Face Mug

This one sold. But you should see
the birthday candle holder that Mike made.

Slab and Sculpting

Advanced slab construction



Simple Sculpting
My dad, 78, did these.
He's always had a creative bent.

Ornaments and mugs from slab construction

Just like cookie dough.



Advanced slab construction



For your green-fix.

Leaf Bowl, Vase and Questions

Slab Work in Leaf Shape




To those of you who asked pottery questions, here goes:

Appropriate Age range:

Well, it depends. My dad who is nearly 80 creates pottery stuff
nearly every week. My grandchildren, ages 2 and 4, do this quite often
also.

I think that children over 7 have the attention span and abilities to
not need constant individual attention and that is why I put the age
of 7 in my guidelines. Yet, I am flexible. If a Mom, Dad, Grandma,
Grandpa, big sister or brother, etc. want to come to be the helper for
a little one, it might or might not work. Who knows? Write to me, or call and I
can let you know if I can flex, or if I cannot. OK?

I am trying a parent participation type class with younger ones for
the Glazing Only Class. Meaning that they glaze already bisqued
pieces, like ornaments or smallish stuff.

The glazes we use change color when they are put in the kiln. Some
of them do not resemble what they will be at all. Some do. I try to
imagine what the colors will be and how they will blend. You could
get a color wheel, or look one up on the net and study color
combinations.

If you meant how many different ages can I have in one class, I think
that's pretty flexible also. It is group instruction, yet individuals
create their own pieces. Again, call me with specific ideas and we
shall see what could be worked out.

What is a pinch pot?
You take a ball of clay and pinch it into a pot.

What is a coil pot?
You make snakes and pinch, seal them together and form them into
something. I have made little baskets with this design. I am sure
there are many varieties of things to make with this method. Our son
made a coffee cup with this method.

Slab construction:
Sort of like pie dough only thicker and easier to handle I think.
Then you shape it into cups, pie plates, pocket wall hanger, vases, etc.

The wheel takes hours and hours of time to become competent. That's another topic for another time. We do have a kick wheel and an electric wheel but no classes yet in this.

biscottipottery@gmail.com

Design your own time for classes

Pottery Classes: Design your own time. Classes need to be one to two weeks apart in order to get the firing done. Preferably 2 to 4 students per class.

Basic Intro Class $10.00 per child for the two sessions.
1 Make one small coil pot and one small pinch pot
2 Glaze those projects

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Beads $10.00 per student -- about 45 minutes
Day 1 Make 5 to 10 beads
Day 2 Glaze those beads
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Pocket Wall Hanger or Pie Plate Class $15.00 per student -- about 45 to 60 minutes.
Day 1 Make wall hanger or pie plate
Day 2 Glaze those projects
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Simple Sculpting $10.00 per student -- about 45 minutes
Day 1 Make something
Day 2 Glaze it
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Glaze our already made pieces---$5 to $20.00
Day 1 Glaze for an hour. (Paint the ornament, bowl, or other object.)
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Intermediate Intro Class --- 60 minute classes ---- $30.00
Day 1 Make pinch pots and coil pots (3 projects)
Day 2 Glaze those projects
Day 3 Make slab projects
Day 4 Glaze those projects
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Classes are for age 7 and up. We prefer to have a class of 3 to 4 students, if possible. Each project takes two firings in our kilns. Thus, the classes need to be a week apart at least. Flexible time frames: call us. Also schedule in a time for picking up your piece after it has been fired the second time.

Assorted Projects

• Fun Container
  

Butter Bell

• 

Butter Bell

This is a butter bell. Put softened butter into the smaller cup and cold water in the larger cup. This supposedly keeps the butter from going rancid and can be kept on the table. The water seals out oxygen and thus keeps the butter at room temp and softened. We shall see.

Bio by M+H

Artists Michael and Melinda have been married for 30 years and share a love for rustic, colorful, handmade crafts. Their studio is located in California, in a small desert town, known for abundant wildflowers, sunny skies and clear views of the surrounding snow peaked mountains.

The couple draws their artistic influences initially from the Southern California hippie movement, but more recently from the hills of Tennessee, where they have a second home and 42 acres near he Buffalo River. They have been involved there, with a group of Appalachtian style mountain people, for 8 years now. The community is a mixture of family-run small farms and home-based craftsmen. Many are from Amish backgrounds. The community works together and sells their harvest and handcrafts from stands on the side of their country road which winds through the backwoods and grassy hollows.
The word “biscotti” refers to a twice-baked Italian cookie which Melinda is well known for making in a delicious variety of flavors. While Michael is busy baking their pottery twice in the kilns, his wife is busy baking cookies twice in the oven. She usually has several of their home-made bowls full of the tasty treats and is ready at a moment’s notice to host anyone who happens by.

A Stones Throw Gallery

Our son and his dear family who live near Kernville discovered a shop there. They encouraged us greatly to get our work displayed there. So it is. The place is located in a small square that surrounds a nice park. The river is less than half a mile away, and the area is quite beautiful.

A Few of Our Things

While Jane was still here...

She encouraged us immensely as have many. Thank you all.

Mike, a ceramic tile artisan for over 30 years, (tile installation), and Melinda, a credentialed teacher, are having pottery classes.

We are studying pottery diligently and have the equipment to teach it, too. We
have the work shop, the wheels, the table, the kilns, and the glazes to
produce something unique and creative.

The ability for many ages and abilities to work side by side and the therapeutic value of creating something all add up to a great fail-free art experience.

We have a small studio behind our home.
E-mail us for a time to visit.

Group lessons for six to eight:
This class is transportable meaning we can bring it to your location or hold it in our studio.

Session One:
We bring the clay and teach coil and slab construction. Participants build using these techniques. We will have examples of simple projects with us. Usually an hour is sufficient to build two or three small pots, baskets, nut bowls, or ornaments. If you think your group would like more time, we would consider your needs. These items then are fired in a kiln at our place.

Session Two:
We bring the glazes and show how to use a variety of color combinations to create beautiful pieces. These must be fired again and then we return them to you.

Contact us at biscottipottery@gmail.com