soda fired bowl

This bowl came out of the big soda kiln. I love it when I get results like this. I wish it happened more frequently. I guess the elusive nature of soda firing is why the romance is still on. This bowl is on our website www.toquervilleclay.com

Big Soda kiln

This is our newest soda kiln. Still small 5 levels of 24"x24" platforms but perfect for my production speed. Ted Neal (now professor of art at Ball State, Indiana), Danny Crump (student, Utah State) and Seth Green(grad aat University of Nebraska-Lincoln). After several firings, and with the help of Danny Crump, I think I know how to get nice pots from this one.

small soda kiln

This is a great little one burner up-draft soda kiln. It's small, just 3 12"x24" shelves. But it makes a nice surface on my pots. Ted Neal came down from Utah State to help me build it.

studio and 1956 camp trailer

This is the front of my studio and a 1956 Mercury camp trailer that I bought from our neighbor for $400. Almost perfect condition. Danny Crump lived in it and apprenticed for the last two summers.

sculpture in progress

Here are 5 pieces in various stages of completion. One is among three going to Ohio and the others are going to Kentucky for a two person show with Ben Alvers in conjunction with NCECA. Besides these five, I plan to make about 15 more by March.

Toquerville Clay Holiday Sale

Our Holiday Sale was a good time and we sold some pots. We always invite other potters to participate. This year we had Shane Christiensen, Brian Jensen, Marty Kendal and Dan Murphy. It's a lot of work, but we have a lot of fun with the other potters. This picture is the kiln opening and some pottery buyers on the morning of the sale.

soda fired vase

This vase came from the soda kiln last Saturday.Click on www.toquervilleclay.com to see more.

pottery

This mug was pulled from the soda kiln Saturday for our holiday sale. This is the kind of color and crystal formation that I like. It doesn't happen often enough.

Our neighbor Sara was over for a visit and whiskey. I served hers in a hand made cup from our collection. She commented that the drinks always taste better in pottery. I agreed and the next day, I made a bunch of these while throwing off the hump. It was my first time throwing this way in a long time and I really enjoyed the irregularity and shapes that came from this method. What came from all of this are some beautiful, little whiskey jiggers. Sara took home four of them for herself.

new sculpture

I finished this sculpture last week, sent the pictures off to the Dairy Barn in Ohio for the Contemporary Ceramics: A Dairy Barn Invitational catologue. I also make pottery and tiles. It seems that there is never enough time to turn my ideas into objects.