Friday, February 22, 2013

Test tiles


I am nearly ready to start testing some ^6 glazes, just got to get a break in the weather to load my kiln for a bisque. I made a bunch of flat test tiles, but then I realized the glazes I am testing are probably runny and I want to see what they will do so I made these little cylinders. When I was teaching hand building classes, we always had a stamp day. Everyone brought in creative things to make stamps with and we all shared. I have boxes of stamps from those classes, so I got out some old ones that I had forgotten about.  These were quick and easy to make and are about 5" tall. I put bottoms on them, so if they look ok after the test firing, they might make nice little bud vases. I could be so lucky!
It's another dreary rainy cold day. Yesterday of course was beautiful, just to continue the trend of the psycho weather, and I got my studio cleaned up from the glaze mixing and red clay vs. white clay projects, and I cleaned buckets, boards, all the usual things that come along with pottery that people who want a $5 bowl don't understand. I should make a picture board one day of all the crap work I do just to be able to make a bowl and put it in my booth, ha!
Looks like an icky weekend, so I am planning to warp my loom today and do some indoor work. I gave it a try working out in my studio and putting the heater right at my feet, but still I was so cold, that now I have muscles in my neck all cinched up, my right hand is tingling and my left bicep is still in excruciating pain when I move it wrong. I'm pretty sure I have a pinched nerve but I have convinced myself that yoga is going to take care of it. I hate going to docs. So far my flexibility is getting really great, but not my neck, shoulders and arms. If I stay busy enough though, I don't really think too much about it. Just the pains of a body that hasn't been quite as active as it used to be. Speaking of staying active. Gerry went rock climbing last week with our old climbing mates and one of them is now 70 years old! Gerry said they were both climbing about the same pace, I am just digging the fact that a 70 year old can get out and rock climb. I'm not dead yet! Just a little achy....... but there is hope for a long active life!

7 comments:

smartcat said...

Those are some good looking tiles and yes, they would make neat little vases; if you make more you could put in a little pouring lip....look like the perfect size for milk for cram for a cup of beverage.

I hear you about trying to work in a cold studio. I got so tired of trying to work with muscles clenched, that I set up a small work space in one of the dormers in our upstairs living space. This is supposed to be somewhat enjoyable not leave you feeling like you are getting hypothermia.

It looks like another week end from hell. Stay warm and dry. Perhaps you'll get to use some of those lovely things Hollis sent you.

Hollis Engley said...

Those are great little pots, Trace. Nice and loose and lots of places for the runny glazes to pool and show off. I'd much rather test glazes on real pots than on tiny clay slabs any day.

Michèle Hastings said...

John had years of little test cups on a shelf in our studio in NH. He liked to test on a small cup with a little texture as well as a small disk that was about the size of a teabag holder. I put all the test cups in basket a month before we moved and everyone of them sold!
Jeff and I often break up bisque pots that have something wrong with them and use those for tests.

Sandy Miller said...

Just checked on a kiln going down..... Used crappy bisque mugs that bisqued well but had a small crack or the handle broke. Kind of itching to open the kiln! You would think after all these years I wouldn't be so excited....... But I am :)

Oh and great shot glasses! In my kitchen I have some small potty shot glasses I use when I'm tasting soups..." no slurping off the end of a spoon for me..... Soup shooters :)

Sandy Miller said...

Ummm... Pottery, not potty :(
I swear I read it before I posted!

Anonymous said...

concurring
with the aches of hand work
you might try Bikram yoga
the heat helps
I do it
in the studio throughout the day
it helps...

best,
xox - eb.

andrea gardiner freeman said...

these tests are gorgeous.... makes me want to have a stamp day here. I have a ton of stamps but making new ones is always exciting to me!!!