Guerrero Ceramics

Happy New Year

2012-01-12T23:46:00.002-05:00

I can't think of a better way to celebrate the coming of a new year than with a New Year's Eve woodfiring. And thankfully, Amanda felt the same way and hosted us for the second firing of El Fuego Del Loba. It was nice to spend time with some of my favorite people, and to enjoy a drink or three around the fire.

The firing concluded after three pounds of salt were added, and as you can see, the results were once again fantastic. You can see my teapot up front, which I'm quite pleased with. And you can see just the top of my Big Buddha pot.

2012 Holiday Wrap Up

2011-12-25T19:34:00.000-05:00

Now that the holiday shopping season is over, I feel it's a good time to reflect on the past few weeks. They've been busy to say the least. The main event was the Highland Park Pottery Tour, where I opened my home to the public. In many ways it felt like a huge step in becoming a part of the global ceramics community. Several times in the past few weeks while I prepared for the sale, I imagined potters throughout the ages preparing their homes for such sales. I felt a kinship with these people, and realized how it's as much a part of the culture as throwing on the wheel.

Another interesting community related thought is how fortunate I am to have met so many of my customers. In the past few years I've sold a good number of pieces to strangers over the internet. With some exceptions, I don't have much interaction with online customers. But meeting people face to face, hearing about what they'll do with my pottery, and how happy it will make them (or their gift recipient) is as rewarding as the money they spend. And I've also made some new friends in the process.

And finally, from an artistic standpoint, this season has been especially valuable for the inspiration, encouragement and critical feedback I've gained. Now I can't wait to get back into the studio in 2012.

Transforming Lives Through Clay - Bill Strickland‬

2011-12-15T19:55:00.001-05:00

This is a video I shot and edited for NCECA. It was directed and produced by my friend and mentor Josh Green. Bill Strickland is the founder and CEO of Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, which is where I work as a teaching artist. Bill makes a lot of pots these days, in between traveling the world and collecting awards like the GOI Peace Award he recently received in Tokyo.

Latest Wood Firing Results

2011-11-29T23:11:00.001-05:00

And the results... I'm happy.

With wood firing, the highs and lows are quite dramatic, though. I lost a few pieces that I really had high hopes for. And a number just didn't come out terribly well. But the good pieces—wow! I'm so particularly pleased with some of these pieces that I might not put them up for sale. Or at least not yet.

Check out more photos of my latest work in this photo album.

Another Woodfiring Weekend

2011-11-20T22:56:00.001-05:00

This past weekend I helped fire the wood kiln at Laurelville. The kiln is operated by the Union Project, and I consider myself fortunate to be involved with such good people (although I am not actually a member of the UP myself).

For those unfamiliar with the wood firing process, you have to feed the kiln wood for quite some time, often 24 to 36 hours or more. This requires a lot of labor. Even loading such a kiln takes several hours, and the unloading process involves some fairly heavy duty cleaning chores.

After helping to load the kiln, I took the first shift "stoking" or feeding the fire from 6:30 PM on Friday to 1:30 AM on Saturday. Essentially, I was pre-heating the kiln, slowly bringing it up to 400°F. What's cool about this part of the firing is that you can still look into the kiln and watch the pots start to collect ash. Because this kiln's design doesn't use a bag wall (rows of bricks between the open flame and the pottery) the pots in the front row are going to receive a heavy dose of fly ash.

Needless to say, I'm excited to head out to the kiln site on Wednesday to unload it.

Highland Park Pottery Tour 2011

2011-11-16T23:37:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to be a part of the inaugural Highland Park Pottery Tour, I can't fully express myself here. The people involved in this project are simply world class, both artistically and personally. I also have a ton of respect for the Union Project, and if I were in need of a new ceramics studio to work at, the UP would be my first choice.

So, on with the details... Five potters (myself included) will host sales in their homes on December 10, 2011 from noon til 7pm. Each of us will invite one or two potters from outside the Highland Park area to join us. In my case, I have the pleasure of hosting the lovely and talented Yoko Sekino-Bové.

Here's a Google map of the tour: http://g.co/maps/u8c4x

Visit highlandparkpotterytour.wordpress.com for more info.

Gifts from the Guild 2011

2011-11-16T23:30:00.000-05:00

Once again, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild is hosting its annual art sale, Gifts from the Guild.

On December 2-4 you can visit the MCG ceramics studio and purchase a handcrafted gift made by students and staff (including Amanda Wolf, Keith Hershberger and myself). 40% of all sales go directly towards youth and arts programming.

• Friday from 10 am – 6 pm
• Saturday from 2 pm – 10 pm
• Sunday from 12 noon – 4 pm

In conjunction with A Billy Taylor Tribute presented by JazzMobile, December 3 & 4, 2011.

Holiday Gift Show 2011

2011-11-16T23:06:00.001-05:00

I'll have a small table of ceramics for sale at my friend Lisa's house on December 10th. I made some pieces special for this event, value priced at $15 or less.

Lisa is a great craftsperson, and she's also got good taste. I especially like the fact that she's not afraid to share her opinion, even if it means being critical. At my last sale, she looked at my assortment of tumblers and said, "If these had handles, I would buy one."

So, just for this sale, I've made a bunch of small mugs. I have a hunch the host is going to want one!

Clarion University 50th Wood Firing

2011-11-13T18:55:00.001-05:00

I was fortunate enough to be a part of the 50th firing of the Clarion University wood kiln. Professor Gary Greenberg (aka Greeny) describes the kiln as a "bastard anagama".

Click here to check out the photos.

A Culinary Odyssey

2011-11-11T08:21:00.001-05:00

I'm really excited about this cookbook, and proud to be a part of the efforts to publish it... If you pledge just $3, you get a digital copy of the book when it comes out. $35 gets you a printed copy. If you pledge $200, you get the printed book and a handmade bowl from yours truly.

Visit Andrew's Kickstarter page for more info.

A Wood Firing Weekend

2011-10-12T20:32:00.002-04:00

I can't believe I haven't updated this blog since August... I guess it's a testament to the fact that I've been busy. I've got boxes and boxes of pots glazed and ready to be fired, and plans to make even more in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season.

But while money is nice, it's not the cash that drives me to create, it's my love of the ceramic process. The notion that I can sell a lot of pots in the coming months is a pleasant reassurance that I can make as much work as I want without worrying that my apartment is going to be buried in pottery.

Anyhow, most recently I helped Amanda fire her wood kiln, dubbed "Fuego Del Loba," for the first time. We'll see what the results look like soon, but what really matters is that the firing was such a good time. How often do you get to spend 28 hours straight with good friends and interesting company? The two integrated pizza ovens yielded amazing results, and if the pottery comes out half as good as the pizza tasted, I'll be satisfied.

Tea Caddy

2011-08-15T22:04:00.000-04:00

Some of my favorite pieces come from the inspiration to create a gift, or from the simple utility of needing (wanting) something for myself. This tea caddy was a case of the latter.

