A Ton of Clay

That is how much I order at one time, because, like everything else, it has gone up in price and buying a ton at a time gets the best price per pound.  I used to pay to have the supplier deliver it; but the driver started complaining about how hard it was to navigate from the alley to the studio (it is pretty tight), so I decided to do it myself.  40 - 50lb. boxes.  Not carried one at a time - I have a heavy-duty dolly that I use at shows for load-in & out; but even with that, four boxes is about the max per trip.  Then, studio space is tight, too, so the boxes have to go underneath work tables.  That's fun.  Crouched over under a table and lifting a 50lb. box to the top of a stack.  I tell myself that it's exercise and do it carefully in order to protect the back and knees.

Right now, though, our 21-year old grandson is staying with us while he gets situated.  You know - some brain and lots of brawn.  He has an unusually good attitude about helping out, so I make it a point to not take advantage of him; but yesterday I called in a favor.  He loves physical exercise, like chopping wood for the wood stove; and I originally was going to just let him do all 40 boxes; but I couldn't.  It's such a hard job and it was cold and rainy and muddy.

​The ton will last most of the year.  Now I need to start producing in earnest.  Cherry Creek Art Festival is coming up.

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This is the easiest spot to load into because it's not under a table.  I can fit half the ton here.