Kimi Wolff on thu 1 jun 00
Hi, My name is Kimi and I am one of the many who tend to read posting daily
but rarely post. I started into clay WAY back in high school (a woman who
just turned 40 is not about to divulge how long it’s been since she
graduated). I was not too good but was totally in love with clay. Well
getting married right out of H.S. and having babies did not leave time for
clay so I did not pick it up again until 2 &1/2 years ago. I took some
classes at the local Community College (Anoka Ramsey in MN) and it is now an
addiction (and I’ve gotten pretty good at it too!). I work as a T.A.
(teaching assistant), have a studio in my basement and will be building my
kiln this summer that can be either wood fired or propane. (So far the city
said I can do wood but I’m not counting on it staying that way). I work in
porcelain and stoneware, do mainly wheel throwing but just finished a class
in hand building which has become a new drug for me (epically now because I
hurt my knee and those kick wheels don’t move on their own! Guess I have to
break down and get a motor for it). Now for my question, I have a new puppy
(light color Golden Retriever), my old dog could not make it down the stairs
so I never had concerns about the possible dangers for her in the studio but
Daisy Mae sticks to me like glue and cries when I leave her up stairs. So
all of you with studio dogs, can you tell me, is it ok to let her down, what
safety concerns I should have, or is it best to keep her upstairs? I mostly
have only clay in my studio and usually lay a cloth when I glaze to catch
drips and mop when I am done. Any info and advice on this would be greatly
appreciated. Thanks! Kimi
Paul Lewing on thu 1 jun 00
I've had dogs in my studio ever since I've had my own studio. I refer
to my dog Towy as my "staff". You want to talk about labor problems? I
can't get him to not walk on art on the floor!
Seriously, I think if you keep your floor reasonably clean, you won't
have any problems. When I got my first puppy, she at first drank out of
the glaze buckets, but soon stopped that. Guess she didn't like the
taste. But I figured that any animal that routinely drank out of the
toilet wouldn't be hurt by glaze.
Towy likes to attack the big pulley on my air compressor whenever I turn
it on, but he's found out he can't win that battle, so he's careful now.
With a dog as big as a golden, you might heve to keep your work up high
enough to avoid his tail. I once shared a studio with a Weimareiner
whose tail destroyed a lot of pots. I don't think he ever noticed,
though. He was definitely the shallow end of the gene pool.
Have fun with the puppy. They make better studio partners than a lot of
people.
Paul Lewing, Seattle
Andie on thu 1 jun 00
I used to let my three dogs in my tiny studio, until I noticed that much
like other gross things, they developed a taste for clay & water from the
slop bucket under the wheel. It just can't be good for them. Also, with
their noses to the ground, all the dust can't be doing anything good.
Although I do know several potters who let their dogs run around the studio,
so I may just be a worrywart about it. As an aside, I'd caution against cats
in the studio for several reasons, my top one being that mine found some
glaze chips that had been chiseled off a shelf and had slipped under a
cabinet, and if big enough, trust me, they are very expensive to have
removed from their stomachs, and the Vet starts using phrases like "internal
bleeding" and "bacterial contaminants to the stomach lining" ...$$$$$
: ) Andie
EMAIL: andie@princessco.com
OFFICIAL HOMEPAGE: www.andie.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Kimi Wolff
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Thursday, June 01, 2000 6:49 PM
Subject: Studio dogs....
>Now for my question, I have a new puppy
>(light color Golden Retriever), my old dog could not make it down the
stairs
>so I never had concerns about the possible dangers for her in the studio
but
>Daisy Mae sticks to me like glue and cries when I leave her up stairs.
Thanks! Kimi
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
___
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Pat Colyar on thu 1 jun 00
Kimi,
As the proud (and exhausted) owner of a 10-month old Blue-tick
Coonhound named Indigo (Indy, for short, aka: The Avatar of
Destruction), I would caution you to make sure all throwing and other
small tools are always up out of reach, especially expensive sponges and
brushes. No matter how many rawhides and chew-toys are available, it's
the thrill of theft that makes the difference for her. She evidently
didn't ingest any of the splintered bamboo.