I've been buying loose tea for some time now, but my latest favorite tea shop sells tea in clear plastic bags. And while such bags do a great job of keeping the air away from the tea, they do nothing to protect my precious sencha from UV rays. Enter the lidded porcelain jar.

This piece features a carved pattern that I've been developing for some time now. It's almost totally random, and quite pleasant to incise.

The clay body is a mixture of reclaimed porcelain and white stoneware with a liberal dose of fine grog wedged in for good measure. The glaze is our studio's "amber celadon" which pools nicely in the recesses. Finally, the jar is outfitted with an English cane handle.

New Cappuccino Cup Design

2011-07-20T23:23:00.000-04:00

I was talking with a friend who's a barista, and he was saying that the handles on espresso/cappuccino cups are almost pointless because he can't fit his finger through the loop. It made me think, "Why even bother making a loop-style handle, then? Why not just make a solid handle that you pinch with your forefinger and thumb."

Here's the initial result in white porcelain with carbon trap Shino glaze, reduction fired to cone 10 in Cleveland by Junji Miyazawa.

Amanda's Wood Kiln

2011-07-05T23:28:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago, I participated in a wood kiln building workshop led by Gary Greenberg of Clarion University. The task at hand—to build Amanda's single chamber bourry box wood kiln. We didn't quite get it finished in one weekend, but we all learned a ton from "Greeny."

And despite the fact that we were laying bricks for three days in the 90° heat, it was remarkably fun. Pictured to the right are me with the rubber mallet, Professor Greenberg and Amanda's awesome husband, Mike.

Now it's just a matter of finding the time to finish what we started and fire it. I can't wait!

Bryant Street Festival

2011-05-24T22:19:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, on some days I wish I lived somewhere else. But on most days, I love my neighborhood. Every year, the entire neighborhood of Highland Park engages in becoming one giant yard sale. And as a part of the festivities, the main business district plays host to a quaint little festival. I'll be a part of the Bryant Street Festival this year, selling pottery, of course.

So come on out and do a little bargain hunting. Then stop buy and buy some expensive pottery from me! Ha ha. Actually, I plan to have some "value priced" pieces for sale, in addition to my latest functional work.

Tea Set for Outspoken

2011-04-09T09:59:00.000-04:00

After numerous attempts, I'm finally happy with a decal-decorated tea set. This will be in the upcoming Outspoken art show. The set will be on sale for $200, and 40% benefits BikePGH.

Outspoken is a one night art show and sale benefiting BikePGH, featuring paintings, photography, screen prints, sculpture, ceramics, furniture, paper cut and jewelry. The event takes place as part of the Cultural Trust's Gallery Crawl on Friday, April 29, 2011 from 5:30 - 9:00 at 805/807 Liberty Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh. Visit www.sixtyfortyseries.com for more info.

The Vagaries of the Soda Kiln

2011-03-13T22:28:00.002-04:00

A long time ago my friend and mentor, Jim, advised me against trusting one of my heavily carved pieces to "the vagaries of the soda kiln". As it worked out, that piece came out fine, but I've since experienced almost equally good and bad results from the behemoth behind MCG. In this most recent firing, I was fortunate enough to pull this gem of a mug (pictured) from the shelves, unscathed and perfectly toasted. Some of the other pieces were downright beautiful, but some came out questionable. Whether it was just such a heavy ash buildup that they dripped onto the shelf, necessitating grinding, or that they collected fragments blown around in the kiln. Worst of all, however, was the feeling I got from pulling out the piece that I had the most work invested in. Before I could even see the crack I could tell that the piece had suffered the dreaded dunting. There must be something about the draft that runs through the kiln as it cools that randomly causes pieces to crack in this manner. Whatever the cause, I just have to accept the bad along with the good. And remember the adage that I often tell my students—if you're making something important, make more than one.

Click here to view my latest soda-fired work.

NewBridge Firing Results

2011-02-10T21:55:00.000-05:00

After just a few short weeks, I received three boxes of pots from Cleveland, where my good friend Junji fired them in the NewBridge center's brand new Bailey downdraft gas kiln. A downdraft kiln gets very consistent reduction, so I was excited to try out a variety of glazes. As I had hoped, I got some nice copper reds, lusterous temmokus, beautiful celadons and wonderful Shino finishes.

Check out the results in this Flickr gallery.

Oribe Green Glaze Test

2011-01-24T22:52:00.000-05:00

I don't know why I never just make test tiles, but I don't. Maybe someday when I have my own kiln... In the meantime, I just experiment on my own work. Here, I'm trying to devise a relatively authentic Oribe green glaze. I started with a tried and true clear glaze that fits our studio's stoneware body, Baccerra clear, and added 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12% copper carbonate to 100g test batches. I'm most satisfied with the 5%, however I suspect that I either mixed the 7% batch a little too thick, or dipped the test pot for a little too long, as it seems to be as dark (or darker) than the 9% batch.

Carving Again - Work In Progress

2010-12-28T16:33:00.001-05:00

Though it had been a while since I really did much in the way of carving, lately I've been getting into it again. I made a number of small pieces to decorate over the holiday break, and with so much free time on my hands, I decided to experiment even more. Inspired by a Hawaiian shirt, this mug took close to an hour to carve. What you're looking at is greenware, of course. The white stoneware is just dried beyond leather-hard. I'm going to experiment with a number of different glazes in this next reduction firing, and hopefully there will be some real interesting results.

Congratulations, Elvira!

2010-12-11T21:45:00.000-05:00

If you're involved with ceramics in Pittsburgh, you know Elvira Peake. The owner of The Clay Place, Elvira's store and showroom have been a staple of the local clay community for 37 years. And Elvira has been an inspiration for even longer. She's given countless local artists their first show, and encouraged many of us by allowing us to show and sell their work in her gallery.

Tonight the community came together at The Clay Place for Elvira's retirement party. And while it was all well and good to say "congratulations," Elvira was certain to point out, "I'm not going anywhere!"

When I asked Elvira what she was going to do with all her newfound free time she quipped, "I'm going to clean my house," and laughed.

The Clay Place will continue to operate under the ownership of Standard Ceramics, with Elvira as Director Emeritus and most likely under the watchful eye of the wonderful Ms. Carla Flati.

Oh Sweet Temmoku

2010-12-04T12:49:00.001-05:00

In this most recent firing, I experimented a bit more with the carved decorations I've been doing.

I had some encouraging success glazing similar pieces with my Shino recipe, but I was a little less impressed with the results from this firing with the same glaze. It's not that I'm unhappy, but I liked the stark contrast of orange against white that I achieved last time.

Thankfully, I also tried using the studio's Temmoku on a heavily faceted piece, and loved the way the glaze "broke" along the edges. So I tried it on a few of my new carved pieces (shown to the right) and I couldn't be happier.

Interestingly, the carved diagonal lines, I realize, are reminiscent of the Jomon-style rope impression technique that was often seen in the work of Tatsuzo Shimaoka, one of my favorite potters of the Mingei movement.

