear my podcast while I am centering. I have a vague sense that it's something to do with bearings...anybody know how to fix this?

The Notebook

Great movie, right? But that's not the one I'm talking about.

I keep a notebook with me at every art fair, to jot down ideas to improve the display, or note what's selling, or sketch pieces I want to make when I get back in the studio, or just keep my mind occupied during the slow times. I believe boredom has its own sinkhole energy that people can smell or feel, and that they will stay out of any booth exuding it. Yes, I know this is absurd! Sitting during a dead spell at an art fair does strange things to your mind. Also, it's true, absurd or not.

But I digress.

The point was, I was reading over these notes, and I see a pattern over the last year: at every event, I noted that people were buying small items - under $20 or $30. In some cases, like the Common Ground Fair, which is an enormous event involving a LOT of walking around, this seemed to explain itself. But the Portland Fine Craft Show? The Holiday Pottery Shop? That is new or far more pronounced this year than other years.

Although I am not an economist ( I don't even play one on TV!) I can think of some reasons for this, such as the shadow of an impending economic slump. For the purposes of this blog, the reasons for that don't matter (because I'm not an economist! I might have some ideas but seriously, wtf do I know?) What matters is my response. If I know smaller things have been selling, I should expand my offerings of smaller things.

So, my job for today: think of some items (that I will like making! that still matters) that I can make & sell for under $20. Buttons, Christmas ornaments, press-molded soap dishes...stuff like that. What are your small-ticket items?

Be It Resolved 2019

New Year's Resolutions are awesome! Don't let anybody tell you different. They get a bad rap, because people make unrealistic resolutions, or focus on the end result rather than the behavioral changes or the necessary steps. I always make resolutions - some more successful than others, but choosing them is fun, and trying to keep them is also fun! It's kind of like gamifying my life. So, without further ado, my resolutions for 2019:

Personal:

• The first one's easy: pedal 100 miles per week on the FitDesk. It's easy because I am already doing that, without even thinking about it. It's good to have an easy one to set me up for success. 
• The second is harder, but more fun: I didn't see nearly enough of friends last year. Social things tend to fall to the wayside without a concrete plan to make them happen. So, here's the plan: one social event per month. Movies with Cheryl & Sarah, drinks with Deb, something artsy or athletic with Helen, literally anything at all with MF...these are all things I want to do, and I mean to do, but without a plan they just don't happen. Now they will.
• I used to have a tradition of learning one new specific skill every year. Nothing profound - one year I learned to make cheesecake, another year I learned to ski (not very well!!) The year I tried to learn to juggle blew a big hole in my streak, but I've decided to revive it: this year I am going to learn to felt soap. I'm told it's super easy, and there's nothing wrong with choosing something easy! We don't want another juggling debacle. 

Professional: 

• More studio time! I sat down with my schedule this week, trying to plan out production & firing...and MAN! No wonder it feels like I never have enough studio time! I just...really don't have enough time for all the stuff I have to do. I am hoping the FitDesk will help - don't have to find time to work out any more - as will Mobot. But to get enough studio time, I'm still going to have to de-prioritize something else. I'm still cogitating on this one - what can go without making me some version of crazy? 
• Contained in the above paragraph is part of the solution: make a schedule & stick to it. It's harder to go down a rabbit hole of household projects if it says right on the schedule that I am supposed to be in the studio right now. 
• I need to get better at assessing opportunities - so many times I have a show or sale that I know would have gone better if I had brought the right inventory. Example: the Common Ground Fair. Now, I did well at that fair, but I would have done better if I'd had more small items, and looking back, that was entirely predictable - it's actually an agricultural fair (that doesn't do it justice, but the point is, it isn't primarily an art fair) and it's HUGE, and the parking is sometimes miles away - so unsurprisingly, people don't want to carry big serving bowls around. Often you can make a good guess as to what will sell; I just need to make a more deliberate effort to do that. 

Many of my resolutions seem to come down to "I will work harder!" like Boxer from Animal Farm. Story of a potter's life, right? Nevertheless, I wish you all the best in this year of 2019. 

RIP Warren MacKenzie

Just read that Warren MacKenzie passed away this morning. He was and will continue to be a great inspiration to thousands of potters and ceramic artists, and a towering example of a life well lived.

Rest well, giant.

