Mint Hill Arts

Last night I went with my friend Linda to the Mint Hill Arts Juried Competition Reception. They announced the winners in all catagories and a grand prize over all. I did not recieve a prize, but it was fun to enter. I entered the blue vase in front of me in the photo. The art displayed this month is wonderful. They plan on having an event like this twice a year. This is my last event for the year. I am taking most of December off to recharge. I leave for Montana next week to visit my family for 2 weeks. In January I will be back at work getting ready for my spring shows.

Winner of Pitcher

Congratulations. The winner of the Redwood & Moss Thin Pitcher is Rita O'Malley of Monroe, NC. I hope she enjoys her pitcher.

Blue Vases

Getting ready to leave for Greensboro tomorrow morning (yes Thanksgiving day) to set up for the Craftsmen Classic. We will come back home and make dinner for our kids. Today I unloaded another load from the kiln. This was the second one this week. Tomorrow when I get home I will unload the final load and pack it up to take Friday morning (phew). The photo from above shows some of my favorite vases unloaded today.

28th Annual Seagrove Pottery Festival

This weekend I was at the Seagrove Pottery Festival. Here is a picture of my booth. The turnout was good and I met a lot of great pottery lovers. I also had a piece in the Auction (seen below, #76).

In the next few days I plan on doing at least 2 more glaze loads in preparation for the Craftsmen Classic, in Greensboro this weekend.

New Dragonfly design

Unloaded the kiln this morning and this was my favorite piece. I had a number of pieces in this color combination. I think that I am going to have this as one of my lines. This week I have been working like crazy to make as many brie bakers as possible. They are my best seller lately. Probably because they are good gifts for friends and co-workers. This morning was my last big push throwing. I don't plan on making any more pieces unless I get some orders. I have two more shows (see schedule to the right) and a Juried competion coming up in December at Mint Hill Arts, then I am finished for the season. I leave for Montana to visit my Mom & Sister on December 18th for 2 weeks.

Carolina Pottery Festival

I am gearing up for the Carolina Pottery Festival this weekend in Shelby. I look forward to the show, because potters have told me it is a great show. It has been three weeks since the last show and I have sold some pieces from the boxes and had to reorganize and repack, plus price, photograph and pack all the new pieces. My studio looks much more organized now. Yesterday I made vases. It took two sessions, one early morning, one late evening to finish the pieces because the rain from Ida slows the drying process down. Today it is pouring out, so I won't get much done today either. Maybe I will go shopping today between sessions.

New color combination

Here are a few samplings from the newest kiln load. These cups are an example of a color combination that I will probably be working on in the next few months. I also have brie makers & teacups with this combination.

These are some vases that I liked. I am very low on my vase inventory and will be making a bunch more in the next week.

This is a special order that I just finished. There are still a few more orders that I need to finish. Yesterday when I unloaded the bisque load, there was a lid on the canister set that broke. So I have to redo the canister & lid because there is shrinkage in the kiln and I can't just make a lid. I also have to redo some dinner plates that flatened out in the glaze load, and have to redo a ladle that fell over in the kiln and stuck to another piece. Tomorrow will be a day of fixing. Hopefully I can also get some vases made.

Bunko anyone?

Last night I hosted our neighborhood bunko night. The prizes were, of course, pieces of pottery. Here is the spread, using dishes I have made. I would eventually like to make whole place settings to go with my appetizer plates. Maybe I will have time in January. Today I gallery sat at Mint View Arts. The intake for the Small Treasure show that starts next Friday is today. I will have a few pieces displayed.

Creamer & Sugar

Today I unloaded the kiln and I had this Creamer & Sugar set come out (above). As well a set of 8 dinner plates (below). Both were special orders.

I have been working every day for the last 2 weeks, but the rain has slowed down drying time. I was finally able to load my kiln a few days ago with a bisque load. My studio had every available surface filled with drying pots. I have been trying to catch up on all my special orders. I have a few more to finish. There are 3 more shows coming up this month and I am trying to make sure there is enough inventory to last thru the month. Next year I plan on being better prepared by working a little harder during the slow months.

Seagrove Auction Piece

Packed up my auction piece for the 28th Annual Seagrove Pottery Festival going on November 21st & 22nd. The piece is signed and will have a certificate included. Will send it out tomorrow. Back in the studio this morning working on all my special orders from the Made in the South show. Had some items that I don't make all the time, like a canister set and cream & sugar set. Was fun to do something different.

