tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22612292791400516322024-03-12T22:47:11.472-06:00days with clayheidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-65358024427925721462010-10-26T09:15:00.002-06:002010-10-26T09:31:24.006-06:00what to do...what to do.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWEtTqVtLZ-O4A3vZCyV8MV8Vu8L_3pHWmIMAH-h0nMDNESTXX61EyMip5kIZLVnvvf8pNB3soqWGppZxg9vBh72fxAjyk5JvaD4k-qqY9gzwk8qcUmOqKxAMwAPadXXwJvspVNwQTQw/s1600/fall+list.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWEtTqVtLZ-O4A3vZCyV8MV8Vu8L_3pHWmIMAH-h0nMDNESTXX61EyMip5kIZLVnvvf8pNB3soqWGppZxg9vBh72fxAjyk5JvaD4k-qqY9gzwk8qcUmOqKxAMwAPadXXwJvspVNwQTQw/s320/fall+list.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532374079132422866" /></a><br /><br /><br />the list for the holiday pottery making season...one dish set and a couple of special orders to take care of and then off and running. i love lists. i break items up into chunks so i don't make 40 of one thing at a time- i prefer sets of 10 even though i don't get into much of a groove with such a small number. i know potters who make dozens of the same form at a time and enjoy the zen-ness of repetition. not so much for me..a little a.d.d in that department. <br /><br />at this point, i'm not participating in any holiday art events...just retail sales for now. it was a great summer for pottery buying and i hope that the 'handmade revolution' carries on through the holidays. i have definitely sensed a shift--more consumers are choosing local and handmade and appreciating the connectivity that choice brings.<br /><br />do your best to buy local and handmade...it will make you happy.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-72069638406715132782010-10-22T09:25:00.008-06:002010-10-22T10:40:19.043-06:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgys6yW8EcHlEwKPU4IcDxF759KtsLpgC_PPOO0oEaspYIwe879W0rdiVCLJ7RfqJnO9u1WMOpJYkPjHraqqBxzc7-EkaB__ctmfiumDZxhQhsK41_GBPUmd-MS8gEqRfKXj3675aDl5kA/s1600/ppm3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgys6yW8EcHlEwKPU4IcDxF759KtsLpgC_PPOO0oEaspYIwe879W0rdiVCLJ7RfqJnO9u1WMOpJYkPjHraqqBxzc7-EkaB__ctmfiumDZxhQhsK41_GBPUmd-MS8gEqRfKXj3675aDl5kA/s320/ppm3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530902828357238258" /></a><br /><br />wow. once again....one hundred blog posts in my mind and nary a word written down. yikes.<br /><br />i just got back from a 2 week roadtrip to minnesota for a gathering of the potters of the prairie and mountain and had a perfect time. loads of hard work and firing a delicious woodkiln (built/owned by <a href="http://eurekapots.com">eureka pots</a>- colleen riley and donovan palmquist) and endless talk of all things clay. along with copious amounts of great food and wine. essentially- a potter girl's version of heaven.<br /><br />as i have blogged about previously...i work alone. always. i am the only one involved in the process of making hh pottery start to finish. the late night kiln tending, broken machines and disappointments are mine to process. i prefer this work environment for the most part but what a joy to share the journey for a stretch.<br /><br />tama (<a href="http://prairiefirepottery.com">prairie fire pottery</a>) and i were commenting while loading the soda kiln late one night how delightfully strange it was to have company and companionship in our normally solo endeavors. to be with people that understand the trials and tribulation and joy of making pottery a career is so comforting. they get it..no explanation required. <br /><br />in addition to colleen, dawn, tama, myself and donovan...the firing of the wood kiln included another 4 clay folk that added an additional layer of experience/approach.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26RN4UxmHuZDTLbwbLiLzFoaSlz10MA-KE8any4x3MHIbBOhDapdFGT65o3BGqMU6KM8W6-BD8HtTkrBYIcslzt-dMxeN1B6hBem5Ds_Hav1gv6Lk1ksmjC12otC5mH79zOZsS7WWxrY/s1600/ppm2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26RN4UxmHuZDTLbwbLiLzFoaSlz10MA-KE8any4x3MHIbBOhDapdFGT65o3BGqMU6KM8W6-BD8HtTkrBYIcslzt-dMxeN1B6hBem5Ds_Hav1gv6Lk1ksmjC12otC5mH79zOZsS7WWxrY/s320/ppm2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530902824710338546" /></a><br /><br />woodfire pots are the result of a team of people and their knowledge, sweat and sometimes blood, nights of lost sleep, high hopes and also well-intentioned misjudgement and folly. each pot holds all of this in its finished form. it is a beautiful and wonderous thing.<br /><br />i am home now, the car is unpacked and most of the pots awaiting new homes. my mind and heart are full and i'm ready to hit it hard for holiday sales.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7geKRj1Y1ce-oK2xGhypOhbc3W-PV0L-b086u9kKatqI0w19qPtzEww_7ax1syaToWwrlWlJVXhsrq-Xxj60erTWQZRUNo4CgvR77NVlVS18jrf2la8_Q2et4GfP1BaH8UsKVSykorlU/s1600/ppm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7geKRj1Y1ce-oK2xGhypOhbc3W-PV0L-b086u9kKatqI0w19qPtzEww_7ax1syaToWwrlWlJVXhsrq-Xxj60erTWQZRUNo4CgvR77NVlVS18jrf2la8_Q2et4GfP1BaH8UsKVSykorlU/s320/ppm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530902821803799826" /></a><br /><br />i wish for everyone a community like this to restore their spirit and fill their soul.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-32964045684415742652010-09-10T20:03:00.003-06:002010-09-10T20:14:04.096-06:00working when it's cold<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnym4hwY4ApQxVGFozDiV5u4zLicvOg_xFvTSAqTpLcnIXO3w1FqCe4Sq4AuiuI-wQAr8Xf323APsAsjQHW-ClMzP5c0iazZZ8yo0Co3mx3awx3NFqXlPDYNXVSGCszBmahuVajxiN1U/s1600/cold.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnym4hwY4ApQxVGFozDiV5u4zLicvOg_xFvTSAqTpLcnIXO3w1FqCe4Sq4AuiuI-wQAr8Xf323APsAsjQHW-ClMzP5c0iazZZ8yo0Co3mx3awx3NFqXlPDYNXVSGCszBmahuVajxiN1U/s320/cold.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515471064142323506" /></a><br /><br />i've heard rumor that it is still hot in parts of the country, but montana...not so much. fall is in the air and although refreshing...can make getting into the shop at night a touch difficult. i hate being cold and am not in the mood (or awake enough) to start a fire. beginning the work day at 5pm (other commitments all day) is tough enough but if it's cold out there....forget it. summer nights are light until 10pm but now it's dark by 8, sigh. tomorrow is a bookstore day (thursdays and saturdays) so my casseroles will have to wait for their bottoms to be rolled and attached.<br /><br />soon the hose will have to be put away which is a sad day for me. all you heat wave folk...send it our way when you're done with it.<br /><br />later.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-58134681519156210732010-09-01T07:32:00.002-06:002010-09-01T07:48:08.334-06:00long studio days<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5HizLiUyM7htwa_wylIbL5-csUKVemYKz0JOYHHIJGH9_P2OnUrp0Wzg3pBF2EblUmQs2kxlKkgjRT_H05rp_HPHRoUR-ut39N85DiZekBTpvlemchzTx8FQGl_AUXQ41_S0Kje9-jY/s1600/today.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5HizLiUyM7htwa_wylIbL5-csUKVemYKz0JOYHHIJGH9_P2OnUrp0Wzg3pBF2EblUmQs2kxlKkgjRT_H05rp_HPHRoUR-ut39N85DiZekBTpvlemchzTx8FQGl_AUXQ41_S0Kje9-jY/s320/today.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511941380613000146" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />big hours in the shop this week. 15 hours in the studio is a super long day for me. i know clay folk who regularly put in those kind of hours but not this potter. i usually work most every day in the shop (and on my 2 bookstore days, i'm either in there before or after or both)..but rarely more than 8 actual hours in the shop with hands in clay. glazing days are always long as are firing (because i'm usually unloading and glazing one last desperate load before i start the kiln).<br /><br />having my shop at home means always having work 75 feet away but also always having home only 75 feet from work. i've found a bit of a happy balance over the last decade, but always tell myself i could be working harder. summers are more challenging to stay in the shop with all of the outdoor weeding, walking, painting, etc.<br /><br />these long, intense days are a great reminder of what is possible though...production wise. i'm off to start my glazing marathon (hoping i can get my load glazed in the next 10 hours so i can start the kiln around 6pm and fire through the night (first time for that).<br /><br />as usual...stay tuned.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-16564143681514544792010-08-30T08:25:00.003-06:002010-08-30T09:00:01.952-06:00new leaf<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmjEyynE6aGsIRB1t0_b7k7_mw9nTwMa7cQLL5lCbhyphenhyphenDWgVuYuNnqLsXcYvTKSaF3ZE3vJYdvvnFHCBT43tdRcyYaioKI8ZGy0mqatvd7RlDEPQB_gNSZxYzcMEGxI-dJLynPQJkj2Go/s1600/quote.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmjEyynE6aGsIRB1t0_b7k7_mw9nTwMa7cQLL5lCbhyphenhyphenDWgVuYuNnqLsXcYvTKSaF3ZE3vJYdvvnFHCBT43tdRcyYaioKI8ZGy0mqatvd7RlDEPQB_gNSZxYzcMEGxI-dJLynPQJkj2Go/s320/quote.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511217190871882146" /></a><br />i have not put word to blog in over 3 months...good grief. i probably think of a topic two or more times a week while working in the shop but then like morning fog..it dissipates, never to be retrieved from the corners of my brain. thus..the new leaf to which i refer.<br /><br />i read a bevy of blogs every day and am always impressed with the clay folk who find the energy/discipline to post frequently so i vow to become more like them. i'm going to make a solid effort to post at least once a week..i know that i've got a lot to say but i often worry that it might be too trivial, but worry no more, i'm putting it out there.<br /><br />i think that being active with my business facebook page also makes me feel like i'm participating in cyberland but blogging is such a different forum than quick fb updates.