Finally, the tiny ochoko shown at the bottom right was glazed with a Temmoku recipe from Malcolm Wright's website. The recipe is quite different than Mark's Temmoku (used on the other three pieces) as it incorporates wood ash, high-iron clays and relatively little pure red iron oxide. If you look very closely at the piece, you'll see variations in color and pattern in the dark, blue-black glaze. I'm now anxious to test it on a carved piece. Stay tuned...

Soda Firing November 2010

2010-11-22T23:01:00.000-05:00

I didn't put many pieces in this recent soda firing, but I took the opportunity to experiment a little with texture and some different glaze techniques. At right, there are two stoneware tea bowls that I sprayed with a mixture of wood ash and whiting (about 5 parts to 1). I was trying to emulate the look of a real wood-fired piece, and I came fairly close.

The two tea cups feature carvings. The lower one is straight stoneware, whereas the upper one was dipped in a white crackle slip before being incised. I'm pretty happy with both.

You can see more on my Flickr page.

Holiday Gift Show in Highland Park

2010-11-18T21:07:00.001-05:00

She took one year off due to that little thing known as "the miracle of childbirth" but my friend Lisa is back in business this holiday season. She'll be opening her beautiful home to the public on December 4th and 5th, showcasing her crafts, along with mine and those of a handful of other talented Pittsburgh-area artists.

I personally will be showcasing some of my older items and less expensive pieces, all priced to move at $4 to $15.

Visit OneStarAway.com for more information.

Gifts from the Guild - Holiday Arts Sale

2010-11-12T12:19:00.000-05:00

Gifts from the Guild, the annual MCG Youth & Arts holiday arts sale will take place December 3-5, 2010. Staff and student artworks will be available for sale, including ceramics, photography, screen printed t-shirts, jewelry, stained glass and handmade cards. Proceeds support MCG Youth & Arts programming. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted.

• Friday December 3, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Saturday December 4, 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• Sunday December 5, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Visit www.mcgyouthandarts.org for more info.

So Much Shino!

2010-10-29T21:03:00.001-04:00

I did kind of go wild with the Shino this summer/fall. We finally unloaded the reduction kiln, and I couldn't be much happier with the results. Check them out on my Flickr page.

The recipe?

Shino - Cone 10 Reduction

Soda Ash 7.25%
G200 Feldspar 35.5%
Spodumene 32.25%
Silica 2.5%
EPK 14.5%
OM4 8%

October Soda Firing

2010-10-26T22:38:00.000-04:00

Wow, it seems like it's been forever since the last soda firing. The truth is, our kiln shelves were getting really bad, and the next firing could have caused one to crack or warp bad enough to collapse and ruin a large quantity of pottery.

Thankfully, the budget finally allowed us to buy some new shelves, and The Wolf fired up the "behemoth out back" aka the MCG soda kiln.

I've posted some of my best pieces on Flickr, and I'll post a few more once the subsequent decal firing is completed. Then later this week, we'll open and unload the gas reduction kiln...

Throwing A Bowl

2010-09-15T00:40:00.000-04:00

I found myself doing a video demo for work, and edited this little clip for the intra-web. Mind you, this is by no means the best bowl I've ever thrown... Or even a good one, for that matter. I smashed all of the demo pieces as soon as the camera stopped rolling. Making pottery on film was surprisingly nerve-racking.

Shino, Shino, Shino

2010-09-14T22:57:00.002-04:00

Apparently they say every potter has their dalliance with Shino. And why not? The mysterious glaze is both stable and reliable, yet beautiful and somewhat unpredictable. You can be reasonably certain it won't run, but you never know exactly how it will look. Will it be white? Will it be orange? Will it have carbon trapping? And it's easily decorated with iron oxide, or with gosu slip underneath.

I've been making a lot of work in the past month or so, and glazing most of it with a Shino recipe that I modified. I honestly can't recall where I got the original recipe, but I've went and added a little more silica and a little less bentonite to reduce the crazing, and a tiny bit more EPK and a tiny bit less OM4 to make it more white and less orange. We'll see what happens after the next firing...

Facebook Guinomi Giveaway Contest

2010-08-16T21:49:00.001-04:00

Here's the rules... To enter, you'll have to "like" or "friend" my Facebook Fan Page and then post a comment.

I will be giving away five guinomi (that's small cups in Japanese). On September 1st, I'll put names in a hat and draw five winners. I'll choose what you ...win... Most likely they'll be ash glazed, and perfectly imperfect.

Winners will be responsible for shipping charges. Local (Pittsburgh) people can pick them up in person.

Guinomi Party!

2010-08-15T02:13:00.001-04:00

This recent gas firing was one of the most anticipated of my pottery career. Not only did I have several dozen pieces in the kiln, most were glazed with recipes that I had mixed from scratch. Traditionally, it's a good idea to test glaze recipes on tiles before applying them to actual work, but since we fire Big Al so seldom, I went ahead and glazed nearly all of my work with un-tested shino, wood ash and fake nuka glazes.

The results? Some good, some not so good. On the whole, I'm really happy with the shino pots.

The wood ash provided both exciting successes and rather heartbreaking failures. This is to be expected, though. I learned a valuable lesson with this recipe—respect the fluxing powers of iron oxide!

The fake nuka was rather disappointing with the exception of one pot. I am going to give it another shot, though, as I suspect it might look and feel better in the soda kiln.

Anyhow, have a look for yourself over at my Flickr photostream.

Big Al is Loaded!

2010-08-09T23:24:00.005-04:00

It seems like it's been an eternity since our last reduction firing. That's how it goes when you've got a beast like Big Al, though. Big Al is the nickname given to MCG's large Alpine HF60 updraft kiln. With a kiln this big, you've got to make a lot of work to fill it. Thankfully the summer program students did their best, and Bill Strickland has taken care of the rest with his large bowls and platters.

As for my work, this time around it's mostly small tea and sake cups—guinomi and yunomi. I did make the large bowl (bottom left) for one of the students, and the tall lamp body (top shelf, rear) while working alongside the kids one day this summer.

I'm particularly excited to see how some of the glazes I mixed will turn out, all of which came from John Britt's book. I added 3% red iron oxide to Richard Aerni's basic wood ash recipe, which I'm hoping will be interesting... I mixed up the Fake Nuka #1 recipe, and a carbon-trap Shino, too. I applied each of them to buff stoneware, dark stoneware and porcelain pieces, and placed them in various locations throughout the kiln so I can see the effects of reduction.

Watch for new photos on Flickr after we unload on Thursday.

I Made It Market - BikeFest 2010

2010-07-30T23:06:00.001-04:00

Check out the 10 new pieces I just made for the I Made It Market, part of BikeFest 2010. The mugs will be $35 each, the serving bowls $50.

