tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10653524002826133852024-03-05T02:43:44.209-05:00Lowell Hill PotteryRowantrees Pottery ReimaginedGeoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-13293677173318396902015-09-20T21:17:00.001-04:002015-09-20T21:17:55.236-04:00What Now?On August 5, the Kickstarter project concluded unsuccessfully. Because I was unable to meet the goal of $70,000, was unable to raise any of the money pledged to the building project.<br />
<br />
So now what? Well, there's an answer to that.<br />
<br />
The good news is that over 60 people pledged a total of $11,500 tot he project, and while I wasn't able to collect it, it did show me what was possible. I will be staying in touch with those backers to keep them up to date on developments as the project moves forward. And move forward it will. How?<br />
<br />
Well, there is the classic business approach. I am putting a business plan together and will present it to the bank soon. Once I secure the backing of the bank, I will mount a new project on Indiegogo to raise as much as possible. Because Indiegogo is a flexible funding platform, I will be able to collect whatever funds I raise regardless of the actual goal. The goal will be far smaller and so more achievable. that should help guarantee success. Any funds raised through crowdfunding will go to finish off the building - drywall, heating and a couple pieces of equipment that will be needed and are not directly related to construction.<br />
<br />
So things are in a holding pattern for a short time while I get the business plan finished and ready to go. I hope you will stay along for the ride because it's bound to get even more exciting!Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-40799401651915479262015-07-20T21:10:00.000-04:002015-07-20T21:10:00.926-04:00Kickstarter UpdateWe're almost halfway through the Kickstarter campaign and currently I am 8% funded. That's not a big deal as campaigns on Kickstarter and other crowdfunding sites don't really heat up until about the halfway mark.<br />
<br />
The big publicity push has started. I sent out a brochure to my mailing list and am putting stacks of them wherever I can find the space. The local print media will be featuring the story soon as well.<br />
<br />
And today I spoke with <a href="http://wabi.tv/2015/07/20/blue-hill-pottery-store-searching-for-new-home/" target="_blank">WABI Channel 5 news</a>. The result was really great!<br />
<br />
I still need to raise $63,805 and there are 15 days yet to go. Please spread the word! The Kickstarter can be found <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gwmiller/lowell-hill-pottery-preserving-the-rowantrees-trad" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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<br />Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-35891195710626170272015-07-08T11:44:00.000-04:002015-07-08T12:02:10.379-04:00My Kickstarter Has Launched!After three years of talking about it, planning it, and getting organized with building plans, contractors and business advisers, my long-awaited <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gwmiller/lowell-hill-pottery-preserving-the-rowantrees-trad" target="_blank">Lowell Hill Pottery Kickstarter Project</a> is finally live and online!<br />
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The goal is $70,000 and it has to be reached by August 5. That's not a long time to go a very long way, but I believe in my heart that it is possible. Below are some of my reward offerings if you want a peek.<br />
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You can find out more on the Kickstarter site by clicking on the LHP Kickstarter link in the first paragraph or by going to <a href="http://lowellhillpottery.com/" target="_blank">my website</a>.<br />
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I hope you will join me in this endeavor and help bring new life and longevity to the Rowantrees legacy!<br />
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And now, the rewards! You can click on the pictures to see a complete description.<br />
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<a href="http://lowellhillpottery.com/shop/gazing-fox-ornament/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://lowellhillpottery.com/shop/gazing-fox-ornament/" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKVrCrOihZNTldDeCQxcPfs4Ono7JUM91HW-l_Fc6oGNbPRTcKiXDseMkbgalJxGbdnUWcRwseqo_dKKFhyphenhyphen5vStuXv4QJpVX0Wdlm4ofjAaOtXwAYDsJrZZm41yUAdgTBz0zBwFTp8Fc/s320/Fox1.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Gazing Fox ornament - $35 contribution</div>
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<a href="http://lowellhillpottery.com/shop/coffee-mug-premium/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://lowellhillpottery.com/shop/coffee-mug-premium/" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqaGI7magrprsfl5QYk1vHmBG7_LkUARWQ-JheD9vRjYLWjbFcdQiwruia3whrlUh-e2t8GkSnIJ8LorXaejGJ1hytQezbWF74V1_Tq6Im1xaZcZggPkbG-NQwFl_oh3whlxOMINFYo8/s320/mugs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mugs - 1 for $50 contribution, 2 for $100 (you can add 1 more for each $50)</div>
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<a href="http://lowellhillpottery.com/shop/cthulhu-sushi-plate-premium/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://lowellhillpottery.com/shop/cthulhu-sushi-plate-premium/" border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVRCYphP9cXKKlPBqJk23TMFVXTcouFRiqBoFf8mdtQYFq1zTaYKJfZI8k8Zarm2L9KNocV1L0nLDHE7XqXhCmQULPjKo-ZOHr-5QJ_26b6n6r007GraQkK0NxvMCcf7Pa0OY1u3cBa8/s320/Plate1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For the H.P. Lovecraft fans, I have the Cthulhu Sushi Plate for a $100 contribution.</div>
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<a href="http://lowellhillpottery.com/shop/bamboo-vase-premium/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://lowellhillpottery.com/shop/bamboo-vase-premium/" border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhUSZcLeALifh4vZbyBjCkOVde432LrdE0s0TVR6OxAhfLOrIsYS53gH8R1ov_xRlNxZ2zQAo51uO_8PAqA0AXj4Hx01cNGx3H8138Ow3lF3zEkiALAl0t5g3Va4aCtOKTu1XfelVUJc/s320/BambooVase.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Bamboo Vase - 1 for a $250 contribution or a pair for $500</div>
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<a href="http://lowellhillpottery.com/shop/dinnerware-premium/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://lowellhillpottery.com/shop/dinnerware-premium/" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VizQ0vvycKkigWQQl8ZwPh9-_MP_O6QhybmnMJxzSLJtGOLywXM7fHer5InukuMDZEzORZOi8R8JgT_gYiZXM110VeVFuS-fPYdFG4ldLTIcng32UmcKzAwvwaUkUrp0LAfS9RLTvcI/s320/Dinnerware.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dinnerware Sets start at the $1,000 contribution level</div>
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Please spread the word via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, your local grapevine, mail, email, pony express or any other network to which you belong. I'm going to need a lot of backers to bring this off and I just know they're out there!</div>
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Look here for updates as time moves on.</div>
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<br />Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-86102071273965284482015-06-12T22:01:00.001-04:002015-06-12T22:02:06.477-04:00Getting the Word Out<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">
I
have set the date for my Kickstarter launch. I will kick things off on
Monday July 6. Now I need to get the word out and that is where all of
my friends, their friends and their friends' friends can help. I will be
posting the link here, on my website and in my blogs. Please help me
spread the word and get the ball rolling. The goal is $70,000 and I will
have 30 days to make that goal. Kickstarter is an "all or nothing"
venture, so I am working hard to succeed at this. I cannot do it alone.<br />
Please stay tuned. I will be posting pictures of some of my rewards. You can also find them on my pottery website at:<br />
<a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Flowellhillpottery.com%2Fproduct-category%2Fpremiums%2F&h=nAQF4h8ga&enc=AZMFyn5KA4iXQc1QySNAsnEcxIy88V-Fcaomb6rxmZ6rS8GxumoQhauOZyjEhvTEUxiKmz-x7BwbN80qX9B1OgDg_eIjmdzoxhebn7xWTPQ9IZmQeDLr7z5GqoaxC9TgGcBMP7Fiw1-HiIfvOQMNPiNvH_8l10R7X2_aVIlV1KoyAkNNQNn9e470VLByueFKggJv2h175VdniAzhQ08VutX9&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://lowellhillpottery.com/product-category/premiums/</a></div>
Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-73399478722315491852015-02-07T12:44:00.002-05:002015-02-07T12:44:14.525-05:00For the H.P. Lovecraft FansSome time back, I began a series of tiles with relief sculptures of
mythological creatures on them. Those remain in progress, but the whole
idea - and a suggestion from a friend - got me thinking about expanding
on the idea.<br />
<br />
This is decidedly not Rowantrees, but the need to
express myself artistically and i my very own style is deeply important
to me. It's a body and soul thing. In fact, I often worked on ideas of
my own while I was working at Rowantrees. Sheila encouraged that sort of
exploration (on my own time, of course) and lent considerable support
and advice in those efforts.<br />
<br />
So this isn't all that far from the
apple tree. It is, however, somewhat around the bend. I am a recent
convert to the literature of H.P. Lovecraft although I have been
familiar with it all of my life. Many of my friends are ardent fans and
still others play role playing games based on the mythos he created.
