Malone & Dean McRaine on sun 1 jun 97
Yo ClayArteests;
My query on dirt floors turned up such good replies i have to try another.
I just had to crank out an order from my as-yet-unexpanded 100 sq ft shop.
As I tripped and bumped my way around and roasted while I did my firing I
got to thinking about this Q for the list:
What's the smallest studio you've ever worked in? What was it like?
Aloha from Kauai-Balmy now but this paradise is the wettest place on earth.
Dean
muddpie mama on sun 1 jun 97
Malone & Dean McRaine wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> What's the smallest studio you've ever worked in?
I have a friend who has a 12'x 12' square studio. He does have his kiln
in another area though. He has been saying of late, that he needs more
room. He has had this small studio for 2 years.
Brad Sondahl on mon 2 jun 97
Malone & Dean McRaine wrote:
> What's the smallest studio you've ever worked in? What was it like?
One of my two studios is 10' by 12', because local ordinances enabled
building a structure of that size without a building permit. I built a
root cellar underneath it, which stored finished pots till the summer,
and commercially prepared clay, as well as carrots, potatoes, and canned
fruit.. Then I built another structure that size for two electric
kilns. I also have a 12 by 12 showroom in the front of the house, but
expanded that with a kiosk in front. Storage for raw materials is
rough--I imagine it's a bit like living on a boat. I felt good about
how small a place I was heating (Not your issue in Hawaii), but it
definately limits production. (shortage of ware storage led me to add
two two by fours above my kilns to set boards of pots on to get dried
for the bisque.)
I admit to being influenced by EF Schumacher (Small is Beautiful) in my
formative years...
--
Brad Sondahl
bsondahl@camasnet.com
http://www.camasnet.com/~asondahl
PO Box 96, Nezperce ID 83543
"When it comes to dabbling, I'm just a dilettante..."
The Shelfords on mon 2 jun 97
Hi Dean -
My smallest was 10 X 10 (kiln elsewhere, drying pots all over the house).
Then we moved to a townhouse, where I had a 10 X 13 back bedroom, including
the kiln (enviro-vented out the window, fired overnight with controller,
drying pots still all over the house). At the moment, nothing at all, but
soon to be MUCH BIGGER.
The smallest I've seen were:
4 X 8 - a dis-used bicycle shed, with double doors which had to be open
while the potter was at her kick-wheel. The kiln was, I believe, in the garage.
6 X 10 (approx.), space shared with laundry equipment, kiln in shed out back.
With both of the above, pots were everywhere, of course. These people are
not making a full living from pots, but their out-put is respectable by any
measure, and astounding if you take their conditions into account.
Another friend has an 8 X 9 room on the THIRD floor of her townhouse, to
which she has to carry the clay etc. Then she carries the stuff down again
and carts it to the art centre to be fired (she pulls her weight by heading
the kiln and glaze committee and seeing that everyone else's stuff is fired
too.) Are potters unusually dedicated (or nuts or whatever)?
- Veronica
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Yo ClayArteests;
>My query on dirt floors turned up such good replies i have to try another.
>I just had to crank out an order from my as-yet-unexpanded 100 sq ft shop.
>As I tripped and bumped my way around and roasted while I did my firing I
>got to thinking about this Q for the list:
>What's the smallest studio you've ever worked in? What was it like?
>Aloha from Kauai-Balmy now but this paradise is the wettest place on earth.
>Dean
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
Veronica Shelford
e-mail: shelford@island.net
s-mail: P.O. Box 6-15
Thetis Island, BC V0R 2Y0
Tel: (250) 246-1509
____________________________________________________________________________
Toni Martens on mon 2 jun 97
I work in a studio that is three meters by three meters( about 3 foot
to a meter?) Untill recently I only had three shelves as my husband
said all I did when he put up shelves was put things on them!!!!!!
I finally took matters into my own hands and put up shelves
EVERYWHERE.