Introducing The Vamps Boutique

2010-07-01T08:48:00.000-04:00

For the first time, I'll be selling my ceramics at a consignment shop. While I've been asked to do so before, I just never felt obliged for one reason or another. But when Mel asked me to be a part of the new project housed within a tattoo shop in Pittsburgh's "Little Italy" I jumped at the chance. I like the notion of selling my pots to other young people, and I know quite a few of my friends and peers get their tattoos from Tattoo Noir (especially from the punk-rock-loving, fellow-cyclist Jason Angst).

Because there are so many cyclists that frequent the tattoo shop, Mel requested a bunch of bicycle-themed decal pottery. She also saw some of my older work online, and fell in love with my chalices. Though they're kind of a pain in the butt to make, I obliged and whipped out a new batch just in time for the grand opening.

The Vamps Boutique is celebrating with a grand opening party on Saturday, July 3rd 2010. If you're in the neighborhood anytime after 7pm, stop by 4514 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15224, or call 412-681-6881 for regular gallery hours.

Soda-fired Hakeme Plates

2010-06-05T20:26:00.001-04:00

I made a few soda-fired plates with hakeme decoration with the intention of them being the serving trays for sake sets. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, one of them warped severely in the soda kiln, and will only be useful as a decoration. Still, I'm rather happy with the results.

Another Sake Set

2010-05-22T19:19:00.000-04:00

I've been on a roll with these sake pieces... Really, I'm making a special set for a customer, and I want to offer her a number of pieces to choose from. The stoneware cups were glazed with four different standard glazes from our studio and reduction fired to cone 10.

The flask is porcelain, electric fired to cone 10 and then decal fired once again to cone 05. The kanji is an old Japanese poem that nobody I know can translate.

The decal really makes the piece successful. Without it, the eye is drawn to every imperfection in the all white form. But now, it looks complete and the imperfection of the form just says that the piece is hand made.

Đặng Thùy Trâm Plate

2010-05-22T18:06:00.055-04:00

This piece is a response to Andrew Pham's book Last Night I Dreamed of Peace, a translation of Đặng Thùy Trâm's diary. From Wikipedia:

Đặng Thùy Trâm (born November 26, 1943 in Huế, Vietnam; died on June 22, 1970 in Đức Phổ, Quảng Ngãi Province, Vietnam) was a Vietnamese civilian doctor who worked as a battlefield surgeon for North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. She was killed, in disputed circumstances, at the age of 26, by United States forces while travelling on a trail in the Ba To jungle in the Quảng Ngãi Province of south-central Vietnam. Her wartime diaries, which chronicle the last two years of her life, attracted international attention following their publication in 2005.

The thing that I find most amazing about Thùy was her selflessness. Sure, she acknowledged and accepted her insecurity and her own longings—to be home in Hanoi, amidst her loving family, enjoying the comfortable lifestyle afforded to doctors and educators, and for the love of her life (a communist soldier). But more than anything she longed for peace and prosperity in her country, which is why she volunteered to become a battlefield surgeon in "The American War".

Her diary recounts gruesome details of the amputations and trauma surgeries she performed, but what's even more gut-wrenching are the recurring passages where she laments the deaths of her comrades and countrymen. While she is enraged by the invading American forces—she hates them, in fact—her heart remains full of love for her country, her family and even for the soldier whom she pines for.

She is extremely virtuous, too. As a beautiful young doctor, she attracts the affection of nearly everyone she comes into contact with, but is so wary of public opinion she won't allow herself anything more than the platonic love of a male friend. It almost seems like a propagandist's fairy tale—a young woman who committed her youth to studying before entering the medical field, who subsequently sacrificed the best years of her life to the war effort, and ultimately died for the cause she believed in.

As much as any of us are touched by the story of her tragic demise, nobody took the news of her death as hard as her own family. When her father, a surgeon and educator, heard of Thùy's death he instantaneously fell victim to a stroke and died.

Tokkuri and Ochoko Part II

2010-05-09T01:52:00.000-04:00

I felt a bit like a kid in a candy store this Friday when I got pots out of three different kiln firings—gas, wood and electric. The main thing I had on my mind were these tokkuri and ochoko (sake flasks and cups). Both flasks were fired in the electric kiln, one is porcelain with white glaze, the other is stoneware with wood ash. I not only sprayed wood ash glaze on the stoneware pot, I dusted raw wood ash powder on top of it, and side-fired it resting on sea shells.

The shino sake cups were fired in the gas kiln in reduction, and the dark area is actually wood ash glaze that I sprayed on top of the shino glaze, not carbon trapping. The other sake cups were wood-fired, and I couldn't be much happier with the results.

Blue Ash Plates

2010-05-09T01:44:00.001-04:00

I've been experimenting a bit more with the batch of blue wood ash glaze Junji mixed up for me. I've been spraying it, and trying it in combinations with other glazes in the studio. On the left it's alternated with a rutile-based glaze, and on the right it's combined with a standard white liner glaze.

Tokkuri and Ochoko

2010-04-26T22:12:00.002-04:00

I'm working on a custom sake set for a customer, and I've been learning and experimenting quite a bit. The pieces above came out of the soda kiln today, along with a few other sake cups (ochoko). I'm planning to raku fire a serving tray, and then I'll also be making several more tokkuri (flasks) for her to choose from, as well as several more cups, fired in both wood and reduction firings.

Fish Bowl @ Art All Night

2010-04-23T21:27:00.000-04:00

This Saturday is the annual Art All Night show. A celebration of art in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood, the event is free and open to everyone. There is no jury and no censorship.

I'll be entering this decal fired, porcelain "fish bowl" with a price tag of $50.

Calligraphy Raku

2010-03-27T01:02:00.000-04:00

This latest batch of raku-fired pieces were in-part inspired by the calligraphy painting of Bihou Yamauchi. Not long ago, I was given a fan decorated with her art as a gift from a well-respected Japanese bicycle builder, Shin-ichi Konno. This is just the first attempt at loosening up my painting style, and I hope that I can continue to improve, as this style is both fun and visually appealing.

Blue Aerni Ash

2010-03-22T22:52:00.001-04:00

Sometimes, it pays to follow directions. I fell in love with this glaze, a variation on Richard Aerni's recipe from John Britt's The Complete Guide to High Fire Glazes. My first few experiments with the glaze were successful, but lacked visual interest that's the hallmark of wood ash glazes. Then I read Richard's website, where he describes his glazing process. Because he single-fires, he sprays his glazes. And he gets such depth by applying alternating layers of glaze and slip. So I tried it his way on this mug, and voilà!

Table of Elements 2010

2010-03-15T23:54:00.003-04:00

This weekend, The Manchester Craftsmen's Guild will be hosting a fundraiser featuring ceramic art by local and national artists (and some two dimensional works, as well).

I'll be donating a 20-piece bicycle-themed dinnerware set (5 pieces for 4 settings). I didn't actually get a chance to properly photograph the pieces, but you can see the ones I didn't choose on my Flickr page. Rest assured, the actual pieces in the set are similar, but tacitly superior. If you happen to be interested in something on my Flickr page, just drop me an email and I'll let you know if it's available.

Click here for more information on Table of Elements 2010.