Third load this week

Today I set up for the Christmas Made in the South Show. Took 4 1/2 hrs. Usually my husband helps set up and it takes about 1/2 the time. When I got home I unloaded the kiln again. Most of the items were the same fiesta design as the last few loads. Here are a few of the brie bakers and egg separators. I may do another glaze load tomorrow, depending on what sells.

Load #2 this week

Another load. Nothing much new but needed gift items for this weekend. Loaded the kiln again with bisque ware and will glaze twice more this week. Today I didn't throw anything new. Just got some things done to get ready for this weekend, like iron tableclothes and get christmas decorations out for the show. Tomorrow I will inventory, price and pack the last two loads. In the evening when the bisque load finishes, I will glaze again. Thursday I will set up for Christmas Made in the South.

Terrific Glaze Load

Was at the Burlon Craig Pottery Festival yesterday. It was sooo cold. I stood around the wood kiln they were firing as much as possible.

When I got home, this load was waiting for me. Felt that it was a terrific load because nothing was ruined. Usually I have pieces that stick to the kiln, cracking or a glaze that doesn't do what I want, but this load had no problems. I will be glazing alot this week, so there will be lots of blogs and pictures. At the end of this week I go to the Christmas Made in the South show. There is a coupon for $1 off admission on the website. Tonight I go to the Claymatters Guild monthly meeting. Barbarra Chadwick Bland will be demonstrating.

Very Busy Week

This week has been crazy busy. Today I unloaded the kiln and this is one of the pieces. Most of the load were brie bakers and gravy boats since I had sold out at the last show. My turquoise glaze was finally delivered yesterday afternoon so I reloaded the kiln today with another glaze load. I need to price and pack the new pieces later because I take off tomorrow morning to go to the Burlon Craig Pottery Festival. I am really trying to get caught up on small gift items, because I go to the Christmas Made in the South show next week for 3 days. After that I will have 3 weeks in order to catch up for my last 3 shows.

Egg Separaters

It was a great day for the Barn Sale on Saturday. It didn't rain much, just a light drizzle in the morning. It was forcast that we would have a good chance of Thundershowers. Went right back to the studio on Sunday morning. I made these egg separators. I had read about them in a magazine and finally decided to try some. The idea is to crack the egg into the vase and turn it on its side to separate the yolk from the white. This is as close as I plan on getting to a face jug. The gravy boats (on the right) were the other items I worked on yesterday. Today I was back at it making brie bakers. Can't seem to keep up with them. Sold out on Saturday.

New Business Card

Yesterday I worked on my new business card. My old one had a photo of a glaze I no longer have. It also didn't have my blog listed on it. The bowl seen here is part of my new fiesta design I started doing this summer.

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Earlier today I trimmed the dinner plates commissioned by someone at the Festival in the Park. They are looking great. In January I am going to take time to make some for myself.

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Tomorrow I am going to be at the Claymatters Pottery Guild - Barn Sale @ McAlpine Business Park in Charlotte. I always enjoy this show because I know many of the potters and it is usually a very nice show. My only concern is that it might rain. Cross your fingers.

Red & Yellow

Got back from the Brushy Mtn Apple Festival on Saturday. Had a great day and met some really nice people. Decided that if I didn't start working a little faster I was going to run out of pieces before my last show in November, so I worked on Sunday and glazed some pieces since I was out of clay. These are the pieces from that load. A few weeks ago I made a few pieces in this yellow and red. They were very well received so I have made some more. This morning my clay was delivered, so I was back in the studio throwing. I could only do so much, because it is raining today, and I can't finish the pieces like I do on sunny days.

Texture

This week has been fairly busy. I finished Festival in the Park on Sunday. Rained quite a bit during the weekend but still had a good turn out. Monday I got right back in the studio and made double the pots I usually do in a day. Tuesday I gallery sat at Mint Hill Arts. Found out that my pitcher I entered into the Monocromatic show had sold. Very exciting. Glazed yesterday, so had a batch to unload this morning. This pot was an experiment with texture. Today I need to price my pieces and pack them up. At 4 am tomorrow morning we leave for the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival. Hope it doesn't rain.

Festival in the Park

Today was the first day of Festival in the Park. Turn out was good. Three more days to go.

Register to Win

Register to Win. Come to my booth at any show this fall and register to win this Redwood & Moss Thin Pitcher. Valued at $35.00. Drawing to be held November 30th. Hope to see you there.

Blue

Today I unloaded the last batch before the Festival in the Park. This is a photo of my favorite pieces from this batch. This week has been busy getting ready for the upcoming shows. I had over one hundred new pieces since my last show that had to be photographed, priced and packed up.

