tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71086420927848536382024-03-12T20:25:56.948-05:00Patton PotteryFace jugs and decorated wares made by Greg Patton and Joel Patton in Travelers Rest, SC.
Do you want a custom face jug? We might be able to help. . . .PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-71870988293716515042012-09-26T17:16:00.001-05:002012-09-26T17:17:34.081-05:00100 Jugs / 120 Days: #20<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0923122239b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0923122239b.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
#20. The picture's blurry, but I like the sweep of it. The left eye is a porcelain doll from a Victorian-era German factory. A couple of people dig the pieces and sell them on eBay.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0923122212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0923122212.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
I packed the leg with a mixture of white clay. That clay should melt during firing, and run into the open hand.<br />
<br />PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-12884607813087999612012-09-25T08:10:00.001-05:002012-09-25T08:10:38.009-05:00100 Jugs / 120 Days: #16, #17, #18, #19The past few days have been busy ones:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0921121719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0921121719.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
#16. The broken doll is from a Victorian-era factory in Germany. I bought a box of broken dolls several years ago, and I'm just starting to make regular use of them -- it's the source of the pieces that have shown up in some of the jugs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0923121938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0923121938.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
#17. I'm going to put colored glass into the pupils -- it should melt and stay there during firing, but we'll see what happens.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0923121926a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0923121926a.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
#18. The photo isn't clear, but the irises have painted details.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0923121934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0923121934.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
#19. I like the huge mouth.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0922121638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_23/web_0922121638.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's a bonus shot of 17, 18, and 19 underway.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-66674861924576357202012-09-19T08:29:00.003-05:002012-09-19T08:29:59.135-05:00100 Jugs / 120 Days: #15 in-progress pictures#15 is shaping up nicely. It's taking a bit longer than most of the previous ones, for reasons that'll probably be clear:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_18/web_0918122024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_18/web_0918122024.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The handle is an arm, with the hand grasping the tip of the jug. The eye all the way to the jug's right is just an eye. The second eye is the first letter of the Phoenician alphabet. The first mouth holds a small stone.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_18/web_0918122024a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_18/web_0918122024a.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The third eye is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The second mouth contains a small piece of pottery. . . I found it in a creek.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_18/web_0918122024b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_18/web_0918122024b.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The fourth eye is a runic A. The third mouth is going to have a sculpted hand inside, but it's not done yet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_18/web_0918122025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_18/web_0918122025.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The fifth eye is made of stuff that's going to melt. There's no fourth mouth.<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-78266305677546278372012-09-17T16:07:00.000-05:002012-09-17T16:10:01.390-05:00100 Jugs / 120 Days: #14 done, #15 underway, others soon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_16/web_0916121544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_16/web_0916121544.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
#14 is a bird. I pressed in the large feather details, then cut in every darned barb.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_16/web_0916121701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_16/web_0916121701.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
#15 is underway. There are 5 eye sockets, 4 noses, and 3 mouths. The eyes are probably going to get sculptural treatment of some kind, and the mouths are going to contain sculptures or little found artifacts. The handle is an arm and hand.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_16/web_0915121635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_16/web_0915121635.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's the new batch of jugs. #15 started as the piece at the far right, and the others are untouched so far.<br />
<br />
<br />PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-8625670720440953202012-09-13T17:00:00.003-05:002012-09-13T17:00:39.799-05:00100 Jugs / 120 Days: 10, 11, 12, 13Four jugs today, including the two I made on 11 Sep:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_11/web_0912121646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_11/web_0912121646.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
#10. He's a little more staid than what I usually make, perhaps.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_11/web_0912121703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_11/web_0912121703.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