<br />so...stay tuned and feel free to ask any questions of offer suggestions for blog posts.<br /><br />enjoy your day.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-16845025881038426542010-05-17T09:19:00.006-06:002010-05-19T19:42:51.852-06:00where old pots go to die..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLapRWQx5r0oCNmyjx66ZoNOnmGWrNw05aokRs34upnJ9DJL20CLdFGefvXA6FuFm06MxyVcuXo5AetCS38d-aINDmYpmP_euyA-SXJhfkVVQO6W1fMIDGL0XmGT-y_wchHrRNa4XTPo/s1600/shards.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLapRWQx5r0oCNmyjx66ZoNOnmGWrNw05aokRs34upnJ9DJL20CLdFGefvXA6FuFm06MxyVcuXo5AetCS38d-aINDmYpmP_euyA-SXJhfkVVQO6W1fMIDGL0XmGT-y_wchHrRNa4XTPo/s320/shards.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472259238220923074" /></a><br /><br />The 'tired pot' spot at our house is constantly growing. On any given random flat spot around my shop, you will find pots. Don't ask me what's wrong with them because I will sputter and stammer while pointing out the flaws I see. Maybe just a slight glaze fault that relegates it to the 'seconds shelf' (whenever I get that put together). I don't have the public up here very often (as in strangers)..or said pots would be ditched immediately so as not to explain to people why they cannot buy them. Friends have learned not to ask for the most part...just understand that for some reason...this potter's area propogates pots like bunnies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqe8HHjGHqffAS4PdCmZ6l79X5-jst3IPGjADt7SkRedhrEPalYHkTWEhTRbHs7R0h3Yr8Wwk0r-_GJhmECsCabtABPSUTflv1nsLAcxyG2pJK6GMVCYbTn1uaMSPP4yJAtPaoTmY4eb8/s1600/junk1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqe8HHjGHqffAS4PdCmZ6l79X5-jst3IPGjADt7SkRedhrEPalYHkTWEhTRbHs7R0h3Yr8Wwk0r-_GJhmECsCabtABPSUTflv1nsLAcxyG2pJK6GMVCYbTn1uaMSPP4yJAtPaoTmY4eb8/s320/junk1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473047330699438546" /></a><br /><br />Any massive flaw or crack or pot that stuck to the shelf is automatically smashed into the shard bucket. As I've been learning about new glazes in my reduction kiln...I have filled countless containers. I happily share these shards with eager mosaic folk if they ask. The bucket above is heading to a kitchen in the next town and I have no doubt that they will create something amazing. Often, the shards just end up sitting at the hopeful artist's house...but as long as they are out of my hair--no problem.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV61ysYFW4Be8U5bpOBub34CTOHIjwlBYB4i313y2ySHg1SuSqrlnIf7GJ_J7veMdSONioofqPpmfMGqTNazwG0FMBtZflVWMPu-GODNbEKbfwU7kmv3Xp3hOMOMXxZdfE_EjMi9HR9UA/s1600/junk4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV61ysYFW4Be8U5bpOBub34CTOHIjwlBYB4i313y2ySHg1SuSqrlnIf7GJ_J7veMdSONioofqPpmfMGqTNazwG0FMBtZflVWMPu-GODNbEKbfwU7kmv3Xp3hOMOMXxZdfE_EjMi9HR9UA/s320/junk4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473047709018244754" /></a><br /><br />I aspire to have clean tables and often promise myself to deal with pots as they come out of the kiln. Either to the store, to the customer or to the dump..so far, not so good. Often, I just leave the pots I don't like in the kiln and don't deal with them until the following firing where they get stuck on an overflowing shelf next to my kiln. I give a few of these pots away each month to visitors who are happy to take them home. I often dream of cleaning out every pot in my shop and starting over with empty shelves of the fabulous new work that I will be making :)...stay tuned.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKLtrSXna6vdipur-2c0tLfPt97RtRGpGYFLa4XAZfuWDUeiVbFpkmCYeSg33ZgR2fRIi7hyD71XsD99rYqLUmsvJbebr3TDLxO8DWaxD-rWHxbcQRVgysb-1ezmoyFWkx6drLUyCPg0/s1600/junk2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKLtrSXna6vdipur-2c0tLfPt97RtRGpGYFLa4XAZfuWDUeiVbFpkmCYeSg33ZgR2fRIi7hyD71XsD99rYqLUmsvJbebr3TDLxO8DWaxD-rWHxbcQRVgysb-1ezmoyFWkx6drLUyCPg0/s320/junk2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473047915191901570" /></a>heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-44040009472700221712010-04-27T10:04:00.005-06:002010-04-27T10:47:48.107-06:00spring things<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJfJy3DGZcLShECxMoXTRW9yVhX8gNFVYPogapCynIoYlT5jxhKSIwt8bvttEUDVxq13929ZIZSBoTy7FpPmIsm7LjK5I5Te2DnghVDH1m79KNQaBBl3OpdmHxrBOWODP9uUB5B7eWvQ/s1600/susanfrog.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJfJy3DGZcLShECxMoXTRW9yVhX8gNFVYPogapCynIoYlT5jxhKSIwt8bvttEUDVxq13929ZIZSBoTy7FpPmIsm7LjK5I5Te2DnghVDH1m79KNQaBBl3OpdmHxrBOWODP9uUB5B7eWvQ/s320/susanfrog.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464851315497302034" /></a><br /><br /><br />I love this time of year more than anything. Spring in west glacier is a beautiful thing after the cold and snow of winter. We've been snow free for a couple of weeks now and had quite a beautiful march but now plants are coming up and a few are even blooming.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyiONNPSVkBnEBfC2KzZ2IYde2l6as__bUdqedVY5avqujiYeNG4uQOukt1jqwHzTfwwwYsikMdcAavsniB2_DtQ1JPU6_VTDVaSRKuFN0KnyADoH8SnRkMwojYH_eRD42RoEoIL2qGw/s1600/trill.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyiONNPSVkBnEBfC2KzZ2IYde2l6as__bUdqedVY5avqujiYeNG4uQOukt1jqwHzTfwwwYsikMdcAavsniB2_DtQ1JPU6_VTDVaSRKuFN0KnyADoH8SnRkMwojYH_eRD42RoEoIL2qGw/s320/trill.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464853331467713186" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Pottery-wise, the non-frozen months are just so much easier. The hose laying in front of my shop...ready with fresh water for rinsing and glaze making. No fire in the woodstove to start and stoke...doors open for dogs to meander freely in and out. Outside storage and tables...ooohhhh. good stuff.<br />(the flying frog was made by my dear friend susan nebeker and I love him leaping in my lavender).heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-78113082167949684342010-04-11T22:04:00.004-06:002010-04-11T22:18:16.642-06:00serendipitous potter moment<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfC7QV5Ui0EgQ3Jrcqxb0ns-cs-lHewypBOzfry8EY6QbdwTmsv7ydL_-XOp_8RvAa9NtZe8pQeojLKoocz73Gl0BKjqJdG9z0INnR_T8NdaBdRrvY3lXbHKkV02yYVYW_2P1slPfb_8/s1600/josiemug.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfC7QV5Ui0EgQ3Jrcqxb0ns-cs-lHewypBOzfry8EY6QbdwTmsv7ydL_-XOp_8RvAa9NtZe8pQeojLKoocz73Gl0BKjqJdG9z0INnR_T8NdaBdRrvY3lXbHKkV02yYVYW_2P1slPfb_8/s320/josiemug.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459097354657433010" /></a><br />I was in the Berkeley area last week visiting a friend and crafting my brains out. On my list of things to do was to drop in on the studios of <a href="http://fourthandclay.blogspot.com">"Fourth and Clay"</a> to possibly pick up a piece by christa assad. The universe had a different connection in mind, though. As I spoke with the artist staffing the gallery and looked at her pots, I realized that I had purchased one of her beautiful mugs at a clay conference in Portland about 4 years ago..not knowing the potter, just loving the cup. <br />Leif (husband person) had been chastised for breaking said loved piece over a year ago. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to replace it and to meet the maker who is as lovely as her work.<br />Thanks Josie, it was a pleasure. To visit Josie's blog:<a href="http://josiejurczenia.blogspot.com/">http://josiejurczenia.blogspot.com/</a>heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-9217698984627483142010-03-02T10:46:00.002-07:002010-03-02T10:51:58.958-07:00shifty kiln..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0oPx8vGzLDrCCDAa1UyS7ryeHEhjV2hqds3trjqc09bJ8b8iTI142dRrvsZYXyiBypD1y_UPvNCxze42zrMy75Gr0Et5uVyUAgi3fv5JhaGddq3fAjk1MUEHIYdXFY7kvMkWhdcpsK8/s1600-h/kilncrack2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0oPx8vGzLDrCCDAa1UyS7ryeHEhjV2hqds3trjqc09bJ8b8iTI142dRrvsZYXyiBypD1y_UPvNCxze42zrMy75Gr0Et5uVyUAgi3fv5JhaGddq3fAjk1MUEHIYdXFY7kvMkWhdcpsK8/s320/kilncrack2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444095684236461218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwMPLezcgxTRcgvKgURk7qb7mLfkqButwp9p-fHMvxOZZt2PHDWJ-RDEixDSqKL6TzWZXt4YZmHtrL21sXxfPkXmLLo148Yc91C2ROnj6VrvxGQHHqoIJixJQQ5TDG4KWY0lWEM1zuPw/s1600-h/kiln+crack.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwMPLezcgxTRcgvKgURk7qb7mLfkqButwp9p-fHMvxOZZt2PHDWJ-RDEixDSqKL6TzWZXt4YZmHtrL21sXxfPkXmLLo148Yc91C2ROnj6VrvxGQHHqoIJixJQQ5TDG4KWY0lWEM1zuPw/s320/kiln+crack.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444095674823978594" /></a><br />I have fired my kiln about 15 times now and have really noticed some 'shifting o' the brick'. My frame is welded and bolted to the concrete pad but inevitably...when temperatures are over 2000 degrees f. things are going to move.<br /><br /><br />My reduction has been quite spotty and unpredictable so I decided to stuff any significant spaces with refractory fiber and see if that helps keep the air out..stay tuned, I hope to fire again on Sunday.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-23613083231385457642010-02-25T09:01:00.004-07:002010-02-25T09:17:59.731-07:00one day in the studio...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2YOby39LrI_bdwz6y9Jz-Jq_6spbtYRFS-0lULbQbD7tv34ooeKHyjAjHfVj14FracLjah0H4nPl9FrhXY-k2rc_GObe8GmfRZNviz7JXq97rYyrJwcd6KtfKt_4rcBLeAUcHCLdsMs/s1600-h/studio20.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2YOby39LrI_bdwz6y9Jz-Jq_6spbtYRFS-0lULbQbD7tv34ooeKHyjAjHfVj14FracLjah0H4nPl9FrhXY-k2rc_GObe8GmfRZNviz7JXq97rYyrJwcd6KtfKt_4rcBLeAUcHCLdsMs/s320/studio20.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442216044462915010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPzgFTsY-BMhTTnBEHut6km-4Se4w5qBqjLyYChtJESIoybT5HqL3wx8nyIR2ygI8ZR6gPYcgY1s2i1PqRhwFHFIkLh6ALSxOMNVg6W1vC51nTmL-nqoUKVYbXpPVIrYHt5Aprsy_5Nk/s1600-h/studio19.