susan smith clay

2009-10-08T06:36:00.005-04:00

for my digital photography class, I had to photograph a sequence of actions and make them into a 6 step "how-to". I thought it is a great thing to have, to show what I do, not just what I make. actually throwing is a bit more involved than this, but I had to limit it to 6 images.

First you throw the wedged ball of clay on the wheel

Next you center the clay

Once the clay is centered, widen and compress the bottom

the first pull. with the one hand on the outside and one on the inside of the pot, press your fingers from opposite hands together and steadily pull up. after each pass, compress the rim with a sponge and remove excess water

the second pull. followed by a couple more

remove any excess water, use a cut off wire to remove the pot from the wheel. move to a shelf out of the way and let dry a bit before trimming

super! now get out there and make pots!!

I used a tripod and timer to take these images. they were tweaked slightly to improve color and photoshop my tshirt (which I found distracting)

about time, right?

2009-09-21T19:03:00.011-04:00

okay, slacker. post a new blog entry. how hard is that? yeah, its been a while.

Camp was great. I love being with all the wonderful people, the great outdoors and teaching the girls.Next up is school. I started earlier this month and love it. It is kicking my butt, but has been fantastic so far. I am taking digital graphic design, typography and digital photography/photoshop. Its all on the computer and not as intimidating as I initially thought. still is intense, but I am finding that I can handle it.

my first project in graphic design. we had to design a poster for the Pellissippi State's common book, Storming Heaven, and the events planned around it.

I was at the Fall Fun Fest in Cookeville, TN, September 11-12. Its always good to see everyone from back home and hangout with my dad who helped me set up, man the booth and break down. Oh, did I mention that he brought me rations of yummy BBQ and lemonade? he da man. Besides some rain Friday night, it was a super turnout. Thanks everyone who stopped by and kept me company!

I have been featured in the Niche Magazine (click here) Online Artist Profile. This is such a nice article- makes me very proud! Claire did such a lovely job writing a concise article with all the ramblings I gave her. Let me know what you all think.

So now what? School, studio, and a couple more shows this fall. The first is the Foothills Craft Guild Holiday Show, November 13-15. Next is my Annual Holiday Sale, November 21. If you are interested in coming to either show, sign up at my website, email or (click here) snail mail.

Well, back to work. I think I have some chapters to read.

have a super day!

camp time, june 12- july 12

2009-06-12T07:01:00.006-04:00

the lake at camp

well, its that time of year again, people. camp time. that's when I head to the hills of middle Tennessee for one month to teach ceramics and hang out in the woods. I have to admit, I am always torn right about now. torn between leaving home, husband, dogs, cats and spending time with my sis, her kids and tons of neat girl people. when I was a kid, I couldn't wait to get there and never wanted to go home. its a little different these days.

stacks of teabowls

I think I'm pretty much packed. just have to find a few holes in the car to fit some mugs. the ladies are always needing some retail therapy. when you are there a month (or even two weeks) and you haven't bought groceries, been to the mall, shopped at all, you are looking for an outlet. I provide that outlet for the ladies. its like a public service :)

wall pocket by one of the girls at camp

my sister and her two fantastic kids will be there. we share a cabin. since they live in Pennsylvania, its a wonderful way to spend time with them. my sister is in charge of the barn while I take care of the pot shop, of course. the kids have a "handler" and take some classes. they are 5 and 3.5, so its a bunch of playing, swimming, potting, etc... the life, eh?

I'll be out of the studio for more than a month which should be good to rejuvenate the creative juices. if you need anything, email me. camp is out of cell phone range, which is a nice thing.

2009-04-24T19:25:00.003-04:00

took some pictures this morning in the garden and thought I'd share.

radishes

pinks

cabbage

2009-03-30T07:03:00.004-04:00

been working on pots for the upcoming TACA show in Nashville this May. I want to make sure I am loaded to the gills so if there are spend-happy folks, I will not disappoint. the next few weeks will be working towards this goal, so hopefully there will be some more rainy days and I won't be as tempted to be outside. its a cruel thing to wish for, but necessary.

we put in a couple of new raised beds to start a small garden. I am going with a square foot/organic/ companion planting approach. we'll see how that goes..

also started a new flower bed in the front. that is as wonderful to me as the vegetable garden. I will love gazing at flowers from my kitchen windows.

this is the shade garden I started 3-4 years ago. I found the rocks in the yard serving as a miniature rock garden. I decided my purpose was better and dismantled the small little structure. the periwinkle and lamium are filling in nicely.

also have been thinking about this property I saw for rent a couple weeks ago. it would be perfectly brilliant for a working/teaching studio. hmmm... need to think about this

this is lucy, my niece. I doctored the picture a bit using my mad (tongue in cheek) photoshop skills.

2009-03-18T07:00:00.008-04:00

its been a while. oops. well, I suppose I have been busy and preoccupied. my kitty lola has been missing for 2 weeks now and I have been very worried. anyone who knows me can attest to my love for my animals. so my mind has been there. and since it was there, my web class suffered. I forgot to do homework until it was due, then forgot to turn in all the work, trashed it on the computer then had to search forever to find it. geeez.

lola, my pot model

but last week I had a nice break in pennsylvania with my sister and her family. it was wonderful to see them and to get my mind off things. now its back to work. and hopefully lola will come walking through the woods one day.

ike the nephew

lucy the niece. better not mess with her

before philly I worked on a project that had been taking a back seat. I bought this table/cabinet at an estate sale and was not in love with the finish. so I okayed it with my dad (the wood expert) and repainted and decoupaged it. the labels for the decoupage came from an etsy seller, inkpainter. I just need to refinish the handle and reattach it.

now in addition to working on some orders and preparing for TACA in may, I am taking advantage of the beautiful weather and digging in the dirt. right now I am prepping an area in the front yard for a flower bed.

2009-02-27T07:31:00.008-05:00

spring is nearly here. can't you feel it? there is no greater time of year than spring in my opinion. I start getting excited as soon as I see the daffodils peeking out of the ground or that first warm day when I wear a tshirt outside. of course those warm days are usually teasers. but it gives me hope

these pictures will make my sisters soooo jealous. they live up north where its still icky cold and the daffodils are still sleeping

still working on some orders. not staggering, but steady. I owe a friend some brown pots that he ordered ages ago. its just a pain to get the brown stuff out, because I have to clean everything so well before and afterward to avoid contamination. so I decided that I would like to play some with it and out it came. I do love it. the brown clay has such beauty, depth, richness when its in its wet form.

stamping

when its left unglazed, its so lovely. and soft enough that it is comfortable to use. not scratchy at all

blog love

2009-02-13T06:32:00.008-05:00

Thank you mighty goods for including me in your list of mighty mugs. I am floored!

Mighty Goods is a shopping magazine that’s updated five days a week. We’re one of Time Magazine’s Top 50 Cool Sites, and were selected best shopping website by both BusinessWeek and Forbes Magazines.

new creative outlet

2009-02-09T22:33:00.004-05:00

I finally have my new cafepress site up and running with a handful of products. take a gander when you get a chance.

my nephew has decided on this one with the three birds on the baseball shirt. cute

I have already ordered the tote. can't wait to show it off at school and krogers!

and this is a favorite of course. my blue bird of happiness

2009-01-30T07:19:00.010-05:00

here are some new designs I have. don't know whether I'll continue them, but maybe after some tweaking, they can stick around. I love new

for valentine's day a sweetheart mug

heart tiles with magnets

cupcake mug. I am moving the cherry to the top on the next one

rocket mug. needs some tweaking, but love the idea

thingy plates. help me with the name. I came up with thingy plate when lumpy asked me what they were. they're about 5" long

the wholesale catalogs went out monday. I am not sure how, given the state of finances, my work will sell. we'll see. if its busy, not much time for exploration and more time in production (aka factory). if its not so busy, more time for new designs. plus, I will need to find some shows to do.

decorating a mug

2009-01-23T07:31:00.008-05:00

this is a series of pictures that I took to help explain the process I use to put the design on my pots. I start with the mug after the handles have been attached.