With that in mind, and with the Kickstarter campaign set to launch soon,
I decided to offer something that Lovecraft fans might find interesting
and fun.<br />
<br />
Enter Cthulhu (if you dare). The best known of the Great Old Ones is the subject of Lovecraft's novella <em>The Call of Cthulhu</em>.<br />
<br />
And he's a badass.<br />
<br />
This
is a plate intended for sushi, but anything that floats your boat would
probably do fine. The sculpture is low profile so anything that can be
set down and picked up discreetly will go nicely on it. Many may simply
choose to put it on display and leave it at that. After all, the wrath
of a creature like this won't be assuaged by piling food on it.<br />
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Or will it? You decide.<br />
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 510px;" id="attachment_3377" style="width: 510px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a data-mce-href="http://lowellhillpottery.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Plate1.jpg" href="http://lowellhillpottery.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Plate1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cthulhu Plate" class="size-full wp-image-3377" data-mce-src="http://lowellhillpottery.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Plate1.jpg" height="426" src="http://lowellhillpottery.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Plate1.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Cthulhu - work in progress</dd></dl>
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Cthulhu
stares out from his home at R'Lyeh, awaiting the day when the stars
align in the right manner to allow his underwater domain to rise out of
the sea. He seems anxious for the day as he reaches out from beneath
this vessel to snatch it away from you ad claim it for his own.<br />
<br />
Because
of the method I am using to make these plates, no two will be exactly
alike. You can follow the progress of this project on my <a data-mce-href="https://www.facebook.com/lowellhillpottery?pnref=lhc" href="https://www.facebook.com/lowellhillpottery?pnref=lhc" target="_blank">Lowell Hill Pottery Facebook page</a>. I'll be posting more about it here as well.<br />
<br />
These
plates will be made in a limited, numbered edition. Other Cthulhu
plates will no doubt surface in the future, but the design will not be
the same. The projected price/Kickstarter contribution level will be
$100.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-53958492400246593172014-10-22T22:06:00.000-04:002014-10-22T22:24:14.926-04:00October 22, 2014: Day 22Where did the month of October go?<br />
<br />
It is finally getting
"seasonably" cool on the hill, and I am sitting here listening to a
classic Maine Nor'easter beating away at my walls. The house isn't
buttoned up for winter just yet and I will again be a bit late getting
it done. The pottery move is but one reason but at least this year plain
old fashioned laziness will not be on that list.<br />
<br />
I am tired,
achy, cranky and a bit overwhelmed. I have lost precious sleep on many
occasions and wondered where all of this is going.. But I keep coming
back to the same sense of adventure and a feeling that it is heading in a
good direction. Somehow, this is all going to work out for the better.<br />
That's so unlike me that it has to be true.<br />
<br />
The
building is getting more and more empty with each passing day. Now I am
down to the bric-a-brac and tiny bits that manage to fill up box after
box. I'm talking about Scotch tape, pencils, staplers, yardsticks,
rulers, brushes, box cutters, office supplies and a few odds and ends of
pottery that I forgot I had. Some of this stuff has had over 80 years
to get distributed around the place and has used its time well. Some
gets tossed into boxes that I'll have to find a home for and some of it
is getting left right where it is. I can't take it all.<br />
<br />
But
sometimes it feels as though I'm at an animal shelter trying to decide
which pet to take home with me. Selecting one makes me feel like I'm
abandoning all the others. I can't stand it. So I bit my lower lip and
make some decisions.<br />
<br />
I can't take it all. And I don't really want to.<br />
<br />
I'm
spending a lot of time cleaning up after myself, but only in the larger
sense. There is a fair amount of dry clay on the floor here and there,
but after all, the building is slated to be torn down. There's no need
to go through the place with a vacuum cleaner.<br />
<br />
I brought all of
the glaze buckets home yesterday. Somehow, I managed to find an
out-of-the -way spot for them. They now line the wall under the bathroom
window. That has led to the most recent change int he atmosphere on
Union Street.<br />
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Remember this?<br />
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Well, now it looks like this:<br />
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Sigh.<br />
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Day 22 down, 3 to go. I think I'll make it.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-59286720960052587822014-10-20T22:22:00.000-04:002014-10-22T22:24:32.183-04:00October 20, 2014: Day 20Well, that went well.<br />
<br />
The big move was held this past Saturday,
and if you're wondering why no daily dispatch for the last couple of
days, it's a combination of factors. For starters, it has taken this
long for my fingers to stop aching enough to type, and you can follow
that up with the sudden need to sleep most of the time.<br />
I figured you'd forgive me the absence. Hope I was right.<br />
<br />
In
any case, the big moving day went very well. Most of the pottery is now
in storage The only items remaining are some small tools and a fair
amount of cleanup work. A couple runs to the dump should take care of
that.<br />
<br />
Saturday started out a little weepy. The sky couldn't decide
whether to rain, fog or just clear out. It was well on its way to a
misty compromise when I pulled into the truck rental place and picked up
the 16 footer I had reserved. I waited there for my helper to arrive,
but didn't have to wait long. If you recall, I was in a bit of a panic
as I had found help a little hard to come by. Then the truck itself fell
out from underneath me. It was a time to try the soul, but in the end, I
found both a truck and a helper.<br />
The helper came in the form of a
15 year-old named Hunter. His mom is a coworker of mine and she said he
would be more than happy for a days work at a decent wage. I had no
inclination to argue and accepted the offer. The two of us got into the
truck and away we went.<br />
<br />
There were two other friends at the
pottery waiting to help load the truck, and we got it loaded in jig
time. We used up every square foot of that 16 foot truck. We first
loaded the bisque ware, followed by the finished products, then the
heavy equipment (wheel, kiln, pug mill and evaporating table - more on
that later), and finally the 2,300 pounds of clay. Sweaty and hoping
things would unload as easily, I started to climb into the truck when
Hunter asked what the stuff in the barn was.<br />
<br />
Oh yeah. The packing and shipping supplies.<br />
<br />
Open
the back of the truck and start tossing stuff in again. There were
rolls (HUGE rolls) of bubble wrap and micro foam, boxes measuring
anywhere from 6 to 18 inches in all directions, tissue paper, and a box
of Tyvek suits (don't ask). Not all of it went into the truck, but I
took everything that wouldn't fit into my Toyota Corolla anyway. Then
off we lumbered.<br />
<br />
Stop number one was my brother's house in Hermon.
This was where the clay will be stored. The clay can't be allowed to
freeze and I didn't have the resources to pay for heated storage. My
brother has a roomy garage at his home that is only half used and
remains above freezing all winter. Score! We got the clay unloaded and
stacked neatly on a pallet and then headed off for Ellsworth.<br />
<br />
We
stopped at Dysart's in Hermon for lunch. Dysart's is a difficult place
to pass up if it's mealtime, you're hungry and you're passing right by.
