A tip for "Earthgirl"

Joanie

And I sure wouldn't mind being mistaken for EarthGirl! GRIN

I wondered why you mentioned me...... but hey, who's complaining

And this IS the best part of BT. Sharing and mutual enjoyment of good work.

Joanie

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stonemonkey

Hi Dale

Very nice pots. That should keep the "Why do Americans only make round pots" people happy.

Kind Regards

Andy

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Dale Cochoy

Yep, had you two confused during some pm's.
Lesseee, Earthgirl is Michelle who is in Tulsa and knows Pat and Mike,
and Joanie is in Carlsbad near the caves and bats!

Jeremy said:
Had to mention something.

I really like this discussion and I think it's very indicative of why this board is so good. Not particularly because the subject matter is dear to my heart but because it's professionals (that would be you, Dale) describing the tips and tricks of their profession. Sharing countless years of experience with us.

I think it's great. I'm going to start another thread on this.

Jeremy,
I should mention,
I have thought quite hard on these "helping" excersises. As an ex-school teacher , etc. I guess it's in my blood. But here is what happens/ed when you are free with knowledge you've worked to gain over many years. If you do these things as a lark and have a good "job" you can be free as a bird with your knowledge passing....It won't effect your income. But, I learned years ago that teaching locals intensly on bonsai comes back to bite you ( especially if you are doing it for FREE). In a year ( after starting in bonsai) they open a shop down the street from you, and PROBABLY have more money to build it, especially if doing it for FUN. Ditto with the pottery.
I have a nice fellow who comes over to work regularly now, for about a year, last time here his wife confided he wanted to start a business....what to do?
In our local club I did a pot demo a few years ago....you guessed it, one guy decided to take weekly classes at the art center, now makes pots and sells them to club members and eBay ( but it's frowned on if a "bonsai business guy takes pots in to sell at a meeting )
In the last 4 years I've noticed a FLOOD of newpotters selling bonsai pots. They ask every question they can of you because they have NO BACKGROUND, then run to the community center and use all their equipment, glaze, clay, kilns and have someone fire their stuff ( one of the toughest things to learn and do right) then brag about it and sell it!
At bonsai shows you used to see very few people selling hand made pots but LOTTTTS of trees, that's ONE reason I've almost stopped selling trees, at least imported trees, and looked for other ideas ( that, and the fact no one wants anything over $20 ), now it's reversed. Conventions have fewer trees but EVERYONE has theirs, or someones, pots or imported pots which are easy now to import from china. Heck, they send you emails to set up the business. Just write a check and set it on your table.
Kinda like hand tools....every show....3 Joshua Roth dealers!!
That's why every show now has at least half the people selling the same imported chinese pots. Write a check.....get some stuff! Great if you don't have to suppport a family on it but just have a good time, look like an expert, and pay for your tables.
On this, and other talk-lists, I see lots of helpful pottery tips now. Stuff I learned over many years, being handed out for free to people who have NEVER made a pot, but, next year they'll be selling them.
I can think of one case where a newbie decided he should make pots ( NOT Andy, btw) , so asked all the questions that ANYONE who has done it AT ALL can answer:
What clay to use and where do I get it.?
What's absorbtion?
What temp.?
What are cones?
Where do I get glazes?
Who can fire for me?
etc, etc

Now....you guessed it, after only a few months ( and pots) we get tutorials from the potter.and since he's just a beginner he is praised, but much more technical stuff by accomplished people is often barely mentioned, if at all.

Thanks Andy,
I appreciate that coming from an accepted good potter.
maybe we should just modify that to "as many" instead of "only"
I was still thinking of this the other day while glazing this pot.EVERYTHING associated with making slab pots is time-extended, EVERY STEP! I figure I can make up to 10 wheel-thrown altered pots in the same amount of total time as a slab-built rectangle. . Depending on fanciness, at least 5. Would you agree with this??
I can probably make 2 ovals in the same time.
Regards,
Dale

__________________
________________________________
If you want to be Different....
You have to DO something Different!
__________________________________________

Some people NEVER take the time to do a job right the first time....
but, they always seem to make the time to do it over again...
____________________________________________
Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
Hartville, Ohio

Joanie

Actually, Dale, the only bats in Carlsbad are the ones driving around in big expensive cars that they can barely see over the wheels of, on their way to the hairdresser before golf with the girls. They get in my way. (vrroooom) Carlsbad Caverns is in New Mexico.

I also have struggled with teaching, with answering questions. Below is a picture of one of my pieces, slip cast and glazed earthenware (I even make my own clay for the control it gives, and ball mill it). I make them for a living, full time. I have taught many people but making molds and casting and glazing to the high standards that are required, quickly causes people to flee to other easier pursuits. Only the dogged hang in there, and we all learn from each other. Our quality and our prices have improved because of our willingness to learn, teach, and share ideas. I just finished taking orders on my next piece, an 8" tall pony sculpture, which I sell for $445.00. I have almost two years worth of orders to fill now, for a very good living. Granted, bonsai pots are in a way easier, people can learn as you point out, by reading and then going to a school etc. But the difference between their pots and your pots is obvious to people who know what to look for. You can cultivate and nurture the higher end market, which is a beautiful place to be! And if you did internet sales, you wouldn't have any spare time to worry about anyone up and coming!! As more people gain experience and learn to appreciate good pots, your market and your profit margin expand.

