Compound Pottery

Compound Pottery

After the fullness of the holiday season, I enjoy the contemplative quiet of January which is why I have only just fired my first kiln load of the year.  And although I have been working in the studio, it has been at a much slower pace.  Last year, I worked steadily...

Confessions of a Quantifier

I admit that I like to quantify things – by weight/volume/ whatever – give me a number to associate with it and it feels more tangible.  In fact, when I cook, I use 2 timers – one counts down based on the prescribed time to doneness but I also use...

Mug Mania

I make a lot of pots because I enjoy making pots.  As a consequence, I sell those pots.  A lot of potters don’t sell because they don’t want to feel pressured to make a certain number of a particular pot.  But, I don’t feel that way.  In fact, I was...

Extras

Confession:  I am not a risk taker.  In pottery, there are a lot of things I can’t control; therefore, I often make multiples to ensure that I get a successful pot.  For example, if I want to make a friend a mug, I often make 2-5 mugs and select the best for...

Rice and Bowls

Fledgling sushi chefs spend months (sometimes years) doing nothing but making the rice for the head chef.  If the rice isn’t right, it really doesn’t matter what else you do, you’re not going to be able to serve great sushi.  Too often, we quickly...