Fresh out the Kiln
POTS FOR SALE!
.....FOR THE FIRST TIME AT TURKEYMERCK.com!
You may have noticed that most of the jugs have already been sold. That's because a handful of people were emailed this same list....two weeks ago. They are the elite members of the 'Kiln Firing' email list. First pickers. Wanna get in on the action? Join Here
After a long haitis from the mud, I was finally able to get a handful of pieces made up. This is their story...
You may, or may not, notice in most of the pictures that the runs turned out absolutely fantastic. This occured because of two reasons: 1) I put the glaze on a little bit thick and 2) the cone that regulates the firing time of the kiln did not melt and the kiln burned for two extra hours. These two factors caused the cobalt glaze to literally pour down the side of the jugs. On most of the jugs, the glaze ran completely down the side of the jug and onto the soft firing brick underneath. The glaze came free from the soft brick with no problems and I was able to sand the bottoms down. This glaze meltdown gave each jug a 'puddling' effect along the bottom. Kinda cool if you ask me.
All pieces are signed and dated.
IMPORTANT/COOL NOTE: The extra firing time not only caused the glaze to run to high heaven, it also turned the cobalt glaze a dark, rich purplish blue. Because I do not burn my pottery at a temperature above cone 6...and for some odd reason this kiln decided to do that by itself...these glazes will be irrevocably, irreduplicable (I just made that word up).
$$ SOLD$$
"Half Blood" (it just popped into my head)
-11.5" Tall
-signed and dated 2009
In my opinion, this piece turned out really cool. Kinda 'phantomofthe opera-esque'. This is one of my favorite faces that I have sculpted on a jug in a long while. This piece has a real 'droopy' feel to it. I was trying to incoporate some movement into a rather static medium.
Just a little glance to the right.
"Slick Head"
-8" tall
-signed and dated 2010
I wanted to create a piece that would really capture and frame the smoothness of the cobalt runs. I think this little fella did a pretty good job at it. I purposefully left the ears off this jug so they would not hinder the flow of the glaze. The awesome thing about pottery is that you never know what that glaze is going to do once the fire gets rolling. The run between the eyes really turned out cool even though I did not plan it.
Personally...I'm enjoying the slight cock-eye.
$$SOLD$$
"Turn that Frown, Upside Down"
-13.5" tall
-signed and dated 2010
So...I seem to have hit one of my creative nerves while turning some pots one day, and this 'rightside up' idea popped in my head. I love to play with ideas that tie in with my true Southern Folk Pottery roots. Upside down face jugs have been around for awhile and I wanted to pay homage to the originals...while trying to put a personal twist on the idea. These jugs were meant to be set upside up or rightside down.
Whatsoever your fancy may be.
$$SOLD$$
"Rightside Up" or "I Call him Calvin"
-11.5" tall
-signed and dated 2010
Here's the second 'rightside up' face jug. This idea is still a work in progress. I'm excited about where I can go with these pieces. Being that they are fired 'upside down', the runs appear to be defying all physics by traveling upward when the jugs are placed 'rightside up'...i've confused myself. Now, I do realize that I have previously proclaimed that the 'Half Blood' jug was my favorite face...that was until I finished this one. Pulling some inspiration from my oldest roots, without even realizing it until I was finished, this piece has some characteristics of the young Calvin from the comic strip 'Calvin & Hobbes' by Bill Watterson. If your not sure what I'm talking about, check out one of the strips where Calvin's mom is forcing him to eat some of the green slop for dinner.
The best comic strip ever...by far.
"Pirate's Look at 40"
-10" tall
-signed and dated 2009
This piece was made last July. He's left over from the previous kiln. For some reason, those glaze runs seem to head right for an eyeball every time. Looks pretty cool, though. I stayed with a 'traditional' straight up and down form on this one. I was pleased with how the spout of this jug accentuated the shape of the lower half.
Somebody buy this sucker...it's kinda creepin' me out.
$$SOLD$$
"Frankie"
-10" tall
-signed and dated 2009
I've saved the best for last! I made this one back in October when I was in the holiday spirit. Frankie and the zombie (see below, below) are the first pieces of my 'Holiday Collection' series. The neck bolts, top spout and a few bits of metal keeping the top of his head on were all refired with a glaze that is made of REAL copper. Gives it the metal sheen that you find in a raku fired jug...the only difference is that it REALLY is metal! I tried to incorporate a traditional green color for Frankie's complexion...as you can tell, it didn't quite turn out like I planned. But that's OK, because I think it turned out even cooler. The firing turned the glaze into a real dark, dirty shade of brownish gray.
Kinda looks like dead and rotting flesh, huh?
Oh...the eyes turned out freaking sweet, also! Too bad I hand mix small amounts of glaze for each individual face jug's eyeballs...and I don't even remember what glazes I mixed together to get the yellowish tint...maybe it'll come back to me.
"Zombie Kill of the Week"
-9.5" tall
-$400
-signed and dated 2009
Following the true Halloween spirit, this grotesque face jug turned out to be quite disgusting. Now, I don't usually lean towards the macabre, but I just had to try to make this jug as nasty as possible. C'mon...what would a flesh-eating zombie face jug be without some oozing, rotting flesh? I was trying to potray the flesh rotting effect as if it were moving from one side of the face to the other. Adding insult to injury, I just had to drive a stake through the top of his head. It was impossible for the camera to capture all of the subtle details of this piece. The eyes, for example, are a mess of bloodshot veins. As with all the other jugs, the pictures simply can not do this piece justice.
When I pulled this one out of the kiln...I threw up in my mouth a little bit.
$$SOLD$$
"Before & After"
Orthodontists love these.
Ordering Details: Pots will be sold on a 'first come, first served' basis. To order, email or call with the item name, shipping address, phone number and best time to be reached.
Payment: Paypal and personal checks are accepted. Paypal is prefered. Item(s) will be shipped when payment is received.
Shipping: Shipping costs will be calculated through UPS with the provided address and will reflect the EXACT rate that UPS charges. I do not charge for handling or shipping materials. In other words....I do not try to make an extra cent through shipping charges.
Your satisfaction is gauranteed! If you don't absolutely, positively love the piece, then feel free to complain all you want and I'll give you your money back*.
*If I have to return your money...you have to give me the jug back.
Hope you enjoyed the show!
GOD BLESS!
-turkey
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