Wood Fired Mug

2010-03-10T22:27:00.001-05:00

I don't really get to do much wood firing for two reasons. One, it's generally expected that you'll take turns attending to the wood kiln, and two, it is kind of expensive to share in the cost of all that wood fuel. This particular mug was fired at Laurelville in the Union Project's kiln.

Still, you can't deny the beauty of wood fired pottery. For those unfamiliar, wood firing is a high temperature (2200° F or more) atmospheric firing. The wood ash that flys around inside the kiln results in a natural glaze, irregular "flashing" of dark and light tones in the clay body. The process originated in China, and continued to be popular in the western world until the proliferation of kilns fueld by paraffin, oil and eventually natural gas.

Today wood kilns remain popular among a certain sect of artisan potters.

Old Trees, Level Distance

2010-03-07T16:44:00.005-05:00

I created this mug for my friend Junji.

The decal artwork Old Trees, Level Distance is from Guo Xi's ink painting from the year 1080. I got the idea to use this decal while watching a documentary on the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection of Chinese art. The piece was created as a goodbye present for Xi's good friend and fellow coworker who was due to retire and move somewhere far from the city. Although it's not immediately apparent, the overarching theme of the artwork is eternal friendship.

Coincidentally, I had just learned that Junji would likely be leaving town to manage a studio several hours away. And while I'll be sad to see him go, I know the opportunity to run his own ceramics studio will be a dream come true. I wish him luck in getting the job, and I know that like Xi and his compatriot, we'll always be friends.

Empty Bowls Decal Workshop

2010-02-20T21:30:00.004-05:00

This afternoon I led a ceramic decal workshop at the Winchester Thurston School in Pittsburgh. Organized by Mary Martin, I was one of four visiting ceramic artists working to help community members produce functional pieces for Pittsburgh's annual Empty Bowls dinner.

I created about 24 sheets of decals using Adobe Photoshop and images found online. Participants in the workshop, who ranged from grade school to senior citizens, applied them to pre-made pottery. I encouraged them to be creative with the decals, and I was truly impressed at the level of ingenuity they displayed.

If you would like to know more about ceramic decals, visit Justin Rothshank's website.

Decorating With Overglaze

2010-02-15T19:51:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in the last post, I have been experimenting with overglaze. At right is one of my first successful pieces, a raku fired tea bowl with a plum flower motif. I used a tube of outlining formula Porcelaine 150 for the black, and painted the red with a Chinese calligraphy brush. I painted a red area for the logo (or the "chop") and scratched the details away with one of my long-time favorite tools, an X-acto knife.

I posted the other experiments with Porcelaine 150 on my Flickr page.

Porcelaine 150

2010-02-10T21:28:00.001-05:00

Porcelaine 150 is on overglaze, similar to enamel but baked on at a considerably lower temperature. My friend Junji suggested that I apply red paint into the recesses of my stamped logo to make it look more like my printed logo, which is inspired by the Asian style of stamped seals, commonly referred to as a chop.

It really works best on white pottery, but it looks good on the yellow pieces I tried it on, as well.

Of course, the real intended use of overglaze is not to be applied into recesses, but painted on as a decoration. I'll be trying my hand some of that here shortly!

Raku - American Style

2010-01-30T12:37:00.001-05:00

Although the style of firing pots in a small kiln and pulling them out while still glowing hot is a Japanese tradition, in the United States the term "raku" is commonly used to reference the style invented by Paul Soldner.

Soldner's method involves placing the hot pots in a container filled with combustable material such as sawdust, leaves, newspaper, etc. The effect is that the heavy reduction atmosphere creates unique colors and patterns in the glaze, and the smoke imparts a charcoal black finish on any unglazed surface. This especially emphasizes the crackle effect that's inherent on most raku fired pieces.

I've been experimenting quite a bit with this American-style raku firing, and will be posting more photos to my Flickr page in the near future.

Hakeme Bamboo Tumbler

2010-01-24T20:50:00.000-05:00

Hakeme is a Korean technique of painting white slip onto stoneware with a rough brush. The technique came about as a response to problems that arose from dipping dark clay forms in white slip. The dipped ware often became saturated and either deformed or fell apart, or the thick slip cracked upon drying. So the Korean potters began painting their slip on. Some Japanese potters, Hamada for example, took to this style and used it as an expressive means of decoration.

I actually made this tumbler a while back with no knowledge of the technique, only thinking that the white slip with obvious brush strokes might make for a nice contrast for my carved decoration. And much like the Korean and Japanese potters, I intuitively chose a translucent celadon glaze. The result is simple, yet beautiful.

Blue Wave Sushi Tray

2010-01-17T13:41:00.000-05:00

This is one of my rare experiments with slab built pottery. I really enjoyed making these, though, and need to make time to do more and improve upon the design.

This design for a sushi tray came to me out of nowhere, and admittedly was more difficult to achieve than I expected. The teardrop shaped end was difficult to bend without cracking the clay, and I'm not entirely happy with the curve I achieved.

The glaze is wonderful, though. I saw an example in John Britt's book, The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes and upon mentioning it to Junji, I found a batch mixed and ready for use the next time I came to the studio. The recipe is based on Richard Aerni's wood ash, and contains added colorants such as cobalt, iron and manganese.

Interestingly, while the form mostly makes me think of an ocean wave, it also bears a resemblance to my new computer's keyboard.

Raku Firing

2010-01-14T23:14:00.000-05:00

I've been learning how to fire the raku kiln under the watchful eye of my good friend Junji. This week I invited another good friend, Brad Quartuccio, to come photograph the firing. Brad snapped quite a few shots with his various film cameras, but it will be a while before I get to see the results. The best of his digital photos are posted on his website, Random Precision Photo.

As with last time, experimentation was the order of the day. Junji made a bed of small twigs, one of sawdust and another of newspaper to rest the red-hot pots on. I put one on a solid block of ice, and immersed another in a foot-deep pile of snow. Two went into iron boxes filled with sawdust, and the final two were set on the bare concrete to cool. After a few minutes, I submerged each pot in a bucket of water to quickly cool them down for easy handling. For the second firing in a row, nothing cracked.

Raku Chawan

2010-01-08T23:27:00.004-05:00

I've been learning quite a bit about Japanese pottery, and it's interesting that although I've known about raku firing ever since I became a ceramist, I knew nothing of Raku ware, or Raku-yaki (楽焼). You can read more in-depth articles about the history of the Raku family, and the origins of the tea ceremony for which the chawan (tea bowl) is designed for elsewhere, but I'll give a brief explanation...

During the late 1500's the Japanese elite highly prized unique and rustic ceramic forms for their tea ceremony. The great tea-master Sen no Rikyu collaborated with a potter named Chojiro, whose work was so admired by the emperor that he was awarded the name Raku, which means pleasure. Chojiro's method was to create his work by hand-modeling the clay without the use of a potter's wheel. And the firing method employed (which is the basis of western "raku" firing) involved a rapid heating of the pottery, culminating with the glowing hot pots being removed from a fiery kiln and rapidly cooled.