I paint the design with color. yellow for the body and orange beak in this case

the outline comes next. all black

now its time to get out the sgraffito tool. I use this little wire loop tool the carve over the black outline and give the design a faceted edge, kind of like a woodblock print

they will dry and then be fired to about 1800 degrees. this is the bisque firing. I load the kiln, preheat the work, usually for 4-8 hours, then every two hours I turn up the temperature. It has a mechanism in the kiln that shuts the kiln off when the desired temperature is reached.

after the kiln cools overnight, I will unload it and start glazing. I use a clear, food safe glaze that I mix up from a recipe. Just like cooking. sort of... I load the glazed work back into the kiln and start 'er up. I don't preheat now because any water left in the clay is long gone from the bisque firing. this firing takes quite a bit longer though because it will reach 2200 degrees. usually 12 hours from start to finish. at about 2200 degrees, I hold the temperature to make sure any glaze bubbles have time to even out before turning the kiln off and the coolings begins.

2009-01-16T07:42:00.015-05:00

ahhh, things are back to normal. I am working in the studio, new designs and standard stuff, working on orders and samples, getting organized in the office, almost finished with the wholesale catalog, have new postcards, class started yesterday. things are falling into a rhythm. that is good.

did i mention its 10 degrees this morning? yeah, and I have daffodils trying to peak out of the ground. this picture was taken january 6.

I have new work that came out of the kiln yesterday. I am about 90% pleased. thats good for me. some new designs that I am pretty excited about--- here are some pictures

I also like the new vase form. so simple. love me some simple.

2009-01-05T07:17:00.006-05:00

what a great holiday. I spent time with family, rested, planned for the new year, learned some things, etc.... I am fully ready to take on whats ahead. but when that alarm went off this morning I was not so ready. it was like a foreign noise that I only unconsciously noted as I smashed the clock to stop the blaring. it is going to take some time.

niece and nephew

I have worked out a routine/schedule that will undoubtedly need tweeking throughout the next couple weeks. I would like to be more efficient so I have time for all my projects. hence, a schedule. besides potting, I am taking a class (web design), learning more illustrator, photoshop and in design, teaching myself how to use my xmas present (digital slr!!) (since I opted to take the web design instead of digital photography), work on new marketing strategies and all the other tedious work that goes along with a business.

jack loves swimming

I want to be more organized so I can do all this, ya see? and give each my full attention instead of just getting it done. if that.

so, we'll see how this goes. I think perseverance will help.

***note to susan--keep on it

more love, more studio time

2008-12-13T07:23:00.005-05:00

since the Washington Post Holiday Guide came out I have been busy in the studio making mugs. its been a great response and hopefully I can grow this business. apparently, the Post syndicates its Holiday Guide so it has shown up in other newspapers across the country like The San Francisco Chronicle. wooHOO! since my name wasn't mentioned with the mugs, but the gallery in Maryland was, I hope they are informing the people inquiring about the mugs who made them. it would be the decent thing to do... right?

anyhoot, does anyone know a publicist? a friend of mine thought I should get a publicist. its sounds all too fancy to me, but if I can have someone help me with the uncomfortable task of talking up the work I would love it. I love what I do, but its very difficult for me to "sell" it or even talk to people about it most times. It would be outstanding to see it in more newspapers, magazines, blogs, whatever. let me know.

The Washington Post Holiday Guide 2008

2008-12-04T16:18:00.003-05:00

I am ecstatic. I don't think I can convey the level of excitement, joy, pride-- this is awesome. simply put. Jon, from red orchard in Maryland, called this morning and told me that my birds had made it into the Holiday Guide of the Washington Post! He told me it was a slim possibility a couple weeks ago, but I didn't give it much thought after that. what a surprise. I am floored. never have I been so proud and given such a shot in the arm of confidence. just what I needed.

click on the WASHINGTON POST link above and the bird mugs will be on page 4 of the holiday guide of gifts under $50

so, you all can say you knew me when.... :)

this is me in maine. not relevant, except that its me

fantastic shows

2008-11-25T07:37:00.005-05:00

in the last couple of weeks I have had two fantastic shows.

first the foothills show in knoxville. I was super surprised by the turnout and warm reception. those birds literally flew off the shelf! I met so many great people, especially the other crafts people. that is probably one of my favorite parts of going to the shows, meeting artists. plus, I am a hermit and its my only socialization. the knoxville crowd was awesome, too. they caught me off guard with the overwhelming sales. I don't know if the birds did it, the fact that the display is more put together or everything was marked 25% off (unbeknownst to the patrons, however) as I told lumpy, the key is to undervalue yourself and your work (hint of sarcasm, folks)

my 3rd annual holiday sale proved to be better than last year, which given the state of the economy was unexpected. the turnout was nice and steady, but they did not eat enough cookies and snacks (you know who you are). now, my poor father has to have all those delicious, homemade cookies in his house. most of the work was more than a year old, not in my wholesale line-up and priced to move. $5 a piece, if you can believe it. but, it accomplished what I needed- it cleared out a TON of stuff. in addition to that, I made more money than the two holiday shows I did last year put together. woo HOO! the cherry on top is that I get to hang out with wonderful friends who come out to see me and buy pots.

thanks everyone for making these shows so special!

margaret, me and marge at my holiday sale

I'll have the website ready for holiday sales after thanksgiving. right now you can order, but the products may not be in stock. the tiles shown above are being fired now and I'll glue magnets to the back. they will be available on the website as an alphabet set ($50) or individually ($2each) let me know if you are interested and I'll make more if needed. they sold out quickly in knoxville.

smoky mountain getaway

2008-11-11T07:45:00.002-05:00

new work, next shows

2008-11-05T15:59:00.006-05:00

here is some new work. I am happy to be able to explore new ideas.

ladybugs

turtles

whales, inspired by my nephew

I have a show coming up in Knoxville, November 14-16. The Foothills Craft Guild's Fine Craft Marketplace is at the Jacobs Building, Chilhowee Park, next to the Zoo. There isn't a UT game that weekend so you people should have no problem making room in your schedule.

ALSO, my 3rd annual holiday sale is November 22 from 10-4 at my dad's in Cookeville. I have a ton of older work to sell for very little money. EVERYTHING MUST GO!!!

seriously, I want to give you a deal and give my dad his basement back.

mark you calendars, people. hope to see you there!

a trip to maine

2008-10-20T07:01:00.009-04:00

I spent time off the coast of Maine last week with my family. Acadia National Park/ Mt Desert Island to be exact. its absolutely gorgeous this time of year. my pictures really don't do the colors justice, but I wanted to share them anyway. just imagine the leaves to be brilliant in color, like they've been digitally colored. its really amazing.

my dad, bro-in-law and I climbed the precipice, a trail that runs up the side of a mountain. its always been a scary, yet exciting, idea to hike it, but I've made excuses or the weather was not good. this year though, we finally climbed it. this is us at the top. I can't wait to do it again. it was amazing.

this is jeff and steph (sister) overlooking sand beach

here are lucy and ike, my niece and nephew on the great head trail. this one is a family favorite and the kids were super, hiking the whole way.

this is my sister sarah on the family hike. she's so awesome. I need to go visit her in boston

i had a wonderful time. I didn't go to maine last year, so this year was special. I hadn't even planned on going until the last minute. it was good to get away and spend time with my family. sometimes i need a break from the studio. now i just need to make myself go back to the studio. ya ya, i'm going....

has it been that long?

