Rossini Festival

Seems like spring is almost here and then there are days like today. But I have the mowers up and running so it cannot be too far off. Quick note today, try to write more over the weekend. Alison and Lindley will be at the Rossini Festival Italian Street Fair next Saturday (April 9). They block off Gay Street in downtown Knoxville and use it and Market Square. Music, food, arts and crafts. She will have her soaps and things and a good amount of pots. Booth # 36, next to the stage featuring pianists, in the middle of it all. Stop by if you can.

Views of the Shop

Spent last week cooking and cleaning. The girls were home for Spring Break and brought two friends who could not travel to their homes, so four college girls for a week. We had a very nice time, took a trip to Cades Cove, but it really gets quiet when they are gone

Here is how the new shop is beginning to shape up.

Still have a few things to build, but it is going the right way. Got the plate rails made, so the slip trailed plates are up with a pair of wood fired stamped ones.

Spring is here and here we go. Still hope to fire refurbished woodkiln in late April. Also we will be doing the Rossini Festival "Italian Street Fair" in Knoxville on April 9. Alison and Lindley will be there with soaps and pots, so stop by.

Table Full O' Platters

Got everything fired in the last week. All the new stuff, and all that old stuff that sits in corners until there are not any more corners, or any room anywhere until you realize your spacious studio is a pathway between buckets, boxes and green ware. So bisque it, fire it, and either it makes the shop or it makes the dumpster go boom. Now its time to fill the shelves with this years work and remember that the wood kiln is coming up soon.

These are some 16" platters that I sliptrail. Always enjoy making them. They will make the shop look good, and offer a higher price point.

Weather has really come around, so if you are in Gatlinburg, stop by. Getting ready for the girls to be home or spring break, so I guess its back the the grill!

"Nothing Says Lovin'...

..Like Something Fresh From The Oven". This fine looking set of oval bakers just came out today. Notice they have a "grill" pattern in the bottom which makes baking fish a little nicer.

Even after all this time I still try different cycles of working to see what works best. Since I have not been firing the wood kiln, I was trying to do a more 7 to 10 day cycle, throw a load, bisque, glaze, fire. Lately it has been drifting to more of a wood type cycle, even though it is all gas fired. Throw a whole lot, fill the shelves, then set up to bisque, bisque, fire, fire til they are all gone. I have fired two *10's in the last two days and will at least fire another Wednesday (maybe one more Thursday if needed). That longer cycle is what I was used to for lo' that many years, and maybe it is still the best for me. Time will tell.

If the slip trailed plates turn out, I will post pictures in a few days.

Shop is getting a crowd as weather lets up. Thanks to everyone for their support.

Rite of Spring

About this time every year, its time to get ready for the upcoming season, so out come the bags, the scales, the screens, the buckets, and the chemicals. I go through all the old glazes, clean and screen, add fresh, discard the old, make some tests, and do an inventory of dry goods. Went to Highwater last week and brought home about 600 pounds of dry goods, so that is set. Decided to move up to these nice 20 gallon Rubbermaid barrels. The old 5 gallons work real well for liners and small dips, but these babies are 16" diameter at the bottom meaning I won't have to be pouring glaze from pan to pan.

Ok, clean up time. Weather has turned real nice, surely the worst of winter is behind us. Wood kiln should be ready for a pre-Easter firing, people are getting out and dropping by the new shop, so here we go.

Progress

Progress on several fronts really.

Shane needed his saw back (understandably s0), so with that motivation and a little good weather the kiln rebuild made a nice jump. Got down to the last bit of brickwork, relaid the block steps for both chambers, hauled away some rubble and trash, and broke out the hose to wash things down. The end is in sight, and hope to fire in April as spring comes on.

Hopefully spring is coming. Starting to have a few decent days mixed in with the cold. At this point I would say last winter was worse overall, but the first two weeks this year were tough.

Shop is improving and filling up, please stop by and see us. Thanks to everyone for their support.

Slow and Steady

Always a satisfying moment when you drop an arch form. Never lost an arch yet, but there is always a first time. Back wall is five courses from done and the front-firebox side is close to that since this picture. Still some to do, but got a lot done already and they say this weekend will be near 50* which will be a nice change. Hope to have the first firing in April.

Appreciate the people who have dropped by the new shop in town. Hoping for a good year.

Looking Forward (To A Brave New World)

Apparently I am the world's worst blogger. I make a New Year's promise to at least post once a week (we will see how far that goes).

Yes we have moved the Gatlinburg shop. For seven years we were at 813 Glades Road, about a mile and a half into the craft loop. Now we are at 1360 East Parkway in the group of shops that Jane Buie Hancock built in 2007. We are now at the start of the loop (we were #78 on the map, now we are #3), we front the four lane, the main road on the east side of town, and are visible to about ten times the passing traffic than we were. The gallery has quadrupled, the storage (which used to be a closet) is a large upstairs area, we have our own bathroom and running water (Alison's favorite part). January sales are promising, especially considering the god-awful weather we have been having. If you need to contact the shop, the new number is 865-277-7759.

