Etsy

I'm trying find new places and new ways to sell my work. I've been looking at Etsy and others. I've been hesitate about selling online. Its mostly shipping that I'm concerned about. So what do others think about etsy? Is it worth the time and profitable? How about shipping? leave some comments if you have experience with etsy.

almost there

The semester is coming to an end and the rush to get everything fired is on. I made some progress in my own work. I've been incorporating drawing, stamps and altering the form. It will be interesting how these turn out. The two workshops that I attended have had an influence on my recent work. This usually happens. I learn something at these things and I have to go try them out and its a springboard to something else. We are doing the empty bowls fundraiser again next year. I made 45 on Friday. I hoping to make 100 this time.

Tom and Elaine Coleman Workshop

About two weeks ago I attended a workshop with Tom and Elaine Coleman at Finch Pottery. It was a wonderful time. I learned a lot. My brain was swelling with information. Tom puts on a great show. He gives out a lot of useful information and tells some great stories. I would recommend attending a Coleman workshop if you get a chance.

New Work

New Work, more coming soon

Gustin Workshop

I just got back this weekend from a two day workshop with Chris Gustin at Cub Creek. Cub Creek houses about 4 to 5 resident ceramic artst in Appomattox, VA. It was only a couple hours drive and Chris Gustin work is a really big influence when I was starting out. It was a great workshop. Met new people, learn new things and overall great time. Gustin make large sculptural forms. He starts out with a thrown base, alters and then coil builds. The finish form is about 3 to 5 feet in height. Some of what I learned and saw might come into my work. I will at least play around with some ideas.

Good news

I don't update this thing as much as I should. I've been really busy in September with teaching. Making some great work too. I have some good news. In my previous posts I talked about getting into Strictly Functional. The opening was last Friday and you can check out the show online at their website. The good news is I got a purchase award. I will be in Clay Times magazine permanet collection. I was so excited when I got the news. I don't subcribe to clay times, so I checked out the website and there it was on the cover. I went to the store and picked up several copies. It's a good feeling to have your work recognize like this. I guess i'm doing something right. Go rush out and pick up a copy of the sept./oct. issue. I'll try to get some pictures up of recent work soon.

update

I was juried into this years Strictly Functional Pottery National. The cork bottle above was chosen by jury Pete Pinnell. Out of 1252 pieces he selected 108. Its kind of mind blowing that your work is one of the few that was selected. It's quite the honor. I've been thinking lately about sending stuff off to galleries for shows and sales. I have been shying away from this. I sell work at one local gallery and another couple hours away. I want to send my portfolio off to more bigger, establish galleries. My dilemma is that i'm moving away from what I was making in grad school and trying some new stuff. It's not quite as strong as I would like it. Also, I don't have a definite studio. I've been using the one where I teach at and its not a stable long term job. I would also like to teach workshops. I did send a portfolio out for that, but haven't heard anything yet.

Spraying Glazes Continued

So why spray glazes? I'm attracted to atmospheric firings, wood, salt and soda. I like the way the clay catches the fire and it paints the surface. one side of the pot maybe different from the other side that didn't catch the flame. I want the surface of my pots to be rich and varied. I try to approach spraying like the spray gun is the flame of the glaze. I usually start with a base glaze and then a light modifier sprayed on top. This glaze is usually a matte glaze. I use a glossy glaze to highlight certain areas. This is a thin application depending how much I want it to run. A good spray booth is esstential, otherwise you'll have to spray outside. I spray about 3 to 6 glazes on each piece. The glazes then flow into each other leaving traces of the process. Like with all things in ceramics, this takes practice and patience. The first pots I sprayed ran and fuse to the kiln shelves.