2008-10-09T07:17:00.003-04:00

oops. it has been a while since my last post. i found facebook, people. its a black hole that sucks you into it. i am lucky if i check my email.

we went to frozen head state park last weekend. it was a beautiful day for a walk in the woods. the dogs had a fabulous time. henry just looks serious, but he's really not. at all.

new designs

2008-09-23T06:50:00.002-04:00

i have some new designs that i am working on and they are getting a good response. the turtle, ladybug and fresh from the kiln, the sheep.
of course i am still doing my bird, but i thought it'd be good to mix it up a bit. the designs are still sweet and simple with the faceted lines.
this picture of the sheep is from before the firing. the fired bowl is white and shiny. i like its simplicity, just black and white.

let me know what you think. i will be making more of these now that my wholesale orders are almost finished. i have two shows this fall, one in nashville and the other in knoxville, to prepare for, plus two consignment shows. i send my work to them and when it sells, they send me a check.

i am still taking the graphic design intro class and still loving it. i find myself practicing or studying different sites geared towards graphic design stuff in my free time. there is so much to learn, absorb and do. the use of color, pattern, line, imagery--it is so awesome. and the quickness of putting it together is especially excellent. when i want to put a new design on a pot, i first have to make the pot, trim the pot then paint the design on it. and with the computer, if i don't like the design or want to try something different i can change it in an instant w/o ruining the whole piece. ahhh.

dare i say it? i love this computer stuff...

anyone need a table???

2008-09-08T07:07:00.004-04:00

so i am selling this table. maybe. its a great table, solid, sturdy, heirloom material... just don't have room for it. it had been my desk, but then with the new table and chairs, i took the old table to use for my desk.

see? ethan allen. that is the good stuff right there. did i mention solid wood. thick, solid wood. no particle board here! stained dark and could use some touch-ups. this table has obviously been loved.

it has a removable leaf and 4 legs, also removable. this would be great for someone just starting out or someone who has an aversion to traditional desks or a great crafting table--did i mention how sturdy this bad boy is?? its awesome.

i have it listed on craigslist for $100. if you read my blog (i'm talking to all two of you) and want the opportunity to buy it, i will sell it to you for $75. what a deal! did you wake up this morning knowing that someone was going to offer you such a sweet deal?? yeah. its one special day....

praying mantis

2008-09-05T06:50:00.004-04:00

this little dude was hanging out with us one afternoon. we bought praying mantis egg sacks a couple years ago and I'm wondering if he's from that family. hmmm.. they are really neat.

yard sale weekend

2008-09-02T07:24:00.003-04:00

we had a fantastic junk sale this past saturday. isla and my neighbor across the street participated, too, so there was plenty of shtuff. we had a nice turnout. the word on the "circuit" was that there were not many sales that weekend. it is funny how the same people do this every weekend. i shouldn't laugh, i would. maybe.

i put a sign on lumpy's truck that read "make an offer" before he got up and came outside for the sale. within about 2o minutes he had an offer. another 20 minutes a guy was test driving it. 20 after that it was gone. woo hoo!!!

don't worry, he has another truck.

henry sunning himself after his exhausting day tending the yard sale

this is our dining room table and chairs. lumpy bought it this spring as a surprise. he did a pretty good job, eh? for a boy anyway :) sorry the picture is fuzzy. not enough light. i would like to recover the seats. i have some ikea fabric i am going to try out.

first day of school

2008-08-29T06:23:00.005-04:00

i am going to school today. yep. i said it would never happen again, but the times they are a changin'. my goals are changing. not changing so much as coming to the front of my brain. they have been quietly sitting in the back row waiting for me to call them to the front. how patient. time to do it. so, my class is an intro to mac and design software applications photoshop, illustrator and indesign. i am excited and nervous. i am the non-traditional student now. i knew i was old when i went to school to monday to register and i was the only one wearing a raincoat. it was raining. i am just old. er. i asked lump last night if it was too late b/c i'm old, but don't feel old at all. he just laughed. he's non-traditional, too. and he feels old. er. hee hee.

this is the house from the estate sale. i am standing in the middle of the living room. the windows extend the length of the room- looking onto a deck and thick woods. mountains beyond that. check out that shag carpet. in most of the house. oh yeah...

estate sale love

2008-08-25T07:10:00.003-04:00

this past weekend i attended my first estate sale. the couple moved to be closer to their son and sold off everything. the house and furniture were immaculate and straight from the late 50s/ early 60s. very hip and stylish for the era. by the time i got there on friday, about 930 and an hour into the sale, the most gorgeous pieces had been gobbled up, but i was still able to come out with some super furniture. fantastic furniture and super prices. you can't beat that with a stick.

this coffee table was a late find on saturday when i took lumpy over with me.

the light color panels look like leather, but we aren't sure.

lola is used for scale.

very swinging chair

chair detail.

armchair and ottoman. i'm not crazy about the color, but the entire thing is immaculate. i think there may have been some plastic involved.

we bought the blue chair, armchair and ottoman and the coffee table for $150.

i am hooked on this estate sale thing.

my etsy is alive

2008-08-19T07:02:00.003-04:00

finally put some work on my sad etsy site yesterday. it has been pathetic. these are some of my labor intensive overglaze decorated pieces. I glazed with a clear glaze, then painted with hand-mixed over glazes followed up with the sgraffitoing which was HARD. it began to make my arm and wrist ache after about30 minutes. I had to find a new alternative.

thats when I decided on using slip to decorate the surface while the clay was still damp. the sgraffitoing was much easier and there is no achy breaky arm or wrist. the plates above are still the overglaze as are the tiles below.

my friend, amanda of yoga goat, does some beautiful work with colored slip and sgraffito. I met her at the Buyer's Market in Philly. anyhoot, I began thinking months later, that perhaps I should try the ol' slip technique. what a wonderful change that was! the bowl pictured below has slip decoration, but it is hard to tell since the clay and most slip is white. the black outline is slip, too.

happy story, isn't it? well, if you get a chance, my etsy shop is a bit more happ'nin now. check it out sometime.

routine rocks

2008-08-14T07:19:00.003-04:00

I am finally back to the studio. After the Buyer's Market in Philly it took a while to unwind, unpack, reorganize, etc... The routine has started up and I feel great about that. I was beginning to wonder if I was still loving the pot shop. I do.

The show was excruciatingly slow. I had a few orders, but nothing I can't finish in the next 4 weeks. I have two shows coming up this fall and I plan on being super prepared. My inventory, or lack there of, will need a boost, too. Other than that, I want to focus on new ideas and new projects. I have 3 new critters to finalize. The ladybug and turtle are shown here unfired. The fish has not made his debut yet, but soon... My sister and I are working on a new collection. We need to hammer out details, but you will definitely be in the loop.

We are babysitting my dad's dog, Gabby, this week so I have 3 dogs wanting their walk now.

have a fabulous day

2008-07-29T19:04:00.002-04:00

on my way to philly to the august buyer's market and I thought I'd leave you with some custom work I made this summer. My dear friend, Isla, was married in June and I wanted to give her something unique. Someone suggested to her husband, JR, that he look at the plate to remind him of their anniversary. hee hee

have a wonderful week. I know I will. My sister and I have fun filling the long, mostly dull hours of waiting for an order. And I get to stay with her and the kids! woo hoo!!

monterey girls

2008-07-24T09:21:00.004-04:00

furtsch and me
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

this picture makes me happy. thats all. all my best friends from growing up got together for our friend isla's wedding this june. we hadn't all been together for about 10 years, but we picked up right where we had left off. it was so much fun being with them again, I only wish we had more time to spend catching up. I know we are committed to having regular gatherings now instead of every 10 years. geeeezz.