The danger of dust inhalation depends on your studio cleanliness
quotient, although I can't imagine it would be any worse than what she
will encounter outside. Hot electric kilns are a danger to curious
noses, and make sure fragile kiln shelves are stacked where they can't
be knocked over.
All my dogs have occasionally eaten clay trimmings, with no deleterious
effects.
Good luck! Pat Colyar, in Gold Bar, WA
L. P. Skeen on thu 1 jun 00
Kimi,
Dogs are not as curious as cats and won't climb all over things poking their
noses everywhere. They also don't lick their fur as much, and mine goes out
in the driveway to roll around in the dust, so I have never worried about
her getting clay in her fur. Once your dog has inspected your space
thoroughly, she will lie down and either watch or sleep while you work. If
you are using a kickwheel, she will probably get in your way and get kicked
a couple of times before she gets the message, but you won't be kicking hard
enough to hurt her, so that's not really a big issue either. She will get
the picture that you are in the space to stay awhile and will settle in. If
you have concrete floors, consider putting down a piece of old carpet or a
blankie for her to sleep on in cooler weather, because concrete is cold.
L. P. Skeen
Living Tree Pottery & Handmade Soaps
Summerfield, NC
----- Original Message -----
From: Kimi Wolff
To:
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2000 10:43 AM
Subject: Studio dogs....
> Hi, My name is Kimi and I am one of the many who tend to read posting
daily
> but rarely post. I started into clay WAY back in high school (a woman who
> just turned 40 is not about to divulge how long it's been since she
> graduated). I was not too good but was totally in love with clay. Well
> getting married right out of H.S. and having babies did not leave time for
> clay so I did not pick it up again until 2 &1/2 years ago. I took some
> classes at the local Community College (Anoka Ramsey in MN) and it is now
an
> addiction (and I've gotten pretty good at it too!). I work as a T.A.
> (teaching assistant), have a studio in my basement and will be building my
> kiln this summer that can be either wood fired or propane. (So far the
city
> said I can do wood but I'm not counting on it staying that way). I work
in
> porcelain and stoneware, do mainly wheel throwing but just finished a
class
> in hand building which has become a new drug for me (epically now because
I
> hurt my knee and those kick wheels don't move on their own! Guess I have
to
> break down and get a motor for it). Now for my question, I have a new
puppy
> (light color Golden Retriever), my old dog could not make it down the
stairs
> so I never had concerns about the possible dangers for her in the studio
but
> Daisy Mae sticks to me like glue and cries when I leave her up stairs. So
> all of you with studio dogs, can you tell me, is it ok to let her down,
what
> safety concerns I should have, or is it best to keep her upstairs? I
mostly
> have only clay in my studio and usually lay a cloth when I glaze to catch
> drips and mop when I am done. Any info and advice on this would be greatly
> appreciated. Thanks! Kimi
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
ILENE MAHLER on fri 2 jun 00
Worry about the clay dust in the air...White silicous...Ilene in
ConnEnjoy her while shes small they grow tooo fast.
Kimi Wolff wrote:
>
> Hi, My name is Kimi and I am one of the many who tend to read posting daily
> but rarely post. I started into clay WAY back in high school (a woman who
> just turned 40 is not about to divulge how long it’s been since she
> graduated). I was not too good but was totally in love with clay. Well
> getting married right out of H.S. and having babies did not leave time for
> clay so I did not pick it up again until 2 &1/2 years ago. I took some
> classes at the local Community College (Anoka Ramsey in MN) and it is now an
> addiction (and I’ve gotten pretty good at it too!). I work as a T.A.
