"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.