I will try and post some pictures of the interior soon and also an image of a pretty cantenary arch that just got put up in the last few weeks.

..And The Times They Are A'Changin'

What a difference a month can make.

In an effort to revive our shop from the common dispair that is being foist upon us, we are moving. We have been at 813 Glades Road for seven years, but are moving to 1360 Esat Parkway. I realize the addresses do not mean much to non Sevier Countians, but it means instead of being a mile and a half from the main road on the Glades trail, we are on the main road at the start of the Crafts Community. To explain it further, we are currently #73 on the map, now we will be #3. Brilliant you say? Time will tell. The move won't come cheap, and desperate times require desperate measures. Hope to be semi-open in two weeks, and fully open after the Christmas Show downtown. More on that show later.

Wood kiln rebuild is coming along. Rebuilt fire box, main floor, and side walls. Arch form built and in place. Thank God for Shane's bricksaw.

Time to paint the new shop walls!

Time Flies....

The fall days are full from start to end when you live the potter's life. Got until Christmas to salt to winter's monies away.

Alison will be taking her kettle and soaps to the Museum of Appalachia for their annual Homecoming. Starts Wednesday and goes through Sunday. If you are a local and never been to the Museum, it is worth one trip and Homecoming is full of things to see (especially if you love or don't know the old ways). Music is nonstop, food, farm activities, antique tractors, you get the picture, and the weather is supposed to be great. Cale will be working with her over the weekend, so stop by.

Two firings last week mean the shop looks better. Will be running the shop while Alison is gone. Cale and I have the front chamber off the wood kiln, and with Shane Mickey's brick saw, hope to get it up again by the middle of the month.

Coming Attractions

Well Alison keeps changing her show line-up, so it will be a day or so before the fall schedule is set. God knows I hope it pays off, because business is slow, very slow, around here.

People seem to want to know these kinds of things, so here is an image of the house and studio.

We live out in the country surrounded by old stone fences from the settlement days. The house was here, but needed some finish work, I built the studio, and the wood kiln is barely visible under the tin roof behind my truck.

The studio in 480 sq. ft. with a 12'x 12' gallery on the road end. Alison has a work/storage area in the back, and there is a 35 cu. ft. gas kiln under roof.

I have a two chamber, cantenary wood kiln, all soft brick front with hardbrick back that I lightly salt. This is an image from the first time it was loaded and buttoned up. Currently doing some maintenance and a redesign of the front. Basically going to enlarge the firebox, although it always reached temperature and fired even, and lower it some. It was 78" high inside and I am lowering it to 60", closer to the back which is 58". Hoping to produce more ash which was light past front rank.

OK, next time maybe a schedule and some images from inside the studio.

Next: "Behind the Red Door"

Coming Attractions

Just a few quick notes.

First, I have been misspelling Josh Copas name as "Coppas". Don't know how I picked that up, I knew better, so sorry Josh.

Secondly, I will put together a list for those who follow our shop and shows. Mostly Alison at this point, some all sopas, some soaps and pots, but we appreciate your support in all matters.

Third, had a question or two about my stamps and what I refer to as roulettes, so pictures being worth a thousand words, I will take some images of them and my trimming wheel.

Ok,back to the studio. If I just had another 200 pieces made I could take the afternoon off. The start of the fall grind is here.

Next: "Loose Ends"

To be Thick as a Brick

I started doing this pattern work with roulettes and stamps a few years ago when I made some tool caddies to fire at Shane Mickeys. Kept working it around to vase type forms. Started with a triangular vase, then on to more of a brick shape.

There are variations of shape and scale, but since I was pressed for time, I stayed with the same template. Happy with the way they turned out, only lost one to cracking and it had the worst surface anyway, so win-win.

Let Brad pick one for his house, wrapped them up for home. Ended up with what I feel is some nice work, and I can't thank the Ohio crew enough for inviting me and taking care of my work for me.

OK, so back to the studio. Firing a lot of Cone 10 reduction for the shop. Going to save back a couple of the wood pieces to build a body of work to pitch to galleries. First thing is to finish rebuild on the front arch of the wood kiln. Weather has started to cool, and a fall firing seems to be in order.

Going to post a calender of event for the next months showing where we are going to be this fall.

Next: "Coming Attractions"

Bricks & Plates

Wow, two posts in two days. I'm a regular Mike Kline.

I took four large plates. They are 25 lbs at the start and thrown about 28" in diameter. Two got in the cantenary I was firing and the others are waiting their time. I thought they turned out well.

