The promise was to myself and I'm happy to report that I delivered on it! I spent most of the afternoon of the first day of the year in my studio on Claremont Farm. Mostly I cleaned up and rearranged and dreamed of pots to come.
I just returned from another afternoon there spent dipping my fingers in...making bits and pieces for some little sculptural ideas...pinch pots and handbuilding and next I'll try throwing some small parts. Even with such a significant new beginning I don't have any drastic new direction to head in...I'm hoping to put together some familiar ideas in some different ways...that's plenty for me.
Loafer's Glory and Phoenix clays ready to go.
A new calendar is essential. This one is wildlife. Last year was outhouses!
This little ventless gas heater runs off of a propane tank and together with a dirt floor and 6" of insulation it is very efficient (and cheap!). I took it apart and cleaned it out and it still runs nicely. I only run the little pilot at night but I'm not sure if it has much effect...
The temperature in the studio starts out around 40 degrees and slowly creeps up to 60 in an hour or two once I turn the heat on. I'm fine with the cool, as long as the clay doesn't freeze it's all good. I grew up in the Great White North, you know.
I found this in the ceramic tile section of Lowes the other day. It has a different grit on either side and seems to be a real beast of a tool.
This is made by Chris Light, a master with all things wooden. It is pretty big (10") and I'm still not sure how I'll use it, but I'll figure out something.
I'm happy to be turning from a patient back to a regular old human being. I have lots of pots to make and the touch of cool clay in the quiet of my rural studio feels just right.
I just returned from another afternoon there spent dipping my fingers in...making bits and pieces for some little sculptural ideas...pinch pots and handbuilding and next I'll try throwing some small parts. Even with such a significant new beginning I don't have any drastic new direction to head in...I'm hoping to put together some familiar ideas in some different ways...that's plenty for me.
Loafer's Glory and Phoenix clays ready to go.
A new calendar is essential. This one is wildlife. Last year was outhouses!
This little ventless gas heater runs off of a propane tank and together with a dirt floor and 6" of insulation it is very efficient (and cheap!). I took it apart and cleaned it out and it still runs nicely. I only run the little pilot at night but I'm not sure if it has much effect...
The temperature in the studio starts out around 40 degrees and slowly creeps up to 60 in an hour or two once I turn the heat on. I'm fine with the cool, as long as the clay doesn't freeze it's all good. I grew up in the Great White North, you know.
I found this in the ceramic tile section of Lowes the other day. It has a different grit on either side and seems to be a real beast of a tool.
This is made by Chris Light, a master with all things wooden. It is pretty big (10") and I'm still not sure how I'll use it, but I'll figure out something.
I'm happy to be turning from a patient back to a regular old human being. I have lots of pots to make and the touch of cool clay in the quiet of my rural studio feels just right.
6 comments:
Love these little snippets of your life in the country studio; thanks. The New Year will bring many good things, and I'm looking forward to your new pots.
I need a little heater like that. I'll look into it.
It's 13*F right now!
Happy NEW YEAR Dan!
This looks like the one!
;-)
Looks good, Dan. I was looking at a heater about that size the other day, in the Cabela's catalog. Right now I'm adding heat to the studio with a Big Buddy gas heater, run off a bottle of propane. The bigger one would be better. So would seals around the main door and much better windows. Good to see you thinking about clay again, though.
it's cold here too, maybe i should get one of those heaters... not sure about the wooden tool but i'd just like to have one to look at
Good for you Dan! Baby steps is the way to go. (Waiting a little longer than you want to....)But everything is ready now right!? :)
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