HOME

2008-07-10T07:31:00.011-04:00

home. finally. don't get me wrong, it was a fantastic month at camp. I love the people, teaching, being outdoors, the traditions, etc.... but you really appreciate home when you are away from it for a while. I missed my family. not my sister and her kids, b/c they were at camp with me. that's another reason I love camp. they live outside philly and I don't get to visit with them very much. those kids got a whole month of their aunt piggy! lucky kids...

these are some wall pockets the girls made. its a fun project to do exploring texture and surface design.

cooking breakfast

party time with steph, lucy and staff

well, time to get to work. have a great day and hopefully, I will talk to you soon.

camp and puppies

2008-07-02T16:48:00.003-04:00

i'm still at camp, just for a few more days though. I thought I'd post some pictures of one of the camp puppies who is looking for a wonderful home. My nephew really needs a puppy, don't ya think??

summer camp

2008-06-11T15:59:00.004-04:00

so I'm here at summer camp. I spent many summers here growing up and now I am teaching the wee ones about clay and all its wonderful attributes. Its fun for me to 'play' with clay for a month, recharging my batteries. Yesterday was only our first day and really tomorrow is our first full day of classes, the start to our routine.

My sister and her 2 little ones are here, too. They were hanging out at the pot shop (that is the name of the ceramics cabin--given before I gained the post, mind you) with me yesterday as all the campers arrived. I think my nephew, Ike, enjoys the arts quite a bit.

I will be here a month. this should be fun..

2008-05-31T20:51:00.003-04:00

I am working on some new planters. There are a great size for herbs, like this one here with oregano. There aren't birds on them because I feel like they should be simple and not detract from the plant life. Oh, and I have some with plates attached and also hanging pots. pictures to follow....

2008-05-27T08:06:00.005-04:00

It was a glorious weekend. I worked at the garden center, but Lumpy and the boys came to visit for a couple days. I needed that. Before work on Sunday I picked daisies and field clover that were doomed for the hay baler. What do you know, I found the perfect little pitcher for them and set them on the porch. Its a nice addition to the cozy atmosphere my dad has created out there. Yesterday we picked strawberries at a 'pick your own' place near Livingston. We totally picked too many. Lumpy loves strawberry freezer jam and I needed to make enough for him, but that barely put a dent in what we have. My dad needed some for ice cream. still have a ton. Time to get creative.

this is new little guy I'm very excited about. he's my turtle. sorry picture, but I was excited about showing him off.

well, back to work. 3 orders left to fill and a couple of plates need replacing. have a fabulous day

2008-05-15T08:28:00.007-04:00

lately, every morning I have woken up numb and tired. Something is telling me that I am pushing things. Maybe its having a full time job as a potter, filling wholesale orders, and a part time job working everyday at a garden center. huh... Don't get me wrong, I love what I do and I love the garden center, I just wish I could do them separately. perhaps, the moving to my dad's, being away from my husband, dogs, home, adds to the anxiety. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

I guess I am close to the light at the end of tunnel. They let me take yesterday off from the garden center- super!!!!!- and I was a throwing machine. a true model of efficiency. Hopefully, this will give me a boost, catching me up a bit. You know, its raining out. I bet the garden center will be quiet today... they won't need little ol' me, right?? oh well. it was a thought.

my new friends shona and beth have given me inspiration and motivation to keep up with this blog. thank you, girls. even in the midst of madness I can make time to inform my audience. all two of you.

2008-05-05T09:08:00.004-04:00

I have been inspired to pay some attention to my blog by some fantastic folks I met at TACA's Spring Craft Fair this weekend. It may take me a while to jump start the process, but I will try.

The craft fair was great, the weather (besides Friday's downpours) was super, the crowds came out, the sales were down from last year, but overall I had a fine time. I was fortunate enough to have a dear friend of mine, Isla, put me up for a night and we talked non-stop about who and what and where, etc.... we had plenty of catching up to do. Dani, one of our other dear CAMP friends took us to dinner and we laughed and talked until I nearly dropped. how fun! Its amazing after not seeing these terrific people for so long how much we still have to talk about and how parallel our lives are. summer camp was the most special time/place--

Besides catching up with my lovely camp friends, I touched base with other friends from the craft world and made some new ones. Shona and Beth are two fabulous printer people who I met this weekend whose work is inspiring and beautiful. If you cannot tell, my work is influenced by linocut and woodblock type printing. what a treat it was to meet these ladies!

ok. I feel like this is a fair start to the resurrection of the blog. there will be more.. honest

have an awesome day

2008-03-31T22:47:00.003-04:00

well, its been a while. I apologize to anyone checking in on me. I have almost successfully made the transition from studio "a" to studio "b" with minimal damage and time loss. I will hopefully be regularly posting on progress and such so please tune in...

studio

2008-03-10T08:31:00.001-04:00

studio
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

Well, I've made a good start with my orders from the Buyers Market. It looks like I will be ahead of schedule (fingers crossed). Probably should contact all those people who forgot to come back and place an order. Also want to make sure I have a nice selection for TACA. I was accepted into the spring show so mark your calendars, May 2-4, Centennial Park, Nashville. be there or be square. I need to prepare some more applications before its too late for the fall months. I'll definitely keep you posted...

spring is coming

2008-03-05T12:52:00.002-05:00

silly wholesale

2008-02-26T06:52:00.004-05:00

This is Lucy, my niece. She was trying on sunglasses with her auntie at the Target during my last visit. I am auntie. Lucy is silly.

You know what else is silly? wholesale. Okay, not really silly, but making 174 mighty bowls is silly. to me anyway. Its the number that is silly maybe. I don't mind, not at all, I am going to get really good at making these little bowls. Maybe I am just giddy with the notion that people want that many mighty bowls. or 92 mugs. huh... Perhaps I am mad. I know a few people who wouldn't argue that.

I am happy to be making 174 bowls that have homes other than my own. Its really nice to have a direction each day and thats what the orders are. They give me something to do and each piece will shipped off to someone who loved it enough to have me make it. super. Otherwise, I would be in the studio making a bunch of pots that may or may not have homes in a few months. They need homes, people.

booth display

2008-02-21T06:52:00.001-05:00

booth display
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

I am back from Philly! The show was good, I met super people, had plenty of orders (at least enough to keep me busy 'til June) and revisited with old pals. This was a much more positive experience than the August show. Of course, after the August show, aka "a learning experience", I went to Philly this time with no expectations, less work, more focus and a good attitude. It helps when my sister is there to help set-up, shmooze with the customers and keep me company. someone had to go get lunch!

Thanks to all of you sending me happy thoughts and good wishes. I could totally tell... Now its time to fill the orders and get ready for the next show. talk to you soon---

I'M BACK

2008-02-08T20:26:00.000-05:00

Hey, I'm back. Actually, I've been back since January 24, I just have been in a fit of busy-ness getting ready for the Buyer's Market. Its a wholesale show in Philadelphia. I think its the biggest wholesale craft show in the US. There's still quite a bit to do, but its under control. mostly...

My concern right now is the "R" word. Recession. I wonder how its going to affect the outcome of the show. I have tried to prepare for it, putting together discounted packages and coming up with Plan B. That means if its a lackluster show I will find some part time work. hope it doesn't come to that, but I secretly am dying to work at the greenhouse down the road. :)

Oh and I had a FABULOUS time in Florida! We went to the Magic Kingdom, the Animal Kingdom, Epcot (our hotel was within walking distance), tried swimming, ate tons of food and probably imbibed in too many brews.... The kids were hilarious and I think they had fun. Some of the rides could be a little scary though. It was a terrific trip that we all enjoyed. even Lumpy.

peace. vacation starts tomorrow.