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPzgFTsY-BMhTTnBEHut6km-4Se4w5qBqjLyYChtJESIoybT5HqL3wx8nyIR2ygI8ZR6gPYcgY1s2i1PqRhwFHFIkLh6ALSxOMNVg6W1vC51nTmL-nqoUKVYbXpPVIrYHt5Aprsy_5Nk/s320/studio19.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442216029931047522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7FDQb779DI3jP-OFISjqYHUtaAMFHQ5rqXZtsLTYJ1NYMXMLH8MJNG8DRkc8dMlCLPKf7Bm_ebBhKP6qdO5Q5J0pkHCEGnk6vkzu7Fz2v1csRf6U9yWzqzBJ6QJ_WIAhyphenhyphen1682mGfA4I/s1600-h/studio18.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7FDQb779DI3jP-OFISjqYHUtaAMFHQ5rqXZtsLTYJ1NYMXMLH8MJNG8DRkc8dMlCLPKf7Bm_ebBhKP6qdO5Q5J0pkHCEGnk6vkzu7Fz2v1csRf6U9yWzqzBJ6QJ_WIAhyphenhyphen1682mGfA4I/s320/studio18.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442216020950279762" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MmAIm03AylPlcoLcactBpDh72mcZAbf2IBJpFNzq4Hm72U5ggpqnrLDO-fw-0AdJbM7GszBxUtIV3SjWYcNa1YupXhxnEot5RyC75BQvxF_SH2XmVdUo7C9iML5j1O-Iwf5ln2qxPNU/s1600-h/studio17.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MmAIm03AylPlcoLcactBpDh72mcZAbf2IBJpFNzq4Hm72U5ggpqnrLDO-fw-0AdJbM7GszBxUtIV3SjWYcNa1YupXhxnEot5RyC75BQvxF_SH2XmVdUo7C9iML5j1O-Iwf5ln2qxPNU/s320/studio17.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442216012653703938" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsoaJVfjxHaQzgR6Icb7jJPyRXT8BExrK-W0T3oMUSN2rbg0qF4yi7a1yQWFH1AejpQqRDfQEv__DyxjEL4KmymVmR8Fpj5zSpo5t0kUALI4gH-SuULQMZYTLDX4utwkdzqxsW-y6xLo/s1600-h/studio16.jpg"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4o49IW_esVQJHseeThJRcN7Lw8CEFgsy2gRAJ1orlydNLM0WaxwqF00oeeMZAFxMge21Yuyxltqx2uO3o5yEzkHRbKUBr0AKYTyVosxGEvjxfRKTtO0Av5vL_5VcwqppobLHATpyddlM/s320/studio6.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442213234907339858" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNQKpUuw_vRxTxULEzE9iz4_PRdDiC7Qh-3bmJ59-6KvjakZx5VSG029UEzoXs-_JcmX8ThAwwtqwBrU3dlNnRsFR6N58AyFYQXYK0WylSzuN4KLeRfjWNjHYAU9GOndm2y-pOV2B5NY/s1600-h/studio5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNQKpUuw_vRxTxULEzE9iz4_PRdDiC7Qh-3bmJ59-6KvjakZx5VSG029UEzoXs-_JcmX8ThAwwtqwBrU3dlNnRsFR6N58AyFYQXYK0WylSzuN4KLeRfjWNjHYAU9GOndm2y-pOV2B5NY/s320/studio5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442212696256048402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsGYcT6Gx2g5-kZn0y63bZBsshzS7ne85MMfeWDaF46-K_tvM_GoUM-u_NpywLTRCgLy-RqUV68hisobdF-mkCQMHm4hllvFzv5V6pHgi9s-eSjzdrSd_m0GEhcG0YOMsp57mExLKNe8/s1600-h/studio4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsGYcT6Gx2g5-kZn0y63bZBsshzS7ne85MMfeWDaF46-K_tvM_GoUM-u_NpywLTRCgLy-RqUV68hisobdF-mkCQMHm4hllvFzv5V6pHgi9s-eSjzdrSd_m0GEhcG0YOMsp57mExLKNe8/s320/studio4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442212687699638162" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsmrt6ztBUJ5cX1zLGekzUWcyX_MvKpGQDqT4vjXDXOBQ5oPVsIpGVP_rS6ocHRbosYqcupAYwySTIJ89rASoBU9uZCS5-oaDKTCoOJyfnEesRReYLYmhM9_qb69nuK8-vF7ruINhW6k/s1600-h/studio3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsmrt6ztBUJ5cX1zLGekzUWcyX_MvKpGQDqT4vjXDXOBQ5oPVsIpGVP_rS6ocHRbosYqcupAYwySTIJ89rASoBU9uZCS5-oaDKTCoOJyfnEesRReYLYmhM9_qb69nuK8-vF7ruINhW6k/s320/studio3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442212676547450946" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_x4g1Mb3-neOwLISJrdq0nOEYWiy1ZGtWTISx83Wk5UcX3AuKoU6bQjf2vSYRkoOzw8l0wEuHZ-0lFWAYDrRMnagA0-eldtlcIVch3T_TKERvAXDbECNq9CS-qXDI0b8aUty9GL2PJ8I/s1600-h/studio2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_x4g1Mb3-neOwLISJrdq0nOEYWiy1ZGtWTISx83Wk5UcX3AuKoU6bQjf2vSYRkoOzw8l0wEuHZ-0lFWAYDrRMnagA0-eldtlcIVch3T_TKERvAXDbECNq9CS-qXDI0b8aUty9GL2PJ8I/s320/studio2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442212669535592946" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKmOmUd7ZSQXFT2pbPQ_9FI1B53pam7hf_lg_wDv3GQMO2toXMK_DgKVige1xRyr3xpuzh1mU_XA4-dA8emdASWaknQ2JkmaVMfNFM4c7FLQFNIZmYU3POIUsQnJvaCZsFqOg5Jr20kw/s1600-h/studio1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKmOmUd7ZSQXFT2pbPQ_9FI1B53pam7hf_lg_wDv3GQMO2toXMK_DgKVige1xRyr3xpuzh1mU_XA4-dA8emdASWaknQ2JkmaVMfNFM4c7FLQFNIZmYU3POIUsQnJvaCZsFqOg5Jr20kw/s320/studio1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442212663265275282" /></a>heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-91076666291203294372010-01-05T21:44:00.008-07:002010-01-19T10:34:57.294-07:00the conundrum that is the special order...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Txss78QD6uj_bCxzUOMHVW3OZaepaCBXm_vkgK1X4Ja-tbmNk4UH5AgJkRfNvYOjP-iuYQtk1UdjazVFeqWbqovhse4oPDacP304XJEtfAWbgyJOgCEgQy0rhrwvY_eWdjVC_PZeFEk/s1600-h/sq.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Txss78QD6uj_bCxzUOMHVW3OZaepaCBXm_vkgK1X4Ja-tbmNk4UH5AgJkRfNvYOjP-iuYQtk1UdjazVFeqWbqovhse4oPDacP304XJEtfAWbgyJOgCEgQy0rhrwvY_eWdjVC_PZeFEk/s320/sq.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428505392519963042" /></a><br />I've long considered writing about clay folk and special/custom orders but it is a vast and controversial topic for artists and i just haven't been up the task. As another year dawns, though..the time has come to flesh out my thoughts a bit. This is a touch like a school assignment for me but I'll get through :)<br /><br />I have said yes to the majority of special order requests over the last decade...most of which were items that fell well within my abilities/product line. I've made dozens of dinnerware sets..wedding platters..pasta plates..etc and mugs, mugs, mugs. I have worked hard to make people happy and have been fairly compensated for said products.<br /><br />Along the way, I have had orders that have spawned new ideas/color combinations that I have incorporated into my everyday pots. Ideas that may never have surfaced if I had not taken that particular commission.<br /><br />I know artists who covet the custom order...love to have them backed up for a year-guaranteed income and whatnot. Some of them believe that it is the best way to grow their business. In my opinion...these are often the more 'left hemisphered' people who are organized and timely with the rest of their lives and carry that over to their business. It is the way it should be...art as business is a damn serious operation and if you care to succeed...take note. That said...being serious and somewhat organized in our approach does not necessarily mean that we have to take on every order. <br /><br />There is a difference between a 'custom order'and just an order for a said number of pots that I already make on a regular basis. For some reason...I classify them all in the 'special order' category. I believe that I need to change my thinking on this. In my head....they all weigh the same. Somebody waiting for me to make something that will inevitably take 3 tries (even if it is something I make all the time) and will probably take longer than I told them and cause me loads of guilt and often sheepish explanations. <br />I hate having to call people and tell them that their order bubbled, warped, cracked, or had kiln gropple fall on it. I always go into too much detail with tech talk that they don't understand and frankly are not interested in hearing. One thing that I have learned is that people are soooo nice. It doesn't make me feel any less guilt over taking too long but it is definitely the rare customer who raises a stink. I was mentioning to a friend the other day that maybe it would be easier if someone would just grab me and shake me and yell.<br /><br />I'm really not a 'debbie downer' in general, but the special order is just tough for me..always has been. I'm sure that all mediums have their downfalls but pots usually have a turn around time of at least a week and a half. Sometimes I wish I worked with fabric or paint where I could immediately alter the piece as opposed to starting completely over. In my opinion..clay is only for the eternal optimist. You have to be a 'chin up' kind of soul to carry on with pottery. I believe the hurdle for me is starting the order immediately. My optimistic side often underestimates the time required to make said piece so I don't start it right away. Am I capable of changing my approach? I've been at this 10 years now...I'm thinking it's just not my forte. or is it that i need to work harder...get more organized? (I'm guessing the answer to that it yes) but do I have to? or can I run my business by carrying a substantial and varied selection on the shelf ready to go but not take the 'special order' i really don't have the answer. I am considering making this the year of no orders...maybe requests but no hard deadlines for one and two pieces. <br />Just keep my shelves full of options.<br /> <br />Having written the above over a week ago, I have been completely unable to say no to several more orders...napkin rings (with names..) for a great customer who definitely holds the record for largest dinnerware order. (how could I say no?) The January income could use the boost as well.. SIGH. After much rambling, I have a touch more clarity I suppose..I would love to hear how others approach this.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-51591419310250151962009-12-29T09:11:00.005-07:002009-12-29T09:38:28.540-07:00guests in the shop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepP54NHlAqo8H4RJy985rSBBFuvYhiDmgg0lcPIHxUlRDCiSTw_lmu-l5irrG-lYTPEqNyjcZLHs-5vexc2h-IREcObvR9wQFQA4hTdGoe6PGvqO01SHLFqdBVjLjUTDi4J9QwBs2BIg/s1600-h/greer2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepP54NHlAqo8H4RJy985rSBBFuvYhiDmgg0lcPIHxUlRDCiSTw_lmu-l5irrG-lYTPEqNyjcZLHs-5vexc2h-IREcObvR9wQFQA4hTdGoe6PGvqO01SHLFqdBVjLjUTDi4J9QwBs2BIg/s320/greer2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420694333814429842" /></a><br /><br /><br />I often throw out an invitation to those people who express an interest in making something out of clay. not necessarily coming up for "lessons"...just a simple project they had in mind.