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Wood fired treasures

August 26, 2018Wood FiredDavid
A handmade ceramic vase with a wide mouth, featuring earthy tones of beige, brown, and hints of green glaze, set against a white background.
A handmade ceramic vase with a wide mouth, featuring earthy tones of beige, brown, and hints of green glaze, set against a white background.

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otterpottery

74 Johnson Avenue
Markerville, Alberta -
Phone 403-638-5177
These French butter dishes and garlic keepers fit These French butter dishes and garlic keepers fit in the fridge for travel and take no room on a small table once you found your destination. Spending summer in the Sundre area? Join us for #Sundre #potteryclasses starting the week of July 9th. For the summer, classes are available afternoons and evenings. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #wheelthrowing #ceramics #exploresundre #camping #resorts
A set of 3 nesting bowls with the Northern Lights A set of 3 nesting bowls with the Northern Lights and a starry sky. A panoramic view of the lights dancing around the rim. There will be #Sundre #potteryclasses starting the week of May 27th. I have changed one class to making pottery using molds with one class on the wheel. Still 6 lessons. We have space available for every evening 7 to 10 pm if you would like to come and have some fun creating. Mid-Day classes will be available starting in July. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #wheelthrowing #ceramics #potteryglazes #slipcasting
For pet memorials, a ceramic coaster with your pet For pet memorials, a ceramic coaster with your pet’s paw imprint can be made for resting on the table or placing on a wall. Also, a picture of a paw print can be added to the side of an urn or memorial vase. Here is the reverse side of the vases. #Sundre #potteryclasses #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #handbuiltpottery #lessons #arts #slabbuiltpottery #urn #memorial
The Raku clay I use has a wide variety of particle The Raku clay I use has a wide variety of particle sizes. This makes it more resistant to heat shock, it can flex more without cracking. But, because of that the clay doesn’t hold water once fired. This pot explores larger surfaces with different colors and texturing. Being so dark, it is very subtle. The pot has a strong presence. #potteryclasses here in #Sundre do not teach raku techniques. Space is available in the 1 day, 3 day and 6 week pottery #classes. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #raku #lessons #art #copper #glaze
In the majority of the clay plaques I have made mo In the majority of the clay plaques I have made more than 40% have water in them. This is to be expected as I worked as a white-water rafting guide for about 30 years. I have spent a lot of time on the water in my life. By raft, I have traveled through areas that are only accessible by water and are wilderness. At some specific points on the river, it wasn’t unusual for people to comment on how beautiful the view was. Again, proof that we are wired to see the beauty around us, but we must slow down to truly see. These are two plaques, done in different types of clay, that loosely depict the same rapids on the Red Deer River. The waterfall is the last set of rapids on the river just before the take out.
Remember, #potteryclasses in #Sundre. This lidded Remember, #potteryclasses in #Sundre. This lidded pot has been heated in a special dedicated kiln. Once the black glaze develops, a salt is placed in the kiln and it vaporizes. Everything in the kiln is then covered with a thin film of material. This effect is the same as gasoline on water. The thin film reflects light from the surface and the base of the film. The interference of the reflected light waves creates the color patterns as the film varies in thickness. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #sundreclayart #ceramica #raku #lessons #handthrown
You can cover any color glaze body with a slip (cl You can cover any color glaze body with a slip (clay mixed with water so that it is a slurry) of a different color. Here I have used white and black stained porcelain slip over the tan clay body. It makes it silky smooth and your glazes pop. Join us for the #Sundre #potteryclasses starting the week of March 25th. We have space available for every evening 7 to 10 pm if you would like to come and have some fun creating. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #wheelthrowing #ceramics #potteryglazes
Keep your butter fresh, covered and on the table a Keep your butter fresh, covered and on the table at room temperature. Three different styles and sizes of keepers are made. The Butter Dome (as shown), French Butter Dish, and a Butter Block that can be made to hold up to a full pound of butter. We will be at the #Bergen #christmasmarket, 10 kms south of #Sundre on November 24th. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #butterdish
Try something new again! Over the years I silk scr Try something new again! Over the years I silk screened the T-shirts for the rafting business. Why not try something new with the old screens? Now this image is on my T-shirts as well as my mugs. You can have one made to order! Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre starting the week of March 25st. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #Silkscreening #wheelthrowing #ceramics #potteryglazes #slabwork
I have 2 mugs left over from a recent commission. I have 2 mugs left over from a recent commission. Wanting travelling mugs, I attached short high handles. These are a pleasure to hold and so comfortable. They can fit in your car’s cup holders too. Join us for #Sundre #potteryclasses starting the week of March 25th. I already have people enrolled for Wednesday evening 7 to 10 pm if you would like to come and have some fun creating. Other days are available. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #wheelthrowing #ceramics