Over the winter holiday I hand-molded about 20 tea bowls (they are essentially pinch pots) and last week I fired the first batch of 10. I wanted to try to do things fairly traditionally, allowing the pots to air-cool, but my friend Junji ultimately convinced me to experiment with post-firing reduction for some of them. Although placing raku-fired pots in combustable materials like sawdust is a western technique, the results would likely appeal to eastern aesthetic, as the dark unglazed areas highlight the crackle of the glaze.

While some of these bowls will be given to friends and coworkers (my boss already claimed the one pictured above) the majority will be used and then given to students in my Manga Madness class when Junji and I teach them about the Japanese tea ceremony.

Winter Reading

2009-12-31T17:53:00.002-05:00

Being on vacation means I don't have access to the studio, and the next best thing to making ceramics is studying ceramics. And while the internet is a great source of inspiration and up-to-date information, when it comes to learning a subject I've always felt that the best source is in books. In the past few months I've read John Britt's The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes and Clay and Glazes for the Potter by Daniel Rhodes.

At present I'm immersed in A Potter's Book by Bernard Leach. Written in 1940, the book is beyond classic. It's perhaps the most important ceramics text in the Western world because of Leach's incomparable knowledge of Eastern pottery, culture and aesthetics.

Leach was born in Hong Kong to British citizens. As a young man he studied art in Japan under the tutelage of the great master Kenzan VI, and worked alongside future legends Kawai Kanjiro, Tomimoto Kenkichi and Shoji Hamada. He returned to England with Hamada and established his own studio, and is credited with reviving the ceramics craft movement in the face of industrialization.

Personally, the book is reinforcing many of the things I've learned to date and giving me a good perspective on not just "how" but "why" things are done in ceramics. It's very interesting to read a book written 70 years ago that's absolutely relevant today. And Leach has a very subtle sense of humor that's doled out very sparingly throughout the 260+ pages. Leach is not so subtle with his criticism, though, of which the book is absolutely filled. Conversely, it's also filled with rather unabashed praise for pottery from the Chinese Tang and Song dynasties.

Merry Christmas to... Me!

2009-12-22T21:53:00.000-05:00

This year I really got into the spirit of giving, and I certainly didn't expect anything in return. So it only makes sense, then, that I got more than my share of gifts from my friends and coworkers. Without a doubt my favorite gift came from my coworker Junji.

For some time we've talked about making our own ribs, quite possibly with the help of renowned Pittsburgh woodworker Tadao Arimoto, whose studio is behind ours. Today Junji surprised me with these three amazingly beautiful ribs.

The large Gyubera is commercially made, but the other two were handmade by Junji in Tadao's workshop. They're made from an exotic hardwood, quite possibly Purpleheart.

Gifts from the Guild - 2009 Holiday Arts Sale

2009-12-10T14:16:00.000-05:00

Please come down to the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild the weekend of December 18th through 20th, where I'll be selling pottery as part of the annual holiday arts sale. A portion of the proceeds benefit youth arts education. And in addition to my work, you'll find a lot of great pieces from our students and my very talented coworkers.

Click here for directions.

Decal Pottery - Round Two

2009-11-30T23:36:00.001-05:00

This weekend I fired up the electric kiln for another round of decals. This time around all the pottery was gas-fired in a reduction kiln, so there were less surprises. Save for the happy accidents, that is.

With a little more knowledge of which glazes look good with reddish-brown decal designs, I was considerably more successful. One of my favorites from this batch is a tumbler with Hokusai's famous erotic woodcut, The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife. Hokusai is best known for The Great Wave off Kanagawa which he created as part of a series of Mt. Fuji landscapes in the 1820's.

One of the pieces that's special to me is this tumbler which features a drawing by one of my students, Lu Lu. He's a great kid, but he doesn't speak much English—hardly any at all. We often communicate with facial expressions and hand gestures. You see, Lu Lu is from Burma, and he's from a tribe that speaks the Karen language, which is obviously not too popular here in America. The drawing is of his home, and it says a thousand things he can't put into words I understand.

Check out the whole batch on Flickr.

Decal Mugs - Round One Results

2009-11-19T21:42:00.001-05:00

I recently posted about my foray into the world of decal firing. Well, the results are in, and my efforts were met with both success and failure. One huge factor was that I used soda-fired pottery, which inherently produces various and hard-to-predict results. So some of the items cracked, warped or bubbled along the way.

The most successful pieces were the simple forms made with plain old stoneware and glazed with our most reliable white glaze. Shown at right is an example of one such piece, perhaps the best of the bunch. My favorite, however, was a lucky combination of Junji's white slip with clear wood ash glaze. It featured an image of Major Taylor. I gave it to MBC's new VP of Operations, Paulo Nzambi.

I Made It! Market for the Holidays

2009-11-05T21:26:00.000-05:00

I'll once again be selling ceramics at I Made It! Market on Saturday, December 5th from noon to 5 p.m. at the Union Project.

It's been quite a while since I've shown or sold anything I've made, so hopefully those of you who come out will be impressed with the progress I've made.

I also anticipate having one of my prodigious students there to help run the table, so this time around I'll have more time to check out the other vendors' work.

Serving Bowls

2009-10-11T21:54:00.000-04:00

I love making serving bowls. They're not really that difficult to make, but the results are rewarding. They're sizable, decorative and functional. I made a small series of bowls with rich red and brown glazes a while back, and just got around to posting some photos on Flickr and listing them on Etsy.

Decal Mugs - In Progress

2009-09-28T21:11:00.001-04:00

Everyone at work has been inspired by Justin Rothshank's ceramic decal work, and now I'm the latest to try out his technique. These soda-fired mugs have their decals applied and are waiting for the final cone 05 firing. The end result will leave reddish-brown marks wherever the black ink was.

Junji Miyazawa Teapot

2009-09-20T17:35:00.003-04:00

I recently posted about this teapot on my other blog, Urban Velo. It was a gift from my friend, coworker and pottery mentor, Junji Miyazawa. This past week I was really sad because his contract expired. Then just this weekend I learned that he's been re-hired as the new ceramics studio tech.

I'm ecstatic. Quite selfishly, it's in part because Junji's the only person at MCG who consistently wants to get Asian food for lunch, and definitely the only person who can truly appreciate Korea Garden, or who's ready to visit Lucy for bánh mì at the drop of a hat.

Click here to read more about the teapot.

MCG Digital Blog

2009-09-07T20:15:00.000-04:00

As you may know, I work in the digital department of the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild. I just finished updating our blog, complete with all the student videos from the 2009 Summer Studio session.

Yoko Sekino-Bove

2009-06-30T17:14:00.004-04:00

One of the first potters I met from outside the MCG studio was Yoko Sekino-Bove. She lives and works in nearby Washington, PA, and as you can see, her specialty is detailed underglaze decoration. Yoko was at MCG a lot last year during the Okudo residency, as we not only needed a Japanese translator, we needed one who was fluent in the language of ceramics.