I don't even have to move to trip over my own feet, not to mention
two dogs and a cat who are always with me.......
I have to keep my glazes outside and also have my wedging block
outside {bit of a bugger when it rains :)}but then I balance a board
on the wheel and wedge on that.
I am a full time potter, do orders, and supply three shops( that
sounds better than it is.......but there are three shops that will
take all I can supply them)
So my dreams are littered with bigger studios and my waking hours
with madness...........but hey! I don't want to do anything else.
Toni Martens, Durban, sunny skies nippy weather and NO humidity :)
Kris Baum on mon 2 jun 97
My studio is about 10'x13' ... and includes the kiln, wheel, slab roller,
drying rack, sink, clay, glazes, etc., etc. And it IS barely big enough
to swing a cat in, although I don't think any of our 3 cats would
appreciate it! In another ten years, when the girls are at college, that
adjacent playroom is MINE!
--
===============================================
Kris Baum, Shubunkin Pottery,
mailto:shubunki@erols.com
===============================================
Carol Jackaway on tue 3 jun 97
Hi all,
I have really enjoyed the post about small studios. I now feel better
about my basment studio. I share a 15'x20' space with the heater, oil tank
and washer and dryer. I have two kilns (vented), work area, shelves, and
luster tables. This is a big move from a attic,folding table work area. I do
retail shows, fill orders (not many now but son starts school full time in
Sept!) and work down there 3-4 days a week. Painting (with underglazes) is
done on kitchen table, dip glazing is done in studio at a 6' long table.
After reading all these post I am convinced that ceramic people are some of
the most dedaciated people around.
Carol--it's raining again!
CoilLady
Vince Pitelka on tue 3 jun 97
>What's the smallest studio you've ever worked in? What was it like?
>Dean
I initially applied my BA in art from Humboldt State University to getting a
job as a mechanic for the City of Arcata in N. Cal. After some years of
pulling wrenches for the C. of A., I walled off a 10' x 10' section of the
big woodshed on the back of our house in Blue Lake. The outside walls were
wide redwood planks with 1/2" cracks between them, and I stapled duct-tape
over them on the inside so that I could heat the place with a little gas
heater. It only did a minimal job, and my wife used to make fun of me,
throwing pots wearing coveralls and a jacket and stocking cap, using the
hottest throwing water I could stand because it was so damn cold out there
in the winter (this was just south of the Oregon border on the coast, where
the winter cold is very damp, and seeps right through to your skin). I had
a huge old kitchen sink cabinet with cast-iron sink and drainboards on both
sides, which I dragged in there. It took up half the space, but someone
gave it to me to use in my studio and I couldn't refuse it. I had a hard
time refusing anything given to me in those days. The ceilings were twelve
feet high, and I built shelves all the way up the walls, and had a ladder to
reach them. Odd - a studio that is taller than it is wide. I began doing
Christmas sales, and consignment in local galleries, and it became quite a
challenge producing any kind of quantity out of that woodshed. I ruined
lots of pots doing normal things like turning around and bending over and
reaching for things, bumping into stuff constantly. Had to transport things
out across a large yard to my kiln for bisque and glaze firing.
When I quit the C.of A. job to do pots full time, I built a 16' x 42' studio
at the back of our 3/4 acre lot, which was a huge improvement in many ways,
not the least of which was the decrease in clay tracked through the house.
It seemed like I could not possibly fill that new space, but as the years
went by in full production it got smaller and smaller. Don't skimp on space.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Anita M. Swan on wed 4 jun 97
Hi all! I've been reading the list for some time but just had to jump
in on this one. I have a townhouse and work in half of my 8x14 dining
room (the other half is computer stuff). One wall is floor to ceiling
shelves. The wheel is on the patio, electric kiln in a tiny (5x6) shed
and raku kiln under a tarp out back. As soon as a piece is finished
it's inventoried, priced and packed. The stockroom is in the hall
closet with the (dismantled) display shelves for shows. When I invite
friends to dinner their first question is "do we get to sit at a table
or do we have to eat standing up in the living room?" Considering the
toxicity of some chemicals I tell them eating in the living room is for
their own good. But I do let them sit down.