Hunter and I had a great lunch and headed out again fueled and ready for
more.<br />
<br />
We got to the storage facility about 45 minutes later and
the unloading began again. We took off the heavy equipment and Hunter
started unloading the boxes of pottery while I put some shelving units
together. Those units snap together pretty easily and don't take long to
put up, but in the time it took me to do it, Hunter had unloaded almost
the entire truck. Three boxes still remained on board, and those came
off before I mentioned it. The two of us commiserated on the best way to
get things stashed most efficiently and then put it all into practice.
We had to adjust here and there, but in the end, everything fit.<br />
<br />
The
only hitch in all this was the evaporating table. I had qualms about
bothering with it. It's a large wooden base that holds a larger plaster
"bowl." I would guess it weighs at least as much as a refrigerator.
Well, I decided to take it with me. Hunter and I tipped it up on end and
moved it with an appliance dolly (with no small amount of struggle)
only to discover that we could not put it back on all four legs without
snapping two of them off like twigs. So there it stands - on end and
wondering if it will ever be normal again And here I am wondering why I
didn't break it up with a sledge hammer and cart it to the dump. Plaster
is cheap, after all. I could always make another.<br />
<br />
Oh well.<br />
<br />
We
finished unloading and storing everything just as we lost daylight.
Hunter's mom called to see how we were doing and I told her she could
pick him up in about half an hour. We went back to the truck rental
place where I put the key in the return slot and locked up the truck.<br />
<br />
Then I remembered my camera. It was still in the cab of the now locked truck.<br />
<br />
Well,
I guess something had to go at least mildly wrong. Fear not, I have
since retrieved the camera. Not that I remembered to take many pictures,
of course. But here are a few before and after pics for your
consideration.<br />
<br />
Remember this?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCAPq6FVSiZZY7U6JyjbhZGzzhy5ivW3mhsEMt1o6Kl3-5UX61QRBcSpDnB8oSV3uEnWc86W51FJA1T__JrMgwaG-VglaG0UMJpWNk4OctJZlGZ3t8w9Vp-lRxqJAm6RPuk02ZsTXUX8/s1600/Storage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCAPq6FVSiZZY7U6JyjbhZGzzhy5ivW3mhsEMt1o6Kl3-5UX61QRBcSpDnB8oSV3uEnWc86W51FJA1T__JrMgwaG-VglaG0UMJpWNk4OctJZlGZ3t8w9Vp-lRxqJAm6RPuk02ZsTXUX8/s1600/Storage.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now it looks like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mZ6fB1N5W0z-rpPLlkBARSY_nMusFv5kIAlKIlRkTgoWWBTvFh4VlGlAmPHMvkm8I1pISqVg0dgFVdkObknrEG9WU09Du9rSRPCxnKfO4NKKwyN30lEpfv_H9X-gp0LpOXEkAZr0jDQ/s1600/StorageFull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mZ6fB1N5W0z-rpPLlkBARSY_nMusFv5kIAlKIlRkTgoWWBTvFh4VlGlAmPHMvkm8I1pISqVg0dgFVdkObknrEG9WU09Du9rSRPCxnKfO4NKKwyN30lEpfv_H9X-gp0LpOXEkAZr0jDQ/s1600/StorageFull.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Remember this?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgm2wIN-LO5j6saEc7Sp-1VRkToerPKiQDTYtzSwiBVYhwsa_I7ApuCPbjgardyqP9JoPLNgyzlVe_Pcizy3Acs1QVDR73RLnOGJn-iuhoZAXK8uaQNOOjJIFWml-bkObEJvtd-O7WTLA/s1600/ClayR1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgm2wIN-LO5j6saEc7Sp-1VRkToerPKiQDTYtzSwiBVYhwsa_I7ApuCPbjgardyqP9JoPLNgyzlVe_Pcizy3Acs1QVDR73RLnOGJn-iuhoZAXK8uaQNOOjJIFWml-bkObEJvtd-O7WTLA/s1600/ClayR1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now it looks like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLa3eIfMXgxtuqvh37AKaECti354PQjzLdX0eivYlh75Dk715SzJB3hVtwpKk-yil1IOY-Sff-Pjzhkgd8UG5g0vFTZSJfc6screuVJt01YeOl5HmVdltpSu5znPxhiGyXWuN1Poe6JE/s1600/Clayroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLa3eIfMXgxtuqvh37AKaECti354PQjzLdX0eivYlh75Dk715SzJB3hVtwpKk-yil1IOY-Sff-Pjzhkgd8UG5g0vFTZSJfc6screuVJt01YeOl5HmVdltpSu5znPxhiGyXWuN1Poe6JE/s1600/Clayroom.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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And this,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvD1P6vXJ0pYmXVpnvgQ9RD8khaRWO3hpGuOvQSYHno_Rhf_pbZ3oasiWsVGOeMZnvXDhP3I36qbIi7PN8_npBU-ADHmVeJbf4rghUwU4zEKTDhHQH30OBE5WK6zN1KSi0TSWgoEby4I/s1600/Showroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvD1P6vXJ0pYmXVpnvgQ9RD8khaRWO3hpGuOvQSYHno_Rhf_pbZ3oasiWsVGOeMZnvXDhP3I36qbIi7PN8_npBU-ADHmVeJbf4rghUwU4zEKTDhHQH30OBE5WK6zN1KSi0TSWgoEby4I/s1600/Showroom.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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is now this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zTqFAEGfu0JD91r8aTU7qL0zLthamFNrElbLc59bQPcHTAzY66gvmD3Pu-GQ5vU90ktd7v_LUz_zvzZpuNdacqX91njanVRJLr_PW7-PyLfGBTNT-oBqMLkurmPLxjsfqXhY6mWmIy0/s1600/Showroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zTqFAEGfu0JD91r8aTU7qL0zLthamFNrElbLc59bQPcHTAzY66gvmD3Pu-GQ5vU90ktd7v_LUz_zvzZpuNdacqX91njanVRJLr_PW7-PyLfGBTNT-oBqMLkurmPLxjsfqXhY6mWmIy0/s1600/Showroom.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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And so it goes, dear reader. This story is not yet over, and even
when it is, the next chapter will begin. Stay with me. The journey is
far from over.<br />
<br />
Day 20 down, 5 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-90067362208361769602014-10-17T21:34:00.005-04:002014-10-17T21:34:50.909-04:00October 17, 2014: Day 17It's hard to believe that October is more than half over. Lately it
has felt more like June. I am not complaining about that; I'd be
perfectly happy if it felt this way in January although I know that
would be catastrophic for our planet - and by extension, us.<br />
<br />
But
the warm weather has served to make a difficult task just a little bit
easier. I have reprocessed all of the clay that I could, leaving only
one 5-gallon bucket of liquid clay that has to be protected from
freezing. I now have about 2,300 pounds of clay to store. That will give
me a huge boost when production starts again. I will not need to buy
clay for at least a year.<br />
<br />
Everything I intend to sell at some
point is packed and ready to go. All of the bisque likewise. And today I
did something that proved as cathartic as it was sad. I took a hammer
and smashed every second and irregular piece on the shelves with a small
number of exceptions. "Why?!" you may ask. Well it's pretty simple.<br />
<br />
I
keep the seconds and irregular items to sell for half price. They made
for my largest single sales day this year, although I do believe the 30%
sale on top quality items did it's share as well. But a large number of
the seconds have been sitting on those shelves for five years not
getting sold. When something sits on your shelf for that long, it's not
making you any money. It's costing you money. Why would I want to pack
all of that stuff up and lug it around when it has a proven track record
of not selling?<br />
<br />
Nope. Smash. So now I have 8 boxes of shards to
take to the demo pile as soon as possible. I'd say one pickup truck load
of trash and I'll be pretty much done. That feels good.<br />
<br />
I plan to
take Sunday off and spend as much of it lounging about in bed as I can.
