Re-Visiting Some Old Favorites

I haven't made any cookie jars in a long time, so I gave it a try this weekend.  This started with 4 pounds for the jar and 1 pound for the lid.  I think the lid could be a little smaller and work better, but this isn't bad.  I will likely do some more of these in the weeks to come and will experiment with different shapes and lid types.

I'm also continuing to work on chip and dip sets.  I've had a lot of trouble with these cracking on the bottom as they dry.  We shall see if I have found a solution to that.  It is very frustrating to work hard on something only to have it crack and have to be trashed in the end.  

Starting Out Small

I managed some studio time this weekend.  It had been a LONG time since I'd thrown anything, so I started with some small things.  The vases you see were thrown from 2 lb, 2.5 lb, 3 lb, and 2 lb.

Each piece started as a cylinder and then I shaped them differently.  The one on the far left has a shoulder and is flared out at the top, The next one has sort of a gradual flare all the way up, next is a piece with a belly and a flare at the top, and finally on the far right is a piece that is bellied out and closed in at the top.

The piece on the far right is also going to be raku fired eventually.  Allen had some clay that is specifically for raku and he suggested I try a little bit.  You can tell in the picture (I think) that it has a slightly different color than the other clay.  It also has more grog in it meaning that it feels more gritty when you work with it.

The last piece of mine that was raku fired turned out really well.  In fact, I liked it so much that I have it in my house.  The glaze did amazing crackly things, but what I love the most is Allen's finger marks at the bottom.  I was trying for roughly the same shape in the piece that I threw on Saturday.