Anita in Maryland, where it's cold and wet and I'm
missing my old 20x30 basement studio...
the Gallagher's on fri 6 jun 97
Carol,
Your space sounds just like mine! Although I'm just starting out and still
having my firing done at the community center.
I was wondering about putting the kiln down in my basement, the wiring for the
dryer should be the proper type for a kiln. If the plugs match I can just
inter-change them.
What do you think??
Michelle
muddpie mama on sat 7 jun 97
Michelle,
snip>...the wiring for the dryer should be the proper type for a kiln.
If the plugs match I can just inter-change them...
You must first know what amps the kiln draws, then know what amp breaker
is on that line. IF the dryer is on a 30 amp breaker and the kiln draws
24 amps, yes you can. Then you can hope the plug matches. You must
also have enough amps coming into the house to run the kiln with any
other appliance in the house running.
For my 45 amp Evenheat Perfect fire kiln, the manufacturer recomends a
60 amp breaker. I have fired it with a 50 amp breaker, but only 3
times. Even though I had no problems, I did replace the 50 with a 60.
JuliA in Michigan where it is getting ready to rain all weekend.
Carol Jackaway on sun 8 jun 97
Hi Michelle,
I had my electrican but in a separte line for the kiln. I think that you
should let a quailifed electrian look at, and do all wiring. Like I tell
everyone "I want to fire my work, not the house to the ground." As for
venting I am very lucky, I have three large windows that open and a vent as
well.
But am looking forward to windows that look onto the ground instead of
up at it.
Being picky in Phila,
Clouds, clouds, clouds
Carol
CoilLady
Sherry mcDonald Stewart on sun 8 jun 97
I have had two kilns with pony tails added and plugs to match dryer
outlets. It worked great. Sherry in Nimbostratusland.
Kathy A. Cheriki on mon 9 jun 97
Hi,
I am small too! In fact I just set up my first studio in my utility room.
I thought it was an impossibility, but I made everything fit, with room to
spare! It has been so great, however, the plug to my kiln won't fit into
my dryer outlet. My dryer plug is small, and the outlet is regular size.
How can I adapt my kiln plug to this?. I would be grateful for any info.
Also I would like to thank all ClayArters for their support and ideas
which gave me the courage to try it, small and all!
Best wishes to All,
Kathy
Cindy on mon 9 jun 97
Michelle,
I tried hooking my kiln up to the dryer circuit. The electrician said it
would work as the kiln was drawing less than 30 amps with all switches on,
installed a new plug (the plugs *won't* match), and warned me not to try
and run both the dryer and the kiln at once. (I knew that--duuh.) It didn't
work, though. For some reason 30 amps just wasn't enough. And having the
kiln in my basement without adequate ventilation was a *really* bad idea
anyway, as I discovered the first time I *tried* to fire it. The kiln has
its own circuit now, and sits in an out-building. Anyhow, I think you'll
have to have a separate box installed for your kiln. Be sure you get an
electrician who knows what he/she's doing, and don't neglect to put in some
sort of system for exhausting fumes.
Cindy Strnad.
muddpie mama on tue 10 jun 97
> ...however, the plug to my kiln won't fit into
> my dryer outlet. My dryer plug is small, and the outlet is regular > size.
Kathy -
You should contact an electrician. They could POSSIBLY "piggy back"
another plug off that line IF the amps on the outlet are more than the
kiln will draw. But, you could not use both appliances at the same
time. If you have a friend, or know a friend who knows a friend, who
does some eletrical work, it could save you some money. They need to
know what they are doing though, better to be safe than sorry. If your
kiln draws more amps than the dryer, than most all it SHOULD do is keep
kicking the breaker off.
JuliA
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