Glazing, Firing, and Remembering

I'm breaking with tradition to bring an update within only a fortnight.  It still leaves only one post in October, so hopefully you'll forgive me for my diversion from habit.

I've been doing a lot of glazing and firing. Glazed all day last Saturday and had a kiln full of pretty blue bowls by Sunday night. Good, clean firing but nothing really groundbreaking within. Beautiful, but now getting to be predictable results. Well, I guess I shouldn't say that - I did glaze some of my checkered bowls in the rich cobalt glaze, and while getting it to stick to the inside of the bowls was a little off, the exteriors were rather stunning.

Two bisque loads this week - one packed to the gills and one less than quite fully packed. Disappointing, bu the way it has to be sometimes. One day I'll be able to plan ahead to a degree that results in evenly packed and easily loaded kilns. Alas...

Here are some pictures.

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I lied. I'm having technical difficulties getting photos from my picture box to my internet box. Sorry. You can always find plenty of pictures and updates over at my Facebook Page. And then if you "Like" my page it's like we're real life friends! How wonderful!

EDIT: LOOK!!! PICTURES!!! YAY!!! TALK ABOUT BAIT AND SWITCH!!! EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER!!! WHY AM I YELLING?

IYFC Blue bowls from this week's glaze firing. 

More from this week's glaze firing.

More from this week's firing.

Bisque. Lots of Bisque.

An experiment. Not really my cup of tea, but maybe somebody likes it?

Blue brickwork/checker bowls. Sorry about the picture quality.

In any event: enjoying finishing up the last couple months' worth of throwing into glazed and fired pots. Not my favorite part of the process, but I am enjoying the results.

Yesterday was All Saints Day (or the Feast of All Saints, for my Catholic friends), the day on which most Christians following the liturgical calendar remember and honor the great host of saints gone before us. Today marks another day of remembrance in our household. It was four years ago today that my Uncle Tim passed away quite suddenly.

Tim was an artist, making his living as a potter but also frequently exploring new territories in paint, charcoal, sculpture, mixed media, or temporal works (i.e. annual igloo builds). I wrote at length several years ago about my experiences working with him (read: About an Uncle), so I won't dwell too long on those thoughts, just to say that this time of year, moreso than others, I'm drawn to exploring his work as inspiration and guide and gold standard, and remember also the great spirit with which he poured his creativity out into the world. I guess today I just want to publicly say that I miss my Uncle.

Tim with one of his large vases.
Photo: LangholzPottery.com

On that note: This weekend I'll glaze with joy in his honor and try to remember to take each day as a gift worth celebrating.

Y'all have a good weekend.