Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Christmas ornaments

You might remember my star ornaments from last year, some of you even have one. They were really pretty, I loved them.....when they turned out right which was about 50% of the time. So if you have one you are lucky, because I'm not making them anymore! first of all they were Raku fired so they took forever and if they made it through the firing they were wonderful, until my glaze started messing up and I can't figure out why. Same two pieces could be glazed at the same time, same glaze batch, same firing, same can for reduction and one would be turquoise the other would be copper, and not a pretty copper. Too costly for what I had to sell them for so forget it! Now they are terra sig and match my barns, thanks to a suggestion from Sarah at the NC Craft Gallery. Thanks Sarah, why didn't I think of that!
I made a bunch of them for you today.
I'm a little behind on getting photos up (yes I know the hair photo, really by the time I get that up it will be grown out!) but here is a photo that brought on the pissy mood last week. Every time it rains this is what I deal with and we have been getting a lot of rain. I don't wish the rain away but I am wishing like h#ll for a new studio space. I could take all this upstairs, but it's just not fun hauling clay up and down three flights of stairs, and not safe, so I'm dealing with the deck while I look for funding for a building. If you got an old barn you want to be rid of, I can come and get it!

11 comments:

cookingwithgas said...

I am lucky to have one of those stars!
What a pain in the behind to have your space rained on!
Yes- you need a building- tell those folks you have my vote!

Tracey Broome said...

Hey girl: I think you got the very last one I made! Thanks for the vote :)

Kari Weaver said...

I haul all my work up and down the stairs...raw materials down, greenware up, bisqueware down to glaze, glazed work up to be fired, finished work down to be photographed. I'm tired just thinking about it!

I can see how the weather can upset your rhythm. Is there no way to secure the space, even a little?

Tracey Broome said...

I'm right there with ya Kari. In the winter, when I throw upstairs, I haul the clay upstairs, bring down boards of greenware to the first floor then down another flight of stairs to the kiln, then back up with bisque to glaze then back down to the kiln to fire again. At least when I'm working on my deck I only have the one flight of stairs to the kiln. On the bright side I can eat more because I burn the calories! No way to stop the rain from coming in unfortunately without a lot of trouble and for that much trouble I am going to get a building!

Judy Shreve said...

Love the stars! Are you going to write a grant to offset your studio building costs?
I have worked in some funky places over the years - but never had to deal with rain -- stairs, heat, cold -- but rain - that's awful.

Anonymous said...

hi tracey, maybe you can trade a barn for a barn? i moved my kiln downstairs when i lengthened my studio space a couple years back and decided to leave it in the basement and i have to carry everything up and down the stairs. it's a bit of a dilemma because i really like the extra space of not having it in the studio but i do not like carrying greenware down this narrow steep stairway. oh, bring on the haircut pic

Tracey Broome said...

Judy, yes I have written a couple of grants, Jim yes! a barn for a barn, I like that idea!

barbaradonovan said...

Are you covered, but the rain is blowing in from the open sides? Any way to hang cheap vinyl blinds to cut back on how much rain blows in? If it leaks from above, maybe our hurricane country blue tarp solution would help?

Hollis Engley said...

Keep working at it, Tracey. You'll find a way to work in a more sheltered space. There MUST be an old barn asking to be torn down and re-built out there somewhere.

Linda Starr said...

I read someones blog the other day and they turned a shipping container into a studio. but you have got to look at mother earth news for September, there are buildings made out of grain silos, they are so cool, I want one for a studio and one for a gallery space. I absolutely love the look of them. Heck I want one to live in too.

Tracey Broome said...

Barbara the deck is covered but yes the rain blows in, I'm not up for spending any money to put up vinyl or plastic,if I do I'll just settle in and never get a proper studio. Hollis, you are right, it will work out!I'm going for one of these silos! Linda OMG!! I checked out those silos, they are soooo great!! thanks for the link.