Then I will rise, go to breakfast (I eat breakfast out on Sunday
morning) and then go back to bed when I get home. It will be bliss for
one day.<br />
<br />
Monday the remainder of stuff at the pottery will be
redistributed. The glaze buckets will come home so I can use their
contents over the winter. I'm still looking for someone with a kiln, but
truth be told, I haven't really started searching yet. Too much else to
do right now. First things first.<br />
<br />
I'll report on the events of tomorrow when all is said and done.<br />
<br />
Day 17 down, 8 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-40104430536242672922014-10-16T22:22:00.001-04:002014-10-16T22:22:36.518-04:00October 16, 2014: Day 16Sometimes getting out of bed is not the best of ideas. But I guess you have to do it no matter what.<br />
<br />
Today
was not the best of days. I know bumps are a major factor in any road,
particularly in those roads that lead to unknown destinations. While no
road is altogether smooth even at the best of times, Today's could have
come a whole lot closer without losing its entertainment value, I'm
sure.<br />
<br />
Earlier this week I made a commitment to rent a truck. The
big moving day is Saturday. Not only did I make the arrangement, but I
poured over inventory and equipment coming up with the best way to load
the thing given the itinerary I have planned. Yup, it was all there.
Until it wasn't.<br />
<br />
Today I came to the understanding that every
candidate I had in mind for a helper wasn't going to be available. One
after another told me that they couldn't help. An offer broadcast widely
on Facebook - along with an offer to pay well - also yielded nothing.<br />
<br />
Then
I got a call from U Haul telling me that I would have to drive 36 miles
to pick up the truck I had reserved only 15 miles away from Blue Hill.
They charge you for each and every mile you drive those things, so I
didn't see the economic sense in driving about 72 miles in an empty
truck if I didn't have to. Reservation cancelled.<br />
<br />
Now I really had
nothing to work with. And I have a suspicion that everyone around me
knew things weren't going well. I don't do a great job of keeping that
sort of thing a secret, I must confess.<br />
<br />
Fortunately for all of us, both
ambulances were busy all day, so I had the whole office to myself to
stew in.<br />
<br />
In the end, I drove to the Penske place and found it
quite easy to reserve a truck that would be available at that site,, one
hour earlier than U Haul, and rather less expensive. Should have tried
them out first.<br />
<br />
Later in the afternoon, I got a text telling me that I had a solid prospect for assistance. Details to be discussed tomorrow.<br />
<br />
So
that's a relief. But I'll be even more relieved when Sunday dawns and I
can sleep in for the first time since early July. I need some extra
sleep time. Really, I do.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-50686827299094802602014-10-14T21:55:00.001-04:002014-10-14T21:55:14.436-04:00October 14, 2014: Day 14<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9obvvHqntRepP4EjtRdrEAkqxjB8M9doKVleH5nZ6dx4PyTlmyGAF3Quo7AKwb6gxl4FcbbqF9Ma9AQucoLXE0sSIQgV_88vi0LJ3wuRQOBBFaS3xnmiyCu5POc_hz3aA6HesKm4-ils/s1600/Boxes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9obvvHqntRepP4EjtRdrEAkqxjB8M9doKVleH5nZ6dx4PyTlmyGAF3Quo7AKwb6gxl4FcbbqF9Ma9AQucoLXE0sSIQgV_88vi0LJ3wuRQOBBFaS3xnmiyCu5POc_hz3aA6HesKm4-ils/s1600/Boxes2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Yup. I missed posting yesterday. By the time I was finished with
everything it was about 10:00 p.m. and I was finally too exhausted to do
anything but go to bed. I figured one day without a post won't hurt.
And nothing much happened anyway outside of the normal packing. There
wasn't a lot of that anyway since I was working a 12 hour truck shift.<br />
<br />
Today
was a little different. I got a lot accomplished, but if you have ever
packed to move, you will understand how it goes. I am up to 43 boxes
full of stock. I looked out on the empty sales room and saw...more
pottery. Yup. There was a bunch of little stuff.<br />
<br />
No matter how
much you stuff into boxes, there always seem to be odds and ends hanging
around looking like they're waiting for a streetcar. A small box should
take care of it, but by that moment it was time to leave for the
evening.<br />
<br />
The plastic totes in the picture are packed with stock
intended for craft fairs. The rest of it will go to the storage unit. I
have reserved a rental truck for this weekend and, with any luck at all,
the vast majority of Lowell Hill Pottery will be out of the building
for good. No doubt there will be lots of little stuff tagging along
after that, but small stuff I don't sweat.<br />
<br />
Day 14 down, 11 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-51450484254433768962014-10-13T09:57:00.002-04:002014-10-13T09:57:55.945-04:00October 12, 2014: Day 12I probably made more progress today than any day so far. At long last
all stock that is headed for the storage unit is boxed and ready to go.
It's all inventoried, organized and recorded as well. There were 33
boxes in all, most of them full to the brim. I will post a picture of
them tomorrow. I forgot my camera today.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow I will start
packing up the stock intended for fair sales and other such events. I'm
planning on doing some craft fairs (the sort you have to pass a jury to
get into, that is), and generally circulating anywhere I have an
opportunity. So there is still a fair amount of stock left to pack. Most
of it will load up pretty quickly, though.<br />
<br />
After that, the bisque
will need to be boxed up. That won't take very long because 1. there
isn't a whole lot and, 2. I don't have to pack it quite as carefully as
the finished work.<br />
<br />
Yesterday I managed to process a couple hundred
pounds of clay. I have one more barrel to get through and that is the
only part of this little adventure that has me concerned. I may be
packing unprocessed clay into smaller buckets and storing it if I can't
get all of it done, but that's not a big deal. I just don't want to toss
out or leave behind any clay I can make use of. The stuff costs way too
much for that kind of waste.<br />
<br />
Next weekend I'm planning on doing
the truck rental thing. Then it will be moving day in earnest. I expect
I'll have the thing for a couple of days and if I'm lucky, I can get a
couple people to help me with the heavy stuff.<br />
<br />
After that, it will
be clean-up time. All of the seconds and irregulars that I have had in
the showroom will be smashed and hauled to the dump. They're not top
quality, they take up a lot of space that I don't have in the storage
unit, and I have no desire to haul them around. I'm sure a new
collection of toss offs will eventually emerge.<br />
<br />
I'm recalibrating
my countdown because I will be leaving for South Carolina to visit with
my dad on October 28. I need to be done before that. I have an
appointment with a client on the 25th during which they will pick up
their new dinnerware set. I would like to think that when I turn the key
in the door after that appointment, it will be the last time I set foot
in the place. Sad, but we must all evolve. So...<br />
<br />
Day 12 down, <b>13</b> to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-8957391845536954692014-10-12T00:51:00.001-04:002014-10-12T00:51:06.647-04:00October 11, 2014: Day 11This will be a short entry. Pack, pack, pack. Pug, pug, pug, box, box, box. Lug, lug, lug.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow
it's off to the storage unit. Next week, I will rent a truck and finish
this. In the meantime, it's after midnight again.<br />
<br />
Bedtime.<br />
<br />
Day 11 down, 20 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-23653014980446314492014-10-11T01:03:00.005-04:002014-10-11T01:03:59.690-04:00October 10, 2014: Day 10Big efforts sometimes result in small gifts.<br />
<br />
I left the
full-time job early today so that I could really make some serious
progress in the packing up department - not to mention the clay
processing department.<br />
<br />
It may not seem like I accomplished much if
I tell you that I packed up five boxes of pottery, but when those five
boxes contain over 240 pieces that needed to be individually wrapped and
carefully arranged to avoid damage, well, that may put things into
perspective. One of the boxes took two hours to pack. It was like
putting a puzzle together - of the jigsaw variety. But I figure more
time spent at this end will make for less time when I need to retrieve
something later on. Right now, all of the jam jars are packed, along
with all of the creamers, sugar bowls and demitasse sets. The shelves in
the showroom are starting to look a tad empty.<br />
<br />
I am planning to
sell at a few craft fairs in the near future if I can get into them. For
that reason some of the pottery, rather than being packed up with the
rest, is being kept aside to be packed into totes.<br />
What dinnerware
I have will get packed up next and I'll top it all off with the more
bulky ovenware, teapots and other such items.<br />
<br />
On top of all this, I
reprocessed several boxes of clay. At long last, I have hit upon a
relatively efficient way of getting that job done and it's working
pretty well. I think I can get the rest of the clay processed within the
week doing it this way.<br />
<br />
And that is where the gift comes in. Many
weeks ago, I lost a finger ring that I particularly treasure. it's
nothing terribly special, but I like it. It has the Lord's Prayer
inscribed on it, but it's written in Tengwar script, making it look like
Sauron's ring of power. Those of you who know me well will sense the
many levels of irony in that, which is why I bought the ring in the
first place. But it disappeared some time ago, possibly abandoning me in
hopes of finding a passing Hobbit. When no such luck befell it, it
chose this evening to return to me. When I'm doing clay work that is
characteristically messy and sloppy (like reprocessing clay), I wear a
cover-all to keep as much mud off of my clothing as possible. Apparently
the last time I wore it, I took the ring off and put it in the pocket.
