Final Touches

Open For Business!

You know your hobby is getting serious when it moves from personal satisfaction to business transactions! One of my co-workers placed our very first order. She has ordered four bowls to be glazed in Text Iron and Pattern Blue. Included in this posting is a picture of the bowls thrown this past weekend, drying and waiting to be trimmed. Also you will find a not-so-flattering pic of me preparing the clay. In addition to the bowl order we have sold some candles as well. We are in high hopes of The Mud Hut at least supporting itself and one day moving to a full blown studio with a retail shop. So, if you know of anyone who would like to commission a local artist to design and build that someone special something special. . . . Happy mudding!

Christmas Order 

Preparing The Clay

2004 Annual Raku Day

Yesterday’s predawn darkness found Cynthia and me loading the car and heading for Nixa, Missouri for their Annual Raku Day. Seven creations from Raku clay were safely nestled in the trunk along with food that we would add to the other participant’s collection once we got there. After arriving we signed in, made our way to the glaze center, and begin our glazing process. We experimented with the various colors and even used some slip and chip (which we decided we didn’t particularly like) and had our pieces ready for the kilns.
The event was well attended so we took our place in line helping out with the process for others. After our pieces had fired long enough to liquefy the glazes we retrieved them from the belly of the kiln with long tongs and asbestos gloves, placing them on a stand inside a washtub prepared for such. Hurriedly we placed a tin trashcan (with several sheets of newspaper stuffed inside) upside down over our pieces and left them in this makeshift reduction structure. Then, like digging for treasure, we retrieved them from this after about twenty minutes and washed them off. Oh the colors! You just have to see the pieces to appreciate them! Be sure to check out the pics below of 2004 Annual Raku Day at L & R in Nixa, Missouri.
We enjoyed the food, the people, and the whole process! We purchased another hundred pounds of clay (one of them a deep red that we have high hopes for) and some more glazes. Upon our return home we couldn’t resist rushing right to the studio where I promptly threw five more pieces with the new clay and Cynthia experimented with our new glazes on some test tiles that I had previously prepared for her. We found the color we want for our piece we named Adversity and the memory vase that we created for a family member who lost her mother entitled “Lou”. We can’t wait to apply the glaze!
Thank you L & R in Nixa, Missouri for a great day! We are sure to be there for your next Annual Raku Day!

The Glaze Meister

Into The Fire

Out Of The Fire

Doing The Dishes 

The Finished Product 

Trying To Get A Handle On It

Whatever "it" is, whether it is a mug, a vase, or some private interpretation of artistic expression, I have struggled with getting a handle on it. Never mind my private grappling with many issues both political and emotional! We are talking clay here!

While I feel like we have made progress in this department with the latest application being last night in the studio with the addition of a handsome handle to a expressionist pitcher and thanks to Cynthia's delicate touch, there is always much to be learned. In my research I ran across an article run by Clay Times and written by Cindy Strnad. An article so helpful that I thought I would pass it on to you Mud Hutters that might be open to suggestion as well. You can get to Clay Times throught this site..... http://www.claytimes.com/ and then navigate your way to the articles offered for your perusal or you can simply follow this link to the aforementioned article.... http://www.claytimes.com/PullHandles.htm. You can also subscribe to this helpful magazine through their No Risk Subscription plan by calling 1.800.356.2529 where they will agree to send you their Nov/Dec issue with the option of keeping the magazine and yet not subscribing or you may pay the $26 annual subscription fee. No, I don't work for Clay Times! Just passing on helpful information to those who might be trying to get a handle on clayworks.

Adversity

One of our pieces has emerged earning its own name. Adversity. It is named such because of the difficulty with which it came into being. Several times I was tempted to give up on it and start all over but persevered feeling drawn to complete what was begun. And am I ever glad that I did! The walls would oscillate between thick and thin, the shape vascillated between what I wanted and what the piece was demanding. But the end results was a thing of beauty!

I couldn't help but be reminded of the way life often is. How difficult and ardorous our paths may become but how faithful the Master Potter is in shaping our lives into things of beauty! How many times have I tempted Him to give up on my ever becoming anything of use or beauty, yet He persevered. And, interestingly enough, both my life and the piece Adversity has become more beautiful due to the very difficulty that bore it it's name! So may this unique piece always remind us that while the process of life itself may be extremely difficult it can be brought to a thing of beauty and great use by the Master Potter who never, ever gives up on His creations!

Proud Parents

While the thought of 19 babies would ordinarily put anyone into a state of shock we are absolutely delighted! We have 19 new pieces of pottery that emerged from the kiln yesterday! Oohs and aahs all the way around! Ten of those pieces are candle holders that we intend to be Christmas gifts and several of those pieces will be added to the Johnston household. We are learning the joy of keeping some of our pieces and not giving them all away. Stay tuned to this blog and you will soon be seeing some pics of our babies. Like proud parents we will always be glad to show them off and talk endlessly until your eyes begin to glaze over and your ears threaten to fall off!

Fire In The Hole!

Like the old miner's cry.....Fire in the Hole!! Our kiln is up and running again thanks to our persistent kiln repairman Jim Denton. We have fired twice since the repair was completed and are enjoying the results. The green blend glaze that Cynthia applied has turned out wonderful and beyond our expectations! Of course, we are kind of biased! And now Cynthia has to get busy as she has a couple of dozen pieces to glaze before we can bring them to completion. We have high hopes for many of our pieces and like expectant parents are waiting for our "babies" to rise and shine. We will keep you posted.

And Wait, And Wait, And Wait

To coin a phrase from the great Bogart film Cassablanca, we continue to wait and wait and wait. . . . What are we waiting for? The elusive part being shipped from Texas that our Kiln Repairman will install immediately upon its arrival! The poor kiln sits in our studio amid our ever increasing lined up for firing with a forlorn look and haunting silence. Cold to the touch we have tried to console it with the promise of its imminent recovery but it is at best inconsoleable. I even thought I heard it murmur some eptiphet against Texas, something about no wonder they have to remind themselves about the Alamo; they move too slowly for cerebreal function! I tried to assure it that this was no attitude to take since they were responsible for its part in the first place but..... In the meantime we shall wait and wait and wait. . . . Well, you get the picture!

TIM'S WIFE IS A WOMAN!!

If you happen to be one of the link chasers you might have clicked on the link listed under Interests marked "My Wife" and if you did you might have been puzzled at both the number of people listed there and the fact that many were men. Please rest assured that I do not believe in polygamy nor am I gay! I happen to be married to the most gorgeous, giving woman in the whole world as her picture with me on our blog should convey. So....rest assured Tim's wife is a woman, not a man.

Kiln Repair

Our studio is filling up with pieces waiting in the wings for their beautification, much like a caterpillar waits in its cocoon. Soon our knight in shining armor, Kiln Repairman Jim Denton, will arrive with the much needed part that will return the fire to our kiln. Currently we have several pieces ready for bisque firing and a few ready for low fire glazes. Cynthia has ideas that she wants to employ and Tim is dreaming of new shapes and sizes. Oh, how slow the anxious moments pass and yet the process is inherent to its success!

Testing One, Two, Three

While all of life is a test (surely that can't be denied) this latest Blog test is a new twist. I will be entering wordy dribble trying to learn how to post and edit, etc. As the old television announcement used to say "Please stand by for technical difficulties...."