<br /><br />a couple of weeks ago while working at the bookstore with my friend greer...i commented on her clay pendant and then carried on to say that if she was interested in making them...it could be a pretty simple project. being 23...done with college, light on the domestic obligations and pretty ambitious.. she got right to work.<br /><br />instead of using my stamps/texture objects...she borrowed my lino cutter and picked up some pink erasers and after querying her friends about their 'spirit animals' proceeded to carve a load of beautiful rubber stamps.<br /><br />when she arrived here...we rolled out a slab and she got to work....and did a mighty fine job.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbI_hEKE4-HFwqezGViZQJyLZSlk_pYwE6hBwIeEfw4mCmPF3dtTJkRxCNMlGk-PQk0Mk-QUn02EeRYLGA2D1FLKlgIkXpK21zOVCO8Mhyphenhyphen78zjznYD3vAJb4AjjUdd0APE1MLabJ0ijQ/s1600-h/greerstamps.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbI_hEKE4-HFwqezGViZQJyLZSlk_pYwE6hBwIeEfw4mCmPF3dtTJkRxCNMlGk-PQk0Mk-QUn02EeRYLGA2D1FLKlgIkXpK21zOVCO8Mhyphenhyphen78zjznYD3vAJb4AjjUdd0APE1MLabJ0ijQ/s320/greerstamps.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420691964830922962" /></a><br /><br />it's always fun and a little strange to have someone in the shop working alongside me. how nice to be able to chat a bit with a person instead of the dogs. i usually have on just music or a book on tape or a tv show. leif rarely visits the studio for more than a few minutes...i'm not sure why. i'm considering removing a work table and putting in a small couch but that might facilitate entirely too much relaxing and cat nap taking and daydreaming. we'll see.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-79781208141677123752009-12-02T22:39:00.003-07:002009-12-03T09:11:16.188-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwTNWLx3jBE5zQNZmqbZ-n90K8iDbIt2-2ImE12gvlgc4jRL4JEDOgWKHguewjod0nmaRpdocPLjaq3Ds0Xk_89AbG8i-MBW4l8-_W01iKYM5QZH6VCvW0Yl1ZIZGsxcFFLObWVbFUNc/s1600-h/trim+mess.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwTNWLx3jBE5zQNZmqbZ-n90K8iDbIt2-2ImE12gvlgc4jRL4JEDOgWKHguewjod0nmaRpdocPLjaq3Ds0Xk_89AbG8i-MBW4l8-_W01iKYM5QZH6VCvW0Yl1ZIZGsxcFFLObWVbFUNc/s320/trim+mess.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411043170660520898" /></a><br />This time of year the studio starts getting stacked up with finished pots, pots that didn't quite work out, freshly thrown ware, dried work and general clay mess. Tea mugs and wine glasses and snack plates don't make it back to the kitchen at the end of the day.<br /><br />Slop buckets get backed up as I fall behind with clay recycling and this is the season for knocking things over in the shop because it's just too cluttered.<br /><br />I also notice that the stacks of misc. in the house get bigger and dishes linger near the sink longer. This morning I realized that I have subconsciously been avoiding work emails and phone messages..hmmmm. I am a firm believer that chaos breeds more chaos, like a bad virus.<br /><br />So..back to scheduling 101 for the next 3 weeks. Get the monkey off my back and the boxes that I "cleaned" out of the closet either back into the closet or off to the goodwill. I straightened up in the studio yesterday for an hour and got my floor clean the way I like it. I work better when I'm not surrounded by mess but that is difficult right now.<br /><br />I adore the holiday season in general but work wise it can make me a little nauseous.<br /><br />May the force be with all of you "makers of things" with orders to fill and shelves to stock.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-14350756412552396912009-11-11T10:05:00.004-07:002009-11-11T10:28:52.765-07:00crocks r us<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBvhlrQNdoF7W5IYhZtAPiL3wKLlHciCx5HOSB0kOCjuySnLGVhniaW0_nSWDQwt_Nd1OgRGFm_k4Lxruyu7k2OiK-V5LjFF-7xSWJ-ApegkSk5PgmojTCOEWXJ7yCN6IddhN-KqyUjA/s1600-h/crock2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBvhlrQNdoF7W5IYhZtAPiL3wKLlHciCx5HOSB0kOCjuySnLGVhniaW0_nSWDQwt_Nd1OgRGFm_k4Lxruyu7k2OiK-V5LjFF-7xSWJ-ApegkSk5PgmojTCOEWXJ7yCN6IddhN-KqyUjA/s320/crock2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402893968990698946" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFscmGi88VUuMdG7LZpqSKHVjZzuNyTLM168-vU2Du3fw_jBzkIMcsStaB3ZfarG5MJNS_ctf0NGxl-sOucX7kOH_7f7moC1Jbppun0zQ8Y1tke3pKl2sbghE-9t5Tu6Sgi8FLp87E-SM/s1600-h/crocks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFscmGi88VUuMdG7LZpqSKHVjZzuNyTLM168-vU2Du3fw_jBzkIMcsStaB3ZfarG5MJNS_ctf0NGxl-sOucX7kOH_7f7moC1Jbppun0zQ8Y1tke3pKl2sbghE-9t5Tu6Sgi8FLp87E-SM/s320/crocks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402893599697817410" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExQ3z8Wo4DN0jiW3gqCWxDfL5-qmzHcsFI3Y8iFyg3og1uS1F1eiGRvOrVgpJ-zxYDzbe-ErcVEz9qAfCg8hABdi8yawQJaim_x9_LN961Ls2CTh9DoOcL3wpV6Qp0YkLr9IvcWCJ_VQ/s1600-h/crock3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExQ3z8Wo4DN0jiW3gqCWxDfL5-qmzHcsFI3Y8iFyg3og1uS1F1eiGRvOrVgpJ-zxYDzbe-ErcVEz9qAfCg8hABdi8yawQJaim_x9_LN961Ls2CTh9DoOcL3wpV6Qp0YkLr9IvcWCJ_VQ/s320/crock3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402893587095734610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm loving the crock/giant vase making. I do have to pay close attention in order to get the handles on before the rims dry out but they seem to have survived. I hope to put some of these in my etsy shop if anyone is interested. I seem to be having a difficult time keeping the store up to date and stocked with pictures and descriptions. ...it's been added to the list.<br /><br />Holiday production is under way as well as wedding registry roundup. I also took my first wholesale order yesterday which seems like it will work out well. It's just 48 mugs for a local coffee roaster to sell at their 4 valley locations so nothing crazy. They will let me put my business cards in the mugs so that will be great. Now, to get them made asap.<br /><br />I also made an urn for my Grandma Betty who passed away on Friday. I'm so happy to be able to do this for her. I would love to keep a nice selection of cremation urns available. The funeral homes just take grieving folks for a ride with their selection....ridiculously overpriced.<br /><br />I'm off to glaze pots for the day and grind shelves from the last firing and mix up new glazes. I hope to fire on Sunday and then again on Thursday.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-71182632425925779432009-10-19T09:48:00.007-06:002009-10-19T10:28:32.640-06:00snug as a pug....or something like that.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15HV8qiAFA67d55k1oV7j_R0LkWhEf8-czQ6RTD4TMidCDN-oC2Mh8qt5gWU0aVaA7CCirHyzLkRFtZduXYAHPoiz4C0LVATjiz0ZFSKL1dRRxnU1GkfgVoqW-auJ-9y-4mq1w-hAdG8/s1600-h/pug1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15HV8qiAFA67d55k1oV7j_R0LkWhEf8-czQ6RTD4TMidCDN-oC2Mh8qt5gWU0aVaA7CCirHyzLkRFtZduXYAHPoiz4C0LVATjiz0ZFSKL1dRRxnU1GkfgVoqW-auJ-9y-4mq1w-hAdG8/s320/pug1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394341905296873810" border="0" /></a>I've been anxiously awaiting the end of my scrap buckets of cone 6 stoneware so that I could completely clean all of the red clay out of my pugmill and start processing the scrap from my new high fire porcelain and stoneware. Thursday was that day. Of course I had 19 other things that I probably should have been working on but when duty calls....<br /><br />I bought my Venco de-airing pugmill about 8 years ago I think. It's one of those luxuries that some potters afford themselves to recycle clay and in some cases...avoid wedging. (kneading the clay to get the air bubbles out). I treated myself because it was in the "pre-mortgage" glory days of extra money. I think it was about $2300 or so. Since I had it apart, I thought some of you might be interested in how it works (or not.) I'm a bit of a machine freak so I love this stuff. I usually take it apart about twice a year to clean out the screen which ends up full of gravel bits, sponge parts, earrings, etc. It usually takes a little over 2 hours and involves bleeding knuckles.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSLZqRU70Ft9Ftl9Xv6Vj0PfHz1H2fyfv9jTFrk59TVBvOT2cTxM-o38_OgUzCDByIBrLrvU6VtLzlgFAqRQjcSyHKUZdO3wdNrLqXDMYmCTVjTpaH-r9PRktaTj_m9pgURuA5kQg32k/s1600-h/pug6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSLZqRU70Ft9Ftl9Xv6Vj0PfHz1H2fyfv9jTFrk59TVBvOT2cTxM-o38_OgUzCDByIBrLrvU6VtLzlgFAqRQjcSyHKUZdO3wdNrLqXDMYmCTVjTpaH-r9PRktaTj_m9pgURuA5kQg32k/s320/pug6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394340467938642914" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIvYjTRbPiYql2wyzVb3oa8asyZh7x-uwH1Go2HyaD8UL5b7XDb9KBt30_ZDJZOT_SVzj4PtComnymot4gaq7ttq8TtJKc5UpahFP1A1jBQRlPoqCgQvzihwvrHHKP24aYj_zQ_vb6Wk/s1600-h/pug5.jpg"><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIvYjTRbPiYql2wyzVb3oa8asyZh7x-uwH1Go2HyaD8UL5b7XDb9KBt30_ZDJZOT_SVzj4PtComnymot4gaq7ttq8TtJKc5UpahFP1A1jBQRlPoqCgQvzihwvrHHKP24aYj_zQ_vb6Wk/s320/pug5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394340456358924226" border="0" /></a>After my slurry has dried for a week in a plaster tray (<a href="http://heidihaugenpottery.blogspot.com/2009/03/clay-management.html">see 'clay management</a>) it is fed through this hopper in tennis ball sized chunks. This screen catches any big items (needle tool) that may have fallen into the slop bucket.