I recently saw Yoko at the Three Rivers Arts Festival, and it was overwhelming to see an entire display of her work. One day I hope to own one of Yoko's pieces, but everything I really like is out of my price range.

Check out Yoko's work at pittsburghartistregistry.org/yokosekinobove.

Teapots

2009-06-16T22:47:00.003-04:00

Many people regard teapots as the highest form of pottery. After making my first three teapots, I can certainly appreciate that notion. They're difficult to make and easy to screw up. Not only are they labor intensive, they demand meticulous attention to detail. And they still may not pour well (mine all dribble a bit).

But for all their trouble, teapots are beautiful. I made these for a fellow artist who donated the use of a wonderful photograph for the cover of my magazine. Just like in the Karate Kid, he now gets to pick which one he likes best.

The Wolf

2009-06-11T08:38:00.006-04:00

It's about high time I posted something about Amanda on this blog. She's one of my favorite people in the world, and someone who's taught me a great deal about pottery, teaching and life in general. Wise beyond her years, The Wolf is dedicated to her pottery, her students, her fiancé and her two Boston terriers, Molly and Tucker—not necessarily in that order.

She's also involved in virtually every piece of pottery I make, since she fires the kilns at MCG.

Go see her at the Three Rivers Arts Festival this weekend, where she'll be selling some wonderful pieces of functional pottery, as well as some decorative ceramic art and jewelry.

UPDATE: The Wolf now has her very own blog!

I Made It! Cozy Crafts Market - June 7th @ the JCC

2009-06-05T21:35:00.004-04:00

Yes, I know the Arts Festival is going on, and there's a yard sale bonanza in Highland Park, but that's no reason not to come out to the I Made It! Market at the Jewish Community Center in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

Interestingly, while I've never been to a synagogue, according to the rules of Judaism, I'm 100% Jewish. That's because my mother, her mother, and every woman in my family going back to the beginning of time was Jewish. Who knew it could be so easy?

Perhaps even more interestingly, my father's mother was Jewish, but as an adult he became a born-again atheist. My mother, on the other hand, became a born-again Christian.

But on the subject of ceramics, I'll have some new pieces fresh from the kiln. Some are soda-fired, some are reduction fired. Most are drinking vessels, but I've got a few really sweet large bowls and plates.

I hope to see you there!

Wabi-sabi Tea Bowl

2009-06-02T23:40:00.005-04:00

A friend of mine asked me to make him a Hagi-style tea bowl, which led me to do a good bit of research on Hagi ware. Used in the Japanese tea ceremony, the rough forms and notched foot pay homage to the Korean pottery they're styled after. They celebrate the wabi-sabi aesthetic which is to say they're deemed beautiful because of their imperfections.

I sought knowledge and guidance from my coworker Junji, and created numerous tea bowls. I was attempting to recreate the look and feel of traditional Hagi ware, but I didn't really come close. Never the less, it was a lot of fun learning about the techniques and materials used.

A brief interview on the LillyShayStyle blog...

2009-05-25T14:07:00.001-04:00

LillyShayStyle recently featured me on her blog. A seamstress and mother, she often features other artists on her blog. Check out her give-aways and long list of "how to" craft tutorials.

Art Goes Bowling

2009-05-23T19:20:00.001-04:00

This coming Monday, I'll be participating in Art Goes Bowling, a show at Arsenal Lanes that features bowling pins decorated by local artists. The show is open to everyone and anyone, and the pins were provided for free by the Zombo Gallery.

There may be as many as 100 artists represented, including several of my friends, coworkers and even some of my students. To the right you'll see my pin (with the bamboo motif) and one decorated by Nancy Pham. The art is for sale, and most pins seem to go for about $25.

Click here to see photos from last year's opening.

Faces

2009-05-05T00:29:00.003-04:00

As it turns out, I did not sell my piece at Art All Night. I'm actually kind of happy in retrospect, because I really like this piece and don't mind seeing it hang around. In fact, one of my mentors has been encouraging me to sell less and keep more, so this is a step in the right direction in that respect.

Like the piece that sold at The Clay Place, this one is inspired by ancient Mexican stone sculptures.

Guerrero/Pham Collaboration

2009-05-03T00:18:00.005-04:00

To me, artist collaborations are truly incredible. When successful, they reflect the collaborators' mutual appreciation and respect. They typically require flexibility and perseverance, and challenge the artists to cooperate. The best results show the synergistic effect of artists working together, and express both artists' creative vision.

I recently collaborated with a very talented MCG ceramics student, Nancy Pham, to create a series of Asian-inspired tumblers and goblets. While I'm keeping a few for myself, several are available for sale on Etsy.

Mind you, Nancy is very excited to see these cups sell. She loves money, and can't wait to get paid. So support youth arts in Pittsburgh!

Art All Night

2009-04-25T23:59:00.004-04:00

I forgot to post this earlier, but I've got a piece for sale at Art All Night. Art All Night is a really great event, one worth participating in and supporting. There are no fees, no jury and no censorship. It's a true community event that celebrates creativity and diversity.

My entry is just a small, carved raku vase. I'm pretty sure it sold—or at least somebody made an offer.

I was pretty happy to see several of my students participating. Some took a little arm-twisting. Others, like my boys in the Lil Kiziguwaz hip-hop troop were anxious to perform live.

Craft Sales VS Online Sales

2009-04-08T08:55:00.003-04:00

Selling my ceramics in person is awesome. Selling ceramics online... Not so great.

In person, people get to touch things. Pottery is very much about how things feel, and that can't be expressed online.

I haven't sold anything on Etsy in months. I made a month's rent in one afternoon at this recent craft fair.

When I ship ceramics, despite my best attempts to package things for Armageddon, it's inevitable that every so often, things get broken. Neither USPS or UPS has ever paid for the damages. In person, I wrap the pottery in newspaper and people carefully carry them home.

Finally, as much as it's nice to hear some feedback over the internet, there's nothing more satisfying than seeing how happy a customer is face to face.

Happy Birthday Saya!

2009-03-29T18:44:00.004-04:00

One of the things I love most about ceramics is that I have the ability to make unique, personal gifts for my friends. In this case, I made a porcelain cup for Saya's second birthday. Although this tea cup isn't terribly unique (even copyright infringement, actually) it's never the less very special.

Both of Saya's parents are potters, and her father is Japanese, so an Asian-style tea cup is rather fitting. But what's more important is the Minnie Mouse decoration. Saya's parents recently took her to Disney on Ice, and she was lucky enough to get within arm's reach of Minnie. For weeks after, Saya told everyone and anyone, "I touched Minnie!"

So now, Saya can touch Minnie every day of the week.

Interview on the IMI Market Blog

2009-03-28T15:07:00.002-04:00

I was recently interviewed for the I Made It Market blog. You can read it by clicking here.

Please come see me at I Made It on April 4th at the Union Project.

