2023 has presented me with challenges. Challenges that require my energy to be in many places other than my Back Porch Studio. In 2023 -2024 I will be selling only ready to ship items as my time allows. I plan to focus on pet dishes, mugs and wine cups May through October in preparation for the 2023 Holiday Season. If you are NOT in a hurry, please … More Throwing Season 2023
When leaves fall as well as the temperature, it is time for me to call an end to my throwing season. Because my back porch is not enclosed, I throw things during the warmer months. The warmer months tend to be May through October around here. But much work remains despite putting my pottery wheel … More The End of A Season
New items will be in my shop next month! Meanwhile, enjoy your summer. Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
It starts with a ball of clay. Each ball rolled out flat into a slab then placed over a hump mold. A hump mold is a convex form over which clay slabs are draped until stiff enough to hold the shape. When the clay is stiff enough to hold the shape, it is set aside … More Start to Finish
Spring has sprung! 100 pounds of clay! Playing in the mud, indoors, of course! Still a bit too chilly for the back porch. I am making bowls using slabs of clay draped over a mold. Finishing the rims of these three bowls while enjoying while enjoying a cup of coffee in a handmade mug 😉 … More Life in April
The falling leaves gather around my pottery wheel. My throwing days have come to an end for the year. The temperatures have dropped quite dramatically this week making it a challenge to photograph my pottery on my back porch. “They” say it may snow this weekend! This month I have been busy with many behind … More Take Time
Would you look at that! It’s mid-October. And here I am running around like a squirrel gathering nuts before the snow falls! Instead of gathering nuts . . . I’m glazing and firing. Glazing and firing. Repeat. When I’m not glazing and firing, you will find me on my back porch unloading the kiln and … More Squirrel!
The snow has melted. Temperatures on the rise. Dusted off my tool box. Unearthed my clay. Started some slab work. From a ball of clay to a slab of clay then onto the hump mold. Bowls made from a slab of clay air drying. Resting.
Today was glazing day. And laundry day. Glazing and laundry on the same day? What could go wrong? I shouldn’t ask. It is still 2020 after all! While eating lunch, I noticed a young Robin drinking from one of Miss Kitty’s handmade water bowls. It is nice see other critters enjoying a drink from my … More Behind the Scenes of a Part Time Potter
Life is close to normal around here. Flowers and trees starting to bloom. And I am back behind my wheel throwing things. I pushed “Publish” before I was done and since then I forgot what else I was going to say! So, with that I’ll bid you adieu. Until next time, stay well. … More Close to Normal
It was a crisp November day. I loaded the kiln for the last time of the 2017 throwing season. Flipped the switch on the kiln expecting the glaze firing to take 10 to 12 hours. When 10 hours passed, I suspected something was wrong. The results of the longest glaze firing ever . . . … More 22 Hours Later
Yes, there are time differences between countries, states and cities, but I’ve noticed time differences affect photography. The outside light changes through the day. You may not notice the vast difference in light as the day proceeds, but through a camera lens that light difference is magnified! Pictured below is one of my newest stoneware … More Time Differences
New glaze combos. Trusty favorites with a new twist. Unearthed and revived old glazes that I haven’t used in years. So, that is what the glaze is going on around here!
I made another box but with feet! When I made the first one, I intened it to be a planter but it didn’t have drainage hole or feet to ensure airflow and drainage. Happy feet! Happy Friday!
Having a slab roller really simplifies things and conserves my energy verses a rolling pin! I was thinking about making this a succulent planter! However, I may need to rethink its design. A planter needs a pot with a drainage hole or feet to ensure better airflow. This box doesn’t have either one. So, what … More Taking A Stab At Slabs
I have been working on nesting bowls this week. Each bowl is made from a slab of clay draped over clay molds I made last winter. It has taken me several tries to work out all the kinks in the process. The third time worked like a charm! After these air dry, they will undergo … More New Project: Nesting Bowls
After a lot of hard work dealing with unusual grog particles in my clay over the summer, I am happy to report not all was a loss! Tickled with the glaze results in these two turquoise & brown mugs! Just listed in my shop, back porch studio, on Etsy!
Just when I was ready to throw in the towel early this month due to groggy clay , I decided to talk to the folks at my local pottery supply store to see if they could recommend a new clay body similar to what I had been using for over ten years. I am SO happy … More New Clay! Great Things!
Glazing is not my favorite part of the pottery process but when my pieces come out of the kiln, glazing is well worth the effort! Most of my pieces have two different glazes applied giving the pottery one color on the inside and another color on the outside. This process involves a combination of pouring … More A Little Bit About Glazing
Though the calendar says it is autumn, Mother Nature says otherwise! I am thrilled by the warm dry autumn days because I can continue to throw pots on my back porch! Most recently, I have been working on plates. I have been using a certain mid-fire cone 6 clay for over 10 years and … More Summer Not Yet Over!
As the temperature cools, my throwing season is coming to an end. But, that doesn’t mean I’m done with pottery! I have more work to do 🙂 Follow me on Instagram for some behind-the-scenes shots!
I have been putting off making mugs because I have struggled so with making handles. It has been FIVE years since I made a mug. Well, I wanted to start making them again but wanted to learn whether or not there was a tool available for making handles verses pulling them by hand from a … More There’s A Tool For That!
Back Porch Studio 