Then I promptly forgot about it.<br />
<br />
Tonight I discovered what I had in my pocketses! The One Ring now resides on my finger where it rightly belongs.<br />
<br />
I
would say that I am now off to read the Silmarillion, but I've
attempted that one three times now without success. I think sleep is the
far better idea. Tomorrow is another busy day. My goal is to get the
rest of the stock packed up and then start on the bisque ware. Oof!<br />
<br />
Day 10 down, 21 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-90612641973218407302014-10-09T23:38:00.001-04:002014-10-09T23:38:02.580-04:00October 9, 2014: Day 9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdaQpXRtOnmM7fsFL_7tlZrYjg293tYaofFLSyTUsVfqN9Y68WUfIWKliAol8hTCsKXKcM7LKUhC60vZScdGeSinbSgaJlzBluhbVly47GS1HlM75M-4JxEj0GABTjvrsJjRLKRvyjmQ/s1600/Boxes1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdaQpXRtOnmM7fsFL_7tlZrYjg293tYaofFLSyTUsVfqN9Y68WUfIWKliAol8hTCsKXKcM7LKUhC60vZScdGeSinbSgaJlzBluhbVly47GS1HlM75M-4JxEj0GABTjvrsJjRLKRvyjmQ/s1600/Boxes1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Fate is capable of many things. Good timing is not among them, apparently.<br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
Today
was devoted entirely to packing pottery for transport. Of course, I
didn't get started on that until after my day job, but I worked at it
until about 7:00 this evening. I got all of the mugs done and then moved
on to small teapots, petal cups and small sugar bowls. In all, I packed
seven boxes that, added to the ones already packed, brings the total so
far to fourteen boxes. I bought fifty of them so I think I'm in good
shape. Of course, the larger, bulkier items have yet to weigh in. Bean
pots don't like to share space so it will be interesting.<br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
Here's
a fun detail about this picture. The big red box in the background is
the old Rowantrees kiln. It was designed and built in 1976 and was used
for 32 years. It had a 100 cubic foot capacity (compared to the 6.6
cubic feet in my kiln). They named it Theodore and the total cost of
construction was $13,000. Today you can't touch a kiln of that magnitude
for less than $50,000. The yellow target on the front was painted by
me. The kiln was originally yellow in color, but one day Sheila Varnum
decided she wanted something a bit more striking. Besides, none of us
really liked yellow and let's face it, this thing took up a large amount
of space. Once we finished painting it, I added the kiln's name across
the top (not pictured) and the target. See, the glazer and I had this
little suction cup dart gun...<br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
So, the
timing thing. Well, family issues have arisen that will require my
attention soon. I'll need to travel some distance to do my part in
helping out my dad who will be undergoing heart surgery soon. The
surgery has already been postponed twice, so my siblings and I are
rearranging schedules to try and get things figured out. It's difficult
when nobody knows exactly what is happening and when, and all we can do
is wait and react when we find out.<br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
So my
deadline for being out of the pottery building has moved from the end of
this month to As Soon As Possible. Like in less than two weeks. And one
would be most preferable.<br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
I see some long days and late nights in my immediate future.<br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
Day 9 down, not sure how many left to go, but let's still say 22.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-6424828202211478622014-10-08T22:58:00.000-04:002014-10-08T22:58:00.786-04:00October 8, 2014: Day 8The Packing boxes arrived today and I set about packing up mugs even
as I was pugging batches of recycled clay. There is still a whole lot of
that to get processed and boxed up, but it should be finished within
the next couple of weeks.<br />
<br />
But boxing up pottery also became an
order of the day. I packed up a lot of mugs and got them ready to go to
storage. I'm keeping a careful record of exactly what goes into each box
and the boxes are numbered. I have an inventory sheet for each box and a
master spreadsheet that tells me what items in which colors can be
found in which box. The idea is to be able to find what I want (read
'what a customer wants') very quickly.<br />
<br />
Regardless what happens in
the coming months, the website will remain up and in business. I will be
putting some serious time into the site as I want to start using stock
control features that will allow me to display only items that I have in
stock. Items will also have an inventory count that will be
automatically adjusted when items are sold. If I should sell out of an
item, it will disappear from the website.<br />
<br />
But that is a matter for
a few weeks from now. Right now, it's still moving time. Tomorrow will
be spent packing up stock and traveling to the storage unit. Five boxes
packed so far. It hardly looks as though I've scratched the surface.<br />
<br />
Day 8 down, 23 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-46706608345966438982014-10-07T22:08:00.003-04:002014-10-07T22:08:52.860-04:00October 7, 2014: Day 7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyo-MIMRI0mUsMm8Bcq3qyNOpLU5S3yEw45gikDYM6Usy4z3DHbNReBB9KqFql6-Ah1yLj0oLlhibh0YkS3ujCGKIdYBrEOwSd01ia1y8BcYj38cya3z0wF6qOlgtRdwkLIdl6ER1auBk/s1600/Storage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyo-MIMRI0mUsMm8Bcq3qyNOpLU5S3yEw45gikDYM6Usy4z3DHbNReBB9KqFql6-Ah1yLj0oLlhibh0YkS3ujCGKIdYBrEOwSd01ia1y8BcYj38cya3z0wF6qOlgtRdwkLIdl6ER1auBk/s1600/Storage.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Today I dismantled my kiln, moved some more raw materials and
processed some clay. I didn't get to work at the pottery for more than
three hours, but I used the time well.<br />
<br />
The packing boxes should be
arriving soon as they got to the supplier sooner than expected. That
means I may be packing bisque and stock as soon as this weekend. I'm
really itching to get to that part of things, but the truth is there are
a lot of little things that need gathering up. Everywhere I look there
are small items. Normally they are scattered strategically around the
place so that they are always at hand when something needs doing. But
when you want to get them collected together, they seem to defy your
efforts. They will ultimately lose that battle.<br />
<br />
I have changed my
mind about some things. At one point, I wanted to take just about
everything in the place with me. Now, one by one, they are going to get
left behind. In all likelihood that was always to be the case, but
ambition gets the better of you before rubber hits road. I always knew
I'd be leaving the spray booth behind but I wasn't so sure about the
dust collector. I thought I'd take it with me. Now, however, it will be
staying put. Taking it would mean too much to deal with now. Besides, I
can get a brand new spray booth with its own dust filtration system for a
decent price.<br />
<br />
Looking at the picture, I know it doesn't look like
there's much in that storage unit, but believe me, looks are deceiving.