#11, made on 9-11.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_13/web_0913121515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_13/web_0913121515.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
#12, a reliquary jug. . .<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_13/web_0913121515a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_13/web_0913121515a.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
. . . with a secret compartment.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_13/web_0913121609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_13/web_0913121609.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
#13, designed for pouring.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_13/web_0913121609a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_13/web_0913121609a.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-3442815970203164522012-09-10T15:48:00.002-05:002012-09-10T15:48:27.158-05:00100 Jugs / 120 Days: #9, #8, #7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_10/web_0909121823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_10/web_0909121823.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_10/web_0909121823a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_10/web_0909121823a.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
#9. I tried to combine a few of the things I've been doing recently: careful scuplture, found objects, pupils. The left horn is a pair of porcelain legs a customer gave me. The left ear is a piece of pottery I found in a creek in downtown Greenville. The teeth are rocks and a piece of porcelain. There's a bit of glass in the neck of the jug.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_10/web_0908121716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_10/web_0908121716.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
#8. I wanted to make a rock-eyed jug that'd be functional, so I tried the clay grips. The blue glass is from a different trip to the same creek downtown.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_10/web_0908121651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_10/web_0908121651.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
#7. I'd sculpted the eyes as a demonstration for some friends. I liked the mouthless look. . . .<br /><br />
<br />PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-57253915593840679292012-09-07T13:57:00.001-05:002012-09-07T13:59:39.629-05:00100 Jugs / 120 Days: #6 finished, #7 underwayAnother piece done (around a week ago. . . I'm late in updating), and another one started:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_07/web_0831121538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_07/web_0831121538.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_07/web_0905121816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_09_07/web_0905121816.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I started yet another one yesterday, as a demo for some friends. We'll see what comes of all of this activity this weekend. . . .PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-91253165862956965892012-08-31T09:17:00.003-05:002012-08-31T09:17:57.232-05:00100 Jugs / 120 Days: 1.5 more jugsAnother jug finished, and yet another one started.<br />
<br />
#5 isn't a face. . . it's a butt:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_31/web_0830121559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_31/web_0830121559.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It's probably a bit clearer with color added:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_31/web_0830121629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_31/web_0830121629.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
#6 promises to be interesting, if everything works out right:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_31/web_0830121941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_31/web_0830121941.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The horns are broken-faced porcelain dolls, with new devil faces sculpted in. We'll see how the rest of it goes. . . .<br />
PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-48355264114710252622012-08-28T22:05:00.001-05:002012-08-28T22:06:23.365-05:00100 Jugs / 120 Days: three more jugsHere are another three jugs from the ongoing face jug project:<br />
<br />
#2 <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_28/web_0827121630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_28/web_0827121630.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
#3<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_28/web_0828121711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_28/web_0828121711.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
#4<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_28/web_0828121757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_28/web_0828121757.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-43205634926564341162012-08-27T09:24:00.000-05:002012-08-27T09:30:08.937-05:00100 Face Jugs in 120 DaysIt's been quiet around here. Let's fix that.
There are around 120 days left in the year. In that time, I plan to make 100 face jugs.
I've started with these four (and another three, not pictured):
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_27/web_0825121346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="450" width="600" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_27/web_0825121346.jpg" /></a></div>
Here's the first face of the group, minus a few finishing details:
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_27/web_0826121657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="600" width="450" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/joelimages/100_jugs/2012_08_27/web_0826121657.jpg" /></a></div>
