Glaze Mania

Bisque fired and wet sanded work ready for glaze.
Lines inlaid with red glaze.
Condiment dishes all drawn up.
Everything else under-glazed and ready for color.

Along came color

Yeah, all ready for clear glaze.

Weeping Ceramics

Just after posting the last bit about wanting to cry i found a blurb on Needle Exchange about my tumblers weeping. Funny how things work.

Trade Yeah

Yesterday the wind was gusting and my curtains blew the only Julia Galloway piece I own right of its shelf. I was so sad I nearly cried. I had purchased the tumbler at Julias last Clay Studio show, It was a real beauty.


But....there is hope yet. I promptly emailed this amazing lady and asked about trading. Normally I would have been too bashful but Julia had recently invited me to participate in a show she is curating so I figured she might like my work. She said yes!! Yeah, I am so happy. I will post a picture when the trade happens. For now be content with this lovely bird tumbler.

Studio Improvements

The door to my studio has really seen better days. I think the building I am in was abandoned for a long time before the current owner bought it. The windows in the door are all cracked, not the prettiest thing to look at. I decided to try to fix this yesterday while waiting for my kiln to turn off.
I took contact paper and cut it to the size of the window panels and then stuck some of my paper stencils to the contact paper.
It fixed the outside but the inside still looked crappy so I just painted the windows blue.










A big improvement I think. I also cleaned the balcony and set up some plants and lights. I think the last time that was cleaned was at least 10 years ago. So some small but noticeable steps toward making the place awesome. You can come see in October for the POST open studio tours if you like.

Paper Stencil Pattern

I thought while working like a mad lady in the studio I should take some images of my process. A few of you have been asking how I make my work. I took some images and have strung them together the best I could to present the step by step process. If you need more info just leave a question/comment.

After casting and cleaning up the edges of a dish I paint a layer of white slip. When that slip is just dry to the touch I wet a paper flower and after blotting it so it is not dripping wet i lay it in the dish. Gently pressing down with a damp sponge I make sure all sides of the stencil are flat on the surface of the dish. Then I cover the dish in another color of slip.

I repeat this process of layering slip over stencils several times. Always waiting until the previous layer of slip is not tacky and also that the dish is not too wet to take another layer. Very shallow dishes are prone to flopping if you do not time things well. In these three images you see first a green dish with paper stecils and a few patches of orange slip on top. these then get a stencil or two (orange stain is so expensive I rarely cover the whole dish, I sort of cheat and just do a patch or two). Then the dish gets a coat of black slip.

When I have between four and five layers I start to peel of the stencils. As the slip gets to leather hard you can start to see the paper stencils. Also as I overlap them when layering the often come of in big clumps together. I like cutting the paper flowers but I really love seeing the pattern reveal itself.


I just loaded the bisque kiln with tons of these stenciled dishes. I will post a little later on the glazing.

American Pottery Festival

A bunch of months ago the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis MN asked me to participate in the American Pottery Festival. Well folks the deadline for sending my 120 pieces is fast approaching. I made a full 2 moth calender this weekend where every day is filled in with either the word cast, slip, glaze or clean up. It gets sort of repetitive. I also have a craft show in Collingswood NJ in a few short weeks and the studio is surprisingly low on dishes right now.

Anyhow is spent yesterday cleaning the studio like crazy, mixing 300lbs of casting slip, 8 vats of different colored slips and mentally preparing myself for what lies ahead. I ending the day with a long stint at the dog park with my friend Aaron. It was a perfect calm before the storm.

I write this post after my first round of casting. I am not in the thick of it yet but soon, very soon. Still able to rise my head up for air. If you don't hear from me for a while you will know where I am.

Phreaks Like Me!!!!

Philly mag Phreaked likes my work.
Click to see.......

New Work

Some new work fresh out of the kiln today. Part of this lot is going up to Maine for Salad Days at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts.
The rest will get listed in the shop. Check it out if you like

Starting with the letter N

I am very excited to have been featured on Kimberly Monacos blog in the section she calls A to Z favorites

She posted some images of my work and some of my artist statement. Thanks so much Kimberly.

Also click on her shop banner below to see some lovely jewelry


Also included in the N section is this amazing scarf and if you search their web site you find awesome fleece blankets that are so cheap. i love the tree and tomato ones.

last but not least.

check out Guy Mike Davis at The Clay Studio.
Fantasic!!!

Second Chances

So life is all about second chances right?
These shortie tumblers have been given another turn as mini planters in our bathroom. I think they look so cute. They were all a little busted in areas, glaze flaws and what have you. But now perfect holders for all my cuttings.

Finally Philly Soup Shop is Up!!

So my latest adventure is a new etsy shop (and eventually blog) called PhillySoupShop
For now i am listing all things non ceramic that I have made. Soon though there will be official Soup Shop ceramic items.
Check it out now and later.

Screen Printed Dish Towels. Available in the Soup Shop

I Found It

The perfect bike for me! well really i want one made by the amazing Sweet Pea Bicycle
But unless they want to trade for a custom 14 piece dinner set I think It is out of the question

So I found this beauty instead...

The Raleigh 08 Coaster Bike. Vintage-esqe but with out the woes of a really oldie.
Gotta save my pennies but she will be mine.

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