Weekend clay and photos

Potential pots???? Its just dirt now. Came from the creek side on family property

This is the first real effort from my "brick" clay, after 8-10 days of soaking, see earlier blog.

Wisteria just before full bloom, it will be taking over (like kudzu) in a few weeks.

 An iris appeared Sunday morning, beautiful colors!

New adventure this weekend, took my father to the old homeplace of the McLeod's. Home burned about 30 years ago but site is still in family.  I had a crazy idea of making pots (or something) from the land of my great great great grandfathers...the chimney of the house was made from the clay on the property ( I have 20-30 of those)...if it works more later.  The photos are from the yard as the spring unfolds day to day changes. Clink on photos to see better. Big files.

New brick cups

Photo taken with cups on brick, as the clay is brick clay...the firing color is darker than the brick it is sitting on. These are just starting to dry. Turns a soft med. brown when leather dry.

Well, a new day and a new direction.  These cups I made last night are made from clay given to me from a local carolina Brick manufacturer.  It was a asked for gift to experiment on some home NC clay.  What I received was a 4x10x16 unfired brick extruded clay that I had to saw and chisel a small piece (approx 1 lb.) off and then soak in wet towel for 4-5 days.  And it is still so hard I had to pound it with a wood mallet to soften up a little bit. Anyway, this was test fired this week to a wonderful dark red color with some iron spots included. I think it is worth the effort.  SOOO I "expressed" the struggle in a very rustic knife cut small cup to see what happens.  I also made a pinch pot as well with small pieces torn and dipped in water and applied piece by piece.  The clay has very strong workability after it is soft enough to bend. I'm going to soak some more over the weekend.

And John, thanks for your comments on yesterday's blog, I agree

Some more new items

Craggy clay with iron oxide sponged on wet body with white interior and lip glaze, all below cone 5/6 fire.
Pinch bowl with craggy clay same glaze as above, careful to give darker oxide treatment as going down the pot. I think it gives a flashed look. 

Porcelain with beach sand pressed into surface and glaze interior and lip with sponged light glaze on body

I have gotten several new items in a different direction (if that is possible for me) of clay and texture. comments welcomed.

This morning in the yard

Just a few of the morning views of the natural beauty of spring walking around in the yard getting the benefit of early warm sunlight.

Beach Palm

Need to get out a little balance with the pottery today so I submit a palm taken at last trip to the beach.  Love the geometry and structure, nature sure is good!

A couple new pieces this week

A new clay and a new application method ends up with possibilities, applied the iron oxide over damp body with lightly wet sponge then sponged on oxide, tapering to darker at the bottom, gives a little of gas or wood  fired look for cone 5 electric glazes. 

New Jewelry Clay Out

New firing out this week, approx 65 items.  These medallions are most interesting, each has 3-5 different glazes or combos of each other.  Cone 5 fired on porcelian, finished front and back. each has hole(s) for mounting/hanging.

Texture shots

Just a few photos of textures I capture on a daily basis framing the often unobserved art of man and of nature.