The unit is 15 feet deep and I have packed stuff in as tightly as
possible, A lot of rearranging will be needed soon. I will be moving
some display shelving in that I built in 2012 and used up until this
year. That will give me a little vertical space to the back and take
some of the pressure off the wire racks.<br />
<br />
That machine you see on
the shelf is a ball mill, which is used to grind and mix glazes. It's a
homemade job that Rowantrees used throughout its history. There was a
second one, but I've only ever used this one. Still trying to decide
whether to stay at one or take the other one as well. Still not sure.
They cost a fortune to buy new. I shall think on.<br />
<br />
Day seven down, 24 to go.<br />
Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-85129798237166466492014-10-06T21:39:00.001-04:002014-10-06T21:39:24.535-04:00October 6, 2014: Day 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VMu0p7Ra1O3UmjSzDw4VM_pJUZvPVc_OCwMStczx2ShC98i35bXLEMoKnNQi5eLYa4vsYkOq7B6ut51zq4z5mCQplWc_nJdB3v8_Q2hLH9gQ_5T7oEN7zuInEiXVbMTKCxRJnjzbGeA/s1600/DTBowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VMu0p7Ra1O3UmjSzDw4VM_pJUZvPVc_OCwMStczx2ShC98i35bXLEMoKnNQi5eLYa4vsYkOq7B6ut51zq4z5mCQplWc_nJdB3v8_Q2hLH9gQ_5T7oEN7zuInEiXVbMTKCxRJnjzbGeA/s1600/DTBowl.jpg" height="268" width="320" /></a></div>
Another "off" day. Here's the thing; when you work at a business all
day (no matter which one), you can put in all the hours you want lifting
and carrying stuff. But when the day is done, you still have the
bookkeeping and other associated paperwork tasks to complete. Yesterday I
worked at the move until sundown. It was dark by the time I got to the
restaurant and pooched my tire in the process (yes, it's toast and
beyond repair).<br />
<br />
So by the time I sat down to work on the more
clerical duties, it was pretty late. Result: I didn't get to bed until
well after midnight. That doesn't bode well for the following day. Sure
enough, I was snoring in my office chair shortly after lunch today.<br />
<br />
So
this afternoon I basically gave myself a day off. Not entirely, but
mostly. I finished up the pottery that came out of the last kiln (the
bowl in the picture came out of that final firing) and got it onto the
stock shelves. Then I took the last of the ware boards and a few small
items over to the storage unit. I also threw out some trash. Not a
particularly inspiring set of tasks accomplished, but I'll go to be at a
decent hour tonight. That will make tomorrow a better day all around.<br />
<br />
And it needs to be. I swear the stuff I need to move is breeding. The more I remove, the more there is!<br />
<br />
Day 6 down, 25 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-56218389813164206362014-10-05T23:00:00.000-04:002014-10-06T00:15:35.917-04:00October 5, 2014: Day 5Oh, the places I have gone and the things I have done. Really, that's
a bit overstated, but why not? It's after midnight and I'm a but
punchy.<br />
<br />
I spent a lot of this day in the storage unit putting up
shelving (4 shelving units from Home Depot at $100 each reduced to about
$360 thanks to a gift card I had in my wallet) and generally
rearranging things. Then it was back to the pottery to unload that final
firing and load the first bunch of raw glaze materials into the car for
a trip back to the storage unit. I meant to get a picture of the thing,
but someone forgot the camera. Oh well, tomorrow (today?) will be
another day.<br />
<br />
After the final trip, I decided to get some Thai
takeout for dinner. From that decision came the only bad event of the
day. As I turned into the parking lot of the restaurant, I misjudged the
turn and drove over a curb with a BANG. No body damage to the car, but
the right front tire was toast. I changed the tire and will have the
mechanic look at it tomorrow (today?). Hopefully it just needs to be put
back on the rim and will be fine. I really don't want to be buying
tires right now. Really I don't.<br />
<br />
Day 5 down, 26 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-6908330404967908052014-10-04T23:42:00.004-04:002014-10-04T23:42:50.644-04:00October 4, 2014: Day 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71xnH4lVznbSAexk7DHmtr6hovYbjT837Etm5RQzzwv1mKl_00jnqR9IXUBa0-XIQtEN3h5peHKEu-uWuj0ZEtBZsjfxCSSWyRPRElgYqfuHCaIjSzT14ww_wdEIQ8rIC86OpfkF5s9I/s1600/buckets2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71xnH4lVznbSAexk7DHmtr6hovYbjT837Etm5RQzzwv1mKl_00jnqR9IXUBa0-XIQtEN3h5peHKEu-uWuj0ZEtBZsjfxCSSWyRPRElgYqfuHCaIjSzT14ww_wdEIQ8rIC86OpfkF5s9I/s1600/buckets2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Clay reclaiming started in earnest today. I have a lot of it to
process and it will take some time. Luckily, I can do other things while
a batch is mixing. I'm trying to make these batches somewhat softer
than the clay I usually use because I have noticed that this particular
clay tends to stiffen as it ages. If it sits in one spot and doesn't
move until used, the water content tends to surrender to gravity and
work its way to the bottom of the box, leaving the clay at the top too
hard to work easily.<br />
<br />
Remixing the clay is labor intensive and time
consuming, which is why I use a pug mill. The pug mill will be in
storage at least until I can't stand being without it any longer, so I
decided to start this clay off on the soft side. Let it stiffen if it
wants.<br />
<br />
I also started packing up the stockroom. I can fit exactly
one gross of petal cups into a 1.5 cubic foot box. This I learned today!<br />
<br />
Raw
materials are almost all packed into containers. The labeling is an
ongoing project that I hope to finish tomorrow. I intend to pick up some
shelving units at Home Depot tomorrow and get them to the storage unit
where I can set them up. Then I can start moving bisque and stock to
storage. It will all get messier before it gets better organized, but at
least I have a vision of where things should be at the end of it all.<br />
<br />
Day 4 down, 27 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-28422167501371537922014-10-03T22:34:00.002-04:002014-10-03T22:34:38.205-04:00October 3, 2014: Day 3Well, I guess you can call this progress. As promised, the kiln was
unloaded and its contents finished and stocked. Mostly yellow mugs, but
some green and one large Duckshead flaring bowl.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, that
flaring bowl ended up in the seconds pile. I'll probably take that one
home for myself. There was a small glaze blowout on the inside that
makes it unsalable. Oh well. Most of the rest was just fine.<br />
<br />
I
stacked the last kiln and set it to firing. Right about now it should be
finishing up with the preheat and getting on with business. It will
fire tomorrow and get unloaded on Sunday. Then the kiln will be
decommissioned until I find it a new home. **sigh**<br />
<br />
After that was
done, I set to work packaging up the raw materials. It's another bucket
dance as I put dry powders into shiny new buckets to be transported to
storage. Some unopened bags will go into plastic bags, but there aren't
many of those.<br />
<br />
And of course, everything has to be properly and
legally labeled. I have set about the task of getting that taken care
of. I have always been pretty meticulous about my material safety data
sheets, and I have a program of my own design that will print out labels
in OSHA-compliant format. What labels I don't already have will be done
and applied by Sunday afternoon.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow is clay day. I will
spend as much time as I can recycling clay and packaging it up for
transport to heated storage. Lord, I'm going to have a lot of that by
the time I'm finished. that's a good thing because I won't need to buy
clay in for quite some time. It's an expense I don't need in the coming
year. For now, though, it's called sweat equity.<br />
<br />
Day three down, 28 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-82915024222343095532014-10-02T12:02:00.000-04:002014-10-03T12:12:16.329-04:00October 2, 2014: Day 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWULyuITuFNCdw6zdu5kZ8QFO-_7H9TwUhLo2r1pl_AlmUaS-QsWmoFAH21Lg-AyYao3kK91UDBEOyXZpG5Bt34kqMdOFfdQsghwVuxxweBlaMOEF0pZCWkBt6gn_Z1aUTzMWoW6NGUM/s1600/Green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWULyuITuFNCdw6zdu5kZ8QFO-_7H9TwUhLo2r1pl_AlmUaS-QsWmoFAH21Lg-AyYao3kK91UDBEOyXZpG5Bt34kqMdOFfdQsghwVuxxweBlaMOEF0pZCWkBt6gn_Z1aUTzMWoW6NGUM/s1600/Green.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Today was a little "off." I had truck duty at my full-time job, which
is unusual for me. After over 26 years as an EMT and then paramedic, I
have shifted into mostly administrative work and spend most of my time
doing compliance, policy and financial stuff. But today I donned a
uniform and prepared for whatever might come.<br />
<br />
Nothing came. Now,
here's the thing. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it is far more
exhausting to spend a day in an ambulance station waiting for the call
that never comes than it is to be running calls back to back all day.
