Firing The Groundhog Kiln (cont)

Here are a few pictures of the firing of the groundhog kiln at the NC Pottey Center by David Garner of Turn and Burn Pottery.


David talking to Ethan and Ryan

Groundhog Kiln - Seagrove, NC

Me and the boys went to Seagrove this past Saturday to vist our good friend David Garner as he fired the Groundhog kiln at the NC Pottery Center. Ethan and Ryan had a good time and got to put some salt in the kiln for the salt glaze.

Until next time

Wayne, "The Unknown Potter"

SMOKEY, GOING, GOING, GONE

Smokey was auctioned this week for the Fallen Firefighters Association and sold for $70.00. I would like for him to have sold for more but even at that it went to a goofd cause. I was not quite satisfied how he turned out but it seemed that everyone was at NC Forestery Service and so was my Sister-in-law. So I suppose that is what counts.

I have a few other pieces that I finished but do not have any pictures of them yet. Will try to get some and upload them in the next day or two.

My ebay auctions are doing pretty good and slowly are moving up in price. I hope that as I sell more and more that I get known and more people will want some of my works. All for now.

Wayne <><

Catch Up

Well it has been a while since my last post. No pictures in this one just a little rant and rave. Well as for pottery and all else this past week has not been great. I made a Rat face jug for the OTC Challenge and went to bisque fire on Friday along with some other work and did not pay attention and let the kiln get to hot to fast and lost the Rat. His whole nose blew off. Fortunately I did not lose anything else. I think another thing that contributed to it is that I let the jug get a little to dry before I started working on it.

Then Saturday brought about other troubles. We went to Mickey D's and my truck knocked off as I pulled in the drive. Managed to get it in a space with Ethans help driving and me pushing. After we ate I went back out and tried to see if it would start with not luck. So went back in while everyone else finished eating. Well, I had resolved to having to call a tow truck when my lovely wife said to try it one more time. Would you know it started. Straight home I headed. Well about a mile to go and would you know it stopped again. So waited about 30 minutes and no luck. I called my brother and we went to pull it home. Got it home and out of a "just to see" told Ryan to try it and guess what, it started. I think it may be the fuel pump but not sure. Will get it checked out sometime in the week of so.

Then to top all thing pottery off, my sister-in-law called last night and asked did I have Smokey ready. No, not yet. Well, I need it Thursday. OH, KNOW. So at 10pm last night I put him in the kiln for bisque and finished about 3:30 am. Plans are to to the glaze fire tonight.

Well I think that is all for now. As soon as I get him glazed and fired I will post a picture.

Until then,
Wayne <><

ONLY YOU, SMOKEY

It has been a busy weekend but I did manage to do a little work in clay. My sister-in-law asked if I would make something and donated it for a charity auction (Fallen Firefighters Association) that she is doing at work NC Forest Service. The only thing is the auction is in the middle of June so I did not know if I would have time to get it finished. So I had some time yesterday and went to work on it and at the suggestion of my lovely wife started trying to make a Smokey The Bear. Well here is how it turned out.

I think he turned out ok but the only concern that I have is if I can get him dry and fired in time for the auction. Just in case I have one of my other jugs on stand-by to give. Once it is fired, I will post a picture of how it turns out.

Here is one more picture without the hat.

Until next time.

Wayne <><
"The Unknown Potter"

YOU GUEST IT, MORE FACE JUGS

I managed to bisque fire on Friday and also glaze fire Saturday. In all I fired eight face jugs, one bird house and four bowls for Ryan. I only had one that was not salvagable. I had a horn come off one and bumped the bird house and stick. I am going to try and heat the bird house with a tourch at that spot and try to get the horn off. It is only hold by a small spot. Let you know how it goes, when I get to it.

Here is some of the pieces.

Spike 6 inches

Ghost Devil 8 inches

Monkey 5 1/2 inches

Yellow Mini 3 1/2 inches

Moore Town Mad 7 1/2 inches

Snake Face 6 inches

Blue Eyes 7 inches

Hope you enjoy them. Check ebay for them soon. http://tiny.cc/aEg8E

Thanks

Wayne <><
"The Unknow Potter"

I SMELL YOU KITTY

I finished up a jug that I started a couple nights ago. He had a nose job and it did not go well.

I then decided to do something a little different and it turned out to be a cat. I think he looks pretty good and it is just not the same old face jug. Also he was alot quicker to finish. As you can see he only has two teeth so this saves lots of time.

Off work tomorrow and plan on getting up early and get the kiln loaded and do a bisque firing. I have about six jugs to fire and also some bowls that Ryan has made. I friend of Debbie's wanted him to make her a bowl so he made about five or six so that she would have several to chose from. If all goes well I plan on doing a glaze firing Saturday or Monday.

I put a add on to the blog to subscribe to it. Also leave comments about what you think about my work and how you like the pieces.

Later

Wayne <><

"The Unknown Potter"

SOLD

Ryan sold his first pot on ebay. It only sold for $9.99 but he is very excited and happy about it. So much that he had some others that he wanted to list. I got them listed last night and they already have some people that are watching them.

Check them out at http://myworld.ebay.com/ncfacejugs/

I also sold the Gargoyle jug. It looked as if it was not going to sale but I had a last minute bidder and now it will be off to a good home.

I hope to fire the kiln this weekend. I have some pieces that need to be bisqued. Then hopefully I can do a glaze firing on Monday.