I'll post the finished pieces to my section of <a href="http://patton-pottery.com/">http://patton-pottery.com/</a>, and I'll post in-progress pictures here.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-75355315724758985862010-08-27T08:08:00.002-05:002010-08-27T10:48:25.942-05:00new ash glazesGreg and I have been experimenting with some new ash glazes. Pictures are below.<br /><br />Our original recipe is something we got from Randy Tobias. We couldn't ever get it to work quite right, but that's the nature of ash glazes (and glazes in general).<br /><br />It contained unwashed hardwood ash, Redart, and 3195 frit. (I'm happy to give out formulas -- just email me.)<br /><br />We've had trouble with running and with bubbles, and we've tweaked the formula a few times to see what happens, but without much luck. We had a better run this time around -- the things that we made worked well and looked good, and didn't seem to run or to bubble up too badly. We'll see how they look on jugs.<br /><br />The first one is a combination of a couple experiments. There's a bit of Tennessee ball clay in there with the Redart, and a tiny bit of copper:<br /><img src=http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/2010_08_27_blog/web_IMG_2342.JPG><br /><br />The second is Alberta slip with frit (in the same proportion as our usual Redart mix):<br /><img src=http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/2010_08_27_blog/web_IMG_2343.JPG><br /><br />The third one is ash and Alberta slip, 1:1 with 4% added iron:<br /><img src=http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/2010_08_27_blog/web_IMG_2344.JPG><br /><br />The fourth one is ash and Redart, 1:1 with 4% added iron:<br /><br /><img src=http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/2010_08_27_blog/web_IMG_2345.JPG><br /><br />The fifth is our usual ash glaze, though we're not entirely sure which usual, and it's been aging for at least a year (and it's apparently applied thinner than usual):<br /><img src=http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/2010_08_27_blog/web_IMG_2346.JPG><br /><br />And the last is our usual ash glaze mixed 1:1 (wet) with our usual clear glaze:<br /><img src=http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/2010_08_27_blog/web_IMG_2347.JPG>PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-33322992793994008762009-10-12T19:06:00.004-05:002009-10-12T19:36:36.952-05:00puppets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0878.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0878.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Even before I started making pottery, I wanted to make puppets. I've tried my hand at one or two, but I hadn't done any in ceramic until this last kilnload.<br /><br />I'm still figuring out mechanisms, but the dark red one (on my ring finger) has gotten a working mouth, and the purplish one on my middle finger has found a new home on top of one of Randy Tobias's walking sticks. All is well so far. . . .<br /><br />(Apologies for the big picture crammed into the small space to the left. . . .)PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-79905581568529013492009-10-10T14:00:00.002-05:002009-10-10T14:14:28.056-05:00local pottery shards<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0731.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0731.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I always look down when I walk, so I find some interesting things from time to time. I've been suprised at how many ceramic fragments I find, and I'm particularly suprised at a piece I found the other day. . . .<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0734.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0734.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>It looks as though it's a fragment from the bottom of a locally-made jug, maybe from Edgefield (or made here in the upstate). The glaze looks like an alkaline glaze, and the piece has cutoff marks. The shape suggests a jug.<br /><br />I'm by no means an expert on this sort of thing, so I might be off base, but it was a neat thing to find. (I just wish I remembered where I'd found the thing.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0733.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 533px; height: 400px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0733.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />These are two chunk<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0736.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0736.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>s of pipe from the old Travelers Rest Elementary. The top one has a really pretty glaze -- it looks sort of like a salt glaze, though that seems unlikely. (But see above, where I note that I don't necessarily know what I'm talking about here.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0735.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0735.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>And these were the oddest, just because of the shape -- the one on the lower right makes a pretty sharp corner. I found them near the old elementary school, as well. I seem to remember some old playground equipment that had tiles on it, but it was a ways off from where I found these pieces, and my memory may be a bit off.<br /><br />In any case, these pieces will probably make their way into a new face jug sometime soon. Part of what I like about finding these fragments is that they allow me to incorporate some local history into my pieces.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-56626279130987602882009-10-09T09:28:00.002-05:002009-10-09T10:00:59.770-05:00insects and potteryI spotted a mosquito on an in-progress puppet head this morning:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0868.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 531px; height: 475px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0868.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I was going to say that it was the highest compliment I'd gotten, but then this happened a few minutes later:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0875.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 600px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20091009blogimages/web_IMG_0875.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So I suppose it was just an insect conicidence.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-91417591276133700782009-08-15T10:33:00.003-05:002009-08-15T10:40:40.744-05:00a brief tour of the Patton Pottery workshopHere are a few pictures of our workshop. Be sure to click on them, since Blogger cuts them off a bit. . . .