The Mad Potter Strikes Again

Brrr, did it get cold last night! I had turned off my furnace and vowed not to turn it back on again, so when I got home from the studio after pottery class last night, it was 59 degrees in my house. What to do? I built a fire in the fireplace, plugged in the DeLongi space heater in my bedroom and gutted it out. Here are the pots I brought home last night:

This was supposed to be a mug, until the handle fell off after bisque firing. What is a small pottery piece when we don't know what else to call it? A salsa bowl!

white clay, dipped in grape glaze

Practice making cylinders. I guess this is a small vase. Or, you could put wooden spoons and a whisk in it, and use it in the kitchen.

white clay, dipped in seafoam

My first shallow bowl. I liked the piece, but did a slap-dash job of glazing, unfortunately.

everglade, a painted-on glaze
You can still see the brush marks and thin areas.

This is an oil lamp. You run a piece of wick through the [unglazed] ball at the top. You have to glaze your piece inside and out, including the bottom, or else the oil leaks out. This is blue rutile again, but dipped into a clear glaze to prevent leakage.

The color isn't exactly what I had envisioned, but I like it. The ball is too big; I need to sand or grind it down some so that it fits better.

I've got another "narrow-neck" piece that I was making to be a dispenser for lotion or liquid soap, but it is too small, so I guess I will make another oil lamp.

Our last project was a teapot. Last night, we attached the handles and spouts, and I must say, I think mine is pretty cute. I was dreading the "lidded vessel" part of teapot-making, since my first one, in my first class, was so terrible. The teapots are on the shelf, drying and awaiting bisque firing. I have been taking pictures throughout this process, and when it is all done, will show you the series. I am really debating the glazing process, as I don't want to screw it up after all the work I have put into it.