Clay Blog Review: January 2013

Welcome 2013! Here you’ll find the first Clay Blog Review of the year. For new readers, this monthly column lists the most interesting, inspiring, or educational information from blogs by potters and ceramic artists. (If you haven’t checked it yet, see the top pottery blogs of 2012.)

Clay Blog Review January 2013

The Can’t Miss

A new section for a new year that includes the “best” posts of the month (in the humble opinion of one guy).

• Molly Hatch shares her Process: House Numbers.
• Whynot Pottery Blog has a series of images: Throwing a small lid.
• Patricia Bridges shares 6 Tips on Stencils.
• Lori Watts presents a stacking jars tutorial: Part 1, Part 2.
• Gary Jackson gives us Twelve Tricks to Avoid Simple Round Bowls (not that there’s anything wrong with simple round bowls), makes New Stamps, and considers WWKKD?
• Emily Reason shares some clips of Beth Kendall working with soft slabs at the Red Lodge Clay Center: Part 1, Part 2.
• John Britt makes a video: Glazing a Plate (idea to implimentation to variation).
  
• Carol Epp shares a video of Ben Carter decorating pots at the RLCC:

Process and Technique

Tutorials and instruction about making pottery or images of pots in progress.

•  Ron Philbeck is working on Vases, has More Hearts in the Works, and shares a Studio Day.
• Linda Starr is making Tea Bag Holders & Ring Dishes, has an Egret Platter in Progress.
• Whynot Pottery Blog tells about the Clay and the stamped mugs return.
• Brandon Phillips seems to be a Deadliest Catch fan and is not happy with wholesale:

I like to think that I’m sacrificing to hold up the flag for artistic integrity, or I could just be an uncompromising bastard.

•  Judy Abdelaziz tells about her Pedestal Bowl.
• Michael Mahan works on Awards.
• Kelly Kessler shares a video of Ann Agee building a slab vase:

• Bridgman Pottery talks about a Pitcher and another.
  
• FetishGhost shares a video of an old Ron Meyers and Michael Simon Workshop, has a Lazy Saturday of decorating pots and decides to Give it a Try.
• Jeanette Zies can now get 2013 started.
• Angela Wolford shares a naked teapot video:

• Tony Clennell is making Modernist vases and talks Wedgies and a Butt Crack. (Don’t worry, it’s actually about pottery!) Also: yunomis and Big Bellies.
  
• Lori Watts incorporates Vintage Embroidery Patterns into her work.
• Jemarick Art has some special work in progress and more Winter Work.
• Hannah McAndrew has a new 10th year stamp. (Congratulations on a decade, Hannah!)
• Liz Crain tells us how to Love the Slab You’re With (part 2).
• Kim Murton is Back at it with some new faces.
• John Britt goes on camera to explain a Progression Test:

• Patty shares work from her Studio Time and Tea Pots.
  
• Mom Cave Pottery writes about her Perfect Handle.
• Lori Buff tells about her Oval Platters.
• Dan Finnegan has Brain Freeze (but also a bunch of nice work in progress).
• Michael Douglas shows some new work for January.
• LaPella Art considers Production as Meditation.
• Gary Jackson shows how he makes New Stamps and has A Whole Lotta Stampin’ Goin’ On.
• Barb Jensen is Making templates for origami pots.
• Lucy Fagella has Big Pots, Shellac Resist.
• Kings Creek Pottery tells of Winter issues.
• Rachel Dorn shows off some Stencils.

Tips and Technical

Quick tips, recipes, chemistry, firing and other posts about the technical side of ceramics.

• John Britt shares words of the day: stringing, devitrification, bricolage, kintsukuroi, crawling and some Cone 6 Recipes.
  
• Meagan Chaney shares Barium Blues with Guest Artist Emma Williams.
• Cathie Cantara drops some knowledge about Extruders.
• Whynot Pottery Blog has a quick tip for trimming lids and does some waxing and thinking.
• Lori Watts shares some Cone 6 Test Recipes and Four VC Glazes.
• Jim Gottuso talks elements and kiln wash.
• Kelly Kessler goes CSI on a kiln load of Mark Knott’s finished work.
• Jessica Gray shares Five Quick Tips for DIY Repairs.
• Graciela Testa Lynt shares John Britt’s Kiln Wash recipe.
• Carole Epp finds out how to make custom texture mats and shares John Britt’s video about de/flocculation:

• Matt Fiske tests Commercial Clays in a soda firing, shares his Ice Crackle Slideshow file and some Cone 10 Ice Crackle Tests.
• The Hopeful Potter is working on some new glazes.
• The NCECA Blog shares Cone 6 Reduction Glazes Diana Pancioli.
• Ron Philbeck shows how he Checks Glaze and Clay.
• Linda Starr goes through a Relay Replacement.

Recent Work

Images and discussion of finished ceramic pieces.

• Melinda Marie Alexander unveils the Vintage Cottage Charm and Hearts.
  
