Passing it on

Check out the Asparagus Valley Potters Guild blog for a recent post about my apprentice Tanner and my interest in teaching others how to maintain studio equipment and keep costs down. No need to hire an electrician for simple kiln repairs - you just need someone to show you.

Farmers' Market

I am SO happy to be back at the Greenfield Farmers' Market! This is my fourth year as a vendor there and it is so nice to have the season begin again. Every Saturday from 8am-12:30 we have a great community of farmers and artists selling their stuff! Very often we have live music, cooking demonstrations, or some reason to just hang out for a while. Please stop by and visit.

Can't forget my lucky shoes...

Ode To My Parents

Thanks to my Mom and Dad for helping me in so many ways. I love you. Here are some photos of the showroom set up for the Pottery Trail!

12 Hour Days

The Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail approaches and we have received some great press about our event:The Springfield Republican,
The Boston Globe
Meanwhile, I've been putting in some long days getting ready for the show and just finished loading the kiln. This will be my second glaze firing - and I'm excited of course to see the results! I will fire Tuesday and unload Thursday. Stop in during my open studio this coming weekend to see what I've been working on.

Small is good

I'm working hard at filling the gas kiln with another firing of "test" pots next month. Small is good! I have small buckets of glazes we're testing and need small pots that will fit in those buckets. Here are some little bud vases that will get some additional decoration tomorrow. We're hosting the 5th annual Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail April 25 & 26 - so I'm busy busy busy with making new work for the show.

I've recently shown some of my glaze tests from the first firing to older and wiser potter/friends of mine who have been able to tell me A LOT about the firing and things to try differently for next time. Thank goodness for the network of potters who have been very generous with sharing knowledge and skills with me these first few years of my business.

Wow

We just unloaded the first glaze firing this morning and have spent a while reviewing our notes and glaze combinations. Lots of interesting new glazes to explore and some that are a bit boring. There seemed to be plenty of reduction - too much perhaps...as there were some problems with black coring (iron and other organic material getting trapped under the surface of the clay) or it could have been from my bisque firing going too quickly and not allowing that matter to burn out. We'll be looking at these pots for a while longer to get ideas for the next firing! Very exciting!