DESIGNER SINKS

Designing is really about creating a quality of life, and a beauty in that life that nourishes the soul, that makes life beautiful.
— Albert Hadley

When Kent and I bought our home six years ago, we were looking for a house that did not need to be remodeled. Having previously owned an older cottage in the Wolflin neighborhood, we’d had our fill of renovations! But like most people, we soon forgot past renovation woes and dreamed of adding our style to the new home. As artists, we are always interested in creating something beautiful. We can’t resist reimagining our spaces, and that leads us to more remodeling!

This past year we focused on updating the Master Bathroom and Guest Bathroom. New countertops create the perfect backdrop for sinks Kent made on the potter’s wheel. For the Master Bath, Kent formed two sinks that were identical in shape and similar in color. After bisque firing the two sinks, he used a handmade turquoise glaze that evokes calm and tranquility. The natural streaks of black complement the new matte black fixtures. The bathroom's color palette is neutral, so the sinks become the focal point.

Kent has made some beautiful sinks in the past, but these are my favorites! This remodel has prompted him to make more like these to sell in our gallery. Handcrafted sinks are perfect for homeowners looking for something unique for their bathrooms. I’ve noticed a lot of people are combining custom ceramic sinks with artistic spouts for a designer look. If you want a one-of-a-kind clay sink, please get in touch with us or stop by the gallery during regular business hours. Sinks can be made with either porcelain or stoneware clay, and we have a variety of glaze colors to choose from. We would love to help you.

Our custom sinks are formed from soft clay on the potter’s wheel.

Kent forms a hole for the drain so installation is simple.

Design with Beauty in Mind.


REUNION TOUR

You lay your head on the pillow.  You look up at the ceiling, and the room is spinning.  You feel like you’re on a carnival ride when you shut your eyes.  No, you didn’t drink too much.  You just sat at the potter’s wheel too long!  

A few weeks ago, Kent and I had the opportunity to teach a workshop at Mudslingers 2021, and we sat at the potter’s wheel for so many hours the room was spinning.  We and two friends, Von Venhuizen, Associate Professor of Ceramics at TTU, and David Echols, Ceramics Art Educator at Frenship High School, were invited by Roger Holmes at the Helen DeVitt Jones Clay Studio to participate in the event. The Clay Studio is part of the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts in Lubbock, Texas.  It is a working studio dedicated to inspiring and enriching the community through the ceramic arts, and it has a group of dedicated members who attended our workshop!  

Roger dubbed this year’s event the “Reunion Tour” since Von, David, Kent, and I have been friends for many years.  The event is an annual tradition, and this is the second year we have been invited.  At the 2018 Mudslingers Event, we had an exhibition of our work in the Texas Tech School of Art Satellite Gallery, but this time, we displayed our pots in the Clay Studio.  It worked out great because people could look at our finished artwork while we were demonstrating.  

After setting up our display on Thursday afternoon, we headed to the Firehouse Theatre, where each artist presented a slideshow and gave an Artist’s Talk.  Kent and I made pots all day on Friday, so we would have them ready to trim, flute, and add handles on Saturday.  If you aren’t from the Texas Panhandle or some other dry climate, that sounds crazy.  When I lived in Virginia, I waited weeks for pots to dry.  Around these parts, we usually wrap our pots lightly, and they are ready to finish the next day!  To our surprise, it rained a lot on Friday, slowing the drying process!  Fortunately, we could dry our pots outside Saturday morning and finish them in the afternoon.

Kent and I made bowls, mugs, cups, and vases for the workshop. Kent also made several tall pitchers, a teapot, and a pilgrim bottle.  I made a family of three fluted pitchers with attached slab spouts and demonstrated fluting techniques and tools.  Kent also showed how to use porcelain slip to make waves and natural patterns.  We both love making lots of pots, but the best things about a workshop are meeting new people, catching up with friends, and sharing ideas with fellow creatives.  Of course, we also love to go out to eat, and we enjoyed visiting our favorite Lubbock restaurants like Capital Pizza and Flippers Tavern!

Kent and I continue to be amazed by all the support we have from our Lubbock friends.  Thanks to everyone who came out to the event.  We thank Studio Assistant Andrew Carrizales and Director Roger Holmes for an incredible weekend!

Bowls and cups by Megan Harris.

‘Demo pots’ by Kent Harris.

Drying mugs by Megan Harris.

Kent finishing a teapot.

A few of Kent’s finished pots.

Tools of the trade.

Live your best life. Take a clay class!


MURAL COLLABORATION

Photo courtesy of Nate Pfeil

Photo courtesy of Nate Pfeil.

Drive down Rt 66 in Amarillo, a.k.a. “6th” by us locals, and you will now see a boldly colorful rendering of Palo Duro Canyon on the side of Blue Sage Pottery. Get out of your car and take a picture with our pottery shop dog superstar, Ranger, who is enjoying a hike up the Comanche Trail. Let him lead you into the twisting trees and teetering hoodoos as you pose for your latest Instagram post!

This 15 ft. tall, 70 ft. long mural was a collaboration between me and the amazing student team, Blank Spaces Murals, led by Shawn Kennedy and Shanda O’Neill. You’ve probably seen a number of their murals around town!

After spending a large chunk of the summer working on a contour drawing and a preparatory painting, I finally decided the collaboration was ready to begin. Figuring out how to weave together multiple inspirational photos and plan a large-scale mural by working in my usual expressive style had been mind-bending. I was relieved to finish that phase and begin working with the team!

The collab began with selecting paint colors to match my original piece. That was both fun and challenging! When painting, I mix most of my colors instinctively as hues pop into my mind. Selecting paints from a color wand was an altogether different process! It took three of us comparing colors and discussing possibilities to get the colors chosen! After the paints were selected, the team painted the walls with a vibrant red. This is exactly how I begin my landscape paintings. Next, we projected a line drawing onto the red wall and traced the lines with a darker red. From then on the mural progressed quickly. Afternoons were spent layering colors, conversing, adapting techniques, and watching the team translate my vision into reality. The pictures below say it all! Click through to see the whole process!

