Friday, March 5, 2010

Getting a drink to take to the studio ...




Non-potters who are in our kitchen for the first time always laugh at the plethora of the cups and mugs in and on top of the cabinets. I know the potters who read this blog will not be surprised to see these pots, since acquiring small pieces of fired and fucntional clay is a bit of a professional hazard. But it's fun to see what other people drink from in their homes.
This bunch is entirely random and doesn't show you the other pots that line the tops of the cabinets to the left and the right.
Here's a bit of a guide: Top shelf, second from left is a tall amber ash Dan Finnegan tumbler; next to Dan is a John Leach millenial mug; then a Chris Gustin shino tumbler from a cup-trade deal we all had one firing at Chris's anagama near here; then a simple cylindrical Dennis Davis mug, bought while I was a student of the late Virginia potter; then a Ken Sedberry mug bought near Penland during a drive in the Carolina mountains many years ago (at least, I think that's a Sedberry).
Elsewhere in the cabinet: Barking Spider mug, another Finnegan, a couple of pieces by Steve Lally, two fine salt-glazed Toff Milway cups, a small Bill Van Gilder cup, a Joe Bennion next to an Angela Rose, a couple of Mark Shapiros, one recent teabowl by Brandon Phillips, a couple of small Willi Singleton cups, a Jennifer Dyson from her days as Finnegan's apprentice. Invisible because it's in the dishwasher is a fine and capacious Paul Jessop tankard that often holds ice water or giant amounts of coffee when I'm in the studio, and a nice Doug Fitch mug is sitting with cold coffee in it on the slab roller. And there are lots more scattered around.
So, as if the world needed more pots, I'm back in the studio preparing for a firing in a couple of weeks. Threw about 20 mugs today, and some vases. Yesterday made more squared bottle vases for the bottom shelf of the kiln. More tomorrow.
Thanks for tuning in.

12 comments:

Tracey Broome said...

It is so funny to see people that aren't around potters when they come to my house. A group of girls I serve on a committee with were here the other night and we drank wine from cups by Mark Hewitt, you,Doug Dotson, Shawn Ireland.... it was fun to watch them choose which cup they wanted. The week before we were at another house and drank from really fine crystal goblets, also nice. I love having a peek in the cupboards. That should be a blog assignment, everyone do a cupboard shot! BTW, Wes says thanks for the compliment on my blog, made her feel really good :)

Hollis Engley said...

Gotta get Wes's autograph before she's too big to talk to fans ...
Yes, it's always fun to watch people choose what they want to drink from.

brandon phillips said...

it's nice to be in such great company!

Amy said...

that first pic of all the pottery would be a great framed pic or even a postcard. I really enjoyed eating out of all pottery--- thanks for reminding me to collect more different artists' pieces.

ang design said...

smiling!!!.... great cupboard full...

Linda Starr said...

There's some nice choices in the cabinet.

Dan Finnegan said...

At first I thought your title here was a response to my whiskey blog...
I've always enjoyed rooting around in that cupboard. Sorry to have missed your Birthday earlier this week. I had composed an email to you on the day and that froze up my computer. I'm afraid it's fading fast. I hope it was a good day!

Hollis Engley said...

Thanks, Dan. You should know that our good friends Denise Marcoux and Chris Bromfield (the thatcher from Somerset, UK) presented me with a fine bottle of Glenmorangie for my birthday. Which kind of raises the bar for birthday gifts. It hasn't been cracked yet, so a portion may be available the next time you're on the Cape.
And yes, Linda, there's always a momentary hesitation, making the choice of who to drink with.

janet said...

Often those nonpotters just drool when they look in your cupboards ...

Hollis Engley said...

It's true. They can be messy.

Marcus said...

Top of the cabinet, third from the left for beer. Bottom row in the cabinet, second from the left for coffee or tea.

Marcus said...

Whoops, didn't see the Glenmorangie's involvement. I'll take the little red one next to my beer mug for that.