Journal

No excuses anymore... snowing again, but now I have a small banding wheel.

Randall Brady — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 23:04:25 +0000

Now to check on the clay; 06 Ward's Red; see if it's workable and see what develops over the weekend. Should have enough wet for 3-4 chawan if all goes well... still need to find my Schmidt Bag and roll of Dolan Tools. Good thing I am Primitive. lol

Ongoing project...

Randall Brady — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 20:42:21 +0000

Beginning to organize the Mudroom (apropos title neh?) into a small studio space this winter. We never use the back door, my banding wheel is portable and as my construction style does not involve a great deal of detritus, foot trimming or powered wheel splatter effect (don't use one) I can work inside where it's warm as long as I clean up ASAP. In the summer I work on the deck just outside the door.

I'll just have to measure dimensions, decide what I need to build and buy wood for shelves; get deep freeze and dishwasher out;(both out of commission and taking up space); the Mudroom is almost 4' wide and 12' long; some 6'x1"x6'' lumber should provide all the shelving I need along the solid wall and some sort of desk/bookcase for the Ohaus, tools, books, formulae and clay/glaze recipes... drawers full of "Dolan Tools, they're keepers, not Kemper's." -Susan Dolan CEO (or whatever the title is.)

I am a lazy bugger...

Randall Brady — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:43:42 +0000

But ever since my return from NCECA 2012 and the wonderful time in Seattle, life seems to just be piling on. Family and work stuff seems to be never ending and I am having to adjust/readjust and realize that I can only control myself.

I hope to begin local clay tests as soon as things settle down and hope to start producing more low fire chawan.

Digging dirt...

Randall Brady — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:01:44 +0000

Went up into the Hills this weekend and came back with some bags of dirt. Interesting sand from up near a rocky place I like to go to and some clayey type soil from where I shoot. Organizing the shed Saturday and hope to start testing soon.

Life is Still Good in the Black Hills...

Randall Brady — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 02:04:01 +0000

Made a crappy little bowl from local clay; now to let it dry and fire at a later date; feels good, handles and looks like Laguna 06 Red; I will begin to test this local red dirt against Red Art and Ward's Red later this month.

Sitting on the deck with coffee and banana bread is fast becoming a way of life; as soon as I get my VA schedule down next week I will probably start pottering (literally) around on the deck with my clay in the late afternoon/early evenings and then sit on the deck and watch the sun set.

I intend to find out what I am up to at this new stage in my pottery making. (The clay is in charge you know. HA!)

I will always make chawan of course, but I am always open to new (or old) stuff that I like.

It should be fun, if it's not fun then it's just a job; if it's both, it's perfect.

Walking in the Rain...

Randall Brady — Thu, 12 May 2011 21:22:14 +0000

Went to get the mail from the road and decided to keep going for a bit. Put in about a mile. Then I returned home and had some of Mom's burger stew. Good stuff for post rainy/cool day walk.

Off to Seattle soon...

Randall Brady — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:52:13 +0000

Okay tonight I am going to a lecture and reception by and for Jun Kaneko At ASU. I am ready to begin my moving to S.D. organizing and take the Civic in to be told exactly what I will need to do to continue driving the lil bugger around. And what it is gonna cost me. lol I still say it is an almost perfect vehicle for a potter. Of course once in S.D. I will drive more in a week than I did in a month here in Az. HA!

Country life. Looking forward to making pots on the deck looking down the valley towards town 3 miles south. No pollution, airport and railroad 4 miles on the other side of town with Battle Mountain in between. As opposed to a RR crossing a block away and the flight path 1/2 mile to the north... traffic around ASU, rude jerks, too damn many way cool people... lol. Will miss easy access to Middle Eastern, Turkish, Thai, and real Mexican food. Thank god we have Chinese in Hot Springs.

I will probably be involved with the ASU Powwow one last time before heading off to Japan. Hope to get to Michigan and Texas sometime soon as well. Then drive a truck to S.D. sometime in June. Fly back to Az.,hang out a bit and then road trip my way across N.M., Texas, Okieland, swing by and see an aunt in Kansas and up the Loup River across the Nebraska Sandhills to Paha Sapa.

and yet so humble...

Randall Brady — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:16:31 +0000

Working on an idea for an ongoing "Ni Lakota/Nihonjin Desuka" show with Tomo Kobayashi and a proposal for a gallery in Charleston, S.C. and another in Houston.... we shall see. Now I HAVE to organize and make more chawan and pots. lol I have been all "I can do that after December." HA!

Lazy man

Randall Brady — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 23:28:46 +0000

But am thinking about a new body of wood-fired work next spring when I can devote a full week to the process. Making and glazing pottery is easy, but without the ASU studios, firing can be a little limiting. But I will endeavor to persevere. And I really do need to work on this site more.

New books

Randall Brady — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:15:26 +0000

Paid a visit to my favorite Seattle bookstore, Magus this past week. Came across the following:

"A Potters Book" by Bernard Leach
"Centering" by M.C. Richards
"Illustrated Dictionary of Practical Pottery, 4E" by Robert Fournier
"The Pottery Jewels of Joseph Lonewolf"

Time to read.