Perfection

I just read a great post by Whitney Smith about the idea of perfection in your work and how it can twist your soul and body into unbelievable torture trying to accomplish the idea of that. Wonderful post and it really hit home because I have just shipped out several orders and this idea always plagues me after I send work out.

Pottery Lottery

Mixed Sets are really popular right now, at least according to my custom orders. This was a set of canisters I recently completed. I also am 1 plate short of completing a dinnerware order that has 3 handbuild scalloped edged plates, 6 handbuilt triangular salad plates and 3 thrown, squared plates with carving on the rims and then 6 bowls to match. The green and honey-gold glaze tie them together, but each plate is different and like a small painting.

And then there's the order for 2 different plates, to coordinate with other plates from other potters.

I like it. It's an individual world with people being able to have something unique and lovely but not the same as anyone else.

Gosh, these people have won the pottery lottery, because the odds that almost anyone else out there has something similar are about one in whatever the population of Earth currently is.

Pretty cool. I am feeling extra super duper cool about being a potter right now. Plus, I had a darn good kiln firing yesterday.

Salt and Pepper Project

These are some finished salt and pepper shakers that I have been experimenting with. The project itself was inspired by an article in Pottery Making Illustrated from May/June 2010 by Keith Phillips.

They are the kind that don't have holes in the top, just a small funnel in the bottom. They were a lot of fun and I have been using the new Chartreuse glaze I've been developing in various combinations with my other glazes. Lots of fun.

Light Show

Great Fireworks Show last night, courtesy of G-town.