Also took eight patterned flower bricks I have been working on the past year, and a few jugs for kicks. Hope to shoot images of the bricks tonight and will post as soon as I have them.

Next: "To be Thick as a Brick"

Talking In Tongues

Apparently I am bad at this. Need to speed things up.

To finish the Ohio trip. Had a nice dinner with Brad and Cathy at the Bartels. Found out without my language filter on, Rachel and I could talk to each other and the Yankees could not understand us. Good to know when the Second War of Northern Aggression breaks out.

Tom Bartel is the real deal, and a great addition to OU. His hiring is a major strenghtening of the program, and made a solid program even better. I have always been proud of my time in Athens, feel I earned a good degree, and going back, it may be better than ever. They have got a tremendous facility, good grads and undergrads, and just that go-go vibe good places have.

Kilns were finished, mixer was held at the Bartels on Thursday, large party at the Schwiegers on Friday where I was chained to the grill. Got to drop by Tony's for a beer, drove out to the old house in Albany, Lindley and I walked around the Quad and saw the new Baker Center. Perfect trip.

Kilns were unloaded, lots of great pots, bartering and swapping, wrapping and loading. Loaded the truck, and down the highway we went.

Next: " Bricks & Plates"

You've Got a What?

So, pull up in the lot outside dear old Seigfred Hall, catch up to Brad, and head to the kiln pad. Now it was nice when I was in school, but it is about three to four times bigger now. Probably seven or eight wood kilns of all types, salt, soda, gas, and a huge sculpture kiln. There is also a large storage and work area in the back complete with their own wood fired pizza oven. Yes, the height of decadence.

Kiln are being bricked up. Schedules are being discussed, and Brad and I get our old 6:00 AM slot. Kindling fires are lit, and a pleasant evening is spent meeting people with a cold Budweiser in hand, nibbling on a series of fresh fired pizzas. Nice start.

Up early and with hot coffee in hand (and all over legs and floorboard because Brad drives like a maniac and Athens has not paved a road since the Civil War), relieve old friend Amy Smith Rupp. I am on the cantenary crew with Bryce, and it fires like a dream. By noon and end of shift basically at fives top and bottom and go for the long soak. A little lunch and a rest and off to Happy Hour at Tony's, my old haunt.

More later.

Question: I have asked a few friends through email, so I will ask here, presuming anybody actually reads this crap. What magazines/periodicals do you read? Which has most info? Which has best articles? Which is best for potters?
I probably know the answers, but answers can be surprising sometimes.

Next: "Talking In Tongues"

Background

A little background.

Got a call from Schwieger, said a grad named Bryce Brisco was putting together a wood fire symposium in July. He invited Matt Hyleck, Missy McCormick, Lindsay Oesterritter, and a friend of mine, Josh Coppas. They showed up to make work, do a presentation/talk (which I missed and would have liked to seen) and the plan was to fire three wood kilns, a tube type, a Bourry box low arched chamber type, and a good sized cantenary. My job was to get work to them and show up to help with the firings.

Sent up some big plates, about eight flower bricks, and a few jugs for good measure. Drove up on a Tuesday through beautiful SE Virginia, and Wild, Wonderful West Virginia. had not been back to OU since the NCECA Pre-Conference of 1998, so I was interested to see the old place, our old hang outs ,and our house in Albany.

Tomorrow:"You've got a What?"

Sorry About That

I said I would not be an "every little thing" blogger, but I did not mean to be away for a month.

But what a month it was with a trip to Athens County for the Wood Symposium. Better than better, gooder than good, Ohio University continued to amaze. I am supposed to receive a wealth of pictures and will pass along the ones decent enough to publish.

More on Ohio tomorrow when I have time to write, also a synopsis of our upcoming fall season shows and fairs.

Fourth of July

Quick hello this morning. Holiday weekends are always busy.

Should have posted sooner, but Alison is doing her soap demo at Museum of Appalachia's Fourth of July Day. Stop by if you are in the area, Megan is with her.

Busy on all things, but since there was a break in the heat the other day Cale and I went to Max Patch for some world class kite flying. More later and thanks for the comments.

Mothership

OK how about something the didn't occur in the last century.

As some know I am a proud MFA graduate from Ohio University Athens, Home of the Bobcats. It was an interesting three years to say the least. Got a call from Schwieger in early May that they were having a wood fire symposium in July with some of these up-and-comers and how about sending a piece for the accompanying show and some bisque ware to fire, and then drive up for a few days to help with the firings. Guess they need an antique to stand around and talk about the good old days. seriously, looking forward to returning to dear old OU, have not been there since 1998 and the NCECA preconference they had (ask me about firing a cantenary with power plant coal sometime). Here is a image of some stamped plates I am sending.