The stress factor of waiting around is far greater than diving in and
using those skills you spent so many years sharpening.<br />
<br />
So it was
no surprise to me that by 3:00 p.m. I could not keep my eyes open. And
yet, I needed to head out and tackle stuff at the pottery. I changed
clothes at the station and dragged my weary body up the hill with no
real enthusiasm.<br />
<br />
Once I got there things changed a bit. But the
work I needed to do was not something I particularly enjoyed;
dismantling things. Yup, I gotta face the fact all over again that it's
moving out time. It's just inertia, really, and it can be overcome.<br />
<br />
The
kiln I unloaded yesterday was waiting to be finished up and put onto
the stock shelves, so I did that first thing. The kiln I fired today was
cooling off. That will be opened tomorrow on my way to work. It's
mostly yellow just as the last firing was mostly green. Tomorrow
afternoon, I will stack one more kiln and that will be it for
production.<br />
<br />
The next item on the agenda was to dismantle the
glazing equipment. I packed up air hoses, spatulas, "chucks" (items used
to hold pottery while glazing it), bowls, pitchers, and various other
bits and pieces. The spray gun came home with me and the rest of it went
to the storage unit. It all went far smoother than I anticipated, which
leaves me wondering what I forgot.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow I will at least start
packing up the raw glaze materials. Some will go to storage, some will
go home. Keeping my head focused on which is which will be a challenge,
but the way I'm storing things, they can all be reconfigured as needed.<br />
<br />
Day two down, 29 to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-11083541372422203932014-10-01T12:04:00.000-04:002014-10-03T12:04:19.275-04:00Moving On<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpOKD3x9Cx_bEPfCZwsU9IriQcfhaodRC4ssL9XbPVNQPQeIThDXjxuPRsc7k5m5wXX-0Nt5nM-ktftbfVfpXpsMz8Qiz0Rh1wvqH-BIUYiCg8aJoMw4rei1oiADs6uVWyTcyoOIHmcc/s1600/Flare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpOKD3x9Cx_bEPfCZwsU9IriQcfhaodRC4ssL9XbPVNQPQeIThDXjxuPRsc7k5m5wXX-0Nt5nM-ktftbfVfpXpsMz8Qiz0Rh1wvqH-BIUYiCg8aJoMw4rei1oiADs6uVWyTcyoOIHmcc/s1600/Flare.jpg" height="261" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Today is October first, and although I have been given until November
15 to vacate the old Rowantrees building, I have agreed to try and be
cleared out by October 31. Starting tonight, I will be chronicling my
daily progress as I finish what work remains to be finished and pack up
everything that needs to be moved.<br />
<br />
Tonight I finished the last of
my glazing and stacked what will be the penultimate kiln firing. There
will be one more firing and then everything will be finished. At least,
everything I glazed will be finished. I still have a whole lot of bisque
ware, but that will be boxed up and put into storage. Once I have
relocated, it will take little time to complete that work.<br />
<br />
It was a
melancholy moment glazing that last pot. It was a ramekin in yellow. I
looked at it for a moment and told it that it would be the last piece to
be glazed in that building after 80 continuous years. It should feel
honored. I felt sad.<br />
<br />
Day one down, 30 left to go.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-66150881743321130252014-09-11T12:01:00.004-04:002014-09-11T12:01:51.464-04:00What Disaster Can Tell You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Rtb66gP84fun7nRp6HzMV7JYAiVpI4AtQmLbKmH112ILmZ4-G4jZBoWkn0-RnQvDLVnJAQU0ApMuHPGH07meax0s-0Kmd5wf_NE15iFADYi9uzC5-N0Bh6UXWTlcbHWIoMngDigLpBI/s1600/Broken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Rtb66gP84fun7nRp6HzMV7JYAiVpI4AtQmLbKmH112ILmZ4-G4jZBoWkn0-RnQvDLVnJAQU0ApMuHPGH07meax0s-0Kmd5wf_NE15iFADYi9uzC5-N0Bh6UXWTlcbHWIoMngDigLpBI/s1600/Broken.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
It makes no difference how much experience I garner, every now and
then I will do something monumentally stupid. Several weeks ago, I had a
ware board full of ramekins. I placed the board on a shelf with about
half of the board extended out over the edge of the shelf. Then I set to
work unloading the board.<br />
Starting at the wrong end.<br />
Almost
immediately, the ware board with all those beautiful ramekins began
tipping like an insane seesaw causing several ramekins to "introduce"
them selves to the floor. Sancho Panza put it best when he said,
"...whether the stone hits the pitcher or the pitcher hits the stone,
it's going to be bad for the pitcher."<br />
I lost four ramekins to
that little act of idiocy, but it's interesting what such a disaster can
tell you. Not so much about my working methods, but about the product I
make.<br />
Many years ago (actually, it was decades ago), I was
working in the pottery studio of a private school. I actually worked in
the kitchen of that school, but they allowed me to putter about in the
pottery studio when I was not at work. It kept body and soul together
for the few months I was there. The students were aghast at my habit of
cutting pots I had just thrown in half so that I could see how the wall
of the pot looked. I can remember the teacher telling them, "You guys
should be doing that more often."<br />
I rarely cut pots in half these
days. I don't really need to as the lesson of an even wall has been well
learned. Still, it's always interesting to look at the profile of a pot
when it meets an untimely end. And truth be told, I have actually
broken pots on purpose to get the sort of information the little beauty
in the picture above revealed.<br />
So what can I tell from what I see? Three things.<br />
First,
I can see that the wall is nice and even. No surprise there. You may
also notice the slightly thicker rim. That makes the pot less prone to
warping during manufacture and chipping during use.<br />
Second, I see
that the pot only broke into about four pieces - most of them quite
large. That means that the pot is extremely strong. A weaker vessel
would shatter into a lot of small pieces.<br />
Third, I see that the
glaze perfectly follows the same break pattern as the clay. That means
the glaze fit is exceptionally good. I knew that, given the tests I put
the glazes through. But it's good to see it up close.<br />
Most people
don't realize it, but a glaze has to fit the clay it's applied to
perfectly. The critical measurement is what happens when the pots cool
in the kiln. Everything expands while heating and contracts while
cooling. If the glaze contracts more than the clay does, it will be
under a lot of tension. In a case like that, something has to give, and
the glaze will form a fine network of stress cracks. Potters call this
crazing. Crazing weakens a pot and will inevitably shorten its life.