Later
Wayne <><
"The Unknown Potter"

Monday, Monday

I have deglected the blog for a few days but it has been very hectic around here. Our Church had a fund raiser with a BBQ Chicken plate sale and most of my weekend was taken with that and then Sunday was time for Church and rest.

Got home today and had to fix the boys and me some dinner for a boys night in. Debbie had to go to a friends college graduation (Way to go Lisa). After our quick meal I cleaned up the basement a little to make room for more work as I am running out of room.

Then to finishing the last jug I started on with some green slip. Here is a picture.

Also here is one of the monkey face with slip with the latest.

Until next time.

Wayne <><
"The Unknow Potter"

FACEJUGS, FACEJUGS AND MORE FACEJUGS

I got a chance to get down and finish a jug that I started last night. I had him about finished when I decided to put the mohawk horns on him. So another one down. Here is a few pictures of him. Also the last picture is of one that came out of the kiln and I put on ebay. He is about 4 inches. If you are interested in it go to ebay and make a bid.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=220413138499

Until next time,
Wayne <><
"The Unknown Potter"

Firing Results, Oh My!

I finally got the glaze firing done on Saturday or should I say Sunday morning at around 2:00 am. Even though I ran out of gas just as I got to temp, so I was unsure how the results would be. I went out Sunday to find what I thought would be. The pieces on the top shelf to not get to temp but the bottom did. Even with that I had a few pieces that did ok and some that the glaze started to melt but not long enough. They come out with a sort of matt finish. Well you win some and you lose some. O am going to try and put a few of the pieces in future firings and see how they do.

Here is one of my jugs that turned out ok. It is a small one about 4 1/2 inches.

Here is two of Ryan's

Until next time.

Wayne <><

"The Unknown Potter"

Converted Kiln

I got up this morning and got the kiln started at about 7am. When I first made my little kiln conversion, I had trouble getting the heat up. I could only get it to around 1400 F and it would stall. So I made a few changes and bingo.

I put three bricks up to divert the heat and slow its movement around the kiln and keep it from going straight up and out.

The arrow show the movement of the heat on the first picture and the second one is with the kaowool top on it. I also added a row of bricks to make it a little taller. I have two shelves so I cannot do alot at one time but at least I have a kiln

As you can see it is not fancy, but it does get the job done. I can get a bisque firing done in about 8 hours and a glaze firing in about 10 to 12.

I hope that tomorrow I can get a glaze firing done, but not sure if I will be able to get it in the schedule. Have to take the boys to help with a Scout project and then to a birthday party afterward. If I do manage to get home it time, it will have to be a late firing. That is one disadvantage of not have a electric kiln with controls, I have to baby sit it the whole time.

Until next time

Wayne, <><

"The Unkown Potter"

Just Another Devil

Got home from work today and was very tired but still manged to get down to the basement and work on another jug. This one is the largest one to date that I have done. I ran out of teeth and had to make one and put it in wet. I currently make the teeth ahead of time and let them dry which makes it alot faster and easier. I cannot take credit for coming up with the trick, I learned it from Don Dahline on a Youtube video of him making a face cup.

Before I started on the jug, I took a few minutes and loaded the kiln to do a bisque firing tomorrow. I use a electrict kiln that I converted to gas, so I have to watch and adjust it while it fires. Mybe one day I will get my electric kiln wired and going.

Here is a picture of the kiln as I was unloading the last glaze firing. Not much but it does get the job done.

Until next time

Wayne <><

"The Unknown Potter"

Monkey Face

OK, I got time to finish up jug #10 last night. When I got home tonight, I went down to the basement to work on some and when I looked at the finished one from last night the first thing I thought was that it look like a monkey. What do you think.

I also have a few others to show you. Hope to get a bisque firing done on Friday.

See Ya
Wayne
"The Unknown Potter"

Ebay Auction Results

OK, Well my first auctions ended on Ebay with two items selling.  

 

Lizard Head and Blue Devil Jug, selling at $29.99 and $24.99 respectively.  Not the fortune that I was hoping but you have to start somewhere.  I also had a Green Devil Face Jug that did not get any bids.  I believe because I made it with one horn broke (on purpose) and maybe some thought that it was broke.  Well, no matter, I will just keep it for now.
 

I hope to get a bisque firing and glaze firing done this weekend and put some more up to sell starting Monday.

 

Wayne <><

"The Unknown Potter"

Jeremiah 18: 2-6

 

David Garner of Seagrove

David Garner is a good friend of mine and also a Master Potter, as far as I am concerned. I have learned lots from him and he is always willing to help up and coming potters out. Here is a video that I did with him. Check his work out at www.turnandburnpottery.com

Wayne
The Unknown Potter

Facejugs on ebay

I have long been a seller on ebay.  I have sold everything from print magazine advertisements to cars.  And by doing so have had pretty good luck.  So now that I am starting to try and sell my pottery, naturally I thought I would try and sell them on Ebay.  I listed my first pieces Monday, April 27 and here 7 days later I have opening bids on two of the three that I listed.  So not too bad but the prices at this point are not going up like I would like.  Well we sill see as the last few hours tick by for the auction.  Even if it does not go above the $24.99 price that it's currently at I cannot complain since this is my first pieces from an unknown.

 

If you would like to check out my work on ebay go to http://myworld.ebay.com/ncfacejugs/

  
 

Wayne, The Unknown Potter

Ryan Turning on the wheel

Her is my youngest son Ryan turning on the wheel. He is doing quite well for a 10 year old