Back to back firings

While everyone else is getting a lot of snow, we are continuing to work. The storm stories dominate the news but we only got 3-4 inches.


We fired a couple a couple of kiln loads of pots since we last spoke(!) Here are some photos of the first firing which was on 2/7:

We fired a couple

Some glaze tests before we glaze "problem" pots ie.. new pieces we aren't sure about. There are some tiles in front... yep! we have one more tile floor to do in our house.. the entryway and we just might do something unusual there as a conversation piece!
I'll post some photos of the second firing later.

Decorating, Glazing and Firing 2/7/10

You can see from the photos that a lot has been happening around here. We are counting down to our first fair in 2010: American Crafts Council's show at the Baltimore Convention Center February 25-28. Actually, we will set up on the 22nd for the trade, as they say, referring to Wholesale buyers from Galleries. They will place orders with the artists on Tuesday and Wednesday before the show opens to the public on Thursday. Let's hope they've finished with the snowstorms before we get there!
We have been trying to finish making and decorating the pots we want to take to the show. With it being only two weeks away though, Steve has started glazing and firing. Our first firing is tonight.
He'll be getting up to check it for evenness every couple of hours.



We probably only have a couple more days to make pots before the show. It takes time for the pots to dry, be bisqued, glazed and fired again. Then, of course, we will take some time to pack them and drive to the show.

New patterns & new orchids

A Beautiful Sunrise!
Here's what we have been up to..........


More inspiration from patterns for Steve..




and from orchids for Cherie......

Oncidium Sharry Baby 'Yellow Panda'

Cymbidium

Thought you might enjoy some photos of the orchids I've been working on:

Birch Trees

Moving right along with pots

We fired a bisque a couple of nights ago and are working steadily now on producing a generous body of work again. Here are a few photos of the production work Steve is making.

Patterns

One of Steve's inspirations is geometric patterns in nature and the abstract. The photo above is from Harry Turner's "Triad Optical Illusions" and is fascinating him right now.
So he is drawing a grid on this vase and wants to put this pattern on it.

And then he turned his attention to another form, creating a different pattern.