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdNoCQGU9sejSyZkwPsfJ6nuDpi4zNw3uexwBEwb9rv7tKeVVJpmFQ8YHCsYm_ySJUOEk3tG0TRs8HsaBu2Js6MiKi9aDVelEMjjR9ma-ux-IZxbvOlRvZ50uwFuCxYpPQzvgGlJhFLM/s1600-h/pug3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdNoCQGU9sejSyZkwPsfJ6nuDpi4zNw3uexwBEwb9rv7tKeVVJpmFQ8YHCsYm_ySJUOEk3tG0TRs8HsaBu2Js6MiKi9aDVelEMjjR9ma-ux-IZxbvOlRvZ50uwFuCxYpPQzvgGlJhFLM/s320/pug3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394339956308556978" border="0" /></a><br />It then passed into the auger chute and through this smaller screen which catches the bits of gravel chunks, etc. It then continues through the auger where the vacuum pump attaches and sucks out all of the air so there are no bubbles in the finished clay (that's a good thing).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4CRcw87xwGOPe_Sf7SjIVZJuM4_FUykWb-yyutu4tGQiJS9fyInmLx6lD08GN-tzt2w1z5wRC_Oxd0kXtBenBghzLuvc2VH0FNTGFUmJBteRUMZQe3cWgV3h2M186FLCmsVFfdABK9o/s1600-h/pug2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4CRcw87xwGOPe_Sf7SjIVZJuM4_FUykWb-yyutu4tGQiJS9fyInmLx6lD08GN-tzt2w1z5wRC_Oxd0kXtBenBghzLuvc2VH0FNTGFUmJBteRUMZQe3cWgV3h2M186FLCmsVFfdABK9o/s320/pug2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394340429507418306" border="0" /></a>I've had some trouble with the old gasket leaking a bit so I pulled it out last year and now each time I crack open the barrel, I reseal it with this goopy gasket product that seems to do the trick.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqjEOvUNtfwa5Wi1oW5vATmtY0JFLLhuh1SZx6Nrv_9xpLP2pssS0V0TbBdvIWBDIXU2aOVBr9xPTC5hyphenhyphenQIse87TwRRJgumBknIZ3FpPjvfFD0cclS3ZycIiOtDi4jAOk1XfzmVkmLRQ/s1600-h/pug4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqjEOvUNtfwa5Wi1oW5vATmtY0JFLLhuh1SZx6Nrv_9xpLP2pssS0V0TbBdvIWBDIXU2aOVBr9xPTC5hyphenhyphenQIse87TwRRJgumBknIZ3FpPjvfFD0cclS3ZycIiOtDi4jAOk1XfzmVkmLRQ/s320/pug4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394340449320878002" border="0" /></a>The pugmill is anxiously awaiting some smooth, white cone 10 clay.....maybe this afternoon.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-49013354981613391962009-10-14T09:25:00.004-06:002009-10-15T08:50:39.578-06:00artist questionnaire..When did you consider yourself a professional artist and when were you able to dedicate yourself full time to that pursuit?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">i suppose when i started selling pots a little over a decade ago. when i look at them now, it is a sincere effort not to cringe but the people who bought them, enjoy them and that is really all that matters in the end.<br /><br /></span><br />How long have you been in this studio?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">almost 7 years in this shop..we built our home here at that time.</span><br /><br />Is your studio separate from your home? Is that what you prefer and does that affect your work?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">my shop is about 150 feet from the house. it leads to a very intimate home/work relationship for me that is nearly impossible to separate. i'm in the shop throughout the day and night most every day. having your studio at home, to me, means integrating your work into the flow of your everyday.</span><br /><br />Did you have a plan for the layout of your studio or did it develop organically?<br /><span style="font-family:courier new;"><br />leif tried diligently to get me to do a work flow layout when we were designing my building, but i've just never been a great planner.<br /><br />we've already added on to my shop and i could use about double the space. i think i was going for cozy and am now interested in a bigger, more open space with an area for clay storage, hand building and a small gallery for finished work. (not asking for much, am i?)<br /></span><br />Has the studio location influenced your work?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">i don't see how it couldn't...i live in the forest near glacier national park. i see few, if any, people in the course of my day. i love living in the woods...love, love, love.</span><br /><br />Please describe a typical day, being as specific as possible. For example: What time to you get up? When do you come to the studio? Do you have specific clothing you change into?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">i get up when i wake up for the most part, which most often is between 7:30 and 8. it changes with the seasons and daylight hours. i usually drink tea or coffee and am on the computer for at least an hour. then clean up the house and maybe work outside and usually in the shop around 11am. i'm in and out all day...very a.d.d. in that regard. my work and housework are intertwined.<br /><br />my clothing is usually an eclectic combination of cutoff overalls over leggings, several shirts, maybe boots if i'm in the mood. i really have to have be 'feeling' my outfit for some reason :)<br /><br />working alone does not foster the most cohesive clothing choices, plus nearly everything that i own is stained, torn, or just plain tired.<br /></span><br />Do you listen to music, the radio, or TV when you work? If so, what, and does it affect your work?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">i listen to music (satellite radio or cds) depending on my mood. i also watch a few t.v. shows (oprah, charlie rose and sometimes martha stewart). at night, the t.v. definitely helps me to keep on working (we get 4 channels,thank god one of them is pbs). i also listen to books on c.d. and talk on the phone. a couple of weeks ago, i set up my computer and skyped with a friend in san francisco while trimming pots. it was great fun.</span><br /><br />Do you have any special devices or tools that are unique to your creative process?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">not that i know of...my wheel, kilns, and pugmill are tools of the trade. my hands are the most important tool and that's why i freak out if i hurt them (which is a regular occurrence).</span><br /><br />Are there specific items here that have significant meaning to you?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">in my shop, i imagine that the most meaningful objects are those things related to my friend susan who taught me so much and passed away 2 years ago. the ravens that she sculpted watch over me and a few pictures of us on the walls. also, tools that she bought for me.</span><br /><br />Do you work on one project at a time, or several?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">Several....i'll start throwing a new series while the previous set is drying. my work is not very complex or heady so it's more a matter of timing than mental focus.</span><br /><br />When you are contemplating your work, where and how do you sit or stand?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">i usually take a hard look at my pots when i put them on the shelves in front of my wheel and sit back down in my chair. if i need to tweak the lines, i'll stick the bat back on the wheel and touch it up. (a bat is the plastic disk that attaches to my wheel, that the pot sits on).</span><br /><br />How often do you clean your studio, and does it affect your work?<br /><span style="font-family:courier new;"><br />i am a chronic shop cleaner....clay dust and glaze drips are my enemy. that doesn't mean i'm the neatest person in the world, but i mop and sponge several times a day. my shop is small so being clean is important.<br /></span><br />Do you have assistants?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">i often dream of an assistant to do some of the more tedious tasks but then i remind myself that i still love the process and that moving clay slop, mixing glazes, loading kilns and pugging clay are an important part of the pot making. </span><br /><br />Did you ever work for another artist, and if so, did that have any effect on the way you work?<br /><span style="font-family:courier new;"><br />i have never worked for another artist but think that being an apprentice would have improved my learning curve. i love to chat with other full time artists who make their living selling their work. we are a small crowd for sure and i love getting a different perspective on the creative process as well as the business end of selling our work.<br /></span>Do you have a motto or creed that as an artist you live by?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">"ain't is a blessing to be doing what what you wanna do?" is a shawn mullins quote that i have painted on the door of my shop and it's the truth. hard as it is sometimes, i wouldn't have it any other way.<br /></span><br />What advice would you give a young artist that is just starting out?<br /><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">i find it curious that so many artists advise choosing another path...because it can be so difficult to make a living selling art but i firmly believe that with the right approach, strong work ethic and proper business training..it is possible earn a living but i think it is a tough road for studio artists. selling on the internet has cracked open the market though for those that can keep up.</span>heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-40702532026439761342009-10-06T08:23:00.003-06:002009-10-06T08:44:04.148-06:00making a plan..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VBa3c98nP8uYcgvrejKQQQ_2T7fIyKdGpKwv_pyjQkt-ZZvSYMn-2-3hlNwG5P88KMUuM560RHhThlYP46Vu74b7eCi8ZbYyyii8-3YZUpUO1bMm-P1ZuA6RyLJiWjNTi4BsY3yUc4Q/s1600-h/underwood.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VBa3c98nP8uYcgvrejKQQQ_2T7fIyKdGpKwv_pyjQkt-ZZvSYMn-2-3hlNwG5P88KMUuM560RHhThlYP46Vu74b7eCi8ZbYyyii8-3YZUpUO1bMm-P1ZuA6RyLJiWjNTi4BsY3yUc4Q/s320/underwood.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389497712336556274" border="0" /></a><br />cup o tea...check. one of the 19 notebooks that I use...check. calculator...check.<br /><br />It's "make a plan before you spontaneously combust" day. I gotta say...I do love to plan and make lists and schedule my month a bit. Even though it rarely comes to exact fruition, just by putting pen to paper, I tend to feel loads better.