Sneak Peak of John the Gospel Writer-Eagle

My pottery, Me and the Mountain

Grunewald Guild Photos

Here are some photos of the breathtaking scenery and the buildings at the Guild. Enjoy!

Weaving In and Out

To go where no Gegel male has ever gone before, with complex machinery looming in front of me - the Fiber Arts building at the Guild. Forunately we had Liz and Erica to guide us through this new world of heddles, beaters, reeds, epi's, shuttles, beatings, sleyings, and throwings. And we made great stuff; Janai made two beautiful scarves, and I wove a red (very red) stole -- I learned that it's the most common color of the church year, so I'm all set (in hopes for the future) and two scarves. Our classmate from Trinity, Kate, wove a warm and lovely prayer shawl.

Any knitters, quilters, or weavers out there? If so, take a look at this closet and remember that you're not supposed to be envious!

Down at the Pot Shop -- Raku Finale

Here's the sum total of what came out of the smoldering trash cans when we were done with our raku firing. Lots of shiny cool stuff. Janai and Kate were more prolific than Brian .... In case you're wondering -- yes! you too can make snazzy-looking pots, plates, candleholders, and sculptures ...

Brian's stuff:

God-Gazing I (aka "You Want What?") and II (Thy Will Be Done). There will be a prize if you guess which is which.

Brian's Post Cards

Hot & Shiny on a Cold, Cold Day: First Raku Firing

How does a piece of clay turn into something potentially useful and possibly beautiful? Ask Janai, not me. First, successfully throw a pot on the wheel (again, ask Janai -- not me). Or sculpt something (that, you can ask me about). Then dry the successful output until bisque comes out. (see photo of kiln below.) Then coat the stuff with raku glazes (see photo showing the glazers, and the glazees on the hood of the Datsun, at right).

Then add about 1800 deg (that's between cone 07 and cone 06 for you kiln buffs) for a couple minutes, extract into a reducing fire (basically a smoldering paper and pine needle trash fire) for about five minutes or so, and then immerse in cold water. Apparently this must be done for J-termers when it's about 15 deg F. Voila -- new and shiny works of art emerge, as seen below.

Now, how about that? We've still got some more firings to do next week. More pix of the process are shown below -- note particulary the glowing kiln contents and the reducing fire.

Brian's Final Versions of Drawing/Painting Assignments

Assignment 3, final: Jesus' Baptism per Mark 1

Assignmet 3: Bulletin cover illustration based on Jesus' baptism, Mark 1, first attempt



Assignment 1, final: Gospel of Luke Symbol