Here is my little "Otto":

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Dale Cochoy

Joanie,
See....there I was, wrong again, saw Carlbad and stopped reading.
BTW, If anyone goes to "that" area of NM be sure to go to see the cave , and time so you'll be there to watchthe bats come out. ( Not the ones in cars over at Joanies area)

"I just finished taking orders on my next piece, an 8" tall pony sculpture, which I sell for $445.00. I have almost two years worth of orders to fill now, for a very good living. "

I certainly wouldn't even THINK about bonsai pots if I were you!!!

That horse is VERY nice!!.
Do you carve a master from something, wood, wax, clay then mold. I assume. How long does it take you to carve the original.? Very intricate.

__________________
________________________________
If you want to be Different....
You have to DO something Different!
__________________________________________

Some people NEVER take the time to do a job right the first time....
but, they always seem to make the time to do it over again...
____________________________________________
Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
Hartville, Ohio

Joanie

That's okay, Dale. My daughter worked at a local gas station for a time, and sometimes visitors would ask "where are the caverns"!!

I am not considering bonsai pots at all, certainly not to sell! I don't even fire anything above 04. Got too much to do, and would rather leave the pots to those of you who know what they are doing. I'm only puttering with a little porcelain clay and sending it out to be fired, just for fun. Because dirt is cheap!

I commission the sculpture from the artist, in this case she is a world renowned equine artist. The sculpture comes to me as a resin cast from the original, which I then make a polyurethane mold from, and that is my master mold for the plaster. I can also make molds around (or for) wax, such as foundry wax for bronze casting; wax such as jewelry wax; or resin for resin casting. There's always something sitting around here to have a mold made, it is increasingly difficult to find good mold makers in this era when it's done by computer or overseas. I've actually had my molds displayed in a museum on their own, because a good well made mold looks like a piece of modern art. (But has a purpose!) I've also taught mold making to others, and people are pressing me to hold a week long mold making workshop in the spring. (Yikes! It's too much to learn in a week!)

Anyway, you make the pots and I'll buy them... one factor that many people miss is the glazing. A good potter has glaze recipes that really only work for him, because the nuance of glaze application, tweaking the firing and holding cycles, and the "feel" is a unique and highly personal thing. Mel Jacobsen has a wonderful way of inspiring others while still being able to create some of the most breath taking glazes on the planet. (Mel runs the Clayart listserve) And he shows that glazes can be as individual as a fingerprint even if you share your recipes.... no one can duplicate your firings.

Hope you send some pots over toward this part of the country!
Joanie

Joanie

Just thought you'd like to see one of my favorites, and one of the higher prices pieces (if the pictures aren't too big to load, I still don't always know how to know)

He is 6 1/2" tall, body cast by my English business partner, glazed by me. Went at auction for a little over $1700. Not our highest price piece ($2300 and change) but one of my all time favorites.

Now I'll turn the thread back to you!

Joanie

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Dale Cochoy

That's a nice horse! Well colored. Is it all brushwork or are you an airbrush master? I use my old airbrush for a few techniques on my pots. I've had it for 30 years from when I was chopper painting. Saved it all these years...thought I might need it again someday!.....

Ok Joanie...so...If I make a couple real nice rectangles that come out flawless, and send them to you ...can you make me molds? Huh Huh?

I kinda do wish I had a mold from the 5 sided asymmetrical logo pot I won with in the ist NBF pot comp. It was flawless and very difficult to make. National Arboretum kept it after paying me the prize money. I wonder if they'd let me borrow it for a bit. !? It was 14" long.
Here's a shot of it in winners cabinet on display. Left side , middle pot.

I'm agonizing over taking a stab at it this winter with a few non-incut single mold types. If you start seeing the same pot over and over you'll know I made the leap! It'll probably be a rimmed 5 sided asymmetrical.

I have to tell you, back in real early 80's my old buddy/business partner and I decided we'd mold some existing pots and glaze them. Worked pretty good for 2 or 3 molds. Pots looked ok, we used stoneware slip. Had a tough time finding a place to fire that high. Anyway, we had some fun with it until one night he was making a mold in his kitchen and it came apart right after pouring. You guessed it....he had plaster ALL OVER his kitchen. That was our last mold.....about 23 years ago!

Dale

Dale

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__________________
________________________________
If you want to be Different....
You have to DO something Different!
__________________________________________

Some people NEVER take the time to do a job right the first time....
but, they always seem to make the time to do it over again...
____________________________________________
Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
Hartville, Ohio

Joanie

Molds work better now, Dale.

I could sure help you, although it would be expensive to ship the mold. Heavy, very heavy.

Beautiful pot, you are right to be proud of it.

Know what I would do if I were you? Make a drape or slump/hump type mold for the pieces that you commonly use. You can then assemble them as usual. The curves would be easier to achieve, but you will still have the hand work. Just a thought!

Slump/hump molds are very common in the clay studio usage. Sort of a hybrid between a cast mold and handwork.

Joanie