Bob Taft (Cdragon) Pottery

[ethan]

Great to read about the hard work. The cost of wood seems to be a factor in the operation, but one might fear soft pine would make a problem w/ turpentine or logs that are not dry enough could emit sap. I'm sure you don't need to join a gym doing that hard work. Good luck w/ the end results.

[Cdragon]

Actually the cost of wood is nothing. There are plenty of agro industrial forests of tall, straight, fast growing pine down here. You see them tightly packed in rows. Totally unnatural compared to a real forest. At the mill the trees are squared off and we get the outer bark usually accompanied by a equal or more section of wood. It is scrap to them. They want it gone before it gets buggy. Chainsawed into thirds. The bark usually drops off and we have a nice board, flat on the cut side, with the rounded outer part of the tree on the other. With the rounded side you can stack them so you get airflow to dry them out.

When we are firing a really dry load we've done it in 9 -10 hours. Wet loads have taken 16 - 17 hours.

[Cdragon]

Okay here's what we got. With the bagwall and without.

bagwall.jpg

groundhog.jpg

It was a real good firing.

[Chip]

Looks like really nice wares and a great firing for you! Congrats, of course looking forward to seeing close-ups!

Thanks for sharing Cdragon.

[debunix]

Quite a variety of styles, from very spare to densely decorated. The closeups should be very interesting, indeed.

[Cdragon]

Well my best one was a little devil.

small_devil.jpg

small_devil_2.jpg

small_devil_3.jpg

[Cdragon]

Got a picture of one of the tables.

table_2_1.jpg

The crock with the Iris carving is mine along with the shino pitcher, little devil and the white vase.

table_2_2.jpg

this is some of Justin Guy's work. Iron slip with a white slip trailed on the outline. A typical Edgefield style. Bulbous shape, handle off the shoulder, a flanged neck, and iron decoration with slip trailing that started in this area in the 1840's. A deer is not typical of the old time pots though.

[Cdragon]

Here is a couple bagwall shots.

bagwall_2.jpg

bagwall_3.jpg

There is a great looking blue misting on the glazes where the ash hit.

[Classica]

Very nice tea bowls. Let us know when the Etsy is up; I know I'd love to support a fellow South Carolinian!

[bryan_drinks_tea]

Another south carolinian here.

CDragon - thanks for sharing the pottery with us, I'm an hour and a half from you, so I will visit when I get the time.

The face jugs are always interesting, they've been a part of South Carolina history for as long as I've known.

Best,
Bryan