Sweet baby Jane

You can kinda tell I’ve been building up to something with these past few posts of soul searching. I’ve gone out on a limb, taken a leap of faith, jumped over the cliff and am trusting my cape. Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead. A few months ago a former Sheridan student and friend of mine Major Jane Thelwell visited The Cactus Lounge and told me she was decommissioning her studio. As a former military engineer Jane was decommissioning not temporarily packing it in. She is an angel and is moving to the UK to provide care for a terminally ill aunt.

I have purchased Jane’s Geil Kiln and Peter Pugger de-airing pug mill. I can’t afford to NOT do this!!! We all have to do what it takes!  Jane has given me some breathing room.  Somehow I will raise the money to be sure our friendship stays rock solid. I hope this kiln will take me into my sunset years and the pug mill will keep the hands from seizing up with hand wedging. Such luxury!!!

Since my sleepless night and morning decision when Jane visited here things have fallen into place with a little (well actually a lot) of help from my friends.  Thank you, thank you, thank you! Make that one BIG ferocious thanks.

It has almost been 5 years since I sold my Geil and tore down my train. Tooooo much time to not have your own kiln.  Access to the beautiful wood kiln and car kiln that Donovan built at Pinecroft got me over the hump but not ideal for a maverick potter of 35 years trying to make a living.  Not working in my own studio and working around others time and firing schedules didn’t work out. I’ve had my own kiln for over 35 years so I’m looking at getting my mojo back.

The new controller operated kiln “ Sweet Baby Jane” is out there in my garage adjusting the proportional gas valve and adjusting the damper while I type this. I will take a cup of tea out there later and sit with her for awhile and give thanks for all the blessings in this life of mine.  This is a very exciting day for me and I wanted to share it with y’all!