glaze close ups

Glazing is endless possibilities, so I set some parameters for myself. Pots are fired at cone 10, and in this age of industrialization, I include at least 1 raw, local ingredient, either ash from local trees or swamp clay. Before bisqueing, pots are layered in total or partially with clay of a different colour and lower maturing temperature, then scratched through to see some of the underlying clay. Bisque, then glazed with a mostly all wood ash glaze and ash slurry washed over some or all of that. The under lying clay melts a little, the glaze softens and the ash on top runs.

scraffito leaves

The play of light and shadow on leaves is so lovely to contemplate. I could not imagine how to capture that in ceramics, but when messing around with scaffito designs, guess what came up. Leaves. The pots are coiled and pinched, high fired.

barrel fired pinch pots

These are pots from the last barrel firing. They are pinched [8lbs] from a PSH raku clay. A pale body, smooth, appropriate for all firing temperatures. I also use this clay for high fire. The body is polished, carved. The smoke does its' magic helped by salt, iron and copper.

Open house at the studio

About 2 months ago, while walking in the woods, I badly sprained my ankle and was told to stay off it for a couple of months. It is not a piece of cake to work in the studio while not putting weight on one's feet. Nevertheless, student's work got glazed and fired, while I slowly put together a collection of dish ware, even tried some scraffito decorated urns and vases. To help out with all the studio work , I enlisted an apprentice, the wonderful Cindy who is a skilled cabinet maker as well as a jeweller. We are opening the studio to visits this weekend. We will be joined by another potter, the brilliant Claudel Hebert, as well as Gita Schneider with her Awakening Touch body products, Andree Chartrand and her beaded hearts, who'll also be making finger puppets with visitors, Pierre Corvione  and his beautiful semi precious stone bijoux, and Cindy will present her collection of earrings and hair sticks. There you have it, come one and all to initiate the season with us.

The poster was put together by Laurence Amelie Montpetit.

here is the autumn class

For some reason this photo did not accompany the previous post, but here you are.

Firing with the autumn class

Our autumn classes have come to an end with a successful firing and lots of happy pottery enthusiasts. We explored many hand building techniques and 2 different firings. Everyone was encouraged to find their own expression in whatever we were looking at. It is always amazing how given the same materials, the same techniques, on the same day at the same time we do such different things. Exciting. So many potters through time and the expressions are unique. The next class will start the 9 of February. For the interested contact me at 819-322-7096.

muffin recipe

When we are all in the studio, around 4 we pause for a cup of tea and a snack. Often the snack is a treat brought in by one of the students, but often I make up a batch of muffins. Here is my basic recipe:
1 cup large rolled oats
1/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mashed fruit [banana, grated apple, pumpkin, etc]
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup mixed seeds [pumpkin, sunflower,sesame, walnuts]
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
mix lightly, spoon into greased molds [12 large]
bake at 350 for about 20 minutes
this is a loose recipe, feel free to freestyle