<br /><br />Currently, I've got special orders written on scraps of paper floating around or just written in my head. I've now deleted the phone number for a woman in Havre who ordered mixing bowls....I thought for sure it would stay in my caller i.d. but ummmm....not. I'll track her down but how ridiculous. Sometimes the planning just gets away from me and then I feel overwhelmed and start having dreams about being late for concerts and planes and totally unprepared.<br /><br />I already feel better as a result of writing that I'm going to make a plan, even though I haven't done a thing yet. Sigh.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-36799584830919644642009-09-22T08:29:00.005-06:002009-09-22T10:48:41.378-06:00final tweaks and we're hotA quick update for those that do not follow on facebook as to the tweaking of the kiln.<br /><br />First...I took apart my door and car bed so that we could lift it up (way heavy) to get the rails in. Also, I could rebuild the door with the car in place to make sure and have a tight seal where before it was losing way too much heat around the front and also not reducing well in that area because too much air was getting sucked in during the firing.<br /><br />I bought 1/2" angle iron for the rails and rolled the car up on it so that it fit well. I then welded the rails together with strap steel so that they would be parallel ( I seem to have a problem with parallel). Leif drilled holes through the strap and rotohammered into the concrete so that we could drop bolts through the straps and hold the rails in place.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcf7P4pLnoXcV3bd2vFBM5Quv0xnJLIt_E02SuOGHjwdkGitoCTo9t5AJ3Vt9EaiwnfCcK8i4wK_4iJyjaXgSfcwSqTNlZEJBs5lAuePDGibJgMWbNl1L_KhxjqLoJpfmaDvJJDBLOTo/s1600-h/track.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcf7P4pLnoXcV3bd2vFBM5Quv0xnJLIt_E02SuOGHjwdkGitoCTo9t5AJ3Vt9EaiwnfCcK8i4wK_4iJyjaXgSfcwSqTNlZEJBs5lAuePDGibJgMWbNl1L_KhxjqLoJpfmaDvJJDBLOTo/s320/track.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384331808093826930" border="0" /></a><br />I rebuilt the bed much tighter to the walls and then the door. raw fingertips because apparently I am also allergic to gloves :). and those bricks are rough. The door fits mucho bettero now. Before, I was stuffing the obvious leaks with kaowool...not so good.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4t41uBcDcFq0BUchujRqza5T2csuH2xbbCW_12lUo4NM-c39BRbI7zAHZaUVNQA4P5dsmegbZ8nOp_ivK6Un7CP2h8wgBb0MGr6M7uCeB-mVIkx0F02tVd_F-PLpr6ZPp0wspXjgzOmA/s1600-h/door.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4t41uBcDcFq0BUchujRqza5T2csuH2xbbCW_12lUo4NM-c39BRbI7zAHZaUVNQA4P5dsmegbZ8nOp_ivK6Un7CP2h8wgBb0MGr6M7uCeB-mVIkx0F02tVd_F-PLpr6ZPp0wspXjgzOmA/s320/door.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384331774855722706" border="0" /></a><br />During this time, the new retention tips arrived and were easily attached to the burners with a 2" coupler. This lengthened the burners substantially and is where the difficult (perceived) task came about. The plumbing (black pipe) had to be completely taken apart and revised to that the burners sat properly at the ports. We paid the plumbers 1000 dollars for the initial work and I was not in the mood to have them back so we tackled it ourselves.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhZR3FLdQJtDba9Lw51VWmquoBODiLebPFEMKAQHouFW8brIwl5MvBozYd3wAHDVD-bzuoUSG7SVV2mPABqqe71ooVBjnvVqY0D1LCSs0GNQiugGtnvO7_tiImtG5tXQpqyy6PNVpVXA/s1600-h/tip.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhZR3FLdQJtDba9Lw51VWmquoBODiLebPFEMKAQHouFW8brIwl5MvBozYd3wAHDVD-bzuoUSG7SVV2mPABqqe71ooVBjnvVqY0D1LCSs0GNQiugGtnvO7_tiImtG5tXQpqyy6PNVpVXA/s320/tip.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384331800902992258" border="0" /></a><br />Getting everything unscrewed was the toughest part. Leif and I and 2 pipe wrenches and a bucket of sweat got the job done. .then off to the hardware store for me and back to the lookout for Leif. I got my pipe and pipe dope (to seal not to smoke) and put her all back together. (not hard at all). Called the propane company ( the woman was NOT psyched that i did it myself) and had them fill the tank and test for leaks. A-OK was the word...(visualize the heidi happy dance).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSW-QUQ9UKuKt61QrPInU_3X2bfdkVxxmZghJTDxRf9wipCljBNGN4eI95tAvzhH-ZIKkCEpEOl6Qz86lCOvL6viUVHaMy5Q7SOZGZGeWC7FYWf23UjxTnZK9ShPVSB27FVw2EC_7N0c/s1600-h/new+burner.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSW-QUQ9UKuKt61QrPInU_3X2bfdkVxxmZghJTDxRf9wipCljBNGN4eI95tAvzhH-ZIKkCEpEOl6Qz86lCOvL6viUVHaMy5Q7SOZGZGeWC7FYWf23UjxTnZK9ShPVSB27FVw2EC_7N0c/s320/new+burner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384331780953890658" border="0" /></a><br />I finally got the load glazed and she's off and running as I type. crap....I just realized that I am sans kiln god/goddess for this firing. better get on that...i really don't need to piss off that crowd.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidT8ZlXKAUmBOp0MgplTkLOKQP6I4KKAFuGO_7x48pClbSMJ1bB_XCEV3BFz4WPK-NNRUStirC_s9P5XXpW5lxD6oE-tf41HvRn3yNlC2QWTJ0CDhC38NxA6UEr9OzEa9BcbZHJtzXEXw/s1600-h/dodo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidT8ZlXKAUmBOp0MgplTkLOKQP6I4KKAFuGO_7x48pClbSMJ1bB_XCEV3BFz4WPK-NNRUStirC_s9P5XXpW5lxD6oE-tf41HvRn3yNlC2QWTJ0CDhC38NxA6UEr9OzEa9BcbZHJtzXEXw/s320/dodo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384331741601876626" border="0" /></a><br />enjoy.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-31912681680318613522009-09-09T09:35:00.007-06:002009-09-09T11:22:01.993-06:00kilnbuilder report and the work beginsso...if you read my last post, you may recall that i was a little on the nervous nellie side waiting for donovan (masterkilnbuilders.com) to take a peek at my kiln. i really was prepared to do some explaining (make excuses) regarding certain elements like the damper <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46Z7ZdldH8MWUBt3Z7AuDlbk1jTTjseRVe7_FlmLt-hIotm9GwkRigDCLWVoGWoMCmxmvoLHkxS0O2dNnyF1skLK8-9UCtupx6EyBsK1UAOAMIsPZ3G-ru127bZVDysybrK7oUSHDAok/s1600-h/damper.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46Z7ZdldH8MWUBt3Z7AuDlbk1jTTjseRVe7_FlmLt-hIotm9GwkRigDCLWVoGWoMCmxmvoLHkxS0O2dNnyF1skLK8-9UCtupx6EyBsK1UAOAMIsPZ3G-ru127bZVDysybrK7oUSHDAok/s320/damper.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379518128149989010" border="0" /></a>that doesn't quite close off the chimney and the strange look of my stack<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7rW-DqON3lGE2fFFjulZcpJFBNEsMtzCiHVCEZDYTU6iwvPnWz3oXJqn_kpw7QalXuGFsjyU9oLN0tajcPhqJCNXghaXNbYqU7C1MtT8xm2GGBF-EFl4gO0abSzJx2TLBc6iVgypaZY/s1600-h/stack1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7rW-DqON3lGE2fFFjulZcpJFBNEsMtzCiHVCEZDYTU6iwvPnWz3oXJqn_kpw7QalXuGFsjyU9oLN0tajcPhqJCNXghaXNbYqU7C1MtT8xm2GGBF-EFl4gO0abSzJx2TLBc6iVgypaZY/s320/stack1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379516917828112610" border="0" /></a> and exit flue but alas....no explanations necessary. there was no audible laughing or snickers and he was very complementary...blush.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />that said....there is still work to be done. the first thing he noticed was that my ancient venturi burners did not possess 'flame retention tips'.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtIGBif7tqbns1qa6tAL2vc94FluKxXze2FcT7TBN69StErJ86g1KDoL4w8k6XfnDs8A-1t1JC6V9rem1VGUCOJzWZbvIvV76D7KsQv6skm5Sb3EyMDzjC1A94Eb4O16FRS5iwa6m6IE/s1600-h/burner.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtIGBif7tqbns1qa6tAL2vc94FluKxXze2FcT7TBN69StErJ86g1KDoL4w8k6XfnDs8A-1t1JC6V9rem1VGUCOJzWZbvIvV76D7KsQv6skm5Sb3EyMDzjC1A94Eb4O16FRS5iwa6m6IE/s320/burner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379516927713466930" border="0" /></a> i totally thought that i had them. (their function is to create turbulence at the burner tip, which mixes the air and gas and keeps the flame right on the tip, reducing the chances of flash-back into the burner tube.)*<br />essentially...they will make my flames much more efficient and cut down on firing time. i'll let you know when they get here. they were $300+ but should prove to cut my propane use considerably.<br /><br />the tips will just screw on to my burners with a coupler but the challenge is that we have to extend the pipe on both sides. i'm a little hesitant to mess with the plumbing but it must be done.<br /><br />the second task at hand is to rebuild my door and car bed and install the rails for it to ride on. i thought that because the car was soooo heavy that rails were unnecessary if it rolled smoothly on the concrete but donovan said that it jostles slightly every time it is pushed in and eventually really gets off kilter..i got the 1/4" angle iron yesterday and rolled the car onto it and then welded strap metal between to hold them parallel and today we will rotohammer holes into the concrete and drop bolts through the strap to secure the tracks. that way, we can lift up the tracks easily at any time by pulling out the pins.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kwLPqkgY5ffB6lWwjBI1zD5ZwA4-rnYoFdWUSLZUwPR9NmEkipK0NgYpNsrgIMZ7El6juNFnUFb7OgDuiAbTpOapEKcss29Lr7zStTIZ4WuakzIRGJ_KpjmdEzaKBbjBfYvs5kKccgc/s1600-h/shell.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kwLPqkgY5ffB6lWwjBI1zD5ZwA4-rnYoFdWUSLZUwPR9NmEkipK0NgYpNsrgIMZ7El6juNFnUFb7OgDuiAbTpOapEKcss29Lr7zStTIZ4WuakzIRGJ_KpjmdEzaKBbjBfYvs5kKccgc/s320/shell.