My original acrylic painting that the mural is based on.

My original acrylic painting that the mural is based on.

 
Photo courtesy of Nate Pfeil

Photo courtesy of Nate Pfeil.

Stop by and snap your picture with Ranger.


SIDE BY SIDE

Back in January, the wild winter storms led to impromptu painting sessions with my niece Maddy Watkins. With school canceled and Maddy stranded in Amarillo, we used the unexpected time to paint together. Although she is only 19, she has already developed her talent for art through classes and practice. She is an avid photographer and loves to paint. Being a nature-lover like myself, she is interested in landscape painting. In this blog, I wanted to share how we painted side-by-side during the storms!

Over the past 20 years, I have taught many children, teens, and adults how to paint, but I usually teach large group classes that demand structured approaches and planned projects.  This was different, so I decided to take Maddy to my studio and wing it! First, I asked Maddy to rummage through my box of original travel photos and find an interesting image.  She picked a mountain scene near Silverton, Co where we both love to visit!   

Next, Maddy and I loosely sketched out our compositions on paper.  We then discussed our sketches and decided to use bits and pieces from each of ours.  We prepared our canvas panels with red acrylic paint mixed with GAC, a translucent, gloss medium to begin the painting.  Once the red ground dried, we painted outlines with an orangey-red hue, mapping out the shapes and creating visual pathways.  It all became collaborative as we mixed colors, chatted, and shared ideas!  What started as a painting lesson for my niece evolved into a painting session with a kindred spirit.  

I initially thought we would paint Alla Prima (or all at once), but after eight hours of painting over two days, neither of us was finished!  Maddy had to return to Houston before our paintings were complete, so she took hers home for final touches.  It took me several more sessions to achieve the look I wanted, but I love the final piece so much that I am bringing this one home!  Check out my finished painting below!

After sketching out our compositions on paper, Maddy (on the left) and I (on the right)  began to sketch directly on to the canvas panels!

After sketching out our compositions on paper, Maddy (on the left) and I (on the right) began to sketch directly onto the canvas panels!

 
This photograph shows our first layers of paint.  We tackled the foreground first and worked our way up the canvas.

This photograph shows our first layers of paint. We tackled the foreground first and worked our way up the canvas.

 
After the second layer of paint, things got messy!  We both started painting intuitively, focusing on different areas.

After the second layer of paint, things got messy! We both started painting intuitively, focusing on different areas.

After several more solo painting sessions, I finished the painting featured above.

After several more solo painting sessions, I finished the painting featured above.

Liven up your walls with original paintings.


HANDMADE MUGS

My day begins and ends with handmade mugs. Coffee in the a.m. and tea in the p.m.  All the ‘dishes’ in our home are handmade, so I have many unique mugs to choose from. Although I have a lot of options, I gravitate towards a few.  I think of these as my ceramic soulmates.  They are the mugs I dig around in the cupboard for or open the dishwasher mid-cycle to find.  How about you?  Do you have a favorite handmade mug, or maybe a few? 

Fluted mug by Megan Harris

Fluted mug by Megan Harris.

Since the year began, Kent and I have made about 350 mugs between the two of us, and all of those are unique in some way.  Forms, colors, textures, patterns, and marks vary! All the variations make it easy to find a mug that seems ‘made for you’. Read on for tips on selecting a handmade mug for yourself!

HOW TO SELECT A MUG

Finding your ceramic soulmate is a lot like finding your actual soulmate.  Below are a few tips to get you started when selecting a mug:

1 Don’t seek perfection. 

Sometimes, it is the unexpected element that makes us love a mug.  Maybe it is the softly altered rim or the undulating marks of a tool. Perhaps it is the way that a paddle indentation fits your hand.  Don’t try to find a ‘perfect’ mug. Perfect is boring.

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2 Take it slow

If you can visit the gallery, check out the mug racks.  Pick up a mug and envision filling it with your favorite hot beverage. Find a mug that feels right in your hands. If you are shopping online, spend a few minutes looking at all the photos. 

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3 Trust yourself! 

Be open to possibilities.  You may want a specific form, color, or style, but another mug attracts you. Trust your instincts and bring a little artistry to your daily routine!

FIND A NEW FAVORITE.


PAINTING COMMISSION

A painting is merely a daydream until you begin to make marks on the canvas.  Last summer, I dreamed up a painting for a couple that had commissioned a large artwork for their bedroom.  The clients are avid art collectors who love color and expressionism.  It was an exciting prospect to create custom artwork for these family friends who love bold colors as much as I do!

The clients for this commission asked for a painting similar to pastel drawings of mine they bought years ago.  The drawings are small Alla Prima artworks composed of vibrant colors and staccato marks on a dark ground. 

Those drawings are a foreshadowing of my current painting process, though I now use the Alla Prima approach mostly in studies for more lengthy paintings.  I am free in my use of color and line when painting a scene “all at once.”  The challenge lies in taking that spontaneous approach and sustaining the energy of the mark-making in a longer painting. 

I love receiving commissions because I am forced out of my comfort zone.  I become a tightrope walker, balancing the clients' vision and the painting I dream up.  Stepping out on the wire will allow a mere dream to become a physical reality.  It’s easy to stand on safe ground, painting in my mind’s eye, but I finally walk out on the wire to gather reference photos, sketch ideas, and paint color studies.  

After painting a small study, I began the larger canvases with a bold red under-painting and dark shapes for the trees in the foreground!

After painting a small study, I began the larger canvases with a bold red under-painting and dark shapes for the trees in the foreground!

This photograph show the first layers of paint.

This photograph shows the first layers of paint.

The Study

To begin this commission, I did several gestural pencil sketches from original photographs of rural New Mexico.  The primary photographic reference is a scene with tall, thin trees in the foreground, wild sagebrush in the middle ground, and mountain ridges in the background.  Beginning with a photograph helps me envision the final painting, but I never feel bound to the captured scene.   When I started getting serious about art, my mother reminded me that artists “move things around”. Mama knows best!  The more experience I gained in drawing and painting, the more comfortable I became with the “moving around” process.  Now, I mostly use photo references as a jumping-off point.  

