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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

Unfortunately, the #potteryclasses here in #Sundre Unfortunately, the #potteryclasses here in #Sundre does not demonstrate barrel firing. This example of a barrel fired urn has been enhanced by wrapping steel wool around the pot, adding salt (ice melt) and poppy seeds. Another wrapping of aluminium foil holds these additions against the clay. During firing, these ingredients smoked or fumed, and that stained the clay. After the firing, the charred bits and residue were wiped off the pot. There is no glaze on barrel fired work. This technique doesn’t get hot enough to melt a glaze. They are permanently stained. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #barrelfiredpottery
Reposting due to poor picture quality. Learning to Reposting due to poor picture quality. Learning to combine glazes takes time. Not too much and not too little. 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
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
The November #potteryclasses in #Sundre are bookin The November #potteryclasses in #Sundre are booking up. For information and to enroll go to http://www.otterpottery.com/pottery-classes/ . Another horse hair pot. Another beautiful reminder. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #horsehairpottery #lessons #art #horse #remembrance
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. #Sundre #potteryclasses #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #handbuiltpottery #lessons #arts #slabbuiltpottery #urn #memorial
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
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
This is a vase I made several years ago. It was in This is a vase I made several years ago. It was initially glazed with an ash glaze on a brown clay. You can see the brown rivulets stopping at the base. The whole vase looked that brown color, pretty boring. Comparing it to my recent work, I was getting embarrassed looking at it. I have liked the response of how the Nuka glaze has been working out, so I applied some glaze and re-fired the vase. It was worth it. The brown clay is highlighted by the bright whites and blue of the new glaze. Now you see the older brown glaze as an echo of the Nuka glaze. Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre starting the week of January 21st. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #ashglaze
A slab built pitcher. I love how it is leaning int A slab built pitcher. I love how it is leaning into the wind and the glaze is running back like rain on the car window. Another project at the #Sundre #potteryclasses. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #handbuiltpottey #lessons #arts
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
This lantern is slab built. The graduation in the This lantern is slab built. The graduation in the sizes of circles suggests hay bales in fields stretching off into the rolling distance. A candle at night reveals light chasing itself around the surface. Join us for the #Sundre #potteryclasses starting in mid-May. Space for creative fun is available every evening, 7 to 10 pm. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #wheelthrowing #ceramics #potteryglazes #extruder #clay #sculpture #lantern
My first try at making a dozen mugs to specificati My first try at making a dozen mugs to specification. I hope the customer likes them. I could barely get my hand in them!
Pottery classes are just about finished for the ye Pottery classes are just about finished for the year. After many years of making pottery and giving lessons, I have my own teaching method. Everyone got to make a cup or bowl on their first night trying the wheel. Some made several vases. It is wonderful to see everyone so happy and excited about the success of their first go at the wheel. Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #Christmas #raku #newyears #2019
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
The long flowing lines left by the harrows follow The long flowing lines left by the harrows follow the contours of the landscape. This sculptural, black raku piece shows the shadows of machinery dragged across fields. But, the synchronizing of the lines as they flow up and down, twisting around the hills make me think of the lingering shadows left behind by a murmuration. Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #Christmas #raku #newyears #farming #sculpture #murmuration
These are cups from the recent wood and electric f These are cups from the recent wood and electric firings. You can never have too many mugs – and they make the perfect gift. We make mugs in the #potteryclasses in #Sundre. There are exclusive mug making courses available. Once you use a handmade mug you wonder why you used an assembly line mug for so long. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #woodfiredpottery #lessons #arts #woodfired #mug #cup
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
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
Here are more of the mugs that came out of the lat Here are more of the mugs that came out of the latest kiln firing. What great results!! If you are interested in the pottery classes here in Sundre I have some starting July 1st. Book Early! #Sundre #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #potteryclasses
It is important to experiment and try something ne It is important to experiment and try something new. Here are two slab-built mugs using the Nerikomi technique. I added a bit of brown clay into my regular clay and mixed them up together. Not too much or you lose the color separation. Using a very fine wire I took the equivalent of a small, very thin layer of skin off the mound of mixed clay. I put several thin clay pieces on the surface of a freshly made mug and used a brayer roller to get them to attach. Very delicate work! Next time, I’ll use brightly colored clays. Join the two colors together in an organized way and make a repeating pattern! Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre starting the week of January 21st. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #Nerikomi  #slabbuilding  It is important to experiment and try something new. Here are two slab-built mugs using the Nerikomi technique. I added a bit of brown clay into my regular clay and mixed them up together. Not too much or you lose the color separation. Using a very fine wire I took the equivalent of a small, very thin layer of skin off the mound of mixed clay. I put several thin clay pieces on the surface of a freshly made mug and used a brayer roller to get them to attach. Very delicate work! Next time, I’ll use brightly colored clays. Join the two colors together in an organized way and make a repeating pattern! Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre starting the week of January 21st. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #Nerikomi  #slabbuilding
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