...Keep on Keepin' on...

Well all, this week isn't too exciting in the world of ceramic drum blogging. I am just working away, finishing things up, trimming, and drying them out for firing.

So there's been lots of progress, just not too many new exciting pictures or updates to accompany it.

Here's what I do have, some fun pictures of what became of my first to frustrated attempts at throwing an udu drum in one session yesterday.

My First Two Attempts at Throwing an Udu Drum

...not so successful on the first go around...

Combining exhaustion, with looming deadline stress, and a time crunch doesn't make for the most mellow symbiotic throwing relationship I usually try to establish with the clay Goddess.

As I had to simply stop before I ended up in tears (haha, just being dramatic), I am going to go up to campus on Monday to make my last drum. I am hoping it will be a relativelty large udu, if I can manage it. Monday is my last wet clay day, so hopefully I am able to throw it that day, and as it will be fairly even, it should be easy and relatively quick to dry.

The Finished Silhouette of My Two Piece Wheel Thrown Drum!

I narrowed the base of this drum where it connects to the bowl, and straightened it out. And I carved a simple shape into the base.

I accidentally trimmed through in a thin spot, near the connection of the base and the bowl, but luckily the clay was thick enough, and still retained enough moisture to make a successful repair.

I am planning on firing all my drums in one session, in the small Skutt kiln, as soon as possible. I still have a lot of work to do once the first firing is done in regards to glazing and the stretching and lacing of the skins, so I'm drying them pretty fast at this point.

I feel on track as of right now, but am definitely aware of the fast approaching end of the year that is quickly sneaking up on us. So until next week, because I need to get back to work,

Cheers!