After sketching, I painted a textured watercolor paper with a thin wash of red paint.  A mixture of Cadmium Red and Quinacridone Magenta creates a vibrant background that is somewhat neutral in color temperature.  Starting with a red underpainting is also a little nod to the Fauves.  I let the base coat dry before drawing the scene with oil pastel.  (That is the Alla Prima part.)  Satisfied with the color scheme emerging with the oil pastel, I began to think about the space where the art would be installed.  I then stretched and primed three small 8” x 15” canvases on some old frames I had in the studio.  Next, I began a multi-layered three ‘panel’ study with acrylic paints.  I thought three canvases depicting one large scene would give the viewer the impression of looking out a window into a fantastical, colorful world.  It is also another little nod to works from the past, this time to European paintings from the Middle Ages when triptychs were so popular.  

Again, I painted a reddish layer to begin.  I knew this painting would need to be more ‘cool than warm’ to visually ‘pop’ off the richly glazed orangey wall where it would be hung.  Beginning with a red underpainting was excellent because it allowed me to paint complementary greens and blues for the following layers. I like to do a small study with the exact dimensions as the final piece because it allows me to work out the composition using shapes and spatial relationships, elements essential for landscape paintings.  In a large landscape painting, I try to create visual pathways that will lead the viewer’s eye into the painting and move it around the scene.  I also consider how to create an illusion of space using basic perspective techniques such as overlapping, scale, and value changes since I often defy the conventions of overt realism.  

Using three canvases to create one scene appealed to the clients, so I ordered new gallery-wrapped canvases that sit 2.5” off the wall.  The modular approach allows the canvases to be moved and hung more easily than one large, heavy canvas.  It also allows me to fully embrace the three-dimensionality of the deep canvases by painting the scene around the edges.  One of the benefits of this is that it looks best without a frame and further simplifies installation.  

From Study To Painting

Every mark you make in a painting informs the next, so naturally, every painting is different.  Even when I paint a study, the larger artwork will be unique.  One of the things I intentionally changed from the study is the light source.  When painting the study, I imagined the sun setting but later felt everything remained too dark.  For the final piece, I imagined the sun higher in the sky, backlighting the trees with a warm olive-green line and infusing the clouds with a pinky-orange glow.  Lightening the contour of the trees allowed them to stand firmly in the foreground and created a more convincing scene.  

The trees have at least five layers of paint.  I started with an undiluted Pthalo Blue to paint the shapes, as seen in the first photograph.  I then layered green paints to make the trees feel substantial.  While trying to increase the density of the trees, I lost much of the underpainting.  I decided to add strokes of Mars Black and Alizarin Crimson over the green and then add another layer of green to unify it all.  I love how the trees turned out, and I plan to rework a few trees in older paintings with a similar approach.

In this painting, I wanted the warm oranges and pinks in the foreground to suggest the earth under the grass and, simultaneously, be similar to the room's color.  I try to use the same hue in at least three different areas of a painting.  I have found it not only moves the viewer’s eye around the work but also aids in creating unity and balance.  I often don’t repeat the same exact color throughout a piece, but I will use the first color and mix it into another. In this painting, I carry the orange of the earth into the clouds and sagebrush.

After about thirty hours of painting the three final canvases, the artwork felt finished.  It’s important for me to make sure that the spaces read correctly, but at the same time, I want to leave expressive marks and reveal contrasting colors.  Trying to make it too “perfect” can lead to a very boring artwork, and I believe that should be avoided!  It’s time to show it to the clients when it is completely finished.   The clients for this painting loved it, and I am so happy!!  They immediately installed it at home and sent me the photo below. 

FinishedPainting.jpg

BRIGHTEN YOUR WALLS.


TILE PROJECT: PART III

Last summer, I promised to share photos of the completed tile project for our friends! If you didn’t get to read the first blog, TILE PROJECT FOR FRIENDS, I explained how Kent made over 300 tiles by hand for their newly built home. In the following blog, TILE PROJECT: PART II, I shared how the project was progressing. The tiles were installed in the fall, and Kent recently had a chance to stop by and snap some photos! We are so pleased to have Kent’s stoneware tiles enhancing our friend’s home. Now, we need to find some time to make tiles for our kitchen! More to come about that…

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LET YOUR HOME INSPIRE.


OIL BOTTLES

Sometimes, creating and teaching ceramics can be tiring.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining! Being creative all day and connecting with others is incredible, but all the decision-making can leave one mentally drained. Not to mention that wedging clay, making pots, and loading kilns is physically demanding. Another creative task, cooking dinner, sometimes feels monumental after a tiring day in the studio. I often need a spark to get in the mood for cooking after long, busy studio days. My go-to spark is the smell of fresh garlic sauteed in olive oil. That aromatic goodness revives me enough to start cooking.  Half the time I don’t know what I am going to cook, but if I can get motivated enough to chop some garlic and sizzle it in olive oil good things will happen from there.

Freshly thrown oil bottles drying on ware boards.

Freshly thrown oil bottles drying on ware boards.

My favorite part of beginning to cook is when I take our stoneware oil bottle and drizzle golden oil into the warm cast iron skillet. The bottle is one that Kent made, and the glaze is matte yellow with iron speckles. Kent has been making many oil bottles like ours lately, so I thought I would write a short blog highlighting the top reasons why I think the bottles make great gifts.

TOP FIVE REASONS

BLUE SAGE OIL BOTTLES MAKE GREAT GIFTS:

  1. It prevents oil from rancid by blocking light, oxygen, and heat.

  2. Metal tops let the oil drizzle slowly, making you feel like a chef!

  3. Ceramic pottery is safer for food storage than plastic because plastic can contain chemicals that leach into food.

  4. Potter’s thumbprint on the pot's side makes it easy to grab when cooking and reminds you that a human being made it!

  5. You can have beautiful, functional art on the kitchen countertop.

Fired oil bottles in the kiln about to be unloaded.

Fired oil bottles in the kiln about to be unloaded.

