Friday, May 1, 2009

List for Apprentice

It's going to be a busy few days...Can you please:

1-Wax all the pots that came out of the last bisque
2-Mix white glaze
3-Cycle another earthenware bisque
4-Scrape & wash gas kiln shelves as needed
5-Clear off the glaze table so I can glaze over the weekend
6-Once I have most work glazed we can get ready to load the gas kiln
7-Make cone pads
8-Please stop hovering as I'm loading the gas kiln...I promise I'll get your favorite pots in there
9-While I'm turning on the pilots please clean the glaze area
10-Put the clear glaze on all of the earthenware just as I showed you
11-Load the electric glaze firing....I'm not as picky here so it's all up to you
12-Turn on the electric kiln to fire overnight as the gas kiln climbs slowly
13-Start firing the gas kiln with the first turn-ups starting at 4am(don't worry.  I'll do this one)
14-Don't worry...the kiln will even out
15-As you worry about the un-even kiln clean up the studio to alleviate your stress
16-Shut down the kiln when we get to 9 1/2 on the bottom....don't let the top 11 get too soft
17-Get some rest since we have to clean the gallery and fill it up with the new pots
18-Don't forget to set up the photo equipment so that we can photograph the new work
19-Grind anything that needs grinding/sand anything that needs sanding

I'm sure there's more but most importantly, I don't have an apprentice.  I think that once I set up the studio in Austin I'll look for some part-time help.  I'm hoping that with UT nearby someone eager will show up.  I've never been too good with assistants before...I've always been a control freak but I'm ready to let go of about 15 or so of these steps.  

Unfortunately, I can't let go of them yet....it's going to be a busy upcoming week for me.  Now that the kids are older and have tons of weekend activities, I probably won't get a ton done this weekend....although if I had an apprentice I would probably be very productive first thing Monday morning.

PS
Perhaps with an assistant I won't have to put my cone pads in the oven for a half hour when I realize that I'm almost done stacking the kiln and need to make them.

4 comments:

brandon phillips said...

ha! i've also forgotten to make cone pads while loading. one day when i was bored i made enough for a years worth of firings.

abigail said...

when your apprentice is done, can he come and finish weeding, help me plant some things, mix slip, mop the studio floor, clean the sink, finish the shelves that we started making last fall and sweep the woodshop?
Thanks.
all our employees know how to do is draw the computer.

Anonymous said...

funny list... i like #8

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