A Life Update

So i just got home from work, and i decided that i'd jot down a quick post as an update to what's been happening in my life recently. This summer my landscaping and contracting business absolutely took off, to the point that i was working like 10 hour days 6 or 7 days a week! Finally, we finished up the season right around Christmas. After such a busy season we still have half of this upcoming season booked solid. But i've decided that as busy as i've been, i still need my creative outlet. While we were working i didn't step foot into my studio for almost five months. That was pretty hard for me. So i have already decided that this season WILL NOT be as hectic for me. We're hiring two full time employees this season, effectively organizing our time and focusing our efforts on one job at a time as opposed to trying to run multiple jobs at once.

Hopefully, in the end, this will mean that i can balance my landscaping business right along with Eoff St. Studios. I've been throwing like crazy while things are slow that just in case i don't get a lot of time in the studio i'll have a good stockpile of pots built up to last me through the busiest times of the season.

I've also, in my very limited spare time, began working on a few chairs that i'm refinishing. But i will save them and their progress for my next post, which i promise will not be in 9 months. In case you're wondering, the picture is one of the projects we completed this season. This was only phase one of this prject!!!

Super Bowl Sunday

Today I got to unload a glaze kiln that I fired yesterday and I came to a realization; I need another kiln. I've been trying to focus more on efficiency in the studio, as I'm trying to increase my production quite a bit. So I figured that while I was firing a glaze kiln, I could also be firing a bisque kiln. I have the studio space, and I could double the amount of pieces I produce. My glaze kiln did, however, turn out quite well. A fine example of that would be this bowl to your left.

I've also come to the conclusion that I need to research surface texture in my work more, whether it be through stamps, or impressing objects into the surfaces of my pots, or something else that I have yet to come up with.

I've been checking out the work of my fellow members of the Etsy Mud Team and I am impressed everyday by the caliber of work that comes out of that group. I have been so inspired by the members of the Mud Team and have already gotten so much great advice from them. So I'd like to take this opportunity to say thanks to the members of the Mud Team who are always sooooooooo helpful. I greatly appreciate the advice you all have given me as well as the compliments. If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing the work of many of the members of the Etsy Mud Team, here is a link to our Etsy shop:

http://EtsyMudTeam.etsy.com

Well, that's about all I have to say for now. Go Steelers!!!!!