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379513920022759794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />next...i will use a level across the front of the kiln shell to make certain that all the face bricks are flush to facilitate a tight seal with the door. i've already completely unstacked the door to<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vw2HlCyUJU7i0uUMGHxoBjLp_k0bB4EQMn6gUP4VOEbry381EAdNVvCG85g8GY4sXggWwfPXr3zmPa1EHchbIwoF_8f0tmROSTms1-YtT_xkUXDAAnaoeOehos__0Bg-eK_yjuH0zDM/s1600-h/brick.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vw2HlCyUJU7i0uUMGHxoBjLp_k0bB4EQMn6gUP4VOEbry381EAdNVvCG85g8GY4sXggWwfPXr3zmPa1EHchbIwoF_8f0tmROSTms1-YtT_xkUXDAAnaoeOehos__0Bg-eK_yjuH0zDM/s320/brick.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379513904404889282" border="0" /></a> move the car around...(i forgot how many bricks it took to build the door....200+).<br /><br />all the pots are done for the next firing so i just have to get this work done and glaze and should be good to go. the only part i'm dreading a bit is the pipe work....those things thread all different directions it seems.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-15240135050309161992009-08-31T08:48:00.004-06:002009-08-31T09:52:47.044-06:00the kilnbuilder is coming...the kilnbuilder is coming.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNESBV199AWF16E50U29a9tVizOckM0S_tItCKBLjIcZ6y_AVC2y-GzLixmld9wGzZGW997pqIqi6gmIClwBwXXZPLfRsVEiLy92n8oLbjdoJ7dGhyphenhyphen9XTqoKbGd10P31ERo6Y9CImMRt0/s1600-h/DSC01415.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNESBV199AWF16E50U29a9tVizOckM0S_tItCKBLjIcZ6y_AVC2y-GzLixmld9wGzZGW997pqIqi6gmIClwBwXXZPLfRsVEiLy92n8oLbjdoJ7dGhyphenhyphen9XTqoKbGd10P31ERo6Y9CImMRt0/s320/DSC01415.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376156084775494962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />yes...i do feel as if this is my 'paul revere moment'. i believe that donovan and colleen will be the first clay people to see my kiln. the first people who own their own kilns to see mine..the first people who even know what a kiln really is to take a look at mine in the flesh.<br /><br />donovan owns 'master kiln builders' and that is his profession. he builds fancy ones for famous clay people and big ones for universities and community clay centers along with ones for regular old studio potters. he welded the 'car bed' for my kiln which i hauled back from minnesota in the back of my subaru. i had a friend of my parents weld on my v-groove casters and one other piece that i wanted to be 'perfect', and then i welded everything else. it ain't pretty, but it's tight. thanks to sheila and mark for the embarrassingly long possession of their millermatic mig welder.<br /><br />i feel that my kiln turned out pretty well. there are some glaring design/implementation issues..i.e. my damper, bizarre chimney stack and door but overall...not bad for no 'in person' help. I had great advice from kurt wild of wisconsin who talked me through the flue building and actually wrote a sample script for me to deal with the propane people.<br /><br />i am just really looking forward to some help tweaking things. my bagwall (hard bricks placed inside the kiln where the flame enters to direct it upward (and off the wares) before it exits down at the bottom) for instance...i really don't know how tall is should be (or why for that matter) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zHTvVNcEhD8Orf4EIpNBp113a3z_MmnHshL6zxDEXAI6Sjss_HWUNv4EEtrb_WW_dl-zoW7rv8U7I4U4iCqFnjcCy7yL5QlZK0QyNaU_D3ROYEn7Jp1YcCXa8ScSzPOVy-Y_dOoiWcA/s1600-h/bagwall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zHTvVNcEhD8Orf4EIpNBp113a3z_MmnHshL6zxDEXAI6Sjss_HWUNv4EEtrb_WW_dl-zoW7rv8U7I4U4iCqFnjcCy7yL5QlZK0QyNaU_D3ROYEn7Jp1YcCXa8ScSzPOVy-Y_dOoiWcA/s320/bagwall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376155468449915346" border="0" /></a>and my exit flue dimensions and probably 10 other things i haven't considered.<br /><br />they are coming for vacation and to do some work at the archie bray foundation in helena so the focus will be on fly fishing, hiking, and camping but i will be grateful for 5 minutes with them discussing the details of my kiln. stay tuned.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-27142388781583897262009-08-11T12:22:00.003-06:002009-08-11T12:41:38.404-06:00the business of working at home<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzytEMiQEoRhBV5MGWmDfvFtdNc0ShqUrnbXoYRm5e1mwQ8GQewbAHpAuyZjut96ge4A9UOIoItkjsgpAXtHYlyFrfuNxsrN4YGsGgI44EEYhW8uvUBuADd1pzUmFbt6gjwMAiw0a7yz0/s1600-h/wood.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzytEMiQEoRhBV5MGWmDfvFtdNc0ShqUrnbXoYRm5e1mwQ8GQewbAHpAuyZjut96ge4A9UOIoItkjsgpAXtHYlyFrfuNxsrN4YGsGgI44EEYhW8uvUBuADd1pzUmFbt6gjwMAiw0a7yz0/s320/wood.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368773627305970258" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:courier new;" >People often ask me how many hours a day I work in the shop and I usually don't have a good answer for them. Working from home has nuances that are too subtle to explain. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:courier new;" >For me, having my shop 75 feet from the house means that work and home are very difficult to separate. I very rarely am in the studio early or for long periods of time. Usually, I get out there around 11am and from then on, it's make some pots...throw in a load of laundry, make more pots...pick weeds, trim yesterday's pots, walk the dogs and get the mail. It really is just all in a day for me and I seem to be unable to distinguish between homelife and studiolife...they are one.</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:courier new;" >Today, I spent my morning on the computer, then washed the windows and then stacked wood. I checked on the plates from yesterday to make sure they weren't too dry, pulled a few weeds, did the dishes and now blogging. I'll be out to the shop by 1pm and then at some point walk the dogs. I usually work until 9 or 10pm with a break for dinner or visit with Leif if he's home. The one indulgence that I seem to consistently allow myself is that I wake up whenever I wake up. I am an avid dreamer and hate the mental jolt of the alarm clock. Leif gets up around 5 or 6 most days but when he's gone...I've got nothing to disturb me until the sun hits my face. I'm up early for glazing days or kiln firing though....no choice about that.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:courier new;" >I often wonder what it would be like to have my studio at a separate location where I arrived, got my work done and then went home. That will have to be left to wonder though....I've created my life the way it is and I'm sticking with it...stay tuned.<br /></span>heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-2888610184672528882009-08-03T08:42:00.006-06:002009-08-04T08:52:03.673-06:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqy5PS5hsrD29SCw70Z1R-xPQHwSbAYzja_wKW-vKWdMSD3H9-MGp5iuSNr6PXmSRUBlDqA9Ojkm6O8UkVW_j6YupFvqZkmVUwuqH9SZctmrVc7v1ctzDNw4m1XoYnBvuSFwyA0-VkuE/s1600-h/flue2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqy5PS5hsrD29SCw70Z1R-xPQHwSbAYzja_wKW-vKWdMSD3H9-MGp5iuSNr6PXmSRUBlDqA9Ojkm6O8UkVW_j6YupFvqZkmVUwuqH9SZctmrVc7v1ctzDNw4m1XoYnBvuSFwyA0-VkuE/s320/flue2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365767910907321810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />this weekend, i decided to remake my flue which measures about 4 feet between the back of the kiln and the chimney. i made it this long so that the chimney would not pass through the roof.<br /><br />shockingly....i had a design error in my damper slot (who me....not thinking ahead??) so i knew i had better tend to it now before it's december...(also..friends are coming to visit this month and he builds kilns for a living so i figured, might as well fix the most embarrassing elements, right?)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">after a firing is complete, the kiln needs to be buttoned up so it can cool slowly which means the damper should completely block off the chimney so that the heat stays in the kiln. not so much with my design....i can't even tell you what i was thinking. it has about 1/2 inch gap on either side when it's fully in.<blockquote></blockquote><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1sfOY4wWyZ5Di_lJQIJFvkKMOxrHAJo1woKseJj-oA-YkPq7g33lqv4La3Zrvl1pVZL-rARTLkrvMojuIAKYKiooqJSN-XPiRwj_P-oCYHuBRI4pPumUUOQsSAIBH_F2lm7ifsNd42U/s1600-h/chimney.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1sfOY4wWyZ5Di_lJQIJFvkKMOxrHAJo1woKseJj-oA-YkPq7g33lqv4La3Zrvl1pVZL-rARTLkrvMojuIAKYKiooqJSN-XPiRwj_P-oCYHuBRI4pPumUUOQsSAIBH_F2lm7ifsNd42U/s320/chimney.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365769105272831362" border="0" /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">in this picture...the damper is the black slot about 3 feet up from the ground. my camera battery charger is in limbo at the moment so i can't take a closer picture.</span><br /></a><br /></div><br />so the first two firings...after i reached temperature (usually sometime in the middle of the night) i would climb a ladder to the top of the stack and cover it with a piece of kaowool and a kiln shelf...dangerous business as the stack was burning hot. since i've added a couple of feet to my chimney, climbing is no longer an option..it's just too tall. the last 3 firings, i've just pushed the damper all the way in, plugged it with kaowool and hoped for the best.<br /><br />i decided that the best remedy would be to deconstruct the flue and add a slot where i can drop in a kiln shelf that will completely block the channel.<br /><br />since the flue was the last thing i made and didn't quite have all of the proper materials...it doesn't hurt my feelings to give it another go. the high refractory mortar that i made ( portland cement, sand, redart clay) hasn't held up that well...it is much better in the stack. i also used some commercial fireplace high temp mortar/crack seal but that isn't faring any better. i think that the 'good stuff' only comes in a 5 gallon bucket (which i don't need), but i will check today at the fireplace/masonry store.