February 14, 2008

Welcome to the blog/news section of our site! We will be updating this section several times per week to keep you informed about the inter workings of a pottery studio among other things. Questions you may have regarding Boneyard Pottery may be directed to patty@boneyardpottery.com. Your question and corresponding answer may be chosen to appear on the blog.

Today is the reception for Michael's show at Ridgeland College in Decatur, IL called "Michael Schwegmann | Porcelain". The show will continue through March 8th, see the Alida Duff's page on the David Erlanson gallery for hours and directions.

February 19, 2008

The ewers have been bisque fired. That's the first firing that removes all of the chemical water from the piece. After that, the molecular structure of the clay has been altered and it can't go back into the slop barrell. The next step is glazing! Here is what they look like after they have been bisqued.

February 15, 2008

We have added some photos of ewers that Michael is working on. We will be tracking these ewers until completion. If you have any questions about the ceramic process, please ask!

The main body was thrown and then the neck, bottom, and two nubs near the top were attached.
Many ewers with parts attached.
Handles and spouts were pulled. If you look closely you can see that the spouts have small holes in the middle and are completely functional. They are layed out to dry for a few hours or days before attaching so that they maintain their shape.
Once all of the parts are attached, the ewers are left wrapped under plastic for several days or weeks so they can dry slowly. The attachments need to have approximately the same moisture level as the main piece to help them resist cracking.
Check out our events section of our website to read more about classes. We have a few options for adults and even a youth class on Saturday mornings. Classes are tons of fun, some students have been taking classes here for over a year! This is also a great gift idea and a fun activity for couples. If you're interested in signing up, call the shop 217-355-5610 to reserve your space.

What is the slop barrel?

The slop barrel is where we keep the clay that can be recycled. If we make a piece, then decide it's a miserable failure, we throw it in the slop barrell, let it dissolve, and then we can reuse the clay. It is usually a festering stinky bucket of moldy clay with occassional suprise tools and sponge pieces that ended up there by accident.

The Slop Barrel
February 26, 2008
We fired a kiln this past Friday and snapped a photo during the firing (left). After it cooled off, we unloaded on Saturday. Here is a photo of the kiln after firing (right). Next time we will shoot a photo before and after the firing so you can see how the glazes change!
In the studio we are making work in preparation for art fairs this summer. We are still in the process of hearing back from shows and frequently add new information to our events page.

Michael is working on a new project with large wall tiles. The tiles are drying now and we can't wait to see how they will turn out. Patty is working on the small trays that are so popular at our art fairs.

Michael's Wall Tiles
Small Trays
Just in case you were wondering, this is what happens to the clay in the slop barrel after it has been screened. Now we wait until it dries enough to use again. Then we get more clay from the slop barrel. A few days later we get more clay from the slop barrel. And a few days later we get more clay from the slop barrel. You get the point...
Slop clay, reclaimed!
The Slop Barrel
recycled bits of clay information
The slop barrel is a large bucket in the studio into which we put clay trimmings and scraps. These scraps are reworked back into usable clay to make the next batch of work.

Copyright 2008 Boneyard Pottery