> (teaching assistant), have a studio in my basement and will be building my
> kiln this summer that can be either wood fired or propane. (So far the city
> said I can do wood but I’m not counting on it staying that way). I work in
> porcelain and stoneware, do mainly wheel throwing but just finished a class
> in hand building which has become a new drug for me (epically now because I
> hurt my knee and those kick wheels don’t move on their own! Guess I have to
> break down and get a motor for it). Now for my question, I have a new puppy
> (light color Golden Retriever), my old dog could not make it down the stairs
> so I never had concerns about the possible dangers for her in the studio but
> Daisy Mae sticks to me like glue and cries when I leave her up stairs. So
> all of you with studio dogs, can you tell me, is it ok to let her down, what
> safety concerns I should have, or is it best to keep her upstairs? I mostly
> have only clay in my studio and usually lay a cloth when I glaze to catch
> drips and mop when I am done. Any info and advice on this would be greatly
> appreciated. Thanks! Kimi
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Lee Love on fri 2 jun 00
Kimi,
Go here to see make Akita pottery dog Taiko and I, under the Wisteria in
front of the Hamada museum:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=815504&a=5927836&p=21044908
Taiko was happy to move to our new home & studio. I think she
missed the studio/loft back in St. Paul. Our first months in Mashiko were
staying at a friend's home & then we moved into a house but then we found
our current house and studio & move here.
First thing Taiko did in the studio was to go into F.R.A.P. (frenetic
random activity period), spinning in circles on a dime. I used to take
her with me to Northern Clay Center when I was firing late at night.
experiences (she first came to the old Clay Center as an 8 week old puppy)
She was good company. Because of her early at Clay Center, she
automatically likes any potter she meets (which is handy in Mashiko.) I
think she smells the clay on their hands. Typically, she is a normal Akita
with most strangers we meet in public and is aloof, but not with potters.
We didn't have any trouble at the studio loft. She did make the
table next to my wheel her den (there is linoleum at the wheel area & she
likes to lay on linoleum.) I did put up a window screen between her place
under the wheel table and my wheel, to keep trimming scraps from landing on
her.
She never was destructive, never ate clay or trimming scraps. My
Shimpo was up on milk crates (I did this for posture and leg comfort.) I
sat on a bar stool height chair, so the throwing bucket was never at her
level. I always kept the glaze buckets covered, even though I don't use
any thing like barium (wood ash and the soda in shino were probably the
worst stuff.) She did have about three water bowls around the loft: I
made tea ceremony water discard bowls that made a great Akita dog dish.
Made many of these for the Akita Specialty trophies that our local Akita
club hosted.)
Go here to see Taiko doing F.R.A.P. in the new studio. This is a moving
.gif (about 500k) and will take a minute or so to load) You can see my new
Korean kickwheel in the background too:
http://homepages.go.com/~akitajin/albums/frap/pic0.html
--
Lee Love
2858-2-2 , Nanai , Mashiko-machi ,Tochigi-ken 321-4106 JAPAN
Ikiru@kami.com Voice Mail and Faxes (a USA number): (303) 256-0374
Help E.T. Phone Earth: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Cat81257@AOL.COM on fri 2 jun 00
My Basset hound goes to work with me during the nice months ... kind
of unfair as basset hounds as a general rule sleep 99% of the time LOL
... I tie her up on the porch with a bowl of water and a bed... ps she has
beds everywhere LOL she's actually a great watch dog for me as with her
sitting there the cats dont try to get in... if my studio floor is clean
in winter months I let her come to studio with me but she isnt too happy
with that and whines ... my cats on the other hand actually force the door
open and come right on in just as nice as you please.... I've pretty much
trained them not to jump up on me or the shelving but I still dont trust
them much ... but I put em on my chair and roll it close to the wheel
and that seems to make them happy ,,,, if I"m working on the table they
will usually hang out on the bottom part of the table... when they start to
get rambunctious "out with you " !!! Seems like I'm always chasing cats
out of the place and 2 of them usually sleep in the dog bed on porch
waiting for me to come out.... walk me home yacking all the way .... giving
me what for .... ha ha ha ps I have squirrels living in the loft above
me and can hear em munching away uup there and fighting or scolding each
other LOL ... Lou got 2 of em the other day but still have tons of the
cute rodents .... I live with black snakes, daddy long legs, squirrels
and rabbits ... what a zoo !!!!! Cat
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