<br /><br />i think i've got it figured out...it will still look a little 'homegrown' but that's how i roll. i'll update on how it functions as i usually only understand design flaws when something is in use.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-65058936759914207502009-07-28T21:37:00.002-06:002009-07-28T22:20:48.988-06:00staying up late<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dpAkrjAonTrp8Jwk1zI-V_nPJ_GKkV4r_VSFxtfP-OgtnF4F8bMuGp_yTHwXVPUMJ5sny2yAou3R4MwqM2T6Sb0aCiZU_MjeBqhfAqAZHmg_4MGOpe24SDXdIFJInh-y63fq4WvsxBM/s1600-h/spice.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dpAkrjAonTrp8Jwk1zI-V_nPJ_GKkV4r_VSFxtfP-OgtnF4F8bMuGp_yTHwXVPUMJ5sny2yAou3R4MwqM2T6Sb0aCiZU_MjeBqhfAqAZHmg_4MGOpe24SDXdIFJInh-y63fq4WvsxBM/s320/spice.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363732190955975394" border="0" /></a><br />over the past ten years, i have spent my fair share of time fighting to stay awake as the kiln plugs along, running out to the shop to check it every fifteen minutes. praying for the cone to bend, NOW dammit. i also have to get up often in the middle of the night to turn up a bisque firing. if leif owes me favors (we play cribbage for favors), it is a small slice of heaven to poke him in the shoulder in the wee hours and have him run out for me. sometimes...if he's really out of it, i can convince him to do it even if it's not his turn.<br /><br />i hate trying to stay awake...it is painful and i'm sure kills brain cells. 2 days ago when i fired my big kiln for the fifth time...i purposefully started as early as possible so not to suffer the late night drama. i shut her down at the blisteringly early time of 10pm and then leif's plane was hours late....we went to bed at 3am...not good. as i was driving to the airport, feeling sorry for myself i was shocked to see so many people who apparently regularly stay up this late as a part of their job. the flight attendants and crew were waiting on the curb for their shuttle, the shuttle drivers (several of them over 65 i'm sure), rent a car folks and the dude at the parking toll booth were all on the job. i now am remembering that my mom used to drive railroad crews and she would get called in the middle of the night to transport people. all i have to do is check a kiln for crying out loud...she had to keep a suburban full of big rr boys between the yellow lines while having terrible night vision.<br /><br />i'm feeling less sorry for myself now...at least i get to be at home while i'm trying to stay awake and nobody dies if i doze off for a few. as i enter into my second decade of potting though, i am making an effort to get my work down in a somewhat normal time frame and not trying to pull crazy hours before a deadline...i'll keep you posted.heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-89648567717702415032009-07-24T10:17:00.004-06:002009-07-24T11:06:52.029-06:00selling pots<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGkgApMCV9dR2U7xiBnskyAUOoggn_UYg7R6jXGdq4SKhHysXhwsLo6KV268cMl8PJSFJklqQZ_7XcKembGOVSlUy4aD756SO8c2ewICfgUP6qFwAUJIkqRqMrYb0T9ZCJHRZ2-6VgIk/s1600-h/susansun.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGkgApMCV9dR2U7xiBnskyAUOoggn_UYg7R6jXGdq4SKhHysXhwsLo6KV268cMl8PJSFJklqQZ_7XcKembGOVSlUy4aD756SO8c2ewICfgUP6qFwAUJIkqRqMrYb0T9ZCJHRZ2-6VgIk/s320/susansun.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362073003448245250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">(the above totem is by my friend susan nebeker and i posted it here because it just makes me happy.)</span></span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">tonight i'll be selling my pots at the west glacier farmer's market....it's only the second time i have participated but it seems like a good venue for the amount of work involved. it is only a couple of miles down the road which for me makes it very appealing. i don't really care to haul pots all over the valley for other markets. at the last one here, i sold a totem to a nice woman from california which made it well worth my time. there are locals who drop in but it is predominantly tourists who can't resist the lure of the white tents. the woman next to me last time was selling homemade pies for 11 dollars and the line was constant until she sold out.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">selling and marketing are two areas where many artists lose their way. to be a self-employed potter means that you not only have to have the ability to create the work, you also have to have a little business sense so that you can make a living. it's definitely tough and a constant conversation with people in the arts.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">i have always refused to really 'market' myself....i figured that if people liked my work, they would buy it. this approach has worked for me for a long time but what i'm learning now is that you can't always count on that (especially when people are holding their wallets a bit closer). It helps to really get yourself out there so more people have an opportunity to appreciate it and also to educate the public, as much as possible, about the value of handmade objects.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">currently, i sell in my own retail space in whitefish (located in the bookstore), a co-op in kalispell, a lovely gallery in bigfork, a gift store inside glacier park and then i'm working on my online etsy store. heidihaugen.etsy.com i have been struggling with inventory for months now but feel as if i'm getting into a bit of a rhythm with my new kiln and porcelain adventure.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">it has been rough to be low on product during the busiest tourist months but that is the way my cookie crumbled this year...tis the nature of the business. enjoy.<br /></span>heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2261229279140051632.post-90237412772436713372009-07-21T09:02:00.004-06:002009-07-21T09:39:33.952-06:00working alone..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPegEyW4AZB_JoolBVBB8KA2QyNiWQgzR3MG6FJyiZgyLBYDZy8cgEQVb_P25vR_I1mhbJ34u3Rs4BvUZxHTwuBdXAQeW7YDnPz5P65AqsFHT6ZkHZW7oezQnUsrRKNiiuMJBtnRGxqw/s1600-h/mugs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPegEyW4AZB_JoolBVBB8KA2QyNiWQgzR3MG6FJyiZgyLBYDZy8cgEQVb_P25vR_I1mhbJ34u3Rs4BvUZxHTwuBdXAQeW7YDnPz5P65AqsFHT6ZkHZW7oezQnUsrRKNiiuMJBtnRGxqw/s320/mugs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360935805604164210" border="0" /></a><br />after bitching about not having a clay posse to call my own...i must say that for regular work...i prefer to be alone and at this point, cannot imagine sharing my studio space with another potter.<br /><br />i spend the majority of my time by myself, with the dogs. leif is gone for most of july and august at his fire lookout (speaking of alone time..) and the rest of the year is a carpenter with a serious addiction to hockey playing. we live in the boonies and i usually go to town once or twice a week.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0-q7NbGS2F_Vzs25KEgK2s6tpePzzN7Ll0MPlrgH2jimQm951kmT1WdAfFVfR_qaNp194mE8-MuhPtf7NFIRW1AnkWXNEtUQ9AL0-CIAISRSI0hL0cxEejeeDZCNvTkaCmooxPewxYdU/s1600-h/numablog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0-q7NbGS2F_Vzs25KEgK2s6tpePzzN7Ll0MPlrgH2jimQm951kmT1WdAfFVfR_qaNp194mE8-MuhPtf7NFIRW1AnkWXNEtUQ9AL0-CIAISRSI0hL0cxEejeeDZCNvTkaCmooxPewxYdU/s320/numablog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360938181516154258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />i see neighborhood friends here and there and go to post office to get the mail and maybe to the glacier mercantile for a tootsie roll but there is usually not much 'people time' in my day. i also do the occasional customer visit or "show and tell" for the neighbors' relatives.<br /><br />i've functioned this way for quite a long time now. i work at the bookstore in whitefish 4 days a month which is where i lease retail space for my pots and conduct a good portion of my business. it is also where i talk endlessly and meet up with my mom and friends who drop in.<br /><br />i am a very outgoing and social person in general but fell in love with being alone at 19 when i was a nanny in boston with 2 small children. i am so thankful to have learned to appreciate being by myself at that age...i feel it has served me well. i definitely think that spending so much time alone has fostered some rusting of my social skills..which actually can be funny to me and leif later. (i.e....'i can't believe you said that'...or 'you got all red when they started talking to you'...')<br /><br />my intention with addressing 'aloneness' stemmed from my creation of a heidi haugen pottery facebook page and how odd it is...along with this blog....to keep in touch with people regularly about my daily goings on. it makes me think about my life differently when i am allowing others a glimpse into my dysfuntional functioning.<br /><br />i don't talk with too many people about the details of my work...it's just too much information most of the time and requires too much explaining. i don't even talk with leif very much about it..funny. that's why i need to hang out with my distant claybuds a couple of times a year and now that i've discovered lots of other clay artists blogs, i'm feeling a touch more connected.<br /><br />i'm acually heading to town now...taking grandma to her 'lunch bunch'....she's 93!heidi haugen: days with clayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15314277871479191192noreply@blogger.com0