FILLER (A GANG OF FOUR)

I have to admit that usually at this time of the year things are mostly quiet and I keep myself with testing ideas, forms and glazes but thanks to two commissions I have almost enough to fill a kiln, now comes the filler and a good reason to keep busy. The commissions were a set of four molded square plates and a eight dinner plates which take up a fair amount of space so I have set about making a small handful of teabowls, a couple of covered jars and as of today a group of four tokkuri forms. I threw the tokkuri bottles in just over one pound of stoneware clay as well as a group of necks/mouths that I will lute to the pieces once the feet are trimmed and the clay is the right consistency. As of this moment my intent is to decorate them impasto style with thick slip and then glaze them in Oribe or Kuro-Oribe style, time will tell. It is always plus to be busy during this time of year even if it is a high of 60 degrees in the studio, at least I don't have to break the ice from my water bucket while throwing like I did on several ocassions in Cleveland. See, I can look on the bright side of things.  

"Idle hands are the devil's workshop."