When people start to learn pottery, you start simp When people start to learn pottery, you start simple then progress to more difficult. Pinch pots come first, then slab building, coil assembling and then on the wheel. Working on a wheel uses a lot of the techniques you started with. The #potteryclasses I offer here in Sundre, start with pinch pots. It is a good place to start to see when you squeeze clay, how you do it affects the direction it moves. While people are struggling with making a vase I work along with them to show how to not end up with a bowl. I connected two demonstration pinch vases quickly and created this ogre’s head. People discover that pinching clay in a controlled way is not at a kindergarten level – but maybe a grade 5!! I have pottery classes here in Sundre starting July 1st. There will also be some classes aimed as a day camp for kids. Book Early! #Sundre #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #potteryclasses #sculpture
Having not worked with porcelain much it was time Having not worked with porcelain much it was time to make a plate. Porcelain is fickle, so I heard, the plate didn’t develop the dreaded S-Crack. I’ll attribute that to luck. But after throwing this I applied porcelain orange slip and a red slip at random. The red needs some adjustments! Trimming the inside of the plate revealed the color combinations against a bright white. Join us for the next #potteryclasses in #Sundre starting the 3rd week of March or so. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. To be the first to find out the date, leave your name and email address and you will be added to our mailing list. .#Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #porcelain #porcelainslips #wheelthrowing #plates
A Butter Dish that resembles a house. Too cute! I A Butter Dish that resembles a house. Too cute! I am taking bookings for pottery classes starting in January. Makes a great Christmas Gift! Go to http://www.potteryclasses.page for more information. #Bergen #christmasmarket, 10 kms south of #Sundre on November 24th. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #butterdish
I have always lived in Canada, and at one time in I have always lived in Canada, and at one time in Northern Ontario. Reminders of the paintings of the Group of Seven are everywhere in the landscape. The pictures with the theme of Northern Lake Superior attract and haunt me. Everyone knows of a secluded place where our senses come alive. We love listening to the wind passing through the branches and needles of these trees. The sounds around us. The activation of so many senses at once is overwhelming – you never forget it. I’m not a member of the famous group but I can make my version of solitary trees. Creating scenes in ceramics with glazes, makes the landscape sparkle and come to life. You can build up clay to make the trees step forward and the waters and hills recede. The day advances, shadows move over the clay, highlighting and hiding features. The water is always glistening. The reality of being there hits me again.
We are concerned about the loss of the planets wil We are concerned about the loss of the planets wildlife. Have you noticed that there are very few crushed bugs on the windshield of your car after a road trip? The rate of change of the loss of our fellow inhabitants of this planet his speeded up. The pair of buffalo on the lid of this pot reference these losses. In all but a few places, buffalo are no longer roaming free. These great herds have disappeared fairly recently timewise. But the start of human caused extinctions began about 11,000 years ago. Although, sometimes we might not think it, the Neanderthals vanished earlier due to a variety of reasons. Two reasons are the competition with humans for resources and absorption into the human species.
This is a project I have worked on a long time and This is a project I have worked on a long time and now it is hanging on the wall. The challenge was to make a landscape from clay coils. The glazing can be a single layer or a combination to use the resulting interaction. The #Sundre #potteryclasses are starting at the beginning of September. Reserve your space now! Everyone is welcome. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #sundreclayart #coilbuilding #ceramica #claybuilding
This year Otter pottery of #Sundre has improved th This year Otter pottery of #Sundre has improved their display booth. You can get a good look at some of my pottery on sale now. There is a special sale date, Dec 15, 10 am to 8 pm. Guest artists work on display too. Some bargains then!! We have gift certificates for Pottery classes starting in January. http://www.potteryclasses.page . #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #Christmas
Oops! My hand was too big for the greenware mug an Oops! My hand was too big for the greenware mug and the wall of the cup broke. Suddenly, they became candle holders. An accident can trigger a new way to think about what to make. Join us for #Sundre #potteryclasses starting the week of July 9th. For the summer classes are available afternoons and evenings. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #wheelthrowing #ceramics
This is a bit of an aside - This is Mental Health This is a bit of an aside - This is Mental Health Awareness Month. Don’t be fooled by the “health awareness” words. It is just a nice glossing over of the words “mental illness”. The illness of today that you “dare not speak its name”. The aside is over! I really like this sculpture. The turtle is the handle for the lid of the pot. When you look in the pot you should expect to see the “Turtles all the way down”. The saying holds that the world is supported by a chain of increasingly large turtles. Beneath each turtle is yet another: it is "turtles all the way down" that are supporting our planet as it travels through space. I love to hear about the stories and myths we have about humankind. Coincidently, the book that has this title is a powerful tale of the pain of mental illness.
There are so many things you can do with ceramics. There are so many things you can do with ceramics. Most people think making pottery and end there. You can make Teapots and ashtrays, or you can use it on leading surfaces of the space shuttle to withstand the high heat of friction as it goes through the earth’s atmosphere. Hopefully I don't disappoint. But for now, I have settled on adding sculpture to the tableware that is made. It is always created with an idea in mind which can change along the way. I hope you find the meaning on you own or move on to getting your own message that you can use daily.
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