Glazed and fired oil bottles on display in the gallery at Blue Sage Pottery

Glazed and fired oil bottles are on display in the gallery at Blue Sage Pottery.

My favorite thing about our wheel-thrown oil bottles is that you can have original art on your countertop. The bottles are made with stoneware clay and finished with glazes we create from scratch. Each is thrown on the potter’s wheel and dipped individually in the glazes. That results in each bottle being totally unique! Kent and I believe that you should surround yourself with things you know to be beautiful, and that is one reason we are motivated to make and sell functional art for the home. If you are looking for a special gift for someone who appreciates artisan items and likes to cook, the oil bottle makes a great present. You could also purchase two, one for oil and one for vinegar, if you want to give a matching set. We have several oil bottles in our gallery, but you can purchase them online on our Kitchenware Page. Feel free to message us about the availability of other glaze colors. We would love to help you find the perfect gift!

Get Cooking with a Handmade Oil Bottle


BIG POTS

Please take a 180-degree turn from last month’s blog post about teeny-tiny espresso mugs, and follow me as I muse about BIG POTS for this month’s post! Making large-scale pots is the secret desire of every aspiring potter. A ‘big pot’ demonstrates to family, friends, and fellow clay addicts that you know what you’re doing and that this obsessive passion you have is moving beyond a quirky hobby to something resembling art. Creating an intentional form as the potter’s wheel spins at 240 rpm is an achievement, no matter how much clay you use. To control 50 or 60 pounds of spiraling clay and pull the clay into a well-made pot several feet high is a considerable accomplishment!

Kent and Ranger working on a commission for some large vessels.

Kent and Ranger working on a commission for some large vessels.

The first few times I tried to make a bigger vessel, I threw two cylinders, let them dry to leather-hard, and then joined them on the wheel. Unfortunately, it looked like I…threw two cylinders, let them dry to leather-hard, and then joined them on the wheel. That wasn’t really what I was going for! After that, I tried various versions of making thicker cylinders and attempted to ‘throw’ them together. They all dried crooked, and the clay was thicker where it was joined, but I was proud to have accomplished a ‘big pot.’ I gave several of those first attempts at tall cylinders to family members, and I secretly hope their dogs have knocked those old pots off their counters by now.

Kent’s pots have dried and are ready to be fired to 2400 degrees. Because these pots are too big for the electric kilns, we bisque fire them in the outdoor gas kiln.

Kent’s pots have dried and are ready to be fired to 2400 degrees. Because these pots are too big for the electric kilns, we bisque-fire them in the outdoor gas kiln.

I’m still working out the best way for me to make bigger pots, but Kent has cycled through a lot of techniques and found what works best for him. He has been working on mastering the art of the big pot for several years and is throwing many complex, large-scale forms! I wanted to write this blog not about my wobbly cylinders from years past but rather to show off Kent’s newest pieces that he made for clients of interior designer and boutique owner Kasey Tam.

These two big pots of Kent’s turned out nicely in our recent glaze firing.

These two big pots of Kent’s turned out nicely in our recent glaze firing.

Kent started making big pots, much like me, but then experimented with the traditional Korean method used by Onggi potters. In the Onggi method, one drapes a large coil, or rope of clay, over one’s shoulder and presses and paddles the clay into a wall as the wheel slowly revolves. Kent made some stunning pieces with that technique, but in the past few years, he has returned to throwing individual sections and combining them on the potter’s wheel. What is so challenging about his method is that you have to envision all the sections before beginning and make large forms, to begin with. That means Kent has to center and throw up to 30 pounds for individual sections before joining them. Centering and throwing that much clay is difficult! The fact that Kent is 6’4” doesn’t hurt, but it’s not all biological. He has spent countless hours throwing pitchers and vases, building his skill set for the larger work.

Blue Sage Pottery’s Mascot, a.k.a. ‘Ranger the Wonder Dog’

Blue Sage Pottery’s Mascot, a.k.a. ‘Ranger the Wonder Dog’

Some of the pots in the photos included in this blog post will be displayed in a unique artistic home here in Amarillo, and we can’t wait to see the pots on display. Kent loved the challenge of working on this project because our clients are also friends! If you want to see more of Kent’s larger work, please stop by Blue Sage Pottery to view new pieces in our gallery. Also, check out Kent’s Instagram for some great process photos! Kent makes large-scale vessels by commission, so don't hesitate to contact us if you want to commission artwork for your home or office. We would love to speak with you!

Build your collection


ESPRESSO REDESIGN

Any Master of Fine Arts student knows that a vital part of an art class, albeit dreaded, is the ‘crit.’ Partly a rite of passage in which we sometimes endured the ‘ugly stick,’ the classroom critique served to prepare us to analyze and evaluate our artwork upon graduation.

As art students, we haphazardly learned the Principles of Design which led us to investigate various frameworks for artistic reflection and allowed us to construct our foundation for self-critique eventually. We asked ourselves the following questions when designing something as seemingly simple as a mug. Does the piece have the right visual weight? Is it visually balanced? Does the handle leave a pleasing ‘negative space’ silhouette? Does the handle flow out of one line and into another? Are the beginnings and endings of the pots intentional? Are changes in planes emphasized? Most importantly and more elusive, does the pot reflect my artistic influences and personal philosophies? That seems like a tall enough order for a mug, but more questions must be asked. As potters, we must go beyond design basics and personal choices to ponder functional considerations.

How will this mug feel in someone’s hands? Is the texture too sharp? Is the physical weight right? Is the handle close enough to keep from putting a strain on the wrist when filled with liquid? Will the mug tip over when filled up? Is the rim too flared so that coffee will easily splash out? Is the handle attachment secure? Is the handle placed in a way that enhances the form while still comfortable? Will the rim feel natural when one puts their lips on it? Will the liquid flow over the rim when drinking? Should it have a foot-ring? Is the base too wide or too narrow, or just right?