Tips for spraying glazes

I have been using a spray gun to apply glazes to my work for about three years now. I think spraying allows for more control and variation of how the glaze looks. I'm not a big fan of lines that result when you dip your pots into glaze. I also don't like solid colors. I want my pots to be rich and varied in color. I want the viewer to engage and explore the surface
Alright, now you might be asking yourself how do I spray glazes? Well first you need a good spray gun. I use a gravity feed spray gun. Geil kilns use to sell a good one, but I don't think they sell it anymore. I purchase mine from tooltopia.com and you can always get one from harbour freight. I would get one that is inexpensive, because the glaze will eat away at the nozzle overtime. It can easliy be replaced with another. You want a gun with a larger tip. I recommend one with a 2.0mm nozzle. This allows for less clogs and more material to pass through. Gravity feed is better then syphon. It uses less air. Of course, you'll need a compressor. 18 to 30 gallons should do. Make sure you put it away from you, because it can be like a small dog barking at your feet. On the next post I'll talk how I spray.

New Work

Here some new work that came out of the kiln. This is the first load that I was really excited about in a long time. Check out my website, chrislivelypottery.com, for more images.

website

I have just finished creating my new website. I used a company called otherpeoplespixels.com. It was easy to sit up. I think it is important in this day and age to have a website. It allows you to get your name out there and hopefully reach a wider audience. You can visit my website at chrislivelypottery.com. Be sure to tell a friend. I have been in the studio lately. I was asked to make a dinner set for the first time. This has been a challenge, but fun. I made everyhing today, 12 plates, 6 bowls and 6 tumblers. I have also been trying more abstract things like making forms oval, cutting and assembling various parts.

The month of October should be a good one. I'll be going to two workshops. The first is Chris Gustin. He was a artist that really got me into ceramics when I was beginning. The second one is Tom Coleman. I know I will learn a great deal and it will have an impact on my work.

I'm back

I've been away for awhile. Things have been busy with teaching and other things. I have been applying to teaching position, so I'm hoping something will happen. In the meantime, I have been cranking out pots. I had a successful sale earlier in the week. I have been trying new stuff with the underglazes and people seem to like it. I'm switching back to the p10 porcelain because it allows me to make larger forms. I might try some more sculptural forms.

empty bowls

Finally did a glaze firing of just my work. Everything turned out well. I had to use Thor's hammer to smash a couple of rejects. I'm trying out a new glaze, sea foam green. The glaze produces different shades from green to light red. I think I might stick with my earthy colors and use this glaze on some pots. The empty bowls fundraise was tonight. They had a great turn out and most of the bowls were bought. Its a good feeling to know you can do something you love and help out others.

Busy Week

This has been a busy week. The kiln firing turn out good. The bowls were spectacular. I will be doing another one this week. We have to have all the bowls done by this Friday. I went bowling with my fellow adjuncts on Friday night. It was a fun outing. I won the second game. On Saturday morning I helped out with a church kid's workshop. They made clay mask, tiles and pinch pots. The kids were creative and great. In class this week we'll have another critique and start another project. I need to start cranking out the work. I'm thinking about trying larger work and try stacking pots. I'll see how that goes with the porcelain.

follow up

Here are some pics of my students work:

Preview of the gas kiln:

like riding a bike

On Thursday my two classes had their first critique. Overall everyone did a good job. It was tough grading at first, but I think I was fair. Since it was their first assignment I went easy on them. I'll try to post some pics of their work. Fired the gas kiln off Friday. It was just like riding a bike. Everything did like it suppose too and I wasn't there half the night waiting on it. The kiln was filled with bowls made for the empty bowls project, so lets hope it turned out ok when I open it up monday. 

Getting started

I had my two classes this morning. Everyone is finishing their projects and getting ready for their first critque on Thursday. I was going to start the gas kiln today, but I decide not to do it until friday. We're suppose to get some snow, so I didn't want to deal with that and I wanted to sleep in. I'm starting to get back in the flow of making pots. Below are some vases I made today. I really like doing the spirals. I know some other potters do it, but its something I enjoy doing. I am still puzzled how to treat the surfaces. I like doing textures, but I might just let the glazes do their work. Throwing with grolleg porcelain was first a challenge, but I'm getting in the groove now.

This past Thursday the university had a faculty show in the new gallery. I got a call a day before asking me to submit a piece. I thought the show was just full time faculty, but I was pleastantly surprised to show my work. The show had a lot of variety ranging from paintings to photography to ladders from Lowe's. I sent off entries for Feats of Clay and 500 Vases, lets hope I get accepted.

This is my first time as a blogger. Stay tune for updates!