At Lori's there's a nice pre-Depression era house on a half acre, a gravel and grass drive, and an outbuilding workshop. Our southern grandparents, aunts and uncles lived in places like this. They worked in the city but preferred living in the country. Many still do.
I went to Lori Buff's Future Relics Gallery yesterday. Lori is a clayworker. She's having her holiday sale. I was already charmed by Lori and her work, We have one of her raku horsehair pieces. Yesterday I got to see the studio.
You can keep up with her on Facebook and Twitter @FutureRelicsGal.
Who doesn't love a crisp sign, a grass drive, and a perky outbuilding.
Three bloggers, two clayworkers: Left is Linda Starr, also a clayworker and blogger at Blue Starr Gallery. Right is Lori Buff, the one-person total package at Future Relics. If you go out much, go out to where the artists, artisans, crafterers are, you'll run into her. Lori blogs at Future Relics Pottery.
Now I'll just show you.
It feels country but she has neighbors and this great yard sink.
This is so cool.
These round things are "bats." You put the bat on the wheel, the clay on the bat, then you throw, like on Ghost.
You take the bat off the wheel and let the pot harden just enough. Then you use a cut-off string with handles to cut the pot off the bat.
Depending on how you pull the cut-off string, you get very cool patterns like this.
Handles have their own production line.
There a wheel with a metal pedal.
There's a kick-wheel with a collection of clay tailings.
There's orangestone clay.
Phoenix clay in clay lingo: "... It has a good amount of tooth without being rough on beginners hands. Fine mullite grog has excellent thermal shock properties ..."
Loafer's clay is just my style.
Straightforward tools everywhere, You'll need this to make sure your lids fit.
I'm rather ham-handed but I love the tools.
For big curves and striations.
There will be mud but not today.
Humble sponges.
A stick for every season.
I like the lamp a lot.
Do the clayworkers bond like the printmakers? I think so.
Time to go.
This is a rural scene.
Some of Lori's handmades.
A neighbor took a picture of us. You can just see the back of the house.
A look at the seconds table, they look like firsts to me.
Bye.
Linda Starr blogged it too at "Lori Buff Open Studio."