Even though it has been many years since Kent and I were MFA students, we embrace lifelong learning and continue this evaluation process. Sometimes, we make rapid artistic decisions intuitively, while others take more deliberation and time. Kent and I spent several years in school studying historical forms, solving visual design problems, sketching pots, and making thousands of pieces we used and analyzed. I don’t mean to overstate the work involved. It was challenging, but we also experienced much joy from this process and still do! Like then, Kent and I often act as sounding boards for each other. Our dining room is a veritable “Test Kitchen” for form and function. And we listen to our customers.

Recently, a few customers mentioned that espresso mugs should be smaller than the mugs we had made. Most of our espresso mugs at home have become water cups for kiddos because they are difficult to knock over, have a lower center of gravity, and have a smaller handle perfect for little fingers. We don’t drink that much espresso except for Kent’s occasional Caffe Americano. Hearing from customers that the espresso mugs needed to be a little smaller was an excellent opportunity for a ‘redesign.’ Kent has spent several weeks making more petite espresso mugs, and we wanted to share some photos. If you like what you see, check them out on the mug rack at Blue Sage Pottery.

Satisfy your coffee craving WITH our new MUG


CREATIVE EYE

Ansel Adams once said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of Scotney Blackburn ‘making’ photographs in our gallery. Scotney is the creative eye behind Garnish Photography. I have known this creative lady her whole life and enjoyed watching her artistic journey. She has been developing her ‘photographer’s eye’ for a few years now, taking photos of food made by husband and chef Sam Blackburn and other chefs' creations. She also photographs events.

Below are some of the artistic photographs that Scotney made for us. I hope you enjoy these photos of our pottery and gallery as much as we did!

You are in for a visual treat if you follow Garnish Photos on Instagram and Facebook. Her captured moments are a feast for the eyes!

Feast your eyes.


SUMMER SOUP

Kent’s Small Soup Bowl is perfect for a light lunch.

Kent’s small soup bowl is perfect for a light lunch.

We recently finished up another firing at Blue Sage Pottery. This last firing included hundreds of soup bowls. I thought it was odd for Kent to make so many soup bowls in the summer, but then I went out in the garden to find giants! We have grown Zucchini the past few summers because they are easy to grow here! This year we started “Grey Zucchini” from seed, and then transplanted them into some new garden beds. This type of zucchini is a summer squash, perfect for making big batches of soup! I researched a lot of Zucchini Soup recipes online, and most recipes are similar.

“Grey Zucchini” from our garden.

“Grey Zucchini” from our garden.

Fresh herbs from our garden!

Fresh herbs from our garden!

Usually, you begin by sauteing garlic and onion in butter and oil. Next, add chopped zucchini and saute for a few more minutes. After a few minutes, add the stock and cook for 20 minutes. You really can’t get much easier than that!! Some recipes don’t blend the soup, but I like a creamy blended version best.

In addition to several squashes in the garden, we have many herbs growing. You could add a mixture of rosemary, oregano, lovage, and basil to put your spin on Zucchini Soup. If you haven’t grown herbs before, I highly recommend oregano and lovage, which grow almost as well as mint here in the Panhandle!

Blue Sage Pottery Soup Bowl

Blue Sage Pottery ‘Soup Bowl’

Lovage, a perennial herb, was recommended to me at the May Garden Sale at the Amarillo Botanical Gardens a few years ago. I took home a little Lovage plant and stuck it in a tough spot near the back door, which doesn’t drain well no matter how much I amend the soil. The lovage survived there, so it passed my hardiness test! The following year, I moved it to a slightly raised vegetable garden with better soil, and it has grown into a big, beautiful plant. At the moment, it is hidden by a trio of gargantuan tomato plants, but I am confident that it will be fine. Lovage tastes like celery; like celery, you can eat the leaves and stalk. I chopped the oregano, rosemary, and lovage and threw them in with the onions. I added the basil in the last few minutes of cooking for more flavor! See below for the full recipe!

The best part of making homemade soup is eating it in one of Kent’s bowls. They hold one cup perfectly, which is excellent for a ”soup and salad” lunch. Kent also makes a bigger soup bowl, his Chowder Bowl, that I like best for chili, so I have the extra space to load up on toppings! That is more of a football season meal for us, so I guess I will blog about that in the fall!

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savor your soup in a handmade bowl


TILE PROJECT: PART II

Recently, we fired 336 tiles in our outdoor gas-fueled brick kiln.  When we fire that many tiles, the kiln cools very slowly, and it is hard to wait for the results!  After taking the kiln to a temperature of 2380 degrees and letting it cool over three days, it was finally ready to unload. If you missed the blog, TILE PROJECT FOR FRIENDS, these tiles are for our friends building a contemporary home near us!  The tiles will be a back-splash in their kitchen and look awesome with their marble countertops.

You may notice that the tiles look to be different dimensions than the tiles in the first blog, and that is true!  Unfortunately, the first batch of tiles did have a little warping, because they needed a bit more grog in the clay.  (Nobody ever said ceramics was easy!)  Kent wasn’t happy with them because he wanted the tiles to be perfectly flat, so he mixed in more grog, changed the dimensions, and remade them. 

After the bisque firing, he did a light glaze application, so the tiles resembled a stone.  This glaze gets more variation and subtle artistic differences when applied thinly.  

Kent and I can’t wait to see how the tiles look when installed, and we will share the installation photos soon!

Flat tiles in the kiln!

Flat tiles in the kiln!

Stacks of tiles waiting to be packed up.

Stacks of tiles waiting to be packed up.

Adorn your home with handmade tiles.


PET URNS

These are stoneware clay pet urns made by artist Kent Harris.  Painting them with a porcelain slip before firing allows Kent to create natural, unique textures.

These are stoneware clay pet urns made by artist Kent Harris. Painting them with a porcelain slip before firing allows Kent to create natural, unique textures.

Family furballs eat your shoes, chew holes in your socks, steal your food, and dig craters in your garden!  Well, that is our experience anyway!  Despite their occasional mischief, pets are part of the family.  They hold an honorary place in the home because they give us unconditional love, protection, and companionship.  When a pet passes on, it is natural to want to memorialize their life.  Cremating your pet and placing their ashes in an urn is one way to honor and keep them close.  A beautiful urn can be displayed in your home, giving you a visual reminder of your pet’s life.  It is an excellent way to preserve their ashes since the urns can be permanently sealed.  

