I may be a freak but...

I love working on public holidays. Peaceful productivity. I even enjoyed the ride home in the rain. Although the clay on my cords did reconstitute as I rode and I'm sure I looked quite a sight.

The cold weather means everything is drying slowly resulting in work, in a variety of stages, all over the studio: just thrown, nearly leather-hard awaiting turning and almost bone dry enough to decorate.

Not to mention some pieces already in the kiln, keen to be fired but waiting patiently for a full load.

I like the discipline this entails. No use trying to rush anything. I often say to students, and am constantly reminding myself, "there are no short cuts in ceramics." Cutting corners only leads to problems. Much better to attend each detail in due course. Quite the life lesson, eh? Of course this didn't stop me pumping up my little bar radiator in the hope of speeding things up a little!

I threw some test bowls off the hump the other day. When I throw this way I always allow myself a moments play with the last of the clay on the wheel. I throw with no preconceived notion of what I intend to make, just to see what emerges. Hence the odd little bowl amidst the other forms.

I quite like it. The funny thing was I was thinking chunky and rustic but I seem to naturally do fine and minimal. Best just go with that I guess. (I was using Southern Ice.)

I'm looking forward to seeing it glazed. Well I'm looking forward to seeing everything glazed actually but again I remind myself... patience.