My studio!

It doesn't have sky high windows (I wish) or windows at all (I wish that too!) Nor does it have a resident dog resting peacefully on a pillow. I am, however, babysitting a dog in a few weeks and I'll be sure to lay her pillow in a little corner of the room. It can be a little chilly, especially in winter. That's when I pull out my infrared heater and park it near me until I'm warmed up from wedging, throwing and just mucking about. That same chill is more than welcomed in the heat of summer. It's a little chopped up, but turn a corner and you'll see I've hidden away the ugly things. The room itself, or at least the studio I imagined, isn't quite finished, though I'm not sure when I will complete the little things I had planned to do. I wanted to sew a curtain to hide the ugliness behind the stairs and some cute little curtains to hide the supplies in my work table. But those things take me away from clay! I need to find more inspirational pictures for the walls...maybe some pottery posters. And how I wish my cupboards were a different colour! They were pulled from an old farm house long ago with the intent on making a little kitchen in the basement and I suppose that as well as my studio supplies and a sink, it IS a little kitchen as too.

Still it works well enough for me. I have a nice big table for decorating and my husband built me some wedging boards that hook on the edge of my table so they won't slide away when I'm pushing on the clay. I haven't found the perfect height for my wheel. Sometimes when I'm sitting there for a long while, my pedal leg will fall asleep. I think maybe my stool is too high, but I can't lower it anymore. So do I need to raise my wheel up? I'd appreciate any suggestions you might have! The little blue stool was a surprise from my hubby when I asked if he could find me some blocks of wood to rest my other foot on. He whipped up this little stool and it's just so darned cute! Lugging boxes of clay to the basement isn't particularly fun and carefully carrying a ware board loaded with greenware or freshly glazed pieces up the stairs to my kiln in the porch isn't a ideal either, but for now it all works.

I it today and thought it was a good time to share some pics. I know that I love to see where other potters are creating. Looking at these pictures, I think I would have preferred a little mess...just a little, because these look a little stark...almost TOO clean if that's possible! Just the same here they are:


Sink area. I moved all my chemicals to a shelf around the corner so now the shelves above my sink seem so bare! I contemplated moving my u/g to the top shelf but that would mean a stool and some juggling to find what I need. I'm sure they'll fill up in no time. Yes I have a trap under that sink.

Shelves. I doubt that those will be enough. I have some old wooden shelves I'll set up on the other side of the room when I'm desperate for more. My hubby made the magnetic chalkboard. I keep forgetting to buy chalk! The paddle...or as I like to call it "mini oar"...is upgraded paddle I was sent when I ordered a much smaller one. For some reason they thought I'd be tickled to get the larger one for the price of the smaller version! Seriously...I'd whack the head right on my jars if I decided to use this!

View from the sink area. The room looks huge in these pics. It's not really. I do love my counter. I had a little gift shop years ago, and this was a counter in my store. I loved it then and love it now. Lots of room to work on. Can you see my little blue stool sitting next to my wheel?

One day we plan to build a garage, with a nice big studio/workshop on the side. By then, I should have all the kinks worked out and I'll know just exactly what I want!

If you look closely you can the bowls I made this week. They might not look like much, but I'm really happy with them. The size and shape are pretty uniform and tonight I trimmed them all and now they're even better! You can also see the terra cotta "body parts" for my Jarheads and Potty Mouths. Tomorrow I'll assemble them and add give them an identity! (I'm thinking a soldier, vampire (yes again, but they're just soooo trendy right now!), a construction worker, and a girl! Check out Mud Colony to see what other potters have been up to this week!