Tuesday 7 February 2012

Monday

Hello everybody
Well I've had a few frustrating days since my last post. The tail end of last week I felt dreadful and so took some time off to get myself better. I feel fine now, I think I needed to recharge and shake off the man flu.



Yesterday I tried again to make more of the large harvest jugs that were causing me struggles last week and yet again, failed. I realized after several attempts and much pugging, kneading and cursing, that my difficulties were due to the new tonne of clay that I recently took delivery of. Whenever I get a new batch of clay, it's sticky and lacking in strength, as it needs time to 'sour'.

I don't turn any of my jugs, they're 'thrown to finish' and so the clay needs to be absolutely right in order to be thrown to the optimum thickness - this stuff is puddingy and flops too readily. So for the time being, I've decided I can waste no more time trying to make these big fat jugs.

The little film shows a batch of bowls that I threw 'off the hump' before I went home last night. I enjoyed making these, and it felt liberating to throw this way, after a day of struggling trying to make something of a specific size, from a specific weight of clay.

Today I'm going to carry on making lots of small stuff to send Japan - it won't fill the kiln as quickly as the big jugs, so I'm just going to have to make a lot of it - I'd better get busy.

Have a good Tuesday everybody

11 comments:

gz said...

You're SO busy...and keeping us inspired, I've passed the versatile blogger award on to you!
http://gzandco.blogspot.com/2012/02/awards.html

LindaB said...

Have you tried drying out the clay a bit -leaving it out in ropes for a few days? That should make it less sticky.

cookingwithgas said...

the man flu... does that mean there is a gray haired lady flu out there searching for me.....

Dennis Allen said...

Sometimes the clay wins.Feel better.

Anna M. Branner said...

Ugh. Clay problems stink.

I'd love to see your technique for cutting/removing your bowls when throwing off the hump....

Laura Farrow said...

love the audio on your video! duck sounds, wheel sounds.

Joe Troncale said...

Glad you're feeling better.
Beautiful bowls! I think it is ok to be nice to yourself and do some things that give you some positive reinforcement. I just got a pugging machine because I got frustrated with clay that I couldn't do what I wanted to do with it because of the age or consistency, etc. Nothing worse than spending your time with materials that are "incorrect."

Hollis Engley said...

Yeah, like Meredith, I want to know more about the man flu. Is there a "bald man flu"? "Overweight man" flu? And for those of you who know what this means, Janet brought ginger brownies to Coffee O this morning.

ang design said...

i think hannah may have some of that clay :P glad you're feeling better

Tracey Broome said...

Ducks?!?! I want ducks :)
yummy yummy bowls, ummmmm!!!

doug Fitch said...

Thank you everybody for your lovely comments. Beware, there's a flu for all sorts, but none as bad as man flu of course. Gwynneth, I think I just had that passed on to me twice, I'll have to do that later on. I'll try that Linda - I've left some out in the icy cold as well. It always lacks any strength when it's a new batch. Anna, I'll have to show you how I cut the bowls off the hump - I'm not very good at it though so that bit always hits the cutting room floor ;)
Must get to work, thank you all, have lovely days and make lots of pots, bye :-) x