My Thesis

So I am currently working on my senior thesis.  It is called "a quest for presence".  It is out to prove what gives a piece presence.  Like a pot you can feel tension from the minute you walk into a room.  It is a cultural ceramic comparison of east and west as well.  Here is a quote I developed after reading my professors thesis on Cezanne and Matisse that I thought was extremely applicable to a potters lifestyle and work. 

 "There is an innocence, a beautiful innocence that is created within solitude.  Because with no influence one is permitted to create only with the resources available to him which are yourself and your God, in an honest responsive way."    

Right now I am standing in front of one of the best kiln loads I have ever had while pictures are being made.  So expect some sweet pics from the most recent firing very soon.  Thanks all!

Rare Old Seagle

This is a ten gallon jar made by a potter a man named Daniel Seagle.  He lived in the Lincoln County area and was an absolutely phenomenal craftsman.  This jar was probably made around 1840 or so which is pretty insane considering I picked it up and it has almost no cracks or flaws.  Seagle had some of the best bulbous forms created in the Lincoln County region So it was  areal pleasure to be in the presence of a jar made by one of my favorite old time potters.   

I got a call the other day from a good friend who told me he was getting his hands on this amazing piece.  I told him I would love to see it so he stopped by school on his way back from picking it up.     

Here is a picture of the DS (daniel seagle) stamp on the left soldier lug handle along with some real sweet ash drips.  

Here is the other handle with 10 stamped on it.  This is because it is a 10 gallon jar.  

Here is a close up of the glaze and clay body.  Check out the big chunk of quartz.  this pot is super light and efficiently thrown.  It is pretty impressive considering the big chunky pieces of sand and quartz in there.  

When I get to see something like this I like to imagine the potter making it.  It was really great to get to feel it and hold it rather than seeing pictures.  I must say being in the presence of a pot like this one is a much more awesome experience that just looking at a picture.  

 

Loads of Change

So now that I have started school it is a whole new ball park as far as the business of making work goes. I did not want to drive home (like thirty minutes) to make pots so I am renting this 18 by 26 carport with a dirt floor for the semester because it is pretty much in my back yard.  As you can see there is still grass in the floor because it has not died yet.  I am not doing any bisque at all and am moving the work to whatever kiln I can use.  Normally it is the schools salt kiln.  

This picture and some of the others are of the inside of the new studio.  I love the floor, but the walls are somewhat boring.  It is going to get super cold in the winter unless I do something, and I plan to get some insulation of some kind and use a space heater or something.  I am alos planning on making some sort of hot box for my clay and wet pots so they do not freeze and crack.  The shop is super messy in this picture bc it was near the end of my cycle for this load and it got a little chaotic with green glazing.  I have broken quite a few pots trying to get the green glazing timing down.

Here is another view of the new studio.  I really like being able to pay close attention to my work while I am at school.  It is a little strange though when I have more visitors that I am used to, but I like it much more than I thought I would.  Juggling this job with school work has been a whole lot to handle since I have more shows and junk this semester than I have ever had before.  But overall this change has been really great because I can escape and concentrate on my work pretty easily with this awesome resource in my back yard.