I Made it Market - April 4th

2009-03-12T20:51:00.004-04:00

Come visit me at the I Made it Market on Saturday, April 4th. The sale runs from noon to 5 pm. It takes place at The Union Project, which is at the corner of Stanton and Negley in the Highland Park neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

I should have lots of new stuff for sale (things not yet posted on Etsy or my Flickr pages).

Sold!

2009-02-23T23:56:00.006-05:00

I was recently fortunate enough to be included in a group show at The Clay Place. The show, entitled Ceramic Gamut, featured work by the staff and students of The Manchester Craftsmen's Guild. Not only was I lucky enough to show my work, I sold a Raku fired piece. I have a sneaking suspicion that one of my mentor's bought it, but that's even more validating.

The piece is wheel-thrown and features a heavily carved surface depicting three faces. The inspiration was drawn from the ancient Mexican stone sculptures of the Guerrero region.

A few more recent pieces...

2009-02-15T10:57:00.006-05:00

I've posted a few more images of new work to my Flickr photostream. Go have a look see and let me know what you think.

Success!

2009-02-15T10:09:00.006-05:00

Here is what my shelves look like after this recent reduction firing. I was very productive this winter, and so there are two full boxes of work that aren't on these shelves.

One of the things I'm most proud of is this set of Kotler's Orange-Grey mugs and serving platter. I made these upon request and they became some lucky lady's Valentine's Day gift.

Tiny Bubbles

2009-02-15T09:50:00.003-05:00

In ceramics, nothing is certain. There are so many variables that even the artist who controls every part of the process isn't really in complete control. Of course there are things you can do as an artist to minimize failures—for example, checking your underglaze to make sure it's approved for cone 10, not cone 5. So the sgraffito carved mugs that I was so excited about all bubbled horrendously and were ruined.

Lesson learned. Thankfully, I had lots of other pieces in the kiln. Some others failed, as well, but most pieces were successful. Some came out amazingly well. More to come...

Sgraffito Mugs in Progress

2009-01-25T21:28:00.004-05:00

I started working on a new batch of stoneware mugs this past weekend. I decided to make use of a bottle of white underglaze that got contaminated when someone replaced the cap with one from a bottle of black. So I painted the un-fired mugs with the light-gray slip and sgraffito carved these Asian-inspired designs into the mugs.

It will be interesting to see how they turn out, as I plan to dip them in various celadon glazes, including the traditional green variety.

Another Semester in Homewood

2009-01-22T21:51:00.005-05:00

This past year I taught an after-school ceramics class for middle school kids in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Homewood. Homewood is what most people would call "the ghetto." It used to be home to the richest people in Pittsburgh, now it's home to the poorest. Violent crime, drug dealing and prostitution are commonplace, and the Crips that control the streets like it that way.

In the past year and a half I've come to know Homewood pretty well. Prior to teaching ceramics, I taught a variety of art projects in the middle school. In the process of arranging and promoting a pair of student art sales events at the public library, I've met Homewood residents from all walks of life, from street-people to state representatives. And I've visited every business in Homewood (except for its notoriously dangerous drinking establishments). For the most part, all have been welcoming, kind or at least respectful of an outsider trying to do some good in their community.

So it's with a good bit of anticipation that I prepare for another semester of Thursday nights in the hood.

Empty Bowls

2009-01-20T00:01:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was MLK Day, so I had the day off from work. I went in anyway to volunteer at our company's annual celebration, which included hosting an Empty Bowls workshop. The idea behind Empty Bowls is that pottery studios and volunteers create handmade ceramic bowls for charity. The bowls are collected and then a dinner is hosted where people pay $20 for a meal of soup and bread—and they get to keep the bowl they choose. Some bowls are made by school children (like the Girl Scout troop that came in today) or by master potters like many of the people I work with. Some of the fanciest bowls made by celebrity artists are bid on in a silent auction.

The money raised goes to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Just Harvest. One of the best reasons to contribute to Empty Bowls is because it helps provide free school lunches for children from low income families. It also helps provide many of these students with free breakfast, so they are better prepared to deal with the day's challenges.

Dragons

2009-01-19T19:10:00.010-05:00

This pair of soda-fired ceramic dragons guard my personal shelf in the studio's staff closet. I'm really fortunate to have a space amongst such talented artists: Amanda, Dave, Josh, Dacey, Junji, Carly and of course, Bill Strickland.

The dragon project was actually my introduction to ceramics. I went to a local middle school with Jamie Matthews to help teach this project to a group of kids. Jamie is the master dragon maker, I'm just a hack. I've helped him teach more than 100 kids the dragon project, but this past year Jamie got a regular teaching job in the suburbs. So I've been tasked with keeping the project going.

One thing I love about teaching art is creating examples for the kids. I recently made a new dragon using white stoneware clay. Our normal clay body is brown, which is strong but not ideal for bright glazes. Our porcelain is a beautiful bright white, but too brittle for dragons. White stoneware is a nice happy medium.

I used the paint sprayer like an airbrush (or spray can if you're into graffiti) to give the dragon some cool fades that would really appeal to inner-city kids. Of course they'll have to do their blending with ordinary paint brushes, but it's entirely possible.

If you're an art teacher, I highly recommend the dragon project. It's well-structured and relatively simple, but keeps kids active and engaged for a long period of time. It encourages a high-degree of creativity and self-expression. Kids often make unbelievably cool dragons, reflecting their personality or representing something highly imaginative.

Work in Progress

2009-01-19T17:41:00.006-05:00

I've always got some work in progress. It's the nature of ceramics. For those unfamiliar with the process, you basically make a piece and do any finishing (handle, foot, surface-treatment or underglaze) then let it (greenware) dry out for bisque firing. The objects to the right have been bisqued and are ready to be glazed.

I've got other stuff that's still waiting to be bisqued, and quite a few pieces that are already glazed and waiting for the next reduction firing. They probably won't be fired until next month. Still other pieces will wait even longer for the next soda firing.

It's interesting that I'm so drawn to ceramics, a medium that requires considerable patience, when I'm otherwise such a fan of instant-gratification.

Givin' it Away

2009-01-18T11:03:00.001-05:00

One of the things I've realized in the past few months is that selling my work, especially on Etsy, is not as rewarding as giving it away.

Now I'm not saying I just dole it out indiscriminately. Quite the opposite. When I give something away, it goes to a friend, a relative, a coworker or (perhaps my favorite) a student.

When I sell a piece it goes to a stranger. I get a little money, but usually not really enough to merit the time invested in the piece of work. Of course sometimes I get quite a bit of money (which is nice) and I've met some nice people (even new friends) through sales.

But giving my work away brings a different kind of reward. Most of the time I get a sense of pride from the receiver's admiration of my skills. Other times I'm just happy to make someone else happy. In the case of students, I like the opportunity to inspire.

One last thought is that when I set out to make something that will be given away as a gift, it almost always turns out better than I had hoped. It's like karma instills a certain amount of luck into the creative process. Of course, I hope I didn't just jinx myself by saying that...