Diggin' it!

I've had this idea of making pots that are all or primarily made from locally dug materials. To that end I've done some extensive research into the deposits in my area. Most seriously viable deposits are owned and commercially mined for materials. There are still some here and there but they are few and nearly all are owned or protected. I did have some luck in a particular layer of strata today. I won't disclose all the details of this location except to say it's in the NW and it's also on private property, I dug a sample with the land owners permission.

The clay I was most interested in at the first site was the gray material with the stripes of red iron. Upon closer examination under a good lamp I could see trace amounts of mica. This deposit probably won't be exactly what I'm looking for, however it's exciting to dig a shovel full of something that feels like the clay in your studio.

There are layers of pyroclasts that are not decomposed under the clay. I also found a second set of strata just 10 M down lower in the layers that had another four sections of clay that were similar but different. One was a puce color probably containing manganese, and another was yellow. I didn't have room to take the yellow, so I'll probably go back for a sample later.

Mugs

While using my new texture tool I've discovered it really only makes good texture on rounded, or expanded forms. In trying to use this tool to make mugs I've realized I don't normally make a bulbous or round mug. I'm experimenting with these bulbous mugs now and just can't get them right. They are heavier than I'm used to, and they are visually heavy as well. This is the first example of a larger mug at about 1-1/4 lbs of clay.

I used the texture tool on the form and expanded it into a bulbous mug. I sharpened the heavy rim giving it an angle on both the inside and outside. The handle was pulled asymmetrical with the thick side towards the camera. This makes a nice thumb rest in the handles design. Not sure if I'll keep making these or move on to another form.