iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

I usually try not to listen, but I'm listening now through @bloomberg.com since I feel I should try to keep up to date ... it is a frightening stream of babble and lies. Time to go looking at my beautiful flowering apple trees to restore my soul. #trumpandnetanyahu

MonArk apple tree in bloom. A lovely old southern variety developed by the University of Arkansas back in the 60s. That apple breeding program closed in the 90s and this one remains their best known.

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Reposted by Milhouse Barks

A.R. Moxon @juliusgoat.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

The very act of posing this as a question is a shameful capitulation to and collaboration with the forces of fascism.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Day 20 of 20 pots. Porcelain platter with glaze developed by Brother Thomas Bezanson. Cone 10 reduction. More on the glaze in the alt tag. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

I worked for a while with a potter on Cape Cod who had provided housing and studio space to Brother Thomas Bensazon, an amazing potter who created some spectacular glazes based on his research of ancient glazes from Asia. As a thank you he gave her one of his glaze formulas which was this really rich copper red with purple and lilac highlights. She honored his request not to share the glaze recipe, but others were allowed to use the glaze when working in her studio. I treasure the pieces I created with this glaze.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Day 19 of 20 pots. A fruit bowl in action. Cone 10 reduction. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Day 18 of 20 pots. Porcelain platter glazed with Wally’s Sea Wonder. Reduction fired to cone 10. Glaze info in the alt tag. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

This is a glaze I experimented with years ago by increasing the copper slightly in a copper red glaze. The turquoise green is areas of less reduction.

Close up on the glaze showing how the copper seems to crystallize during kiln cool down.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

My apricots are in bloom and the early pollinators are thrilled.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Day 17 of 20 pots. Fresh out of the kiln a new set of 6 bowls. Cone 6 oxidation fired. Glaze info in the alt tag. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

Currently I use a community studio with very limited hours and a collection of glazes that are often a bit unexciting, but reliable which you need when many people are glazing and you don't want to be cleaning kiln shelves constantly. This time I tried a clear that seems to have some nice flux and some motion and put it over a glaze called Caribbean Blue. That blue is usually more greenish blue and rather flat and bland, but I thought that the clear over it might alter it pretty dramatically which it did. To set off the edge I also added a little red iron oxide wash to the rim. Overall I'm pleased, but I'll try to refine how these are applied. It looks like the Caribbean Blue has iron or something in it that can break a little yellowish if it is too thick which you can see in the bowl that is on its side, so I'll have to watch out for that. The combination also crawled a little on a 7th bowl that had the thickest application, so that didn't make the grade.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Day 16 of 20 pots. The lone survivor of a group of 7 bowls with a “dragon eye” glaze. Stoneware, oxidation fired to cone 6. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Day 15 of 20 pots. Porcelain bud vase. Reduction fired to cone 10. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

I love this vase with a few of the first dandelions of spring. Perhaps not the most popular as cut flowers, dandelions are a nice way to celebrate spring is here. I'll try to remember to post this little porcelain vase with some dandelions in a few weeks.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Day 14 of 20 pots. Porcelain vase with tenmoku glaze and splashes of Albany slip. Who else remembers Albany slip? it hasn't been available for a while now. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

A 10" porcelain vase with Tenmoku glaze and splashes of Albany slip.
Tenmoku is usually black with brown breaks, but I sometimes like a thin application that shows varying shades of brown like it did on this vase. Albany slip was only mined in one place (in Albany, NY of course) and is no longer available, but I've been told Alberta slip is a reasonable substitute although I haven't tried it myself. Albany slip on its own is usually glossy when fired to cone 10, but in this use, it comes out matte and almost metallic.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Day 13 of 20 pots. Porcelain teapot with bamboo handle. Reduction fired to cone 10. A glaze we called Annie’s chun - wish I still had the recipe. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

One of my favorite teapots because it poor beautifully.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Day 12 of 20 pots. The final in my green streak, this large mug is one of my favorite shapes for tea - a larger mug with round sides for a nice warming fit in the hand. Full of hibiscus tea I'm about to enjoy. Cone 6 oxidation. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Day 11 of 20 pots. Continuing the green theme today’s pot is a stoneware planter with integrated saucer. I’ve learned the hard way to dry these slowly since the extra thickness where the pot and saucer meet can lead to uneven drying. Cone six oxidation. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

