It has been almost two months since the work study position began at the Tucson Clay Coop. It took me a few weeks to get back in the flow of clay having not worked much on throwing since April. Before leaving Pakistan my aim was to glaze and complete firings for all the bisque ware that was sitting around my studio.
Having sold everything in the studio (except my tools and cobalt oxide) I never imagined that a community studio would be a welcome treat on arrival in the desert. Within three weeks of being here I stumbled upon the clay coop, which I had poked upon online while sitting in Islamabad, but the extent of the clay community, helpfulness, largess of heart of all working there was not evident until I visited.
I would say am working more steadily with clay here than ever before.
Gracias Tucson Clay Coop~
Tucson Clay Coop
a wonderful space for lovers of clay
A few weeks after arriving in the desert I came across a posting from the Tucson Clay Coop: work study position open! Oh me oh my, t’was to good to be true. A few calls later I had an appointment for the following Saturday, and voila, the very same day did I begin. The clay coop is a dollhouse of a clay studio featuring workshops, classes, children’s clay camps, memberships and very very decent materials and facilities.
I work there on Saturdays for three hours in exchange for three days of studio time in exchange. How wonderful is that? At the moment am simply enjoying having my hands in clay again after months and months. And to be around clay folks is super wow! Am also making all my pottery and required wares for my home. Small soy sauce bowls, yogurt and soup bowls, plates, a pitcher, sieves, soap dishes, tumblers, coffee vessels, glasses, and other items to enhance the home front.
Shall post photos soon. Keep in tune~
~Spring Firing~
Loaded the kiln a week ago, started the fire on Wednesday and unfortunately, Ameen, the kiln and studio technician at the university had a death in the family. Without second thought the kiln was turned off and the work sat silently in the kiln until we turned it on on Sunday night.
This afternoon, I returned to the kiln after work. Cone 08 (950C) and Cone 1 (1150C) were down and we tweaked the damper, turned up the gas, and played with air at intervals of an hour or two.
This kiln simply roars; gently gently it increases and there were points where it rose at a steady 60C/hour. Amazing! Cone 9 (1280C) was flat and cone 10 (1300C) was bent low-ish; I decided not to flatten cone 10 completely, as the glaze is flexible between 1270 and 1300 C. The inside of the kiln was a hot yellow! Am looking forward to finding out what happens on Wednesday when we unload.
An evening of fire
Spring Equinox in a few hours- Nowrooz
Poured large drops of rain for an hour
“Fire and rain! A perfect combination to mark spring. ” (in response to my firing by a clay enthusiast)