<br /><br />The picture below is the view just to the side of the front door of the workshop. Most interesting are one of Greg's disturbing assemblages (this one's a fountain) and the pottery chicken lamp (of unknown provenance).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0157.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 800px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0157.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Here's a view from the back door into the workshop. Greg was inspired by the Baltimore, MD tradition of screen painting:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0155.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 800px; height: 600px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0155.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Just across from the backdoor of the workshop is the kiln shed, and over the door to the kiln shed is this cheerful fellow:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0153.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 800px; height: 600px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0153.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />More pictures are forthcoming, with any luck.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-61408233617384982742009-08-04T14:03:00.002-05:002009-08-04T14:07:06.784-05:00coffee cup designI bought these coffee mugs off a friend a few months ago:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0159.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 800px; height: 600px;" src="http://patton-pottery.com/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0159.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />If there's anything I don't need, it's more coffee cups. I couldn't resist these, though. The design is really slick -- the handle follows the curve exactly, and the cups are quite light. They're not the sort of thing I'd made (or could make without a mold), but they feel nice in my hand and they look good. The only disconcerting thing about them is the pinging they did when I first poured hot coffee into them. (My friend reported that they'd never been used, so maybe it's just the sensitivity of a glaze changing temperature quickly for the first time since firing.)<br /><br />Every since I started making pottery, I notice and like all manner of ceramic items. . . I suppose that's how it goes for everybody.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-34740188128300094702009-07-28T12:11:00.003-05:002009-07-28T12:15:59.694-05:00Tough crowd.<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190323107529">http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190323107529</a><br /><br />The other one sold, though.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-91733402419149092402009-04-24T16:07:00.005-05:002009-04-29T12:06:30.610-05:00churningI've been meaning to update for six weeks or so, because I bought a churn.<br /><br />I made a trip to the Pickens jockey lot and found this piece. The price was right, so I picked it up:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0141.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 800px;" src="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0141.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'm not in any way expert on this sort of thing, but my guess is that it's from Georgia. Looks like an Albany slip glaze, so probably 1890s to 1940s (and almost certainly the later end of that range).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0142.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 800px;" src="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0142.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />There's a pretty large ding out of the rim, and there's some sloppy glazing at the top. There are quite a few minor odditites, but it's in good shape overall. The clay is very soft, almost like eathenware. Reminds me a bit of Lizella clay, since it doesn't seem to be really vitrified.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0162.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 800px; height: 600px;" src="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/miscimages/20090313blogimages/web_IMG_0162.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I bought it because I thought it was pretty cool. I don't think it's particularly collectible, but it's nice to have a piece of semi-local history around the workshop.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-65798076684889479072009-02-08T19:40:00.004-05:002009-02-08T19:55:27.585-05:00ash glaze redux redux: tilesAs promised, here are the tiles from the test glaze batches we fired a week or two ago. These are just four tiles with two of the ash glazes and a new decorative feature:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/miscimages/ashtiles.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 667px; height: 500px;" src="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/miscimages/ashtiles.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The first glaze was supposed to be a tobacco spit. I like how it turned out on the Lizella clay -- almost any ash glaze looks good on Lizella. It's got some matte spots and some shiny glassy spots.<br /><br />The second and third tiles are a new version of our standard ash glaze with a bit of copper added in. The color of the kitchen wall is similar to the runs, and is washing out the tiles a bit. They look good in person. But things looked very very very different when we mixed up a gallon of the stuff. Every kilnload is an adventure.<br /><br />The final tile has a couple swatches of a metallic-style decoration.<br /><br />More pictures are coming with the next page update.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-59572173809222615712009-02-01T22:16:00.004-05:002009-02-01T22:25:28.049-05:00ash glaze redux: the magic of baby food jarsOne of the dubious benefits having a baby nearby is the vast number of little glass jars that pile up. They look useful, but they're generally not. (I'd make one of those under-shelf old-man nail-and-screw toolboxes, but we've already got a spot for nails and screws and brads and staples and tacks.)