I have been making a few things lately

Stoneware bowls

This one had a copper slip applied when wet

I was doing a throwing demonstration at a community function

at the Merigur Historic park.

If you are ever any where near Mildura it is a fabulous park

all donated and maintained by local farmers, old school house,

blacksmith shop, bakery. A real live museum depicting  local heritage. 

Just to be clear it is a static display most days but several times a year 

it comes to life with all sorts of demonstrations and a fabulous lunch.

 Tenmoku and Hyacinth blue (with a green tinge)

This one had the copper slip applied also

Hyacinth blue glaze over the top.

There has been some Raku going on at TAFE

Couldn't resist putting a few things through.

I also fired a lidded box, the lid fitted easily before I fired it.

I might use the lid for a key hide.

This one still works.

The Mildura Pottery Club is a bit excited about the new space. 

Working bees are being planned for a concrete floor.

That's the next stage.

Walls will have to be stage 3.

There will be a roller door down near that trailer for clay delivery.

Freight cost are so high here we buy clay by the ton once per year, 

or thereabouts. 

We have been reading about a thermal regulator that works on drawing air

from a pipe buried 3 metres below the ground.

Sounds like I will have to fully investigate the concept before 

any concrete is poured.

I am sharing this post on Mud Colony

http://mudcolony.blogspot.com.au/

Kiln repair

Both the kilns have been out of action

elemental troubles.

I had to replace one of the bricks ...

what a job!

The brick was just under the spy hole at the front which meant

I had to lean into the kiln on tippy- toes

and scratch away for about an hour basically upside down.

This is really a job for a flat chested tall person.

As the kiln was out of action, the pottery to fire, continued to build up

until there was no room left on the shelf.

I think we need a good look at all that is on the shelf.

The Pottery club may be having an exhibition at our local vet clinic.

They have just built a huge new clinic...

and given that our oil lamps are mainly animal themed

it seemed appropriate to showcase our work there.

The owners are art patrons and the walls have always been

covered in original artworks, so fingers crossed.

David has made another oil lamp...

this time it reflects the 2 bee keepers in the pottery club.

We have been lucky to have sampled the honey that was created here on the farm

by those clever bees. Thanks Michaal!

I will link this post to Mud colony. 

Check out what has been happening in some other pottery studios this week

by clicking on this link. http://mudcolony.blogspot.com.au/

Gall wasps

I was indignant the other day when a news report

attributed the increase of gall wasps in the community

to back yard fruit growers neglecting to control their trees.

I thought that's right blame the home grower...

then I thought I should check my lemon tree

 which is a common host  plant.

Oh dear

evidence of gall wasp.

 It is easy to control, just prune out the galls

There was quite a few on our little tree

as you can see I had not picked all the fruit for some time.

I had to cut many branches 

but to be honest I think the tree will benefit from this hair cut.

Citrus likes well drained soil 

so they have always struggled in our heavy clay.

This is the best lemon tree we have grown so far. 

I had to save it from the wasps

Gall wasps are Australian native wasps. 

I wonder what they laid their eggs in before citrus arrived in Australia?

The roof of the studio went on this week.

I am getting excited now!

Home grown honey

How exciting

Michaal raided her bees for the honey.

She got heaps of honey and was quick to share with us.

It is light, sweet, beautiful

There is some honeycomb in the jar too.

I had to have toast for breakfast this morning to try it out.

Very nice!

She is playing with label ideas and given her surname is Fletcher

it is no wonder the arrow is making an appearance.

In other news these Labradors continue to do the double decker dog thing

I thought they might grow out of the habit as Stella got bigger

Thanks to Skittles good nature the chair sharing continues.

New studio on the way

It has been a long time coming but

today is the day.

The new studio roof is going up.

8m x 9m

It will take some time before any equipment can be put in there.

Have to do some fundraising for a concrete floor.

The pottery club has applied for some grants 

but there has been no good news to date.

Fingers crossed.

This may be my last Mud Colony blog post.
Check out the other potters activities
http://mudcolony.blogspot.com.au/

Last week we had a wind storm

Strong winds, mini tornadoes so the paper said. 

I heard one gust coming...for ages...a loud growl

growing louder as it approached.

I was quite relieved when the roof stayed on the house.

I was quite disappointed in the morning to see 

the wind had blown the head off my camel sculpture.

I now have a 3D camel jigsaw puzzle.

On a much happier note

My sister in law found this plate for me.

It is beautiful and in perfect condition and it has camels on it.

It will be a major addition to my collection.

I am not up with antiques and do not know much about

Royal Staffordshire Pottery? Or how to read those numbers in red.

It's value to me is the camels and the thoughtful find by my sister in law.

Thanks Mitzi!

In the studio this week

This was a tea pot I made some time ago

In its raw state it all looked good

I decided to glaze it with the traditional

Tenmoku

I did not fire it with the lid on as I am always

worried that I will never get it off again

But the lid and pot warped and it never did

go on again as well

I have used a Dremel like tool to grind the lid a little.

It took me a bit of time as I didn't want to go in too hard

Bingo

Now it fits

There is no need to make a new top for a new bottom

Thank goodness

In other studio news

I have been making mugs.

I often run out of time to attach handles

before the whole lot dries too much

I always forget to take my camera to pottery.

Lets hope there are no fine cracks after bisque firing.

Check out what some other potters have been up to in their studio's

this week at  http://mudcolony.blogspot.com.au/