In the Nineteen

Longtime readers will know that I am fond of the week between Christmas and New Years': the hullabaloo surrounding Christmas has died down, but we are not yet back into the regular routine. It's a tiny little slice of calm which I call the Week of Reflection. I use it to think about the passing year's successes and failures, and what I would like to accomplish in the coming year.

I do this both personally and professionally; there's a great deal of overlap between them, for me. In 2018, I think I could have hustled harder! (No point doing this if I'm not going to be honest with myself.) I'm not especially good at time management at the best of times, and this past year was definitely not the best of times. The world is on fire, and it distracted me a bit! Sometimes in good ways - I spent a lot of time writing postcards to voters - and sometimes in just time-wasting ways - reading new websites and twitter for far longer than is useful. Then I read pottery blogs & Pinterest to soothe myself.

That's always been a pitfall for me, actually, but I just recently found a way around it that I haven't tried before, that seems to be working: A FitDesk!

It creates kind of a win-win situation: the longer I noodle around online, the better workout I get. If I don't feel like working out, I'm going to have to find something constructive to do.
I know there's a logical leap in there - there are lots of ways to waste time that don't involve a computer - but those don't tend to be traps that I fall into. It seems to be working! I don't even have to put "Gym" or "workout" on my to-do list - it just happens. So I'm excited to start the New Year with a new good habit already in place.

I also treated myself to one more little gift: a mopping robot! I am a tidy person by nature (yes, I know, I made a strange professional choice) and two people, six cats, a turtle, and a pottery studio are more conducive to mess than cleanliness. Dirt is distracting to me (to a point! I like to say I 'm neat but not a neat freak) but cleaning is basically an infinite job. Now when I start to stress out, I can put the mobot to work and forget about it. The house is cleaner, I save time, and my mind is at ease.

There's lots more I have to reflect on, in the brief time I have left in the week; most especially I have to set business goals. I am feeling tempted to make a change, in the form of a storefront...talk me out of it!

Then There Were Six

Hey, pull up a chair! Pour yourself a coffee (in a handmade mug!) & tell me what's new with you. Me? Making pots, trying like hell to sell them; teaching classes, still at Portland Pottery & now at Hallowell Clay Works; and - oops - got a new cat.

That makes 6.

Skinny Cat joined out family in October. We've known him for about a year & a half - he was a neighbor's cat who just liked to hang out on our deck when it was sunny. Somewhere near the end of August/ beginning of September, we noticed the cat we referred to as "skinny cat" (to differentiate him from "scruffy cat," "little gray cat," and "chubby cat," all neighborhood visitors) was not looking too good. He was now VERY skinny, with scabs under patchy fur. Shortly after that we noticed that he wasn't actually going home anymore; at night he just found a hiding place in our garage.

Doug went over & knocked on the neighbor's door, meaning to ask them if they were missing their cat...and they had moved away. Without Skinny! We called the shelter, thinking maybe on moving day they hadn't been able to find him, though that seemed a long shot - they never came over & asked if we'd seen him, even though they knew our deck was a favorite spot of his.

We spent six weeks trying to find a home for him, and in the meantime tried to make the garage comfy. Doug often smokes out in the garage, so he and Skinny spent a lot of time together. By the time I was able to persuade someone to take him, it was too late! They had bonded. Doug's mother has been ill & it has generally been a pretty stressful time for him, so I decided: if one more cat provides him with some comfort, is that really too much to ask?

It's not.

SCORE!!!

Like most of you, the last thing I need is more pottery. Also like most of you, I adore using other potters' work! On Thursday - opening night of Portland Pottery's annual Holiday Show & Sale, I became enchanted with a mug & just couldn't resist. The potter is Janna Dewan (follow her on Instagram at @JannaLikeBanana ), the clay is earthenware, the vibe is....melancholy circus? Minor-key carnival? Can't quite describe it but it's that tension that appeals to me, the rollicking, busy decorative marks, toned down with a somber wash of black underglaze.

Merry Christmas to me. And to you.

Mind the Gaps

One of the themes I keep returning to with this blog is the business of art. Like artistic talent, people often think business sense is an inborn trait, but, also like talent, is actually a set of skills you can learn.

 

I can't say I have learned them yet, but I keep trying! One thing I have learned is to maximize output vs cost. That sounds so dreary and dry! But it can be fun, like fitting together the pieces of a puzzle. In the case of firing, the cost is propane, via kiln space. Fill as much of the kiln space as I can without compromising the ware (a logic problem of its own) and my cost per piece goes down. Fill it with something fun to make, and charming and easy to sell, and I've got myself a win-win-win. 