• Ben Carter shares some of his work from the exhibition In Full Bloom.
• Round Rabbit has an Extra Shop update and another.
• Rae Dunn uses a chalk board glaze.
• Kristen Kieffer explains her Layered Layers.
• Patricia Bridges finishes some Stenciled Pie Plates and even a video:

• Kelly Lynn Daniels shares the Soda Love.
• Margaret Brampton is Taking photographs of pots.
• Heather Braun-Dahl presents the Herringbone Collection and throws a Triangle Party.
• Kings Creek Pottery explains the Imprinting process.
• The Createniks make Something New for custom orders.
• Molly Hatch shares her Latest work: REVERIE.
• The Beads of Clay Blog shares Heart Beads, Color Inspiration and Gift Ideas for Valentine’s Day.
• Lisa proclaims: Love Mugs are Here!
• Michael Kline has a sneak peek of his show at AKAR.
• Ron Philbeck is working on a New Idea, gets Pots from the Kiln and shares a video:

• FetishGhost incorporates FireFlies and Memory and loves to Unload the kiln, even after a Refire.
  
• Barbara Dunshee makes Butter Bulbs (insert tiny TM sign here).
• Whynot Pottery Blog takes Notes from a recent firing.
• Dawn Whitehand finishes her PhD Installation and shares a video.
• Hollis Engley has New pots from the kiln.

Thoughts

The meaning of life (pottery,obviously), discussions on art, creativity and other heavy thinking.

• Carter Gillies (sometimes you just need your own sub-bullets).
  • Inspiration is for hacks and dilettantes?
  • The art beyond sweat equity
  • Courage in the face of monstrous predictability
  • Will Artificial Intelligence ever create Artificial Art?
  • George the coffee mug
  • Improbable
  • Ephemera
• Michael Kline and FetishGhost both share a video by Chris Staley:

• Matt Fiske shares some thoughts on art and philosophy by Daniel Tutt.
• Side Note: Scott Cooper is on a potting and blogging “sabbatical” so you can read his current writing here.

Interviews

Interviews and discussions of/by ceramic artists and other creative people.

• Kyle Houser interviews Bobby Tso.
• Kieth Kreeger does an interview with Mockingbird Domestics.
• Jesse Lu Bain takes A Closer Look with Brett Freund.
• Brian Jones talks to Sunshine Cobb and Ginger Lukas.
• Ben Carter interviews Christin Johansson.
• Melinda Marie Alexander shares her First Interview with Kylie Inspired Crafts.

The Rest

Things that might be interesting to a potter but don’t fit in any of the other sections. Business advice, inspiration, fun stuff, etc.

• Lori Watts had a rebuilding Year, reorganizes the studio and shows some Brick Repair.
  
• Tracey Broome needs to recharge, shows how she does the Fancy Photography and takes a look at Galleries vs. Outdoor Shows.
• Mea Rhee continues the great Hourly Earnings series with a post about the Online Store.
• Diane McNeil shares a Ceramics Today article A Case for Handmade Tableware.
• Michael Kline ponders his digital archive.
• Nicholas Bivins shares an inspirational commencement speech

• Carole Epp shares an epic arrowmont post and some more.
  
• Linda Starr is Cleaning Kiln Shelves.
• Tony Clennell says that The Price Is Right!.
• Paul Jessop takes us on a Winchcombe Visit.
• Lori Langford is taking better photos.
• Molly Hatch has a new project for the year.
• Clay Club puts on one of the coolest events ever: Clay Olympics!
• Cousins in Clay shares a Poem by Jack Troy.
• Kings Creek Pottery loves the new Chop.
• Lori Buff talks Social Marketing.
• Michael Kline knows that it is a Balancing Act.
• Josie Jurczenia is Turning the Tables in her studio.
• Gary Jackson shares some Some Color-Matching Fun (say goodbye to Angry Birds!)
• Clay and Ginger shares a video: Why do the arts matter in Los Angeles public schools?

• Kelly Kessler discovers and interesting fact: Pottery saved the toothless.
• John Britt joins the 21st century.
• Marian Williams loves Zen Brush and her new maker’s mark, narrows her efforts, searches for Copper Red and tells about her new Wheel.
• Hodaka Pottery does some Kiln maintenance.
• Joan Tucker shares some copyright free Symbols for Design Work.
• Lucy Fagella shows the Plate Setters that she uses.
• Adam Field is giving awayPottery to some of his YouTube subscribers.
• Liberty Stoneware has Pipes and Kiln Blobs from KY.
• Scott Cooper blogs about… blogging.
• Bulldog Pottery uses a Hand-made Ball Mill.
  
• DirtKicker Pottery shares some tips about buying and installing a clay extruder.
• Michael Kline gives us a tour of his studio.
• Whitney Smith gets in on the studio tours.
• Joel Cherrico gives a Guest Blog Posting about selling pottery online.

And we’re off to a rocking start! Though it seems like a lot of potters take a little break at the end of the year, the pottery bloggers are in full stride. Lots of good stuff this month. If I forgot anything leave a comment. Thanks for reading!