I don't know if I'm going to make it into Gladding after I take my son and family to the airport as it is supposed to be 110 degrees today. I'll start early tomorrow before it reaches the expected 112!

I'm getting excited to start week3! I'm going to carve a Mr. Pickles into a pipe that my friend, Pam Lopez, will use as a table at her restaurant.
Then working on a new bear sculpture but will cut things a little short because the pixies (twin granddaughters) will be arriving with Matt & Jeannie on their way to North Carolina! We will drive to the airport on Tues. am then keep their car until they come back in 10 days.

Our son,Matt with pixies!

You're all invited to a fun evening!

The end of my second week!
My dear friend, Jane Delno 89, has decided that she is not going to do any more sculpting/clay work and has passed all her tools on to me! What a legacy! She is so creative and fun, I hope to do her credit.

I spent a little time talking with different levels of management so everyone's more comfortable with me there. dear Joe V moved pipe for me and I'm going to start on a pipe for Pam Lopez & her Mr. Pickles with Mr. pickles carved into it.

I got a pedometer and discovered it's 1/2 mi. round trip from my  kiln to the office & bathroom!
I saw some pretty things on the way:

These are some of the decorated fired pipe that I've done for Lincoln sites:

Glenn Edwards Middle School - Shelly Hoover Tribute Garden

For Susan Cope, Lincoln

I have to give a shout out to Joe Veredas.
Ive known him for 15+ years and when I was doing the Feats of Clay decorations for the Opening Night reception he was so helpful.
He still is and is the closest soul to where I work and has been moving things for me with his handy fork lift (wet pipe is heavy)!

He supervises the kilns which is hot work! That is 2,200 degrees in there.  When they fire pipe it takes about 3 weeks to reach the temperature to vitrify the pipe (turns the clay into a hard waterproof material).  Then it takes 3 weeks to cool down.  It has been done the same way for 1,000s of years!
Fortunately I'm insulated in my kiln with my fan on. Last week they were firing the kiln next to where I work and I didn't feel the heat.  I will see if it is the same when it is 105+ and the kiln is firing!

Today I pressed two old moulds that were back in the kiln to see what they looked like!
I think I will glaze and fire them. I don't know where they are from nor who made them.

Back in the Day - 2003

Working on a lion/griffin for Curtis High School, Staten Island, NY.

While I was taking a break, Edwardo and Armando decided to take photo credit for the lion that I was working on! That's me in the back.

Archives:

Those are some big shoes to fill! Generations of very talented artists!

What is it?

The right hand of the statue I did for the Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christie, TX in 2004.
It just showed up and I asked to buy it! I bought it because I was an employee then and didn't have rights to it. In 2004 the statue cost $25,000 so I got a good deal.

Secret reveal! We weren't allowed to sign pieces but I got tricky and created folds in the skirt that formed  J & C! You can see the J just above the first knuckle of her thumb. The hands are modeled after my daughter-in-law, Jeannie!

If windows could talk! These probably date back 120-130 years. Think of the generations and events that they have looked down upon!.

Someone just asked me if I will do custom orders - Absolutely!

I feel like I work in an aviary because of All the birds singing where I work! They love the "open air" state of the building. This part of the building dates back to either the 1932 or the 1918 fires.

I've almost finished my first 3 projects: an 18" plaque and two carved pipe table bases. i will probably glaze this in multiple colors called Polychrome.

Two of these: a left and right orientation . One may be used as an individual table base or 2 for a bigger table. I think I will glaze in in a transparent green (2nd column-4th row.)

I have 23 colors available to me!

These will have to dry for 3 weeks before glazing. It's a slow process!

First week

l love being back at Gladding McBean! I can't believe it's been 8years since I was working here. Now I can enjoy the work I love and I don't have to clock in at 4:50 AM (early to beat the heat) but if it gets too hot, I can close up shop! Summer in Lincoln, CA + being next to a 40' kiln firing to 2,200 degrees can get a little toasty. The old kiln I'm working in provides good insulation and a unique place to work as it was probably built in the 1890- early 1900! There is a build up of salt glaze on the walls that they would add to make the pipe waterproof because wood firing couldn't reach hot enough temperatures to do that.

I have a CD with a presentation that I've done called The History and Art of Gladding McBean with lots of photos both current and historical. It is available as a CD right now (works on a computers) for  $15 (inc. shipping) but I'm working on a DVD version. I will try to learn how to sell things through the blog but you can contact me through my email jeancross1948@gmail.com.

As Artist in Residence, GMcB will provide my materials: clay, pipe, slip, glaze and will fire my work.  GMcB may use my photo, photos of my work in their PR. I can then sell it or give it away. I am hoping to do a lot of work for the City of Lincoln. The mayor wants me to do a life size statue of our founder, Charles Lincoln Wilson! We will see.

This past week I set up my work space and am about 2/3 finished with an 18" plaque and two table bases out of clay pipe with grapes carved into the surface! They will take 3 weeks to dry and then will be glazed. I will post photos as work is finished.