bodner046

I make a lot of piggy banks. Most are special orders and I have to make what is requested. Don't get me wrong, I love making piggy banks with kids names. It keeps me in touch with what all the cool parents are naming their kids these days. Once in awhile I can break away from the orders and make something different. This time it was a Lion Bank. He is my take on a Chinese guardian lion, with a friendlier face. I am really happy with how the shino glaze and wood ash worked for this form. I have been hanging on to him for a bit. Eventually I will list him for sale on Etsy. In the mean time I will study him.

When we moved to 505 E. Main we bought a used refrigerator on Craigslist. We needed something to get us by until we could afford a new one. Lowe's had a decent sale this month so we bit the bullet and bought this beauty... It never arrived the day of the scheduled delivery. No one at Lowe's knew why it never got on the truck that morning. They would reschedule for six days later. On a good note they gave us an even better price for the inconvenience. The new refrigerator was delivered a week ago Monday and we love it. Tuesday we woke up in the wee hours of the morning to a light flashing and a humming noise. Jeff jumped out of bed, thinking the house was on fire. It thankfully wasn't, but it was probably close. The plug on the condenser of our heat pump fried, which in turn caused, what I guess, was a power surge in the house that made our touch lamp flicker as well as burning out the power strip it was plugged into. When we called an HVAC company I was shocked that a tech ...

Over the weekend I was searching online for a list of Salmon Falls Stoneware makers marks. A friend had a bean pot that I wanted to identify for her, and Jeff wasn't home to take a look at it. During my search I came across a Salmon Falls Stoneware piggy bank with John's mark. John was one of the piggy bank makers at the factory in Dover, NH. As searches go, I then stumbled upon a short essay that John had published in The Sun magazine in 1983. I knew he had subscribed to The Sun, there were lots of old issues in the house. What I didn't know was that he had submitted, and had this piece published. I AM COMING TO REALIZE I am an artist as opposed to a craftsman. I enjoy making pots that do no more than sit there and speak directly to the spirit. God, I am a lucky one, for I work with spirit every day. Some days more than others. Today, I had to work eight hours before it started, but then it was like working with clay for the first time again, finding new forms and delight...

Each Saturday in Seagrove many of the potters are offering mini workshops, classes, and demonstrations. Last Saturday, Jeff and I offered three, one hour group pottery lessons. They filled up so quickly that we had to add another class at 6 pm. We had a mix of kids, families, and groups of friends. There were lots of laughs and lots of clay everywhere. I think everyone had a great time.  Jeff and I were up early the next day to wipe down shelving and mop the floor. Next weekend is our anniversary event. Can you believe that we have been in Seagrove for eight years? We will be doing demonstrations as well as serving some Asian teas, including matcha, midday. Jeff will talk about the Korean tea ceremony and all the parts and pieces that go along with it. You can see more details in the right sidebar of the blog. We are enjoying a reprieve from the heat and humidity that we have been experiencing since what seems like mid-May. It's been wonderful to have windows open and feel the fres...

Hello July! My blogging is off to a good start. Lets see if I can beat last month and write more than two posts. That should be an attainable goal.  Blogging may be off to a good start, but we are nearly a week behind in getting this kiln fired. Between the heat and humidity, and Jeff nursing an extremely sore foot, it's been tough to stay on top of things. Yesterday I glazed all of the student pots (these are students that come for a one time throwing experience) and under glazed all of the piggy banks that needed it. Today will be glazing day. Last week the heat made it brutal to prep the pots and load the kiln for a bisque firing. We had to come in every hour or so to cool off and hydrate. Once all the textured pots were sanded down, Jeff did most of the loading in the evening. The temperatures today aren't any better, but the work needs to get done. And now on to FOOD! Last night I made green lentil curry for the first time. It was really easy to put together and was delici...