Downestream Studio

Happy Thanks giving to you and your family; I hope...

2010-11-24T14:29:40.115-05:00

Happy Thanks giving to you and your family; I hope to get up there this spring.

Hi Linda, I'd love to meet you! You are certa...

2010-09-14T07:57:19.092-04:00

Hi Linda, I'd love to meet you! You are certainly welcome to stop by for a visit. As you can see, I haven't updated my blog for quite awhile, so much going on these days. Just email me at: downestream@gmail.com and we'll work out the details. - Sue

Hi Sue, I may be in your neck of the woods in earl...

2010-09-11T00:24:04.745-04:00

Hi Sue, I may be in your neck of the woods in early october if you want to meet up let me know.

Thanks Sue, there's a lot of work to be done h...

2010-05-27T20:17:11.327-04:00

Thanks Sue, there's a lot of work to be done here remodeling etc. more than we bargained for; I left details of my glazing on my blog.

Hi Linda, It's been a very busy month! Both ...

2010-05-27T13:59:34.051-04:00

Hi Linda, It's been a very busy month! Both of my teenagers had birthdays on Mother's Day weekend, my daughter's college acceptance stuff out of the way, homestead issues, work, and just returned from a week vacation in Puerto Rico to clear my head. I've been reading your blog though and plan to update mine this weekend. Am just about to load my kiln up with about 10 very thin porcelain plates, a large platter and a backlog of other pieces for a cone 6 firing. Don't give up on porcelain yet! The glazing results are like no other. It's a process and alot has to do with covering your pieces in plastic throughout the slow drying process (dry cleaning bags are your best friend). Oh, and did I mention patience? A trait I have learned to acquire with porcelain. The brand of porcelain is a biggy as I've tried many. So far, I'm loving Matt & Daves 'For the People' Cone 6 porcelain the best but have only done a bisque firing with very little cracking. I plan to post the results of the firing early next week and write about my porcelain experiments. How is your new home?

How is it going? Did you try that porcelain; I hav...

2010-05-27T08:57:07.036-04:00

How is it going? Did you try that porcelain; I have had lots of cracking and am about ready to give up, perhaps only bowls from porcelain and no platters I'll save those for stoneware.

Hi Linda, I like the 'relief' effect of m...

2010-04-13T07:50:31.636-04:00

Hi Linda, I like the 'relief' effect of molds made from real leaves and it's easier to make multiples and experiment with them. I just wish working with plaster was a enjoyable as working with clay.

Oh tha star magnolia always blooms so early but is...

2010-04-11T21:44:08.371-04:00

Oh tha star magnolia always blooms so early but is truly lovely. I like the saucer magnolia too and of course the southern magnolia. How interesting you make plaster molds. I've made plates with real leaves but always used fresh, your way would be much better since I would to pick so many leaves. can't wait to see how you glaze this one and to see how you like Matt & Dave's clay.

Who would have thought a basketball would make suc...

2010-04-05T21:38:53.058-04:00

Who would have thought a basketball would make such a beautiful bowl; you are so creative, that color is beautiful. And doubly nice that it is made with your son's old toys.

Thank you so much... you are very kind! yes, I do...

2010-04-05T10:47:28.358-04:00

Thank you so much... you are very kind!
yes, I do think it happened because the glaze was too thick where it was dipped twice. Though I have a mechanical one, I've never tried to use an airbrush, it looks to me more frightening than dipping. Do you apply transparent glaze with brush? Does it look even layer after firing?

The only thing I do not lack is imagination… in al...

2010-03-27T15:23:46.845-04:00

The only thing I do not lack is imagination… in all aspects of life, and sometimes (too many times) it over floods. May be that's why I have no enough patience to do test tiles, and I tend to test new glazes on dishes… sometimes I am lucky, but many other times I am not, but you usually do not see it since I do not take photos of disasters. I just smash them in the special box I have for this. This problem with too much imagination or inspiration, is not always a good character, I want to do so many things at once, and jump from one thing to another, and therefore always find myself in a race…

Hi Linda, Thank you for the generous compliment as...

2010-03-27T08:55:25.743-04:00

Hi Linda, Thank you for the generous compliment as sometimes I’m full of self doubt and find this blogging such a unique way of connecting with like minded artists. My observation is that when a piece has sculptural emphasis (like yours), less is better regarding glazes. One ceramic artist that might be of inspiration to you for glazing is Jerilyn Virden (see above pic) who makes large earthenware sculptures and functional pots. I saw her display at the Architecture & Design show and noticed she works with red clay and has a spare glaze palette so as not to distract from the beauty of her work. The contrast of her milky glazes and the red clay is quite stunning…and enviable. I definitely recommend a small test kiln which has helped me quite a bit.

Well that looks like a great place to get inspirat...

2010-03-25T09:07:32.141-04:00

Well that looks like a great place to get inspiration. The pots you make are so beautiful and well worth the technique you do. I sometimes envy the potters that dip their glazes and feel like you sometimes when I see all the work other potters have on their shelves, sell at art shows and etsy. the last couple of days I've been thinking of all the green work I have piled up here and wondering how I will glaze it all, especially the red clay which I have never worked with. I have no idea how I will glaze it or how it will turn out. I might have to make a few test tiles. I guess that's where a test kiln would come in. I might need a tiny one of those so I can test before committing to putting glazes on my work. Oh well, thanks goodness Spring is on it's way.