Teapots & Oops

This week I have been more creative, but with that, I slow down and don't make as much. I spend alot of time just thinking about what to do next. The piece in the front middle was an accident, but I liked it. I was trying to make a teapot and when I trimmed the top, it collapsed. Tonight I am going to the Monocromatics reception at the Mint Hill Arts.

Apples & Pears

Recently I have started making my apples and pears again. For awhile I didn't have a red or yellow glaze. I have started making the apples in anticipation of the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival that I am going to have a booth on October 3rd. I like to serve my Waldorf Salad in the apple and a Pear & Walnut salad in the pear. Today I unloaded the glaze load and had alot of small gift items (brie bakers, berry bowls, gravy boats & pedestals) Earlier in the morning I made 2 extra large vases.

Monocromatics

Today I took three pieces into Mint Hill Arts for the Monocromatics show that will be on exhibit in September. All three pieces are done in shades of blue, and this bowl is my favorite piece. I named it "Waterfall". The opening reception is Friday September 11th, from 7-9.

Yesterday, I added the slip trail to my latest batch and they should be dry enough to fire by Monday. I am going to work on some more show pieces the next few days. Lately I have been doing more small gift items and I need to be creative again.

Brie Bakers

Unloaded the kiln again today. I have made many brie bakers the last two weeks and here is the group glazed. I try to make as many different designs as possible.

This is the tall vase I have been so exited to finish. It didn't turn out as blue as I wanted but still looks good. Today I made 5 berry bowls with plates. They take awhile since I have to punch out holes. Afterwards I photographed the last three loads with my nice background paper. There were alot of nice pieces out of the last few loads and I was very pleased.

Red

Here are some of my favorite pieces from todays kiln load. I loaded up the kiln again, so tomorrow should have more pieces. Then I will get back to work throwing more pieces. Only 4 more weeks until the start of my fall shows. Once the shows start I will show down because I won't have weekends, as well as one day a week for paperwork and preparation. My dark blue test piece worked better this time, so I glazed some more in the blue. I am hoping to have some more artistic blue pieces to enter into the Monocromatic show at Mint Hill Arts in September.

Berry Bowl

I unloaded my kiln today. Not much new except this small berry bowl. I have done colanders before that were bigger, but I have had requests for berry bowls and decided to try one. The idea is to rinse your grapes, blueberries, etc. and set on matching plate on table. Turned out like I planned so I will probably make more. Reloaded the kiln with a bisque load, so will probably see a bunch more glazed pieces by the end of the week.

Back in the Studio

Thank you to all that stopped by my booth this weekend. We had nice turn out in Myrtle Beach. My popular item this time was the Brie Bakers. I had 12 going into the show and was almost sold out by the end of the first day. So today I had to replenish. I can only make 12 items at a time since I only have 12 bats. After lunch I went out and made the large bowl, but gave up work for the day because it was very hot in my studio by then. Crazy me added another show to my fall list and I feel like I need to start working a little harder. This summer I have been relaxing and doing mostly fun stuff, but now I need to get serious and make items that will make great Christmas gifts. Check out my show schedule for an updated list of events.

Myrtle Beach

This week I have been in Myrtle Beach for a mini vacation before my Craftman Classic Craft Show. I set up my booth today and here is a photo of it. The show lasts until August 9. I unloaded my kiln the day before I left and the large vase pictured in the last post blew up in the kiln. I have never had that happen to me but it was most likely happened because I didn't dry it well enough. I have learned my lesson and will never try to push a piece into the kiln again.

Yesterday we went to Brookgreen Gardens in Myrells Inslet, S.C. It was very nice with beautiful sculptures and fountains throughout. I would highly recommend this garden if you are in the area.

Making a Large Vase

Today I thought that I would show how I make my large vases.

First, I make my base piece. Then I make my neck piece, which has an open bottom. I dry those pieces for a while in the sun.

When the pieces are dry enough to support the weight of the top piece, I score and slip the rim of the base piece.

Next, I score the bottom of the neck piece and place on top of the bottom piece. The two pieces are then pressed and smoothed together using my thumbs on the inside and outside, pushing down. I smooth with a metal rib to finish.

The handles are added next to finish the piece. The piece will dry for 3-4 days, then be bisque fired to cone 05. Then I will glaze it and fire it to cone 5. I hope to have this piece done by the end of next week. Check back to see the finished product.