PetUrns1.jpg

At Blue Sage Pottery, we make unique handmade pet urns with various designs and colors.  If you find yourself in need of a pet urn, please consider visiting the gallery. We will happily answer questions and help you find the perfect piece. You can always visit our online gallery as well.

Memorialize your pet


TEXAS FIRING

“Candling the Kiln” (Heating it up slowly)

“Candling the Kiln” (Heating it up slowly).

When the forecast is 108 degrees, it’s best to arrive at the studio at the crack of dawn to load the kiln! Before the sun beams into the kiln yard, we have to get the kiln loaded, which also means building up the shelving system. I wanted to share Kent's photo before the last firing because it shows how we stack the kiln. With a kiln like ours, you rebuild the furniture system before most firings. We first stacked rows of cordierite shelves in the back and later built the front. You always use posts in three places to support each shelf and build the shelving up to ensure you don’t waste any firing space. In the photo, you can see that we stack the shelves closely together for plates and further apart for taller pots.

Our kiln is constructed of high-temperature refractory brick with a steel jacket. Kent had to replace all the bricks a few years ago and build a new sprung arch. The kiln now has nine-inch thick walls, which leads to slow cooling and more crystal formation in the glazes.

Kent is in the habit of watching the firing closely and adjusting airflow and fuel levels as needed. We also have two “cone packs” to determine the heat levels inside. The packs are the groups of three little triangles in the picture below.

This year, we have been averaging 3 or 4 firings per month. We usually put 200-250 pots in each firing, but that number varies depending on the pots' size. Below are some pictures from our firing this past week.

Wine Goblets for Uncommon Goods

Wine Goblets for Uncommon Goods

This past firing had 100 goblets because Kent will be selling these through Uncommon Goods. Look for more about that soon! We also had several plates in there since Kent continues to make individual dinner sets for sale in our shop, Blue Sage Pottery on 6th, and in our Etsy store. Here are some recent plates fired with a Shino glaze. This glaze varies from white to silver, with iron spots and occasional orange on the rims. It is a subtle complement to many different types of cuisine, and we have a set of these at home that we use frequently for big salads and pasta dishes. Please stop by the gallery to check out our newest stoneware pottery and dinnerware or view the latest in our online shop!

Shino Plates

Shino Plates

visit the gallery to see the latest pots


THE PORCELAIN EXPERIMENT

When Kent talks about making porcelain pottery, people sometimes look perplexed.  I imagine they envision Grandmom’s ‘china’ with golden rims and floral motifs, the delicate dinner set that comes out once a year or once in a lifetime.  It is hard for people to reconcile the image of those dainty decorative dishes with handmade porcelain pottery, but the two have at least one thing in common.  

Spiral-wedged Porcelain Clay

Spiral-wedged Porcelain Clay

‘China’ vs. Porcelain

The main similarity between ‘china’ and handmade porcelain pots is their similar clay body.  For those of you not familiar with clay terms, there are three main types of clay that potters use: earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain.  These three main types of clay encompass an endless variety of clay bodies.  Clay bodies are unique blends of clays, glasses, and other minerals that have been combined to make a variety of processes and finishes possible.  

Porcelain Mug by Kent Harris

Porcelain Mug by Kent Harris

The 3 Types of Clay

Earthenware clay is a clay that matures at a lower temperature.  It can be a variety of colors but is often terracotta or orangy red.  Potters that work with majolica glazes often use this clay.  It is an excellent option for schools because electric kilns easily fire to the lower temperature required, and bright colors are achieved with little effort.  The majority of wheel-throwing potters who make functional ware more often use the second type of clay, stoneware.  That is what we typically use at Blue Sage Pottery. 

Stoneware clay matures at a much higher temperature than earthenware.  It is less porous than earthenware, making it a good option for dinnerware.  The absorption of fired stoneware is 1-2 % compared to 10-15 % with earthenware clay.  Stonewares are typically strong durable clay bodies that hold up to dishwashing and frequent use.  For the last several years, Kent and I have used porcelaneous stoneware.  Essentially this is a stoneware clay body that includes a more significant amount of kaolin clay than many other stonewares.  It is a light-colored clay which allows the colors of the glazes to stay brighter, yet it has the plasticity of stoneware.   

Porcelain Urn with Layered Glazes

Porcelain Urn with Layered Glazes

Porcelain is the third main type of clay, and like earthenware and stoneware, there are a variety of clay bodies known as ‘porcelain.’  Porcelain is what your grandmom’s ‘china’ is made of.  The difference is that manufactured ‘china’ may have up to 30% cow bone ash mixed into the clay blend to achieve the desired characteristics for the industrial processes.  Ceramic manufacturers in England and Europe have been mixing animal bone ash into their porcelain bodies since the 1800s. The porcelain clay bodies potters use do not have mixed animal bone ash.  We use more pure porcelain clay bodies that blend feldspathic rocks and kaolins.  

Porcelain Urns at the Greenware Stage

Porcelain Urns at the Greenware Stage

Porcelain Urn with Clear Glaze

Porcelain Urn with Clear Glaze

Why Porcelain?

Porcelain is prized by potters for its translucency and resonance. Despite the allure, potters often avoid using porcelain clay bodies because of the notorious working consistency.  Porcelain is known to crack while drying and warp during firing.  When I tried porcelain for the first time in graduate school, half of my work cracked during the drying process!  True porcelains have a high learning curve! 

Despite the difficulty of working with porcelain, Kent has recently spent his spare time experimenting with several different porcelain clay bodies.  Inspired by Sung Dynasty pots, he began a quest to make elegant porcelain forms with little of the texture he commonly used.  He has been particularly interested in making porcelain urns that are ‘light and bright,’ and his pots from our most recent firing fit that description.  Because there are no iron or fire clays mixed into the porcelain, like you would find in stoneware bodies, Kent has achieved whites and celadons like never before.  Below are examples of some recent porcelain urns.