What a bummer no electric, we don't know how m...

2010-03-18T14:40:44.727-04:00

What a bummer no electric, we don't know how much we depend upon it till we don't have it. Once when we lived in the mountains we were without electricity for 5 days. Gary was out plowing the driveway with the tractor he came in freezing and I said just a minute I'll dry your gloves in the dryer for you. I ran in and put them in the dryer and then nothing. duh. I will keep in mind the mallet as I loved my coffee beans, but how did you make the coffee on top of a woodstove?

Thank you....I'm working on a Spring color gla...

2010-03-18T07:09:04.300-04:00

Thank you....I'm working on a Spring color glaze palette now and it looks pretty bright and bold.

Hey Sue, really like your new header, think I have...

2010-03-15T20:11:10.417-04:00

Hey Sue, really like your new header, think I have a new favorite color. There must be coral under that blue. Looks too like there are dolphins schooling round and round. Very beautiful work. The way you used the snow for a background was clever and makes those photos stand out. All your photos are well thought out btw. Like you, I am hoping we are done with the snow. Can’t wait to see how Spring influences you.

Hi Varda and Linda, Thank you both for the positi...

2010-03-15T11:18:23.729-04:00

Hi Varda and Linda, Thank you both for the positive feedback on my nesting bowls and glazing. It's the direction I'm heading on creating a line of work and validates the input I've received so far from friends and fellow potters. Linda, you right about the vase looking like a hornet's nest as I was trying to replicate a large nest hanging on a birch tree in my backyard but due to it's fragility a high wind blew it apart last Fall before I could take it down. My decision to get a test kiln was based on visiting a few ceramic artist friend's studios and listening to their praises on the energy/time benefits of having a small 110 voltage kiln 110 capable of Cone 10 firing. Color wise, the test glaze results are not significantly different between the kilns except that the larger L&L produces an indescribable subtle luminosity to the final product. The portability of the test kiln enables me to fire it in my basement studio without a vent has helped me learn more about the use of cones.

Hi Sue, I was wondering what happened to you so gl...

2010-03-14T06:09:15.425-04:00

Hi Sue, I was wondering what happened to you so glad you posted. Your blue nesting bowls are spectacular, love the rippley surface and the variations in the color so much. and the first vase reminds me of a hornet's nest, but in a good way, something about the shape.

congrats on your new kilns. do you find the test kiln fires similar to your L&L I have wondered about getting a test kiln once I get settled and then wonder if it would be worth it. Have fun testing all that clay. I use lots of different clays myself and each one has it's benefits. Look forward to hearing about the porcelain too.

wow, thank you so much for your supportive comment...

2010-03-13T07:34:32.456-05:00

wow, thank you so much for your supportive comment, it is so encouraging especially that I am at the beginning of an adventure which is so new from many aspects.
Although the sgraffito work is such a time consuming, the work has a very relaxing side. The spiral way of working makes me calm, and intuitive. But I also like so much the actual painting, and right now, I am working on new plates. On which I am going to freely paint. I love the process of mixing new glazes and paint with them as if they were watercolors.
Many wishes for a good luck with your new studio's equipment, especially the kiln. It is a great joy to have one of your own. For me it is a must since I need to always have my own things, and to work my own way…
Your last new glazes are so so beautiful; the colors look like pond's water.
I am eager to read more!

for your

I've heard about the hair spray trick before. ...

2010-02-22T09:55:27.305-05:00

I've heard about the hair spray trick before. Do you spray the piece, let it dry, then reglaze? Or do you open up the bottle and use a brush to apply the hairspray? And when firing a second time, do you fire at the same cone as the original firing?

your blog, and works are astonishing, I haven'...

2010-02-16T15:10:41.955-05:00

your blog, and works are astonishing, I haven't had the time yet to read it all, but from the last 2 posting, it is already looks so interesting and touching. I have a lot to learn from you, and thanks a lot for visiting my blog. please keep writing...

Thank you Linda, I always appreciate your comments...

2009-12-19T10:37:50.474-05:00

Thank you Linda, I always appreciate your comments. The bowls are a combo of slumped, pinched, and molds. The photos don't do justice to the intense chartreuse overglaze with a light green and blue underglaze.

I like this green very much, beautiful bowls. Are ...

2009-12-18T12:31:33.070-05:00

I like this green very much, beautiful bowls. Are the bowls thrown, slumped, pinched?

Hi Linda, Thank you - I was pleasantly surprised w...

2009-12-13T00:05:30.803-05:00

Hi Linda, Thank you - I was pleasantly surprised when it came out of the kiln and couldn't believe how similar it looked to my porcelain pieces. The clay was deep grey and oily in texture and I was a bit skeptical working with it after being conditioned by the buttery smoothness of porcelain. It bisque fired a brighter white than porcelain too - which was quite nice. It was glaze fired at Cone 04.

What a wonderful feeling that platter has. I happe...

2009-12-12T18:33:06.572-05:00

What a wonderful feeling that platter has. I happen to love maples so the leaves are just perfect to me and I love the spattering you have done. What cone are you firing to?