I do love to make these mini-bottles! I throw them off the hump and can get myself into a very relaxing, almost hypnotic rhythm. I've just finished glazing them with dots, stripes, and curliques, a simple and fun task like filling in a coloring book. They fit in the space between the bowls and butter dishes, that would otherwise be wasted. When they emerge from the kiln - god willin and the creek don't rise - they will be like jelly beans or gumdrops, sweet and full of bright cheery appeal. I find that sometimes a person who doesn't feel like spending $60 on a bowl still wants to take something of the day home with them...sometimes that person will be happy to spend $15 on a tiny little bottle. 

White Tea & Bamboo

The Fine Mess online store will be open for just 5 more days this season! I will close the store on the 12th, to guarantee any orders will arrive in time for Christmas, and because I have a show on the 13th for which I will need the pieces. I just listed a new soap - check it out here!

To order, click here

Apple Green Conversion

It's been a couple of years since I expanded my glaze palette. Mixing glazes is not my favorite thing to do (if it's yours, please let me know! 😄 You might be utterly unique.) The glaze kitchen tends to get cluttered up with bikes and gardening equipment, so I have to clear it out before I even begin. Every firing seems to be pushed against a time limit (and whose fault is that?) so adding an additional task - mixing a test glaze - isn't feasible. But! I am starting to get antsy for new colors & surfaces. The green in currently have I rarely use - it's a little dark for the candy-coated vibe of my ware. This, though: this promises apple green! That would be right up my alley.

It's not currently chemically quite right for soda; and I will want to do a ^6 conversion on it also, to have both possibilities. I am doing a lot less ^6 these days - I find the soda glass itself is just not quite as luscious, somehow, so I've been unwilling to quit ^10 entirely. Keeping two sets of glazes and two sets of claybodies is actually something of a strain on the space limitations of my studio, in addition to the ever-present risk of getting a piece or a glaze in the wrong firing, with results either disappointing or disastrous, depending on which way it goes. Right now I fire to ^6 for a couple of orders, both of which have more glazed ares and less bare clay or flashing slip. It works well for these,but one of the questions I need to answer in the new year is whether it's worth the storage space & the risks.

I look forward to the Week of Reflection to decide this and other questions.

The easier conversion, obviously, is the one to make this glaze (hopefully!) appropriate for soda firing. It has the necessary percentage of whiting, so I would only need to replace some of the silica with boron. There's a goodly amount of silica in this recipe, too: 28%. I am thinking to switch out 3% of it with boron and run it up the flagpole. ETA: NOPE

Which is to say, run it through the glaze calculation software & see what  it turns up.

Here's the recipe as-is, which I got from Claybucket. 

COLEMAN APPLE GREEN CELADON*

Coleman Apple Green

Cone: 9 – 10

Color: transparent green

Surface: glossy

Firing: reduction

Recipe:    (percent)

Whiting …………… 17.95

Custer Feldspar …. 43.59

EPK …………………. 10.26

Flint …………………. 28.20

Totals:        100 %

Also add:

Chrome Oxide ………  0.25

Red Iron Oxide ……… 0.77

Here's how it looks when Elaine Coleman uses it over porcelain:

Here's the recipe with the alteration I hope will adapt it for soda, with the changes highlighted:

Apple Green for soda

Cone: 9 – 10

Color: transparent green

Surface: glossy

Firing: reduction

Recipe:    (percent)

Whiting …………… 16
Gerstley Borate............1.95

Custer Feldspar …. 42.59

EPK …………………. 11.26

Flint …………………. 28.20

Totals:        100 %

Also add:

Chrome Oxide ………  0.25

Red Iron Oxide ……… 0.77

Now, this recipe also has a large percentage of potash feldspar (Custer Spar) at 43%. It's probably worth trying a 1-for-1 substitution of Custer for Neph Sy - that might be enough (again, GlazeMaster might have something to say about it.) If that doesn't do the trick itself, I'll have to remind myself which frits are best for these colorants and for soda.

The first mix is on my to-do list for today; I'll be testing it in my own kiln next week and in the Portland Pottery stoneware kiln as well, so I can see how it performs without the influence of soda.
Photos next week!
After all this, I decided it would be smart to mix it as-is first, because every now & then a glaze surprises me & does just fine in soda. 

*Why why why doesn't spellcheck know the word "celadon?" I mean "tenmoku" & "shino" I get but celadon is just the name of a color. 😕