Experimenting with Cone 6

Well - not sure what to think. I did some new things this load. First of all I raised my kiln temp from cone 5 to cone 6. I was hoping to cause my glazes to run a little more.(They didn't') Most of this load should be shades of blue. My seamist didn't like the raise in temp and turned mustard yellow. My Turquoise turned a faded light green. I was happy with the new dark blue. It turns beautiful shades of blue when overlapped with other colors. I was hoping that at least one piece would come out all blue so that I could photograph it for the Monochromatic Show advertising. I need it by August 1st. I should have another load done by next week, so I will cross my fingers.

I am getting ready for the Myrtle Beach show coming up in a few weeks. I have been photographing, pricing and packing up all the pieces that have been made since my last show in May. I have also been painting my shelves and crates black to go better with the black cloth background that goes behind my display.

Of Earth & Beauty Exhibition

Last night was the Of Earth and Beauty Exhibition at the Mint Hill Arts Center. I had entered 5 pieces in the clay portion of the exhibition. The paintings were all done by Virginia Dauth. There was a raffle for two small paintings of hers, with the money raised going to a new air conditioning unit. The painting I am holding up is the one I won. It was called Wildflowers. I was so excited. It was nice visiting with other local potters, most of whom I know through Carolina Claymatters Guild. The Mint Hill Arts Center had a very nice Gallery, so if you every need a gift for someone special consider checking it out. There are monthly exhibitions, as well as a lovely gift shop. I noticed that one of five bowls placed in the gift shop had already been sold, so I plan on bringing in more pieces periodically. If you would like to be included on my mailing list of events, please email me at jabdelaziz@carolina.rr.com.

Creative Day

I felt very creative today. The above photo shows a sugar and creamer I made. I got the inspiration for the creamer from a blown glass pitcher I saw last weekend in a Highland's gift shop. The tool is new as well and has 4 different attachments. This one is the vine attachment. I also made an extra large bowl with looping handles that I very excited about.

Tonight is the Opening Reception at the Mint Hill Arts Center. I will give an update on how that goes, tomorrow.

New Pots

I unloaded the kiln last night and here is a photo of some of the pots. Later I am going to throw some more pieces for the Monocromatic show in September. I have to think of visually interesting pieces that will all be one color. I will probably use the blue glazes to acheive this. I got some new texture tools yesterday and I am excited to try them out as well.

Waterfalls

Went camping again. This time to Western North Carolina near Franklin. I have posted a photo of Cullusaja Falls, one of the six waterfalls we went to.

I haven't been working much in my studio this month, because my son is doing football conditioning 3 mornings a week, so by the time I finish busing him back and forth it is too hot to work in my studio. But, I will have new pieces out of my kiln tonight and should post some photos by tomorrow morning.

I have entered some pieces into an exhibition at the Mint Hill Art Gallery. The opening reception is this Friday, July 10th, from 7-9pm. Maybe I will see you there. The exhibition runs through August 6th. I have also placed some small bowls in the gift shop and will place new items there periodically.

Camping

This weekend we went camping at Bandit's Roost campground near Wilkesboro, NC. The photo above is taken from the top of Stone Mountain. My son invited two of his friends. They fished, skipped rocks, slid down waterfalls and ate more smores than you can imagine. We had a great time and we plan on going camping again soon.

Wilkes Art Gallery Opening Reception

Last night I went to the Wilkes Art Gallery Opening Reception for the Claymatters Pottery Guild Exhibition. The exhibition lasts until August 1st and features works by potters from North and South Carolina. There are some very beautiful pieces. In the photo above I am standing next to one of five pieces I have on display. If you are in the area of North Wilkesboro this summer, you should check it out.

Today I started early and made some nice urns and some more brie bakers. My clay was very hard and it was more difficult than usual to center the clay. My kiln was ready to unload in the afternoon and this is one of the cookie jars. I may be crazy, but I really like the red and turquoise together.

Tonight is the reception for the Wilkes Art Gallery Exhibition that I have entered 5 pieces in. It is my first gallery showing and I am pretty excited. The exhibition runs until Aug 1st.

The Good, the bad and the UGLY

This is my son Jassim, who graduated from 8th grade today. This is also the haircut he insisted I give him if he achieved a 4 on at least 2 of his EOG tests. I don't know that I would barter for this.
This is an urn that got stuck to the kiln shelf. AGHHHH. I hate it when that happens.

This is the rest of the load. I made the cookie jar and appetizer plates for myself. There will be 6 more coming out of the next load. I have not any new pieces this week. Tomorrow I will do a glaze load and maybe I will get back to throwing on Friday.

I will let you wonder if the photos are good, bad or UGLY.