Saturday, March 28, 2015

Tall Tower with Stopper

It's been ages since I made this tall tower with a coiled stopper. The tower is about 20 inches tall. It was too tall to fire the stopper in the tower so I made an an armature to hold the stopper while it was firing. The tower was made with speckled brownstone clay. Since the ring that sits on the top is unglazed, I think a tower with several rings left unglazed with look good. I might make a few of those.

When I took it out of the glaze firing I thought the stopper had stuck to the armature but it broke loose when it cooled a little more. One thing I think I might do in the future is have a key or perhaps some holes through the tower and the inner part of the stopper to keep the stopper from falling out when I move the tower. I like the idea of the stopper reminds me of a perfume bottle with a stopper. I might have to explore making bottles with stoppers in the future.

It's been so warm this week the three Aristocrat flowering pear trees bloomed out. This year Gary has placed groundcover cloth under the trees and put mulch over the top. He's working on doing the same for the blueberries which line the front of the enclosed basement patio room. That's Barney with his short tail standing in front of the door to the basement room. When we're outside he follows us wherever we go. I had just gone inside the door.

Here are the fruit trees along the wall we planted last year. We also have five lining the driveway. We expected a frost this morning so Gary and I went out and put sheets over the fruit trees and wrapped painter's tape around the bottoms to keep the sheets from blowing off. We have one more night of frost for this week so we'll keep the sheets on during the day to save ourselves from having to put them on twice. If we used plastic the plastic might make it too hot underneath for them to stay on. If rain is threatened we could put the plastic over the sheets and that wouldn't allow the plastic to burn the tender blossoms and leaves under the sheets. More pottery to come so stay tuned.Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

9 comments:

  1. Now that's a tall tower. I also love tops that have a flange down inside (or outside) to keep them in place. Good to see your new little trees are doing well, and hope your frost protection helps them through this (hopefully) last cold spell.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Barbara, thanks, I don't think it quite got to freezing last night so all is probably well. the only thing with the stopper is that it is a little loose in the tower so that's why I wish I had made a key or some sort of contraption that kept it steady, I learn something with everything I make.

      Delete
  2. Wow..that is a tall tower. Really cool...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Turquoisemoon, thanks, I am now thinking on how to make even taller ones, like a totem but more tower like, we shall see.

      Delete
  3. I do like almost anything with lids/stoppers. It adds a whole new dimension.
    Yay for blossom.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Sue, thanks, I hope they survive the frost.

    ReplyDelete
  5. We are expecting a frost tonight, the latest one I have experienced since living in NC. We have wood stoves burning in the house and the gallery today... at least we are toasty warm!
    I like the idea of stoppers and bottles that are reminiscent of perfume bottles. I knew a potter in NH that made some very interesting ones. You should definitely explore that some more.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Michele, thanks, we didn't actually freeze but we may tonight then a big warm up, supposedly our last frost date is supposed to be May 10, since we are in the mountains and farther north. I didnt' think of the perfume bottles till after I made this piece and saw it lying in the photo, funny how things come to me after I make something and see it from a different perspective in a photo, One of the reasons I like to post even greenware as it always makes my mind's eye "see" something differen.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I used to love doing coil pots. I've still got a large blue one that I made back in the early 90s.

    ReplyDelete

I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment