The 1970's and my Pottery Career

Click on small pictures for close up view.
To achieve the texture I wanted, I would build my own clay formula. I would mix, pug and measure it into consistant sizes. (Under Jennifer's watchful eye.)
Which, later that night, I would use to make my pottery. The following day (usually 10 to 12 hours later) I would scratch simple line drawings into the semi-soft clay pots.
Which were then set aside to dry before glazing, which was done during the greenware stage.
Mine was a once-fire process. My kiln could hold from 75 to 90 pots per firing.
To read the book on the kiln Click here.
When the kiln was unloaded...
It was like Christmas.
The MOST popular selling pots were the "Cattails" and the "Tree in the field".
Custom work was often produced from photographs. Homes, farms and landscapes were hand drawn in the wet clay pots and later glazed for color.
The same technique was used on tiles, murals and plates designed for wall hanging.
Large 22" X 11" single piece tiles and
Multiple piece, 5" X 5" tile murals.
This mural of a Southern Minnesota Farm hangs in the First National Bank of Blue Earth.
The tile "postcard" (left) is the reverse side of the hiway scene (right). Tile is 21¼" X 10½".
This "postcard" (left) was juried into the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts display.
The display case (right) was a month long invitational showing in the Twin Cities Federal Atrium Gallery.
For Five years I was invited to display my wares in a booth in "Heritage Square", the Arts and Crafts area of the Minnesota State Fair.
My portable display booth was set up at 'Art Fairs' in parks and shopping malls, where I would sell and take orders for ...
hanging planter lamps,
planters, vases and shelf sculptures
and table lamps.
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