2008-01-18T08:01:00.001-05:00

ice cream bowl with dove and olive branch
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

Thats right. We are going to DISNEY WORLD tomorrow with my family. I am looking forward to spending time with them, the niece and nephew will have a blast, and relaxing. Yes, I have a huge show to prepare for, but you have to stop and breathe, too. Plus, my sister (who is totally awesome) has enough points from all the traveling she does to put us up in a Disney Resort. Who is gonna say no to that??? There will be a full report of how gorgeous it was, how much fun was had, etc.... next week.

have a great week. I know I will.

2008-01-08T07:32:00.001-05:00

these mugs are available at VIX emporium, West Philly

Slowly making progress.

I have my list handy at all times and my day planner right next to it. See what needs to be done and stick it in the day planner. I have started painting my shelves. One set to begin with so I can see if its what I like. With one coat on, I'm hopeful. Its hard to say because its quite a drastic change from antique white to "obsidian glass" (charcoal). The second coat is going on today.

Before the painting, I have some bowls to finish. Just needs the sgraffito-ing. Then I need to start some tiles. I want to use the smoother clay just because the design work looks so much better with it, but I'm afraid without the tooth of the other clay, the tiles are going to warp like mad. better try both. Also going to do some cream and sugar sets. I have to say that they are very popular, but not my favorite to make. can't say why... They are cute as a button though.

okay, time to walk the dogs. have a splendid day.

happy new year

2008-01-03T08:01:00.000-05:00

this is lola's product shot

happy new year! I hope you all have a wonderful, healthy and joyous new year. I plan on it.

After a much needed break over the holidays, I am getting back into the groove. Its great having time off, but I get antsy and need my routine back. I have lists of what I need to get done in front of me. This time I don't feel as overwhelmed. I have a better idea of what to expect and some of the paperwork, etc... I already have. The catalog layout is fine, just need to change the prices and pictures. The price list template is made, just need to adjust the items and prices. Brochure layout is made, just need to change the pictures and some text. I am scaling down on the number of items, designs and colors offered. Last time there was too much. quality, not quantity.

So, I'm off to start this very chilly day. (Its 15degrees here in Oak Ridge. yikes) There is a ton to do, but its not unmanageable. I think...

lola

2007-12-17T07:41:00.001-05:00

lola
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

Well, we survived the Open Studio on Saturday. I am still numb from all the work we put into it, but once the feeling returns, I will decide if it was all worth it. Several people came out, old friends and new ones. I would say that it was a nice gathering, the food and drink was 'a plenty', the house was festive and cozy, I rambled to whoever would listen.... good times. good times.

Now I am looking forward to sleep, relaxing a bit and going home for the Holidays. I also have a lengthy list of stuff that needs getting done and started. So, the idea of me staying still is a dream really.

OPEN STUDIO! III

2007-12-12T07:16:00.001-05:00

blue bird mug
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

Ah, yes. I have my many lists in front of me and I am steadily marking things off. But at the same time I am adding new items to the lists. DOH!

The studio is clean. You have GOT to see that. I reorganized, sponged down all the surfaces, vacuumed, threw stuff out, etc... It looks much better. I am really excited to get back to work in there, too. Just something about a clean studio--like jumping into a still, glassy body of water. pristine. calm. calming.

I have a glaze firing to do today. Of course, I have to unload the kiln to glaze those pots and reload them to fire those pots. A lot of them are for orders so I better not screw it up. some income will be nice after the spending on the holidays...

After the glazing I have to start baking. I'll bake until I run out of ingredients, then I have to go to the store. BUT I can't go to the store while the kiln is running-- the kiln is safe, but I feel better being here when its firing. I have my shelves set up for my display so after baking I can set up pots. That should keep me busy today. yikes...

OPEN STUDIO! II

2007-12-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

Well the countdown continues. I have several lists of what needs to be done before the big Open Studio. rearranging, cleaning, baking, organizing, etc... There are pots in the studio that need to be finished and fired. Most of them are orders due to be shipped for XMAS gifts. I also have some specifically for the OPEN STUDIO. Thinking that I would like to have some "in progress" stuff for people to see the technique I use. lots to do.

Lumpy has his Final today. YIHAW! We will be glad when thats over. It will be nice to have a little more Lumpy. We are going to take a "vacation" at my dad's when all this chaos is over. Dogs, cats, people all load up and drive to the country for some R&R. I sigh just thinking about it. Jack our youngest broke off his dew claw last week and another claw yesterday morning. He had to go to the doggy e.r. and is terribly uncomfortable. poor baby. (his thyroid is screwy and currently being adjusted, causing excessive nail growth right now I think) We all need a break.

henry and jack

OPEN STUDIO!

2007-12-08T08:40:00.000-05:00

OPEN STUDIO
DECEMBER 15, 10am-4pm

After my last blog I went for a walk through the woods with the dogs as I do every morning and came up with a fantastic idea. Why don't I open my home and studio to introduce myself and my work to interested folks in the area? Awesome. Plus, I have many a pot left over from my Holiday Sale in Cookeville and I would like the space they are occupying.

Some very wonderful people helped me get the word out by mass emailing to the members of the Foothills Craft Guild and other art organizations and the Knox Art and Culture Alliance added me to their calendar of events. sweet. I made flyers and have begun posting them places like Starbucks, the Art Center, a neat little cafe, etc... I'll hit more places today. I am also giving flyers to my neighbors- I really want to make an effort to meet more of them.

Lumpy and I have been discussing the details, what to serve, where to put the shelves, what to do about seating, where to put the dogs (as lovely as they are, I understand not all people enjoy exuberant pups), etc.... I am thinking we need more festive decorations- I have no problem with Clark Griswold's lighting technique---

Aunt Bethany: Is your house on fire, Clark?
Clark Griswold: No, Aunt Bethany, those are the Christmas lights.

Anyhoot, I'm off to finish some pots in the studio and continue my list of to-dos and such. Have a great morning!

2007-12-05T07:09:00.000-05:00

The holiday sale was a huge success! Thank you everyone who came out to visit, buy pots and sample not nearly enough goodies--my dad's freezer is now stocked with cookies! It was a gorgeous day Saturday and there was an SEC Championship game on so I know those who joined me were making sacrifices. And before I forget, I would like to thank my dad for all of his help. I couldn't have done it without him. You're the best, Pop!

Now that the dust has settled, I have packed up the pots (and hidden them away in my dad's basement for next year), counted the $ and decided I made too much food (!) I have some orders to fill. Hopefully, they will be finished this week and I can ship them by Monday. I would like to avoid the worry of "will they" or "won't they" make in time for Christmas. Needless worry that I can skip. Once the orders are finished I am going to start working on the Buyer's Market work. I am very excited to start working on that. So, its off to walk the dogs, have my hearty oatmeal breakfast (shared with the dogs of course) then to the studio. have a wonderful day!

The same pot with different colored backgrounds--working on marketing them better

personalized lunch plate

2007-11-28T07:14:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't someone you love just LOVE this personalized birdy plate?? You can order anytime, but to ensure a gift under the tree, order by Dec 3, 2007. Choose red, blue or yellow and tell me the name you'd like. its approximately 9" across.

so easy, so thoughtful... and just $36 (plus s&h) I am not kidding. either order through my etsy shop or email me or if you have my digits, call me.

happy holidays

thanksgiving tradition

2007-11-27T06:36:00.001-05:00

thanksgiving tradition
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

I hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving. Lumpy and I went to my sister, Steph's, for the long weekend and played with the niece and nephew. Steph said we broke them. While were in the Philly area, I dropped off new work with a new shop, Vix Emporium. What a neat little shop! Full of character and great handmade items. I know Emily and Sean will do well.

anyhoot, its time to get back to work. Saturday is my holiday sale at my dad's in Cookeville. It was a great time last year and I hope this year is as good. I have 3 shelves of brown clay pots that need to be glazed old school. The folks in Cookeville really like the more traditional pots, at least the people who came out last year. Since I had a bunch left, I figured it would be a good time to clear out the space, sell the old, etc...

