First Annual Student Show!

Most of you have heard of, and are awaiting for pictures from, the First Annual Southern High School Student Show!  So without further ado, here is a slide show from the event.  I wish the students from the first half of the year would have come in and glazed their work as well, because they have more work than was displayed, still sitting on the shelf as bisqueware.  I could have literally FILLED  the showroom with all the work.  Oh well, next year will be different.
Enjoy the pics, and leave your comments PLEASE?!

The first day started out with a trip across the island to pick up one more kiln load of glazed wares for the show.  When I arrived and unpacked the kiln, I found one of my earthenware bowls in with the student's work so I just laid it out on the table too.  The entire weekend was clear, with occasional showers - a typical tropical island day.

After the first batch of tourists had left I realized that I was so busy with them that I didn't take any pictures!  So I did a walk-around video of the work, to give you a better look at some of the pieces.  I hope you enjoy the video...



And here are the still shots of the show that I got the second day.  Enjoy!

First Annual Student Show

Got feet?

For some reason I just can't let it go without a good foot on it! Next stop - the kiln!


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Finishing up

Fifteen miles each way, back seat filled with greenware (Mondays & Fridays),


and bisqueware (Wednesdays and Saturdays) for the last two weeks. One more week to go - I hope...
Now that they can see what the final outcome looks like, the students are a little more motivated. Here's a taste of their work...
























(glaze samples)



I decided to use their Christmas ornaments (which they didn't want to glaze) for "coasters" to keep the glaze off the shelves. It worked great. I will post some more (clearer, individual pictures) later today.

Next year I will be attempting to build a small wood kiln on the high school campus. I will need simple plans for something about 10 cf in size. If anyone would like to help with some simple plans - something the students can help build, I would greatly appreciate it.
The fun part will be getting the bricks needed. Guess it's time to start grant hunting. Will post more pics later.
Happy Mudding!

Location:Chln Inifok,Yigo,Guam

So THAT'S what was wrong....

I have noticed that lately I have been a bit ... cranky, to say the least.  The students have been getting on my nerves more, I seem irritated all the time, and I'm just tense and on edge.  I thought maybe it was just the end of the year rush to get everything made and glazed in time for the student show, or spending every minute at school, in my classroom, so the students can come in and finish their works.  That makes for a long day - having no breaks.  I was even eating lunch at my desk.
     Today, when my 2nd period left for lunch, I decided to take a break.  So I put a sign on the door saying "Sorry, I'm in a meeting",  turned out the lights, and went down the hall to my studio room.  I decided it was time to reacquaint myself with my wheel.  I broke out a bag of a nice brown earthenware that someone donated, and spent the next hour and a half wedging and throwing.  I will trim them tomorrow at lunch, and try and figure out what I want to do for decoration.
     The afternoon went by smoothly, and with no irritation.  I was actually relaxed, and cracking jokes with the last class of the day.  OMG it felt good to get back on the wheel again!

It's only five medium bowls, but hey - it's a start!  I just realized that I haven't thrown anything in three months.  Now wonder I was feeling so ... crazy!

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

I hate procrastinating students!

Here we are with only 2.5 weeks of school left...
One more project to make (the lucky ones - some owe me two projects), and four projects to glaze.
I have two more bisque loads in the 1227, and then four or five glaze loads to get done by the 25th.  Their show is on the 28th and 29th.

Then I have to find time to glaze and fire my load...

I try and share the techniques, textures, and forms from a number of other potters with my students.  In the picture above you can see one of Joy Tanner's cups in my blue bowl.  If you look all the way to the back, you can see a bottle by Meredith (Why Not Pottery), next to a yunomi by Joel Blum (FetishGhost).  I wonder if I will have time to get all this glazed and fired before the end of the school year.  

On the personal side of things, for those who have seen the bisqued versions of these, here are a few photos of the finished products, fresh from the kiln this week.  I didn't think about it till I opened the kiln, but I didn't even put any other kiln furniture in with these 11 pieces... so they overfired a little.

Here's the results, please let me know what you think - I could use the input.

The overtemp caused this one to lose some of the color from the Seaweed glaze, but at least the underglazes came through.

     It's not readily evident from this picture, but the Blue Rutile glaze left a blue smoke over the brown on the outside of this 18 oz mug.  You can only see the blue haze at an angle in good lighting.

     This small pitcher was sold before I even glazed it, so I let the teacher who bought it choose the glaze.  I think she chose an interesting glaze.

The glaze is called Ancient Jasper, and I used it on this small yunomi as well.  I like what it did on the lip of the cup, and those little flames running up the inside!

Notice the difference in results...

These two little cups have nice form, but I think the shino glaze was affected by the overtemp, as well as the small little cappuccino cup with the blue rutile around the lip.

This is my first sugar bowl, and I think it turned out good... except for the little "s" crack under the knob.

I think the blue in the stripes was a little strong though.  It did come through the celadon glaze real well, but I should have used a lighter underglaze.

I was just experimenting with slab-built mugs with this one.  The glaze came out good, but in retrospect the handle seems too far out from the body of the mug.

This one I have just started with underglazes, I'm just not sure which glaze will allow all the colors through... maybe the celadon.

That's what I did with this one.  It has the same palm tree underneath. 

Please let me know what you think - good, bad, or ugly.

Have a great weekend y'all, and Happy Mudding!