Some glazes are specially formulated to produce the same crackle pattern
seen in crazing without causing problems for the pot, but crazing as a
gaze flaw is something to be avoided.<br />
If the clay shrinks more
than the glaze, then the glaze can pop off, resulting in tiny, razor
sharp pieces of glass that can end up in the food or beverage the pot
was holding. This problem is called shivering and it is one issue that
can keep a potter up at night.<br />
Ideally, a glaze should shrink <em>slightly</em>
less than the clay, but not enough to cause shivering. That assures
that the pot will be the strong and last a good long time in normal use.<br />
And
the best way to prove the strength of a pot is to break it on purpose -
or, in this case, by accident - and see how many or few pieces it
breaks into. The fewer the pieces, the stronger the pot. If the glaze
margins align perfectly with the edges of the broken clay, the glaze fit
is perfect.<br />
I make high quality pottery. The picture proves it.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-14062101277394774062014-09-03T13:39:00.002-04:002014-09-04T13:46:38.313-04:00The Bucket Dance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV614nKVeMV8PjrqrdDUsS2jJ7WlvprnhMk37Q58i3rUewxQBoVUIjuPvZANdt9d9leh7Jxu8g5ikIm8dTmnlhTIJKFyhyphenhyphenup1C9p6xYmzVXoMTs528DV8nffe0FqMi3ZfQv-iat9_hUek/s1600/Buckets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV614nKVeMV8PjrqrdDUsS2jJ7WlvprnhMk37Q58i3rUewxQBoVUIjuPvZANdt9d9leh7Jxu8g5ikIm8dTmnlhTIJKFyhyphenhyphenup1C9p6xYmzVXoMTs528DV8nffe0FqMi3ZfQv-iat9_hUek/s1600/Buckets.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Like a lot of potters, glazing isn't my favorite thing to do. I like
being behind my wheel throwing pots and getting my hands muddy. But if
you are a potter, you probably spend the least of your time throwing and
trimming pots.<br />
<br />
The fact is, nothing I make is finished without
its outer coating of colored glass. So glazing is a necessity and needs
to be done with great care. Gazes are fussy creatures. Each wants to be
applied in its own way and its own proper thickness. Each wants it's own
special spot in the kiln where the temperature and heat work are just
so.<br />
<br />
Really fussy customers, glazes.<br />
<br />
It starts with the
chemistry. If you have read my blog for any length of time, you know
something about those tribulations. Trying to figure out what that
bucket full of liquid mud will look like when it's fired is a mixture of
educated guess, scientific calculation, trial and error and pure luck.
And your first guess is usually dead wrong. The second usually is as
well.<br />
<br />
So when you have a glaze that works for you, you keep to it. I have eight of them.<br />
<br />
So
now that I am moving out of the old studio, I am feverishly mixing
large quantities of them. You see, I have this idea of continuing to
produce at least some of my smaller items. I have my kitchen studio with
its own wheel and can make small items if I can find a kiln to fire
them in. That search will be job one soon. But I won't have the ability
to mix new batches of glaze once everything is in storage.<br />
<br />
That
means five gallon buckets. Eight of them full of glaze. Never mind the
space considerations, I need a lot of the stuff to carry this plan out.<br />
<br />
So
now begins what I call the bucket dance. There are big buckets and
little buckets. Little buckets contain the glazes and each glaze has its
own bucket with its name on it. Big buckets contain wash water, and
again, each glaze has its own. That way, I can recycle glaze that I wash
off of my tools and equipment. I end up with a big bucket full of
watery glaze that can then be used to make more glaze. Less waste, lower
cost and far more environmentally friendly.<br />
<br />
But now the glaze
needs to go into the big buckets and the wash water in the little
buckets. So it takes two little buckets, one ball mill and one big
bucket to make the transition. But of course, nothing is that simple.
You see, the ball mill can't hold all the glaze in a little bucket. So
it takes three ball mill jars to grind and mix all the glaze in two
little buckets so that they can be poured into one big bucket. When the
process is finished, I should have one big bucket and one little bucket
with the name of a glaze on it.<br />
<br />
A few days ago, I did this with
the turquoise glaze. I have one big bucket full of glaze and one little
bucket with nothing in it that says "White" on the outside. No, I don't
know how I managed that, but not to worry. They didn't get mixed in
together. I'm just grabbing clean empty buckets to make this happen.<br />
<br />
I
have been boxing up all of the throwing supplies and tools. A couple
days ago I brought a pallet in and started stacking things up on it. I
now have all the tools, bats and pads packed away.<br />
Progress comes in some odd shapes and sizes. But progress is progress. One step at a time.Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1065352400282613385.post-53152435593913558102014-09-02T20:13:00.001-04:002014-09-04T14:30:53.826-04:00Moving On<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0d745oZuxwBk6tkmx5s_BdSjaffd4oJbCLP-YioR3HNRGj9udfv4PByvoDIIlrlC2NenObAFXcwakvnZ3bmRiqeMootyKHCqwTEalUBHx-Y2TREZLCpK6bQB6H7iorvVhTN4khWjjeQ/s1600/boxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0d745oZuxwBk6tkmx5s_BdSjaffd4oJbCLP-YioR3HNRGj9udfv4PByvoDIIlrlC2NenObAFXcwakvnZ3bmRiqeMootyKHCqwTEalUBHx-Y2TREZLCpK6bQB6H7iorvVhTN4khWjjeQ/s1600/boxes.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Last year I wrote about needing to move out of the space I have been
using and said I had to be out by the end of the year. Then I updated
that to state that I had been reprieved and could stay for the
foreseeable future.<br />
<br />
In June of this year I was told that the
property was being put up for sale but that nothing would be happening
for at least a year. No panic. That would give me plenty of time to make
some plans and let people know what is happening.<br />
<br />
In July, I was
told that things might be going a bit faster than expected, and next
April would probably be the deadline to consider. Well, that's not far
off from a year from now, so still, no panic.<br />
<br />
In early August, I got a letter via certified mail informing me that I would need to be out of the building by September 15.<br />
<br />
Time to panic. But still, I didn't. I just started making plans. What else do you do?<br />
<br />
A few days later, I got a phone call telling me that I had until November 15.<br />
<br />
The
emotional roller coaster ride is over for me. If someone told me that I
could stay at the Rowantrees building for another year at this point, I
would still be moving out. There comes a time when you just have to
step out and figure your way from here.<br />
<br />
So what is my way going forward?<br />
<br />
Shortly
after getting the first notice, I stopped throwing new pots. From wheel
to glaze firing, it can take several weeks to finish a pot, so there
isn't much point in starting new ones. As of this writing, my wheel and
all of my throwing tools are packed up and ready to go into storage.<br />
<br />
Right
now I am glazing for all I'm worth. I have a lot of bisque ware just
waiting to be turned into finished product and I'll get as much of it
done as I can.<br />
<br />
As I finish each part of the process, the tools and
equipment used for that part are getting packed up and ready to move to
storage. The finished inventory will be the last to move.<br />
<br />
Don't
misunderstand me. I am NOT going out of business. Everything I have will
be reflected on the website and will be available for purchase. For all
intents and purposes, the coming cold season will be just like the last
four. After everything is in storage, I will turn my attention to the
Kickstarter campaign. I will need to raise $175,000 to build the new
studio space.<br />
<br />
Believe me, you will hear from me when the time comes!Geoff Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04235898640216272746noreply@blogger.com0