It’s been a while since my last post. There is little time to do it. 

I’ve switched my clay from a speckled stoneware to a white or buff stoneware. I want to do more painting and decorative work. I found that the speckles in my stoneware were making my painting come out muddy. If I did a really good job, it worked ok. I’d like to have more color. 

I’ve attached a pic of a chalice I made with the previous stoneware clay. I traced some live maple leaves right on the chalice. I traced them in pencil…the easy part. Then I used a wash of colored slip, just like in water color. 

I think painting in slip or glaze on pottery IS water coloring, except on a different medium.

Anyway, on the chalice, I then used some slip trailers that I have. This, for me is extremely difficult. I have to get the viscosity of the slip exactly correct for the tip that I use to apply the slip. I use, usually, Amaco Velvet underglaze. I copied the detail from the leafs onto the clay. I think I did this onto the bisk fired chalice, although it propbably would have been easire on greenware, before the bisk. Although, on the greenware ir you happen to go slightly backwards with the tip, the tip clogs. That happens often enough, with me, on bisk ware.

Anyway, I hated to put the chalice up for sale, but if I don’t…no space for more pots. It sold, and the patron was happy, so it went to a good home.

And… to change the subject, I have no TIME for anything. I’m retired, 75 years old, OLD! I’m taking care of our house. We had some horrible nor’easters, here in Eastern Massachusetts, last winter. We have to have cut down 2 large pines, one leaning about 10 degrees Southwest. I have to pay for that. We were out of power for 4 days. My wife MADE me buy a generator. I was perfectly happy with kerosene lamps, but food and heat was a problem. 

So, we are waiting for the guys I hired to take out the 2 trees ($$$) and for an electrician to install a transfer switch for the generator {$$). 

I am adding some lighting to my workshop (for machinery and wood work). I’m making a semi-enclosure for the portable generator. Our electrician said I shouldn’t enclose it, to just put plywood over the top. The problem is, snow drifts in our yard, especially in front of the pot shop and garage. The generator could easily get buried in 4 feet of snow. So I’m making a flat roof on a frame and 2 sides, towards the northeast. The frame will allow a clear space of 4 “ on the enclosed sides. I figure this will leave enough exposed for heat dissipation, air intake and exhaust. I’ll keep a close watch on it when its first operating.

ALSO, my sisters and I have had to take care of my mother. She’s 98 and needs 24 hour supervision. She fine physically. Mentally? She’s a chore and its getting too much. We are trying to get her into some form of elder care. On the one hand, I cant wait, on the other, I’m dismayed at how eagerly I’m looking forward to getting 2 day out of the week back. I don’t need to sell pottery. I have an ok retirement so far, but worry about our glorious leader’s sanity and ambitions. What will he do to social security?

But I love doing pottery. I’m getting old and want to use the time I have left.