Stoneware planter with saucer glazed in a green glaze with iron oxide wash on the rim. Overlay of a runnier clear glaze or the rim and inside the saucer add some flux and float.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Day 10 of 20 pots. Stoneware teapot with bamboo handle. Handle offset toward the back for easier pouring. Cone six oxidation. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

I like experimenting with small changes in form. For this teapot I angled the rear lug back away from the body of the teapot so that the handle sits further back. This makes the teapot a little front heavy so it is easier to “tip me over and pour me out”.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Day 9 of 20 pots. If Winnie-the-Pooh had a honey pot that was pretty small and only used for sugar it might look like this. Cone 6 oxidation, white stoneware. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Day 8 of 20 pots. Sometimes even a simple piece can be so satisfying when it works. This little stoneware bowl was reduction fired to cone 10 with a copper red glaze. The glaze is a Tom Coleman recipe. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

White stoneware bowl glazed in Coleman Red.

Inside view of white stoneware bowl glazed with Coleman Red.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

Day 7 of 20 pots. Just a simple bowl. Cone 6 oxidation.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

Day 6 of 20 pots. Bud vase - porcelain with tenmoku glaze, reduction fired to cone 10. 10” tall. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Day 5 of 20 pots. One of the many kiln gods made over the years. Cone 6 oxidation. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Day 4 of 20 pots. White stoneware pitcher with a kaki red glaze and celadon splashes and rim dip overlay. Cone 10 reduction fired. #20pots #pottersofbluesky #ceramics

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

Day 3 of 20 pots. White stoneware vase glazed with a simple opaque white glaze and then a handprint from each of my kids after they dipped their hands in a wash of iron oxide and water. Two of these made, one for each grandmother. Kids in grade school then, college and grad school now. #20pots

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Day 2 of twenty pots. Stoneware teapot with bamboo handle. Cone 6 oxidation. #20pots #ceramics #pottersofbluesky

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

I guess I’ll jump on the pot a day for 20 days train. #1 - stoneware tea pot with blue celadon glaze, small splashes or red iron oxide and a bamboo handle.

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Reposted by Milhouse Barks

Dustin Moskovitz @moskov.goodventures.org · 28/02/2025

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

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Reposted by Milhouse Barks

Quin Rey @quinreystudios.com · 28/02/2025

Losar Tashi Delek! 🪷 Happy Tibetan New Year to my friends who celebrate. May the Wood Female Snake Year bring you happiness & resilience. May all beings be peaceful. May all beings be happy. May all beings be safe. May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature. May all beings be free.

A Tibetan flag that says if you light a lamp for someone else, it will also brighten your path. Buddha

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

WIP - a fermentation jar with an elephant for the overflow. Proportions are off on the elephant, but I was running out of time in the session and I wanted to get it done and see how it works. I’m currently in a community studio with a few short sessions per week, which is tough to time anything.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Every once in a while you stumble on a little gem. This should be shared widely. youtu.be/bOGngF-oCFA?...

youtu.be

I Hope This Letter Finds You Well

YouTube video by Kevin Ricker

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

The last line of this very accurate and terrifying at the same time. Without empirical reality they can just choose their alternate facts with impunity.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Almost time for seed starting. I usually graft tomatoes just for myself and some friends, but this year I'll do over 200 so I have some to offer other gardeners at my seedling sales. Grafting heirloom tomatoes to these vigorous rootstocks helps the plants stay healthy and productive until frost.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Stoneware Japanese lanterns I made a few years ago. Tan stoneware pieces thrown, altered and assembled. Iron oxide sponged on before final firing and solar powered lights added. #pottery #create

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Reposted by Milhouse Barks

Owl Daily @owldaily.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Find peace in the quiet moments. 🦉 📸 jennilsphotography #Owl #Bird #wild

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Reposted by Milhouse Barks

roneglash.bsky.social @roneglash.bsky.social · 24/12/2024

Since AI has essentially committed theft of all of humanity's internet images and text, and there is no way to individually proscute, the best legal action would be to require those corporations to put their AI models in publically accessible open source, free for anyone to utilize. bit.ly/406WwRD

en.wikipedia.org

Open-source artificial intelligence - Wikipedia

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

I always feel better when I spend time creating. I have to reminding myself of that fact or I get so busy being bitter and saddened by what’s going on that I don’t make the time to get to the studio. No matter how you feel, make room for the positive.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Even though it is still snowy outside, it is time for me to start my sweet potatoes sprouting so I have a ton of slips to plant this spring.

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Milhouse Barks @milhousebarks.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Day dreaming about spring planting.

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