Porcelain Urns: Standard, Companion, Keepsake and Pet

Porcelain Urns: Standard, Companion, Keepsake and Pet

If you want to check out more of Kent’s porcelain experiments, follow him on Instagram.

Start your own porcelain collection


TILE PROJECT FOR FRIENDS

Roll, cut, smooth.  Roll, cut, smooth.  Roll, cut, smooth.  You get the idea. There is a lot of repetition in the making of handmade tiles!  There are also a lot of steps. Roll, cut, and smooth are the first three. Then comes slow, careful drying, bisque firing, glazing, and glaze firing.  The main thing about handmade tiles is that they take time!  We have found that drying slowly is required to achieve flatter handmade tiles that are easy to install.  Yesterday, Kent and our friend Lance spent the entire day rolling out clay tiles and cutting around wood templates Lance made. 

Kent and I have done a few tile projects by commission. I have made custom tiles for a wine wall and, more recently, a carved tile for an antique piece of furniture. Kent’s tiles were used in a Parade of Homes House a few years back, and we also tiled our gallery bathroom this past year. It is fun to get off the potter’s wheel occasionally and challenge ourselves to try new things.

Kent and Lance spent an entire day rolling out clay tiles because Lance and his wife Chrissy are building a new home.  This is not just any home.  Their house has a contemporary spirit reflecting the couple’s design sense. Their home embraces industrial materials and natural finishes, and although it is not yet finished, it inspires house envy in most who drive by!  Lance offered to make the tiles with Kent since he has taken classes at Blue Sage Pottery and knows his way around our studio.  It means a lot for someone to want your art featured in their home, and Kent is excited about this project.  Check back for updates about how they glaze the tiles!




Cutting the tiles around the wood template.

Cutting the tiles around the wood template.

Working on the edges of the tile.

Working on the edges of the tile.

Ready to dry the tiles!

Ready to dry the tiles!

make your home as unique as you


COLORS OF A POT

“How do you get your colors?”  This is a question we get a lot from people new to pottery collecting.  This question is a lot like asking, “why is the sky blue?”.  There is a short and a long answer.  Like learning about the color of the sky, the long answer leads one to deepen their understanding of science and art.  In today’s blog post, I hope to give anyone interested in our pottery more knowledge about the nature of glazes.  To understand how we get the colors in our pottery, one needs to understand what glazes are, how glazes are made, and how the kiln's firing affects the colors.  

Kent’s colorful platter bowl from the last firing!

Kent’s colorful platter bowl from the last firing!

What is a glaze?

A glaze begins as a unique blend of raw minerals mixed to a paint-like consistency.  The colors on our pots are glazes applied to bisque ware, pots that have already been fired to about 1753° or Cone 08, and then fired to 2381°, Cone 10, or even hotter! (A cone is a unit of measurement that potters use to determine the temperature of the firing). In the second firing, the applied glaze melts and bonds to the pot, becoming a vitreous glass-like surface that fuses onto the clay. 

These are cone packs that we make for each glaze firing to monitor the temperature.  We watch the cones melt and bend through the spyholes in the kiln.

We make cone packs for each glaze firing to monitor the temperature. We watch the cones melt and bend through the spyholes in the kiln.

How are glazes made?

Glazes are made by weighing out dry minerals and mixing them together following recipes.  Each recipe includes at least a glass, a clay, and a flux, which lowers the melting temperature of the glaze mixture.  Most recipes include more than one of each and also include minerals that opacify or color the mature glaze. 

A glaze recipe is typically written as a 100 gram batch.  100 grams is a small amount of glaze that potters use to make “test tiles”.  After lots of experimentation to get the desired glaze, we mix larger glaze batches for our studio. Because we dip-glaze at Blue Sage Pottery, we have to make at least 10,000 gram batches of each color.  

Dip-glazing a mug in a 10,000 gram of batch of glaze. This glaze will actually be red after it is fired!

Dip-glazing a mug in a 10,000 gram of batch of glaze. This glaze will actually be red after it is fired!

“Where do you get your glazes,” is another question we often hear in the gallery.  At Blue Sage Pottery, we mix our glazes using a few popular glaze recipes, but mostly our recipes, that we have developed over twenty years of pottery making.  Some potters use commercially prepared glazes or glaze mixes that they purchase from ceramic suppliers, but we prefer to control our process and finished product.  Our recipes come from both intentional experimentation and the cultivation of happy accidents!  Glaze chemistry and calculation are part math, science, and art.  It is probably the closest activity to medieval alchemy that exists today.  We have a lot of fun experimenting with new colors and finishes!


How does the firing affect the color?

The first experience for most potters is to fire their glazed work in an electric kiln, and the results are generally less than exciting.  After a few classes, the lucky pottery student gets to fire in a gas-fueled kiln in reduction. As we progressed from students to professionals, Kent and I began to understand that the amount of oxygen in the kiln and the firing atmosphere are the biggest factors in how an average glaze becomes excellent. Many firings have led to the ability to regulate the kiln's atmosphere and allow us to achieve the desired colors consistently!

Kent has just finished the hard work of loading the kiln and is getting ready to fire in this photo!

Kent has just finished the hard work of loading the kiln and is getting ready to fire in this photo!

We generally fire our gas kiln as an oxygen-deprived or reduction atmosphere resulting in some awesome reds and purples.  Using an iron red glaze rather than a copper red will create a more oxygen-rich environment.  Different glazes need different amounts of oxygen to achieve their rich colors. The colors of our pots depend on the minerals added to the glaze during mixing and the amount of oxygen in the final firing.

Can you eat off the pots?

Another common question from our customers is, “Can you eat off of these?”  Yes!  We only use food-safe glazes that have been fired to the proper temperature.  Our hand-made glazes are lead-free and barium-free.  You can use them in the microwave and dishwasher, making incorporating our pottery into your daily routines easy!  Coffee anyone?

These mugs are still warm to the touch!  In this photo we are letting the clay cool, so we can unload the kiln.

These mugs are still warm to the touch! In this photo, we are letting the clay cool so that we can unload the kiln.

