The Silver Tongued Devil

This old "Silver Tongued Devil" can talk anyone into (or out of) just about anything. His guile and cunning are boundless. His sweet demeanor and soothing voice can disarm even the most wary individual.
He used to sell used cars but he is now studying law with plans to go into politics.

#197 of the last 1000 Major Jugs I will make. By a lifetime Potter/Sculptor.

Old Blind Jack

"Old Blind Jack", lay face up in the Oklahoma sun all summer. Without any shade to protect his eyes, Jack went blind. When Halloween came around Jack just grabbed the nearest gourd by the vine and commanded it to guide him to the festivities. The gourd complied. You don't refuse a mad, blind pumpkin.

Political Animals

The 2016 Presidential Elections.

It ain't a circus.  it's a sideshow.  A circus requires more than clowns. It needs acrobats and skilled performers. All we have are clowns.

A Shifty Old Devil

A jug in progress. This old devil has a shifty mind. The eight-ball shifter knob gives him away as an old devil. He's a three speed devil in a six speed world.

The Remarkably Unremarkable Man.

This is a face jug in progress. This was a difficult piece for me. It is a simple, serene, unremarkable man. There is no social commentary, no demons whispering in his ear, no thoughts or nightmares bursting out of his head. There are no horns, warts, sharp teeth, warty tongues or crazy eyes. There is just this ordinary man with an enigmatic smile and a calm demeanor.

The neighbors described him as quiet man. He was soft spoken and he kept to himself. They saw him as far from threatening. They described him as a easygoing, often carrying  groceries for people. He had an – almost serene – disposition about him. Neighbors are still in shock after.........

Another Long Hot Summer Without A Drop Of Rain

Work in progress. "Another Long Hot Summer Without A Drop Of Rain". The cruel clouds tease a parched earth. Dedicated to the folks out west that are enduring a monumental drought.

Why does the muse strike me at all the most extreme times of the year? I notice that this is happening to other potters right now as well. My theory takes me back to my childhood. The summers here were brutally hot but we really didn't feel the heat as much as we do today. We were conditioned. We had no air conditioning and no one else did either. We coped by opening the doors and windows and using fans to circulate the air. We slept on a screened back porch or in the back yard. During the day I would play in the cool dirt on the shady side of the house. I guess I still am playing in the dirt on the shady side of the house.

Underglazing "Al Litigator and The Advocates Devil".

Underglazing "Al Litigator and The Advocates Devil".
I layer underglazes when the jug is black hard. After bisque firing, stains will be rubbed into the surface and then wiped off to reveal the textures and muddy the colors. It will then be glazed with a clear glaze and fired to about 2200f. I'm wearing my lighted hat. It helps me see all the details. It is great for sculpting as well.

Al Litigator, attorney at law and his sidekick, The Advocate's Devil.

Finished sculpting the jug . Waiting for it to  to dry.

Al Litigator, attorney at law.

Started a new jug today

NEWS FROM THE GARDEN OF EATIN'

Arjay and Princess waiting for the milk to ripen in the garden.
I figure that you can't call yourself a farmer unless you can grow all the food you can consume each year. I have wanted to provide dairy products for us but have no place for a cow or goat. It occurred to me that maybe I could just bypass the cow and plant the empty cartons in the garden and wait for them to become full. I don't know if it will work with plastic containers, but I remember that it worked for the glass bottles we had when I was a kid
We would leave the empty bottles on the front porch each evening and they would be full next morning.

 I have timed the milk plants to ripen in July when the days are 100f or more so the milk will be pasteurized when we harvest. Wish me luck.