<br /><br />I finally realized that we could use those jars to mix up test glazes. I've got to measure more carefully than usual, since a gram one way or the other can make a huge difference in an ounce or two of glaze. (We cheerfully mix units of measurement.) But I can get a sense of what a glaze might look like before we mix up a couple of gallons.<br /><br />We ran just a few experiments in our last firing. Several of those were ash glazes. As I said in <a href="http://patton-pottery.blogspot.com/2008/01/alkaline-glazes-failed-first-glaze.html">an earlier post</a> (in which the pictures are now broken), ash glazes can get out of hand easily.<br /><br />Our new mixes went well, though, and gave us some idea of what we want to mix up. We should have some excellent new colors before too long.<br /><br />Current pictures are forthcoming, with any luck.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-14098219135647756532009-01-27T15:22:00.002-05:002009-01-27T15:25:48.413-05:00more cullet glass<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/wip/20090126wip/web_DSCF6880.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 500px;" src="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/wip/20090126wip/web_DSCF6880.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />He's a rock star.<br /><br />Again, I don't know what this glass will do in the kiln, but I'll be interested to see. In the meantime, I might try and affix some of this stuff to some eyes after firing (though that seems like cheating).PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-21051083578524920662009-01-26T13:59:00.004-05:002009-01-27T15:21:34.550-05:00Face Jug of the Month ClubSo, I had an interesting idea:<br /><br /><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190282610007">http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190282610007</a><br /><br />The auction is for a subscription (the only one so far) to my Face Jug of the Month Club. Every month or so, I'll send along a new face jug to the winner. I'll include my usual mix of creepy things and even creepier things. . . .<br /><br />It'll be fun to see how things turn out.<br /><br />In the meantime, here are some in-progress jugs:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/ebay/20090125to0201/web_DSCF6877.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 667px; height: 500px;" src="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/ebay/20090125to0201/web_DSCF6877.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The crazy shiny eyes are cullet glass, the kind that makes reflective road stripes reflective. I found a pile of it on the way home a few months ago. . . I just wish it would shine that way after firing, but there's no hope.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-69841226219738669682009-01-07T13:57:00.003-05:002009-01-07T14:09:31.425-05:00melting clay for eyesI spent a pleasant hour or so watching Peter Lenzo work this morning. He is a meticulous glazer.<br /><br />The devil jug in the post before this one, which I still like after a few months, and which is therefore looking down on me now as I type, has got a melted left eye. I know that it's obvious, but what surprised me is how well it turned out.<br /><br />To come up with a melting clay, I ran a series of experiments. I started with a base of Highwater Clay's <a href="http://www.highwaterclays.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=237">white earthenware</a> and added frit (Ferro 3195) in varying percentages (by weight).<br /><br />For the electric kiln, cone 6, 80% clay and 20% frit worked best.<br /><br />So I guessed that for the wood kiln, cone 10, 90% clay and 10% frit would work well. It did, by and large -- it produced the eye in the devil jug below, as well as this guy's eye:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/joelimages/faces/20080925joelfaces/eyerundoublepupil.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 600px;" src="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/joelimages/faces/20080925joelfaces/eyerundoublepupil.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />But the same mix also produced this unmelted result:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/joelimages/faces/20080925joelfaces/wickedskull.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 600px;" src="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/joelimages/faces/20080925joelfaces/wickedskull.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A mystery.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-38206564525361563042009-01-01T13:11:00.002-05:002009-01-01T13:15:05.998-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/joelimages/faces/20080925joelfaces/eyerunstaleydevil.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 600px;" src="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/joelimages/faces/20080925joelfaces/eyerunstaleydevil.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This blog has been neglected, among the various vagaries of our lives. Fortunately, we don't have any readers.<br /><br />We're going to put in another wood firing with Michel Bayne in a week or so, but I still haven't had time to make it out to the shop. Today is slipping away, and tomorrow is booked. Such is the way of things.<br /><br />Included in this post are a couple of my favorite pieces from this year. Note the heavy Peter Lenzo influence. (He's told me I don't need to pay any licensing fees.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/joelimages/faces/20080925joelfaces/shinobloateye.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 600px;" src="http://72.29.75.243/%7Egroovet/greg/images/joelimages/faces/20080925joelfaces/shinobloateye.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108642092784853638.post-62401208970587908062008-10-14T11:32:00.001-05:002008-10-14T11:35:43.839-05:00marketing theory and practiceI have a theory that we'd sell more pots if this were a quasiliterate screed.PattonPotteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00140616798290378210noreply@blogger.com0