After the holiday sale, I have a few orders to fill and then its back to preparing for the Buyer's Market.

2007-11-18T08:06:00.000-05:00

Well, I am preparing to go out of town this week by making lots of pots. I started Tuesday and today I should have most of it ready for a bisque today. glaze fire tomorrow. unload and ready on Tuesday. Did I mention how happy I am with the new technique, using slip to decorate? OH MY GOSH- totally fabulous. I worked about 11 hours yesterday and towards the end when I was doing the sgraffito (carving back thru the slip and clay) I wasn't tired or aching like I had been when I sgraffitoed the bisqued work. It goes faster, too. Anyhoot, I love it. Plus the colors are more opaque, strong and really one with the clay. I think it looks better overall.

this is my booth at foothills (view from the balcony). you can see my neighbors, bob and joyce with the turned wood on the left, and sue and her husband with the gorgeous baskets on the right. I know I complain about doing these shows, but I truly love meeting the other craftspeople. They are always wonderful and a pleasure to spend the weekend with. oops, ended with a preposition.

trunkt

2007-11-14T06:51:00.000-05:00

I'm in! Trunkt is a juried site promoting artists and designers to buyers all over the world. Take a look around the site at all the beautiful work. I am so pleased to be considered and look forward to the added exposure it will bring.

2007-11-13T07:03:00.001-05:00

Well, the Foothills show is over and I am recovering nicely. I can work 12 hour days in the studio without a hiccup, but doing a show from 10am-6pm is murder. Friday I came home and made it as far as the couch. I was numb. Sunday, we broke the booth down (in very good time) and made it home in time for me to watch part of one football game. Yesterday was a day of recovery. Lumpy had the day off from work and school, so we went to the Knoxville mall (only my second time in 3 years) and to the grocery store. I tried to organize my boxes of pots, but my brain was a bit too fried still. I am such a wimp. I am looking forward to today so that I can get back into my routine. And I am really looking forward to throwing some pots. Its been too long.

setting up

2007-11-08T06:39:00.000-05:00

Today I am setting up for the Foothills show in Knoxville. Its being held in the Jacobs Building next to the Zoo. still haven't been to the zoo..... Anyway, I will load the truck this morning and have until 5:30 tonight to finish setting up. I haven't given a whole lot of thought to this show, so I hope I haven't forgotten something important. yeah, I'm sure I did.

Here's the set-up I had in August at the Buyer's Market. I am thinking it will be about the same this time, but in August I had a corner booth and this weekend its in-line (3 sides to neighbors).
I am also considering painting the shelves a dark charcoal gray. I think it would look more modern and the pots would really POP. what do you think?

roundrabbit rocks!

2007-11-06T17:17:00.000-05:00

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=14386

this is a treasury put together by a fellow etsian. How sweet! and to top it all off, I got my first sale from it. fab

lt blue circle vase

2007-11-01T07:08:00.001-04:00

lt blue circle vase
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

I have a new batch of work ready for your approval. I really enjoy the pastels and some of the mod colors. I think I'm going to have to ditch the orange. Its nice, but it screams 1978. Maybe I'll try a red.

There has been some nice feedback at my flickr page. I think that I am going in the right direction, but there is definitely more work to do. I would like to figure out the forms to make for the new line. REMEMBER: I want to steer away from "country kitchen". no utensil holders, baking dishes, apple bakers, etc... I am thinking vases, decorative jars (?), various plates and bowls, that type of stuff.

Let me know what you think

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2007-10-31T06:53:00.000-04:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

This is the day of ghouls and ghosts, tricks for treats. good stuff. I had several costumes that I would choose from each year, the clown, witch, tweety bird, etc... This year feels like a clown year for some reason. I suppose its better than feeling like a witch!

I unloaded another kiln of new work yesterday and was again happy with the results. The colors were nice and opaque, the black was solid. I think I would like to wait until the clay is dryer before starting to carve/sgraffito so the line will be less deep, perhaps more refined. I keep telling myself to wait for the pot to dry, but I get excited and have to start sgraffitoing(word?) the design. like a kid at xmas.

For the next several days, I am going to be glazing my bisque pots for the Foothills show. I will glazing with overglazes, some new designs and some old. Its nice to know what I will be doing for the next 5 days. I will be glad to be finished though.

pastel grouping

2007-10-29T13:11:00.001-04:00

pastel grouping
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

I'M IN! I received a letter today telling me I've been accepted to the Buyer's Market in February. This is the big one. Plus, now that I'm in, I will be able to go back each year without reapplying. sweet

work table with finished work

2007-10-27T09:31:00.001-04:00

work table with finished work
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

After returning from Cookeville Friday afternoon, I unloaded the kiln. You can see that I placed my work on the table to inspect it for any flaws or the occasional kiln wash on the bottoms. Overall, I am pleased. The slip was applied well, mostly opaque, the color was saturated, there was little messiness left from the sgraffito method I use and the designs are interesting. I would like to find a cohesive grouping of patterns and colors so I can feel like I have a tight-knit collection. That is whats lacking with the "garden" group.

work table

2007-10-26T07:54:00.001-04:00

work table
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

This was taken yesterday morning after I unloaded the kiln. It was a bisque firing so they are ready to glaze. Actually, they are now in the kiln waiting to be unloaded from the glaze firing.

I like how industrious this shot makes me look. Plus its colorful. I love how the light comes into the studio in the morning... Today I won't feel as productive. I am going to Cookeville to drop off pots to my fantastic web guru and to the Craft Center for their Holiday Festival. Have lunch with Pop, raid the house for plastic containers and anything else that I may "need". It will be nice to get out of the house. I don't get in the car and leave that often. I am not complaining. There is no where that I would rather be, than home. Its just nice to get out every once in a while.

2007-10-24T07:22:00.001-04:00

4" tile with green circles
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

More samples. I am firing a bisque today so tomorrow I can start glazing the samples, fire them and show the real deal. Lumpy came downstairs after work yesterday and was pleased I think. He usually will tell me "I will have to see it when its finished" when I ask if he likes something. When I was showing him work yesterday he was able to quickly say "YES" for at least one new design. Actually, he did that the other day, too. hmmm. wonder what he's up to?

2007-10-23T07:02:00.000-04:00

Weekends mess me up. I have a perfectly good rhythym going during the week and then BAM! the weekend comes in like a tornado and ruins. I am usually glad to see Monday to get my routine back. don't hate me.

I am still working on the new designs and am getting more excited daily. I will fire a bisque tomorrow probably (its supposed to be in the 50s so I'd like some warmth) and glaze after that. The wonderful thing about this new method is that once the pot is dry, you are about finished with it. Just slap some glaze on it and you are on your way! Right now I am using clear glaze, but am tinkering with the idea of different colors. We'll see.

these are sample cups. I'll take new pics today of some of the new patterns.

new designs

2007-10-17T20:53:00.001-04:00

bowls
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

so far so good. I am playing with some designs and have several colors that I have decided to use. I like. Of course, these are not fired yet, so the colors will change a bit. The clay (which is gray now) will be white and the colors will be more vivid. I am also toying with the idea of limiting the type of items I make. plates, bowls, cups, vases. different sizes and shapes. I am trying to steer away from what I refer to as "country kitchen". not that there's anything wrong with that.... I just don't think my work is suited to that niche. ya know?

Well, I'm excited about this new direction. excited to get back in the studio--later skater

ice cream bowl

2007-10-16T21:04:00.001-04:00

ice cream bowl
Originally uploaded by susan smith clay

here is one of the first new test pieces that I've done. I really like the design and colors. I am still working on my colors and solidifying my designs. they'll never be set in stone. I have picked out several colors to work with for a while and possible patterns. There are several pots that will be ready to decorate tomorrow, too. hope there is something here....