There is a lot more to glazes, but hopefully, this post answers the questions most commonly asked by our collectors. 

try out one of our pots


CUPCAKE ADVENTURE

Bacon made with our Bacon Cooker ready to be crumbled onto the cupcakes!

Bacon made with our Bacon Cooker, ready to be crumbled onto the cupcakes!

Cooking is an adventure, baking especially so!  Like pottery, baking is something that takes experimentation and creativity.  Of course, I am an artist, not a chef, so sometimes things don’t go as planned in the kitchen!  Our daughter and I have wanted to make Maple Bacon Cupcakes, mainly because we guessed they would be oddly delicious.  (They are!)  Our first batch of cupcakes resembled tiny volcanoes.  Marin, a little optimist like her dad, pointed out that we could fill the crater with icing!  Luckily, our second attempt at the cupcakes turned out amazing.  We have developed our twist on a family favorite and a new Maple Cream Sauce (recipe below).  Read below to learn how we did it! 

Bacon Cooker 6.JPEG

First, we cooked a pound of bacon in our microwaveable Blue Sage Bacon Cooker.  You have to cook the bacon in a couple of batches.  Kent then chopped and crumbled the crispy bacon.  Check out my last blog post for instructions on how to use the Bacon Cooker. We then poured the bacon grease through a small metal kitchen sieve and kept it to use in the cupcakes.  I know that sounds weird, but it gives an excellent bacon flavor to the cake.  We first tried subbing in half the butter with bacon fat, but that was too much bacon flavor!  We settled on subbing in a ¼ cup of the butter with bacon grease, and that worked great!  The cupcake recipe we used is one that my mother-in-law, a frequent and excellent baker, gave us.  You could use any vanilla cupcake recipe you like, replace ¼ cup of the fat with bacon grease, and replace the vanilla extract with half the amount of maple extract (a little maple extract does go a long way).

While cooking the bacon in batches, we made the Maple Cream Sauce.  We looked over lots of recipes and blended them using what we had in the refrigerator.  It turned out awesome!  I will definitely be using this on other decadent treats in the future.  The recipe below makes just enough to drizzle onto the frosting, which is gilding the lily, but Marin insisted we have drizzles on the cupcake swirls.  We decided to add ¼ cup of the Maple Cream Sauce in the frosting, and it made it soooo good!!  It was the best-tasting maple frosting I have ever had because the flavor was not overpowering.  You can take your favorite Buttercream Icing recipe, one good for piping, and blend in the Maple Cream Sauce with a mixer for a subtle maple flavor and smooth icing.  

When the cupcakes cooled we piped the frosting using a basic round tip and drizzled the Maple Sauce over the icing with a spoon.  The last step is to sprinkle bacon crumbles all over the cupcakes.  The bacon should stick to the sauce and frosting!

MARIN’S MAPLE CREAM SAUCE

Sit back, relax, and enjoy that cupcake!

Sit back, relax, and enjoy that cupcake!

In a bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and set aside.  In a saucepan, combine the syrup, butter, and half n’ half.  Cook over medium heat, stirring for about three minutes.  Stir in the cornstarch mixture, and turn the heat down a bit.  Keep stirring while it boils down.  When you have a thick creamy mixture, remove from the heat and let it cool:

Ingredients:

½ C Maple Syrup, Grade A

1 TBS Butter

2 TBS Half n’ Half

1 TBS Cornstarch

2 TBS Cold Water



Learn about the Blue Sage Bacon Cooker


HOW TO USE OUR BACON COOKER

Where did you get the idea for the Bacon Cooker, and how do you use it?  Those are two of the most frequently asked questions about our Blue Sage Pottery Bacon Cooker.  In today’s post, I will share how our Bacon Cooker came to be and how to use it.  Several years ago, Kent and I saw a ceramic bacon cooker you could microwave.  It was small, more like a mug with a flat little tray.  Kent decided to play around with the idea on the pottery wheel.

BaconCookerSoloinKiln.jpg

Always the optimist, Kent was sure it could be awesome, so he went about making different forms and experimenting with the design.  He made them a little sturdier and taller, making the tray more of a big bowl with a spout. He came up with today’s Blue Sage Bacon Cooker, and it sold me on the possibility of microwaving bacon!  I rarely ate bacon in the past because it was a mess to cook.  The cool thing about our Bacon Cooker is that it is easy to use and clean. Plus, it doesn’t make the entire house smelly! Now I enjoy cooking bacon occasionally.

Bacon Cooker 5.JPEG

SAVE THE BACON GREASE…IF YOU’RE INTO THAT

Two of my favorite things about the Bacon Cooker are the crispiness and the ease with which you can render the fat. The drippings run right down into the attached bowl. The bowl catches all the fat, and then you pour the grease through the spout, making rendering super easy. Our Bacon Cooker is also a great design because it is larger than most, so it holds a lot of bacon and is easy to handle when hot.

If you already have a Bacon Cooker or are considering purchasing one, I am including a “How-to” below to help you use it.

How to use the Blue Sage Bacon Cooker

  1. Cut long strips of bacon in half with kitchen shears.

  2. Drape the strips over the center cylinder.

  3. Place a paper towel over the Bacon Cooker.

  4. Microwave approximately 4-5 minutes.  (The time depends on how much bacon is on there, the thickness of the bacon, and the power of your microwave.  Experiment with times until you achieve your desired crispiness!)

  5. Remove the Bacon Cooker from the microwave with an oven mitt and place it on a trivet or wooden board. (If you are cooking more, let the Bacon Cooker cool a bit before using it again.)

  6. Try to keep your family from eating all the bacon before you get a piece:)

  7. Render the fat.  Pour the grease through a small metal kitchen sieve into a mason jar.  Keep the rendered bacon fat in your refrigerator for up to six months and use it to flavor food or cook with it.  (One 12 oz. package of bacon makes about ¼ to ½ cup of grease.)

  8. Once the Bacon Cooker has cooled, wash it by hand or put it in the dishwasher.  Our glazes are dishwasher-safe!

Find a Bacon Cooker in your favorite color