Greenware's piling up around here and I have to do something about it. I have greenware on shelves, under beds, in the closets, in the studio, under chairs, in boxes, etc. Where did it all come from? Some is because of my rule to myself to use up every bit of my cone 10 clay before I could dip into the fresh bags of Cone 5/6 clay I have. I have just a wee bit more and then it's all gone. Then I have to bisque, glaze, and fire the cone 10 pieces. I also have to do some glaze tests for Cone 5/6 glazes. Then I have quite of bit of cone 5/6 greenware from earlier in the year I have to bisque, glaze and fire. Oh and a friend of mine has some greenware here too.
So I'm running out of room, because greenware is filling ever nook and cranny available. I'll have to set aside about a week to do some firing. And I have to do that before I'll allow myself to make anything more. So what's keeping me from doing all these firings? Please bear with me while I think out loud.
Well I was sick for a while, but now that I'm better, I still don't want to do the firing. Just writing this is putting me into withdrawal. Does anyone else feel that way? I've only fired my kiln once and already I don't want to do it. I just want to make more pieces in clay. I've been having so much fun I just can't help myself. Perhaps I am on a roll, a creative roll, and I don't want to stop till I stop rolling naturally. I think that's a big part of it. I don't want to loose the momentum I have now.
I wonder if I became spoiled using the studio at the college? I made my pieces, loaded them in the kiln, and they did the firing. Then when they came out I glazed all the pieces, loaded them back in the kiln, and they did the firing. That's a hard habit to break. For almost five years that was the schedule for me. During the summers I just made work and set it aside till the Fall. Of course, I didn't have control over the firings, perhaps I should be reminding myself of that fact.
I've also realized the college kiln was much larger so I was in the habit of making a lot of pieces and then having them all fired. My kiln here is small, therefore I'll have to do more firings. It seems really small to me, I have my eye open for a larger used kiln. I also don't have as much room to store greenware here as I did at the college, hence the backup. I guess I have to reorganize my internal clay clock to work within the parameters I have now.
I have some serious thinking and organizing to do to make all this work. I hope you don't mind reading about some garden and cooking related posts over the next week or so, while I reduce the backlog of greenware around here. Above you see a photo of what my vegetable bins look like now with red Swiss chard, then Brussels sprouts and the pink flowers on the right are some Jim, of Sofia's Dad's Pots, will appreciate, bee balm. But ... before I move on to the garden and cooking posts, up next will be Bats in the Belfry! Yes, please come back so see a real live bat!
moving from one task to another is hard. I think most of us would rather make the pots then do the firing.
ReplyDeleteBut- once you get the first pot glazed your mind will click into glaze mode and you will be off and running.
Then it will be hard to go back to the other!
Beautiful Chard! Yum Yum!!!!
I can't wait for some cooking and garden- what do you do with squash bugs?
Wait till you start glazing all that stuff! That's what I hate. I'm with you, I just like making it, I don't care what happens to it after I make it. But I do like firing my kiln, it's all manual and I feel so in control.
ReplyDeletethat little star dish is esp. cute!
ReplyDeleteHi Meredith, thanks, yeah I guess I will move right into it, it's just been too long I guess. And it's supposed to be 107 this weekend, might have to fire at night. I don't grow squash - this area is rampant with them, the farm advisor said it was probably no use. I tried zucchini and cucumbers one year and by about a month they were all gone. I did get one cantalope one year but I picked it too soon. I mostly grow tomatoes and peppers and the fruits. This year I tried the broccoli and brussel sprouts. The broccoli was wonderful, Gary hates brussel sprouts so I'll be eating quite a few myself I guess. Good for the diet anyway.
ReplyDeleteHi Tracey, thanks, well I do love the pieces when they are finished, so I guess I have to glaze them to get them finished. Once I get to glazing I get into it. I would prefer to have a large amount of stuff to do all at once rather than a few here and there which is probably what I will have to do with this little kiln I have. My kiln is all manual too, so I'll be in control or lack of it. I almost wish I had a partner and we could do it all together, the making and the glazing that would be a great motivator. One of my classmates is going to start coming up once a week and we'll do some work together which will be fun.
Hi Gary, thanks, I should make the starr bowls my signature piece or something since my last name is Starr, Ha!
Good luck with glazing all that stuff! :-) Its amazing how easy it is to quickly amass lots of bisque and greenware. Glazing slows down the process, that's for sure! I haven't even put a dent into my pile--small stuff is great for testing but it takes as long as big stuff to glaze! :-) Bring on the cooking and gardening posts! I enjoy reading it all!
ReplyDeleteMiri
Hi Miri, thanks, my problem is I don't have a dedicated spot to glaze all this stuff and my house is for sale and I need to keep it neat around here. I may have to set up some temporary tables with sheets over them or something. I like to get all the glazing out and get all done at once, kind of marathon style. We shall see. I'll try to keep you all intertained with my cooking and gardening along the way, this time of year that is easy with it all blooming and getting ripe.
ReplyDeleteKeep on a roll! I'm jealous of all your greenware, my shelves are empty :o( I've been doing too much metal. I think it's in our "artist's nature" to work in inspirational bursts! good thing -or we wouldn't get anything done. Once again, your gardens are so LOVELY. I always enjoy seeing the pictures!
ReplyDeletehello from bolivia! greenware everywhere, huh? yes, some garden and cooking posts sound great too. glad you are feeling better.
ReplyDeleteHi Cindy, can there ever be too much metal? Ha!, thanks, I'll keep you posted on the garden.
ReplyDeleteHi Amy, thanks, I am jealous that you are in Bolivia so quickly. I must brush up on my geography as I didn't realize it was winter there and that the mountains were so tall. Have a great time.
Hey Linda,
ReplyDeleteWell part of your situation can be your house for sale. That is one of the big stress ers. Having a garden and pottery in a place you are selling has to a damper on things and stop the motivation process from time to time. Glad you are feeling better and once you get some cool cone 5/6 glazes going ,those bisque pots will start to move I'm thinking!
Hi Mary, yes, part of it is that, trying to keep everything clean and straightened up. Today I am getting excited to start firing and see how it all turns out. If they do well I can make more, if not make some adjustments. Thanks.
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