Clay Studio of Missoula "Potsketch"

This week I did the Clay Studio of Missoula Potsketch fund-raising drawing and posted it back to them. Getting the pack, with paper, return envelope, international reply-paid coupon and fine soft green pencil is such a treat - it triggered off a whole lot more drawing- once their little square was filled - I had to go on. I didn't use the green pencil, but a scratchy mapping pen, sepia ink and watercolours. This time I filled the square of paper edge to edge...
I had an exhibition at the Clay Studio in 2006 and remember how strange it felt sending a whole exhibition off by air freight to be exhibited in a place I had never seen. The pictures are still on Flickr so I'll post some here. All but two were fired in my electric kiln.
The Clay Studio is one of the growing list of places I would like to spend time at as Artist in Residence.



These are some of the bowls from the 2006 exhibition.

50 pinched salt pots made

Now friday evening and 50- plus oval pinched salt pots are made. It is impressive how fast you can get things done when you know where they are going. 

Most of them are in the kiln now, bisque firing together with some thrown mugs - yesterday was the first time I had thrown for over a year - all my work in 2008 was pinched. These were thrown on a kick wheel.

Bowls on sale in Copenhagen

Yesterday I delivered a small collection of bowls to the Kunstindustrimuseet's shop (Museum of Decorative Art) in Copenhagen. At the same time I got an order for 50 pinched salt pots. They are quick to make and great kiln fillers.

Looking into the shop from the museum

The Kunstundustrimuseet seen from the street

http://kunstindustrimuseet.dk/en/menu/butik

Pinched porcelain bowls

Bowl with celadon spots
Other side of bowl with celadon spots

Bowls from the last firing, and a cup

This is the cup I have made for the NCECA Cup Sale in Phoenix





I have just got home from Guldgergaard (2 hours on the train) and taken some pictures on the dining room table of the group of bowls I brought home from the last firing. I will take better pictures of them tomorrow.

Sten Lykke Madsen og Nina Hole - exhibition opening

Yesterday I went to the opening of Sten Lykke Madsen and Nina Hole's exhibition in Birkerød Gamle Præstegård, just north of where I live.
Sten: www.stenlykkemadsen.com
Nina: www.ninahole.com
Here are a few pictures from the opening.
First, a picture of Sten working at Guldagergaard, where he is Artist in Residence at the moment, and then some of his work from the exhibition:








This is one of Nina's works from the exhibition:



PS: I will only get to see my work from last week's woodfiring when I go down to Guldagergaard tomorrow - monday - for a Board Meeting.

Firing in snow and wind

The firing in the "Skælskør Express" went off OK, although after a calm and promising morning the day developed as the weather forcast had forseen - wet snow and wind...it was not a day I would have chosen to fire, with the small roof of the Bourry Box kiln providing inadequate protection from the squally gusts! But we were committed to firing so that the participants in the "Network" project at Guldagergaard who had work in the kiln could participate.
Keeping the wood dry was also a problem, but we laid wood on the roof of the kiln where it quietly pre-heated, and sometimes began to smoke..
I started the fire at 7 - still dark at that time but just enough light to see without a torch.
Started "hobbing" at about 12, and by late afternoon there was positive action from the cones. At 17.00 Nina Hole took over for a few hours and kept the temperature rising.
Nina stoking

Despite the cones having fallen by 20.00 - 8,9,10 and 11 bending, I had dificulty getting the temperature up again in order to close down on a high - and spent quite a long time waiting for the cones at the back of the kiln (7,8,9) to go down.
The weather was so nasty that I took almost no pictures during the firing. But next morning when I woke up (late) I took this picture of the view from my bedroom window at Guldagergaard. The wind of the previous day had dropped.


We will open the kiln on friday.

Bowls ready for the woodfiring on tuesday

Firing next tuesday - 10th Feb

I'll be firing the "Skælskør Express" Bourry-Box kiln at Guldagergaard next week, packing on monday and firing on tuesday.
Must remember to check that there is a new chimney pipe either already mounted or ready to be put up, as last time I fired there in November the pipe was lacy with holes.....
I have about 50 pinched bowls ready for the firing, but as yet no new shapes and sizes to ensure my future exhibiting survival. But there is still a week to go.

As usual, when I am going to be transporting work to the kiln, I am bisque firing them. If I make them on the spot I would raw-fire them. Now, as I finish decorating them I put them in the kiln. It should be full tomorrow.