Another group of pots from Shane's Anagama

Here's another group of pots from Shane Mickey's 2005 anagama firing. The large casserole is Linda McFarling's and the pitcher to the right of it is a Tara Wilson pitcher. Notice the unique way she has to carving out the base. The large platter with the bluish glaze is one of Shane's. I believe that glaze is a 50 Plastic Vitrox, 50 Gerstley borate which has a wide firing range suitable for anagamas and other kiln which have one of more cone difference zones.

Bodhi got us up at 5am this morning. Good thing I got in my 6 hours sleep, which is all I need to function.

Today will be another work day. It was nice to finally get back in the studio for a while and throw a few things and finish up a few pots. I'm still struggling with way too soft reclaim clay. I think I'll go in early this morning and get some of that and make some clay bridges to dry it out a bit before using it in the afternoon.

Tonight I'm going to try to make pizza. My dough has been sitting in the fridge for two days and should be soured enough. One experienced maker suggests preheating the oven for an hour and a half or more and I'm going to use Ron Slagles idea of using a silicon carbide kiln shelf instead of the pizza stone. I have a couple of 15X15", thick silicon carbide shelves which should work if my oven is deep enough.

Jim is going to have to go to the store if he wants pepperoni on his pizza. I'm fine with just a little tomato sauce and lots of mozzarella and maybe some mushrooms, but he's a pepperoni or anchovy kind of guy.

Years ago when we lived in California, Spagos had wonderful, wood fired pizzas. They had an unusual array of toppings - everything from roast duck to lox and cream cheese which wasn't on the menu but one that the regulars knew to order. As soon as I get my garden going and get this next firing out of the way, I'm definitely going to focus on getting a wood fired pizza/bread oven built.

Well, time to head to the studio and get some of that reclaim into bridges to dry out a bit.

Till later,
June

Tara Wilson creamer and sugar

Here's a creamer and sugar by Tara Wilson. It was fired in my friend and neighbor, Shane Mickey's anagama. Tara was working locally for a short time a couple of years ago, before heading west for another years residency at Archie Bray Institute.

Yesterday I managed to get a few hours studio time in the afternoon to pull some handles and trim some pots. It was one of those days when it was hard to get off the sofa and the computer. I went back after dinner to clean my tools and sweep up.

Today is Super Bowl Sunday and my potatoes for the potato skins are just about finished baking. It's going to be a downright balmy, near 60 F day, so I'm going to do some yard work. It's the ideal time for pruning roses, and trimming the dead perennial tops. I'll do that after lunch before the 3 o'clock men's final of the Australian Open Tennis, which we don't want to miss.After that it will be Super Bowl time munching on my very unlikely munchies menu of pate, potato skins, grapes and cheese and crackers.

Time for our bagels, smoked salmon, cream cheese breakfast.

Till later,
June