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.

Judge Toad's Likker

For Sale On Ebay

Whiskey Jug.
Title: "Judge Toad's Likker"
(Liquor)

#180 of the last 1000 Major Jugs By a lifetime Potter/Sculptor.

 If you have ever wished you could buy a judge this is your chance. Judges aren't cheap but they can be mighty handy. Actually, this jug just holds Judge Toad's Likker. You can tell by his expression that he is serious about protecting his likker from all the felons, sneak thieves and petty criminals he deals with everyday.

The glazes and underglazes came out especially nice. The inside is glazed with a lead free glaze and is suitable for any liquid you would care to put in it.

Wet Ones. Jugs in progress.

The garden is almost finished for this year. Just a few peppers and winter squash remain to be harvested. The studio has cooled off to tolerable temps. Materials are restocked. Brain is filled with ideas. TIME TO MAKE STUFF!!!

Whiskey jug. Breakfast Of Champions. Old Crow and Seegars.

Red Dragon. He will be the first all red dragon I have ever made

The Bleeding Heart GUitar

Here is my latest home made fretless slide guitar , “The Bleeding Heart”. I have finally finished my face jug style amplifier. “The Hog Snout” and it works great.

The Guitar: I just built this three string, slide, fretless guitar a few months ago. However I used repurposed and history laden stuff for it's construction.

The box is an old wine box that was distressed and cut down to size. The corrugated sheet metal top was cut from a piece of barn that was blown on to the property by a tornado on May 5, 1995. It has been laying in a ravine ever since. It has rusted and been used for target practice. I picked a pattern of bullet holes that seemed to be in the right places for the sound holes and painted a bleeding heart around them. The neck is a piece of oak that was reclaimed from a church pew. (Think of the stories it could tell).
The Bloody Jug Band sticker is courtesy of our favorite jug band and John Thiesen, who have been great supporters of all the Face Jug potters here and on Ebay. Thank You John and BJB.

It sounds pretty cool. Imagine if you smacked an old sheet metal barn with a sock filled with nickels. That would be pretty close to the sound this guitar makes. It's great for the blues

The Hog Snout Amplifier

The “Hog Snout” amplifier:
Several months back I needed an amplifier for my growing collection of cigar box and home made guitars. Since face jugs are what I do I decided to make an amplifier from one. There is an practice amp called a “Pignose “ amp. When I purchased the electronic wiring harness for my amp it was advertised as being like a “Pignose on steroids” So I thought I should make a wild hog jug and call it a “Hog Snout” amp.

The jug is large and is composed of two thrown parts sculpted together. It was made bottomless and lots of holes were cut to let out as much sound as possible. A 5” speaker was fixed to a plywood base and stands vertically just behind the open mouth. It is covered with black speaker cloth to disguise it. I hammered out a copper sheet that is bolted on the back to hold all the knobs and jacks etc. This amp will run off a 9v battery for a short while or will run off A.C current. His right eye lights up when he is turned on. (just like me).

Dr. Schwein's Flu Shot.

Dr. Schwein has a Swine flu shot ready for you. Please understand that this inoculation does not prevent the flu. This particular vaccine actually gives you the flu. Dr. Schwein works for Big Pharma whose motto is ..."If you're not sick we can't get your money".

 Raku fired stoneware. Hypo is actually an ink cartridge filler syringe filled with hardened epoxy.

20,000 Leaks Under The Sea

 "20,000 Leaks Under The Sea" (Steampunk Jug)

#170 of the last 1000 Major Jugs By a lifetime Potter/Sculptor.
FOR SALE ON EBAY (click link)

Crusty old diving helmets are cool decorations but just might not be the best thing for underwater exploration.

He even comes with his own song.

(Pretend it's being sung by a smart-assed crab)

Finding (Captain) Nemo

Under the sea

Under the sea

It's so astounding but I think I'm drowning.

Please rescue me.

Under the sea

Under the sea

It's kinda freaky when your helmet is leaky

take it from me.

Under the sea

Under the sea

It's so frustratin' when your asphyxiatin

Just try it and see.

Under the sea

Under the sea

I'm all out of time and all out of rhymes so...

HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP!

Sunset

Sunset tonight down on the Red River.