Bullard House Pottery Open House 2013

When I logged in to update this blog I realized that it's been a whole year since the last post. Wow. Time sure does flow like a river. OK- so this years open house will be saturday December 14th from 12- 5. I'll have some new things and a lot of the classics.

Annual Fall Open House- Date Set

          This year my open house will be sunday November 18th 2012 from 11-5PM. I will also have open hours 12-5PM on sunday December 9th. I have a few new shapes that I'm excited to show for the first time and will have a few more firings before the 18th. Hope to see some old friends and maybe a few new faces. Just in case you are coming for the first time, the gallery is at 8 Waters Rd. Sutton Ma. 01590. It is a red corn crib attached to a red barn on the right. There's a sign on the door but you can't miss it. Thanks for checking in.

Rachel

Bullard House prepping for open house

        I am excited to be prepared for an earlier open house this year. I like to have a date scheduled in November prior to Thanksgiving as I usually get a better turnout. We'll do a postcard again and spread the word- we'll see....

bisqueware ready to glaze

One of the new shapes I have been anxious to try is a rectangle. My husband made a small mold for a tester and it was a big success! I have been slab rolling and slipping like crazy. I think my regular costumers are ready for a change.

 Another challenge I have is to tie my stoneware pottery to the reproduction redware. I have taken the slip trailing to the modern pieces and hope that helps.

slip trailed stoneware ready to bisque

Team- Bullard House Pottery- Greenway Challenge

Greenway Start 2012 Diamond Hill Park, Cumberland RI

    OK Ok it's been a crazy long time since I've last posted anything. I assure you that I'm still making my pots. I guess blogging is just low on my list of things to do lately. The news of late is that I again sponsored my husband's Greenway Challenge team. If you don't know about this race- it's a multistage relay race through the Blackstone Valley.

Andrew on his 5 mile leg. See the shirt?

  

Kevin portages around Albion Dam on Blackstone River

The route changes every year in an effort to introduce people to the best features of the valley. This year it involved seven stages of trail running, mountain biking, road running, kayaking, road biking, etc. My team sponsorship essentially means that last year I bought four tech shirts with Team Bullard House Pottery written on them.  My husband says "this is great local exposure for your pottery".  It's his way to justify all the time he's out training and the crazy weekend of the actual event. Maybe he's right? Anyway they again finished 4th in the recreational division and 9th overall out of 87 teams. So they were pretty happy and my name is out there a bit more.

Sean of Team Bullard House Pottery crosses finish line

Back In the Studio

The perennial gardens are in full swing, and my middle child has started his side of the road "bouquet sales" to earn enough $ for his next lego kit. So glad the kids enjoy the hard work their Grandmother and I put into the gardens...

 My kids kept bugging me to get back in the studio to make some pots. I love the way they just go with it and make things out of whatever I have hanging around that didn't make it to the trash. So we all started playing in the clay and I began stock piling my greenware.

 This week I did the first firing since January. I knew something was majorly wrong when I kept the kiln going for 20 hours and those cones just wouldn't bend. I never got near the cone 6 I was going for. The kiln is about 20 years old, but should have a lot left in her. I fear though it may be time to make it a bisque kiln and get something newer and more reliable.

 So my dozens of mugs sit green on the shelves. I have several people awaiting their completion.

slip decorated yarn bowls

 I have all these great redware yarn bowls that I was so excited to see finished...

 Let the kiln shopping begin!

Sutton Chain of Lights

Tomorrow (Sat. Dec 4th.) is a busy day in our town. We have our annual Christmas town-wide event called The Sutton Chain of Lights (http://www.suttonma.org). I'm not quite ready this year to be an actual trolley stop but will have my door open and a cozy fire ready if anyone stops in. I did mean to post this earlier in the week so someone might actually see it before the day came but I'm writing at 10:30 PM the night before. Time and I have a funny relationship. So if you happen to be surfing the pottery blogs late friday night and live nearby please feel free to stop by saturday 10-4 for a cup of hot cider and something to nibble on. Thanks.

Open house success

  I wasn't sure how well attended my open house would be this year. I even had thoughts of postponing the event, but too many flyers had been handed out with no way of contacting everyone.
 We had a horrible tragedy in town where a young man died suddenly. Saturday held the services and all townsfolk had this on their minds whether attending or not.

 There were several people who came to the gallery whom I had never met before. Word is really spreading. But it was the people who showed up with the ties and pins on coming from services to gather and support me in my business that really made me understand I have a great group of friends in this town.

We shared some wine, and everyone had a chance to talk and it had such a warm feeling about it.

   The shelves were stocked pretty well before the open house, but I feel now I need to replenish. I will have my "open hours" on sat. Dec 4th and I hope to have some pieces to fill the holes....
My daughter and I did a mad dash to Sheffield today for more clay and raw materials. Almost missed getting the older kids off the bus..

   So now I hope to get some throwing in the next two days so I have more pieces for the 4th. WAIT hold the presses! Earlier tonight I emailed Irma Starr, a world renowned redware potter  (irmastarr.com) to ask a technical  question. Well she called me back!........I have been having some horrible glazing problems and she was able to give me many ideas. I am excited to get into my studio tomorrow and start anew.

 Hope to see folks on the 4th!