A large pot on my kick wheel.
This week I have unloaded a really successful crystalline glaze firing, we visited our friend James in Lawrence, and I have been making some big pots. Photos of the first two events will appear next time, but.... as I am almost ready to give a big sigh, curl up, and go to sleep, I will just put photos of two of the big pots I have been working on.
The pots are both earthenware planters, but I envision that the neck only will hold the plants, and the lower part of the pot can be weighted with stones.
Making the lower part of the pot.
The more portly looking of the two pots is 24 inches high (610 mm) and about 15 or 16 inches wide (400mm). This one was made by throwing the lower part of the pot, then adding coils of clay, and throwing them higher. These pots are destined either to be used as advertising at the Potter's Co-op in Dunedin, or at our place. The idea is that they will sit outside the door and help attract some attention. Because of the need of the pots to attract attention, I have added the "pie crust" decoration. I hope to make four large pots of similar size, and we can have two, and the Co-op can have two.
Adding a coil of clay to the neck.I have added white slip to the top part of the pots, and will put a clear glaze over it, probably with some copper in the glaze for colour. The pots will have to be wood fired as my wood fired kiln is the only one I have that will fit them! I am rather troubled by the weight of them..., not sure that my kiln shelves will cope, so I will probably do a temporary modification to the kiln to make something solid for the pots to stand on.
24 inch pot decorated and slipped.
All going well.... I'll manage to fire them before I go away to the United States. For those who haven't quite caught up with it.., I'll be traveling to North Carolina at the end of September, arriving in time for the opening of the
Clay and Blogs exhibition that
Meredith is curating. I will be in America for most of October, and hope to travel down to Arkansas after spending some time in North Carolina. Sadly, Laura won't be coming with me this time, but... I am sure that the cats will be really pleased that she will be looking after them and keeping our little gallery open whilst I am away!
25 inch pot decorated and slipped.
The slimmer pot (shown above) is 25 inches high (635mm). It was made by throwing a bottom part and a middle part separately, then joining them. After shaping these and throwing them a little higher, the neck was added with two thrown collars of clay. The good thing about this method was that it was not quite as slow as the coil and throw method.
Must away to bed now... Yawn!
A large pot on my kick wheel.
Making the lower part of the pot.
Adding a coil of clay to the neck.
24 inch pot decorated and slipped.
25 inch pot decorated and slipped.
Comments
Those pots are huge. Packing and shipping them must be a challange.
Hope the hurricane season doesn't rain on your parade.
h
-Marshall
Keep feeling I should kidnap Laura and bring her along anyway, I wonder if the airline would notice an extra passenger!! Ah, well... Fortunately the big pots won't be traveling far, just to Dunedin at worst, so they should be able to fit in my car. Mmmm, hurricane season... I'm still entertained by the notion of coming to a land with snakes, bears, and other things that might eat me...!
Hi Linda,
Hope hurricane season is not affecting things where you are! When I did them, I was a bit worried about the "additions" to the big pots, but they do add a bit of character and pizazz! Should be meeting up with you in less than a month..., amazing isn't it!
Hi Hannah,
Glad you like the wiggles and spriggs! I'm desperately trying to think of a witty pun based on that..., but it is only 6am, and so the brain cells are not quite sharp. Actually got up an hour ago as the result of an earthquake that gently wobbled the building for at least a couple of minutes (No damage done, but it makes for an interesting start to the day!).
Hi Ang,
Nice to hear from you. Hopefully Laura will have a great time whilst I am away, although our two cats will make sure that she is kept busy (and sleep deprived!). I keep thinking of the wiggles... They were/are an Australian band aren't they... and had a kid's TV show??
Hi Paul,
Good to hear from you. I often think of you all in Britain when I am working with earthenware clay down here. It would be nice to pot away on your side of the globe one day. I often wonder if our clay is similar... or quite different here?
Hi Marshall,
Welcome to my site. The wider of the two pots is much heavier than the tall, thin one. I threw it quite thickly as it needs to stand outside in a fairly public place. I'm guessing that there could be almost 15 kg of clay in there, but I didn't weigh it. The other one.., well, I was feeling sorry for whoever would need to move it, so it's probably around 10 kg.
Bonjour Armelle,
Merci de l'écriture. Changez est bon ! Il a lieu comme les saisons de l'année!
C'est mon printemps!
Purrrrrrr des chats, bonjour de Laura!
Good to hear from you, I am really looking forward to meeting you. I always enjoy visiting your site..., the mixture of great pottery, writing, and mouth watering seafood, is quite addictive!