2007-10-15T21:11:00.000-04:00

slacker. I am a total slacker. nah, just got wrapped up in other things, so the ol' blog took a backseat.

I have thrown, fired, glazed and fired again today. One of the catalogs finally got the word to me that they are putting some of my things in and I needed to get them ready. Still waiting on the other catalog. Lumpy and I went to the Knoxville's Brewers Jam at the World's Fair Park this Saturday. It was a gorgeous day and tons of people were out. I took this picture with my phone. I'm actually quite amazed that it came out so well, you know, from a camera phone.

lumpy at the brewers jam

jack and gabby hunting tree rats

While I wait, I'll work on some new projects I have in mind. Slip decorating, new forms, new digital images, applications, etc... Plus, I have the new flickr site and etsy. I am also toying with the idea of putting my shopping cart back on the website. don't kill me, daniel.

new product shots

2007-10-10T07:42:00.001-04:00

mug with blue stripes and circles
Originally uploaded by susan p moore smith

After reading several postings, forums, etc... on product shots and how easy it is to make them look great, I gave it a try. I am so pleased with how they turned out. Crisp, clean, modern. The white background really make my work look good, where as the gray sucked the life out of it. I had always heard though that the soft gray was the "professional" way to do it. Of course that came from potters who didn't make bright white eye candy. Glass looks better on the clean white, why wouldn't mine??? sweet. love it. Plus, with the new set up, its so easy to do. Its small and can be stored away and easily ready to use in a few seconds. love it. Did I already say that? Oh, and it cost next to nothing. I used a cardboard box, tracing paper and poster board. yep. love it.

2007-10-08T07:11:00.000-04:00

I recently fired the red clay with new slips and was wowed by the results. Its a bit loud, but fun all the same. I have a ton of test slips to work from with the white and red clays. I made another round of slip tests on Saturday and we'll see how that goes in a week.

The colors feel fluorescent to me and I probably won't use these specific colors for anything on the red clay, but its good to know what they do. I could use them in SMALL doses possibly. I found some really beautiful darker colors to use on the red clay that I think accentuates the wonderful dark brown color.

the wheel

2007-10-05T09:10:00.001-04:00

the wheel
Originally uploaded by susan p moore smith

check out my image hosting site. I am so cool.

I am adding one more site to my list of sites promoting me and my work. If it brings more customers, work, recognition, etc.... SUPER.

this morning, I will start glazing the red clay. its the more traditional work I did in the beginning of susan smith clay. lumpy thinks I should practice first. yeah, thats not going to happen. I'll let you know how things go.

happy anniversary, lumpy

2007-10-04T07:39:00.001-04:00

can you believe its been four years?

seems like forever...

lyb

the wife

the office

2007-10-04T07:28:00.000-04:00

After about an hour of glazing and rolling out some tiles, I will be working in the office. I have a list of things to make lists of, an application to fill out, work to gather for the Craft Center, websites for image hosting to learn about and lots of ORGANIZING. I love being organized, I crave it, but it is rarely the case. I have piles. My mom had piles. It makes you feel like you are organized and neat, but really you just have piles. I finally went through a pile that has been in the making since sometime in early spring looking for some slides. Not there. Oh well, the pile is gone (mostly).

its halloween month!

i just love this. hope this makes you smile

2007-10-02T16:16:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I made several plaster molds. I'll use them for making multiples of certain tile designs and some small plates and bowls. Its quite a process from start to finish, but not difficult.

I start with a clay tile. Its best to make a mold of clay when its leatherhard- stiff but not dry. The plaster won't adhere to it when its poured onto the mold if the clay is still moist.

Next I build a temporary box around the tile leaving about 2" around the edges. I use 3/4" plywood and clay to steady the wood as well as seal the box. I carefully measure the plaster and water depending on how much plaster I will need. The ratio of plaster to water I used is 100 to 73. This make the mold dense yet porous enough to absorb water from the clay. Once I mix the plaster and water I have only a few minutes to pour the mold before the plaster starts setting up. When I pour the plaster I make sure to eliminate as many air bubbles as possible by dropping my mixing bucket on the floor a few times, pouring slowly onto an angled paint stirrer and banging the table with my fists. After the plaster is poured over the mold I wait about an hour before I remove the sides of the box. The mold is hard but not as hard as it will be. It will dry for a couple of weeks before I use it.

The clean up of the plaster buckets and utensils is next. I wait until the buckets are dry and simply knock off the dried plaster. THE ENTIRE PLASTER MOLD MAKING PROCESS TAKES PLACE OUT OF THE STUDIO!! Plaster will contaminate the clay causing it to explode in the kiln. bad news bears. Any clay I use in the mold making process will get chucked. I think I read that you can compost the clay and plaster to add to your garden. Better check on that.

2007-09-27T06:44:00.000-04:00

I finished some slip tests and found that I had no need to worry whether or not the color would be fired out at the temperature I fire the pots. The first picture is of the slip tests before I fired them and the second is with a clear glaze fired on them, fired to more than 2200 degrees.

The ceramic stain colors (top and left) are very vibrant, while the slips colored with oxides (center and right) are more earthy. Now that I've done these tests, I can see what I have and figure out what I need next. So, I will be doing more slip tests. I want a group of colors that are pastelly (sp?word?), a group that is rich and muddy, and a group of brights. I think I have the brights. I really want this work to look tailored. More tests!!

I have also been working on the patterns I want to use. As I have said before, I sketch on paper, but I really can't visualize what I am searching for until I put it on clay. I take several ideas from my sketchpad and slap it on some pots with random slips. I used monotone colors. I like the variation but also the simplicity of using the same color in varying degrees. These images are all of unfired work.

Also tried multiple stripes of pale colors and black and white.

I will let you know how they turn out. I am excited as always. I feel like a kid at christmas waiting for test results and new work to come out of the kiln.

2007-09-24T06:59:00.000-04:00

Here are the two cups fired. I really am pleased, just need to adjust the colors. more contrast. Also want to work on a tighter line of work. I am sketching some ideas, but I have always been a more hands on type, practicing on the pots instead of paper. Its easier for me.

The swan tile came out pretty nice, too. Here it is. My friend should get back to me in a couple days and let me know if they want it for their store. Its much brighter than the picture shows.

Today I will finish working on the red clay. I had it out the past few days to work on some tests and a tortilla dish for another friend. Once I have that all cleaned up (I have to make sure any trace of red clay is gone from the wheel, tools, table, bats, etc....) I need to make a couple of mugs for an order that goes out next week. The glazing wasn't as nice as I would have liked, so I need a do-over.

2007-09-22T11:41:00.000-04:00

Here's a couple of mugs I am very excited about. I used slips instead of the overglaze method, something I am considering full time. The process is easier on my hands, wrists and probably lungs (the dust from the over glaze method is minimal, but it exists).

more tomorrow

five days later

2007-09-17T19:36:00.000-04:00

So its been five days. oops. I guess I was caught up with other things. I can't imagine that I didn't have anything to say. When you work by yourself with no one but the dogs and cats to talk to all day, you find that when there is another human being present, you talk quite a bit.

I have been really excited about testing out the new slip idea I have. I mixed up a ton of different colors, from oxides and ceramic stains. Hopefully, I can come up with a great library of contemporary colors to incorporate into my work. The picture below shows the last batch of colors. The ceramic stains show the approximate color it becomes after firing while the oxides often change colors after being fired. The only issue I forsee is possibly "cooking" the color out. Sometimes, the colors can't withstand the higher temperatures. Just have to test them.

Here's a tile that a friend asked me to try out for her store. I used the overglaze method here.

This one uses the slip method. Neither one has been fired yet. Actually, they are in the kiln as I type--will let you know.

Tiles

2007-09-12T20:55:00.000-04:00

These are some tile ideas I have been working on the past few days. I have an idea to use both the painted and textured tiles in a single work. We'll see...

Fall Fun Fest 2007

2007-09-10T20:18:00.000-04:00

What a fun weekend. Hot, very hot and long hours, but I saw so many friends!

I go into the Fall Fun Fest with a casual state of mind. I look at it as more social than work. I can't expect to sell much there, its not that kind of show. Anything I do sell is a bonus. My purpose is to see friends and folks I haven't seen in a while who may not know what I'm doing now. Plus, I have a nice place to stay and help from my pop. Thanks, Pop! The dogs have a weekend in the country with their buddy Gabby, too. Lumpy had the weekend at the house alone, so he was able to do some homework and get some stuff done around the house. I have to say, the house was emmaculate and the carport was as clean as when we moved there. Not bad.

Pop and I set up Friday at 1pm and I was home about 10pm. The top left pic is Pop at the FFF helping me set up. The top right pic is a nighttime shot of the booth. Saturday I mozied in to town at 10am and call it a day at 9:30pm. It was a long couple of days and HOT. Marge (pictured with me at the bottom) and Pop helped me both days by booth sitting while I stretched my legs, visited the 'facilities' and found some nourishment. The festival is many things, but one of my favorites is the BBQ. They have a competition with teams from all over the country cooking FINE barbeque. yummmm.

After it was finished, I crashed. I spent Sunday on Pop's couch watching Titans football and part of the USOpen. I hadn't done that in years.

fall fun fest

2007-09-06T21:41:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow I leave for Cookeville to participate in the Fall Fun Fest. Its a very small show, but I like doing it to reconnect with Cookevegas folks. Plus, its super cheap to do and I have fabulous accomodations. thanks, Pop!

I have spent today getting ready to go. I found tons of brown pots sitting patiently in boxes. There are way more than I thought. This is only a one day show, well, one day plus a couple hours the night before. I don't need a lot of inventory. but I have it... I also want to bring some white pots to show. I don't expect that they will sell nearly as well, but I would like to let people know what I'm focusing on now. Maybe the extra pots can find a temporary home at Pop's. hmmmm..... My holiday sale is only a few months away and I'd have to bring them all back for that anyway-- yeah, I'll stash them there a while. thanks, Pop!

here's my stack of stuff to load in the truck.

Henry is helping count boxes. nah, he's looking at a bee.

these are some plates I recently did as tests. not bad, but I think I still need to tweek them

2007-09-05T20:33:00.000-04:00

I feel like I've been really productive today. Started with updating the http://www.susansmithclay.etsy.com/ shop, walking the dogs, watering basil and flower garden, mixing test slips, packing/mailing my first gallery order, cutting tiles, making dinner, etc... man, thats not bad.

Today's educational moment is about mixing test slips. Slip is liquid clay that I can use to paint designs on pots. I mix up a batch of slip from dry materials (kaolin, feldspar, ball clay and silica) and add colorants, in this case ceramic stains. When using dry ceramic materials its important to wear a respirator in order to avoid breathing in silica and other icky, lung damaging, cancer causing particles. Normally, I use a mixture of ceramic stain and flux to paint my designs over a clear glaze. When using the slips, I will paint it on the clay while its still damp. Once the clay dries, I'll fire it once (the bisque firing) then clear glaze it and fire it again (the glaze firing). I am wanting to see if its easier to carve while its damp (seems obvious), a more opaque color, a deeper character to the design and maybe less time consuming (?). Ah, thats why they are 'tests'.

The first pic is me mixing the slips, wearing a very stylish and inexpensive mask. The other is a test pot before any carving. kinda fat and sloppy. We'll see how it works..

nice weekend

2007-09-04T17:34:00.001-04:00

This was a great holiday weekend. Not too hot, which it means it stayed out of the 90's, and sunny. My work ethic was weak. Lumpy was home (always a distraction) and USOpen Tennis was on the tube. I love the tennis. Actually, I was inspired to decorate a "US Open" plate. I used it for lunch, so I'll get a picture of it once its clean again.

I am working on recycling a ton of clay. maybe only 1/2 ton. Its such a mess and a pain, but its great to be able to reuse what I can. Anytime a trim a pot or have leftover scraps I recycle it. As long as the clay hasn't been fired, I can reclaim it. I put it in a garbage can, add water as needed, then lay it out on the floor to dry a bit. Once its to a workable stage, I'll wedge it and use it again. Its just like new. The picture on the left is a pile of clay thats drying on the floor. The one on the right is my wheel and to the left of it is my current recycle bucket. Check out the clay splatters everywhere-- potting is messy.

friday

2007-08-31T19:09:00.000-04:00

So its Friday. When you work for yourself/work all the time, Friday doesn't mean the same thing. kinda a bummer. It is Lumpy's Friday. He gets every other one off. He's back in school now, pursuing yet another degree. You couldnt get me to go back to school.. yuck. Even when I switched to art, school was still a drag. I think its my lifelong dilemma with authority. eh.

Today I worked some on glazing for a couple of orders. Nothing glamorous, but I did notice that the colors were beautiful together on my table.

happy birthday, Mom

2007-08-30T07:17:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday! I love you and miss you.

quality customer service

2007-08-30T06:37:00.000-04:00

so, yesterday we had a plumber come out to fix the new sink in my new bathroom. He first came out Monday and gave us an estimate. yikes, lots of $$. But after Lumpy realized that it would take him a while to get to it (full time job plus school), we called the plumbing company back and here we are. Monday I was impressed. The plumber, David, showed up about 10 minutes early (totally didn't expect that), put on booties when he came into the house, was friendly with dogs, was speedy and even told me what Lumpy needed to do to fix it so that we didn't have to spend the $$. Yesterday was more of the same, but with a trainee, Wayne. The company called when they were 30 minutes away. Once again, prompt, booties, dogs, friendly... and I'm thinking, ya know, this is how all customer service should be. We have grown accustomed to shotty service-- waiting for the cable guy, i.e., OH MY GOSH, you just wanna kill 'em. I just want to commend this company for getting it right. Why don't more adopt these practices? Lazy, maybe. I'm going to have to expect more now. I feel good about that.

So, done raving and ranting... Lumpy renovated my bathroom while I was at camp this summer. Actually he pulled out the sink and toilet in the winter sometime. anyway, its finished, minus the threshold (a minor detail) and it looks fabulous.

before

if you look closely, the "wooden" vanity is peeling. ew.

after

TaDA! FABULOUS! Its a little dark in there right now, but you get the idea.

WAY TO GO LUMPY! high five! (Lumpy hates the 'high five')

this afternoon's project

2007-08-28T21:39:00.000-04:00

This afternoon I started glazing some tiles for an order and I thought it might be interesting for you to see the process. I am definitely a visual person so the pictures are for you as much as for me. Its cool seeing it in this way.

I start by mixing the overglazes that I'll use and clear glaze each tile. Next I sketch the design. Then I paint the overglaze on the tiles. Once the overglaze is dry, I use a sgraffito tool and carve the edge of the design. I think it adds a different look to the design, resembling a wood block print.

check out the other pics from this afternoon below

hey, I'm here

2007-08-28T18:54:00.000-04:00

Hey, I'm here! This is great, now I can feel like someone is listening.

So, I am a studio potter who is trying to make a living doing what I love. I work at home in my studio full time. Still honing my artistic "voice", but have found a direction... until the road forks, then I'll go in a different direction.
Yep, I am an artist. Constantly creating, always experimenting, never completely satisfied.
good stuff.