Quirky Things I've Found

  

     It's hard to believe, but my one-year job anniversary is quickly approaching.  In a short period of time, I have learned a thing or two about grant writing, 

while also discovering some quirky things along the way...

      In my first month on the job, I was visiting our war memorial, when I spotted an elderly fellow sitting in the sun.  It was very hot, so I stopped to ask if he needed a cool drink?  He said, "No, I'm fine, just waiting on the bus."  

     We struck up a conversation, and I discovered he works in Building 5,  at the West Virginia State Capitol Complex.  Of course, I was curious. When stumbling across such a treasure, how could I pass on the opportunity to ask a few questions?  

     I asked, "How long have you worked at your current job?"   If memory serves correct, his answer was, "over 30 years."  He picked up his current job once retiring from his "real" job.  

    This lead to question number two, "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" He replied, "My name is Flick, and I am 94-years old."  

     We both laughed as I quizzed him to find if anyone had told him he could retire?  He told me he wasn't interested in retiring anytime soon, he likes to keep busy.

     He was happy to pose for this photograph...

     In the fall, I took part in our agency's annual "Listening Tour".  Staff from the Wet Virginia Culture Center visit towns across West Virginia to find how we can better serve their art community. 

     While traveling in southern West Virginia, I met Tony Szabo, owner of the the old Ramsey School, located in downtown, Bluefield.  

     He was gracious enough to give me an impromptu tour of his 330,000 square foot building, which is undergoing heavy restoration.  I asked how he came to own this lovely old building?  As we walked, he shared a bit of his story with me. 

     Szabo is an Oregonian, from Seattle.  There, he and his father own a computer programming business focused on the needs of  construction trade professionals.  

    Along the way, Szabo realized it was time for a change.  He logged onto e-bay, where he found the old Ramsey school listed in the real estate section.  Sight unseen, he purchased the building and set out for West Virginia.  He lives on the top floor, and has a bar/restaurant downstairs.  It's definitely worth a visit.  I've been twice and the progress is amazing...

     Right next door to the Ramsey School, is Gary Bowling's House of Art.  Again, the unexpected presented itself.                                                                                                                            

    Gary Bowling is a retired military officer, who has traveled the world.  After leaving the military, he returned home with the goal of promoting young West Virginia artists.  His space is awesome, filled with all sorts of interesting things. 

His gallery is located in the top floor of the old town hall.  As we turned the corner, the old jail cells came into view.  Rather than holding prisoners, cells were inhabited by artists, who are perhaps  prisoners of a sort?   Every cell was taken and on this day, art class were in full swing-how cool!

  
     Next stop Shepherdstown, West Virginia.   My co-worker, Debbie Haught and I were having a stroll after a meeting at the Ice House, when we heard piano music coming from somewhere, but where?         The only thing in view was a little red  S-10 Chevy truck.  

     Sure enough, this was the music source.  We met this interesting fellow, Danny Kean, of  Raggin Piano Boogie.  He, too, needed a life change, sold his house, bought a truck, stuck a piano in the back and hit the road.  

     When we met him, he was just returning from a 3-month stint in Glacier Park, Montana.  His stated mission is to share his love of music, and help others get in touch with the musician in them.

  "I've had more than 20,000 people climb onto the back of this truck to play a tune on my piano.  People who haven't had formal lessons don't see themselves as having musical talent.  It's my goal to have them open their minds, and see the power of music." 

     Wow, what a guy and his dog was really cute, too.

     It was time to head south and west for a visit to the Keith-Albee in Huntington, West Virginia.
     During my undergraduate studies at Marshall University, I attended many awesome events at the Keith, like Itzak Perlman and Miles Davis. Myths abound about the history of the Keith-Albee and it was a special treat to explore every nook and cranny.  Hard to believe the lovely Mexican-barouqe building was completed in fourteen short months.  Designed before the Great Depression, the theater provides a back-stage ticket office for vaudeville acts, which assigned performance time and noted what special needs the actors had, like the need for an animal room, which is handily located in the basement.

The backstage control system is still employed.  Recent acts include Liza Manelli and the Doobie Brothers...

Pictured above is Junior, who has taken care of the Keith-Albee for the past 30 years.  I hope he is training the next generation-how else would a person figure out this complicated system?  Something tells me e-how would be of no help.

Today, I have taken a reprieve from the desk job and am heading out to the studio with the hopes of making some pots (that I like, that's the trick!).  My job provides me with boundless opportunities for my work, but leaves me little time to make it.  Just the other night, I was at an event with First Lady Joanne Jaegar.  She knew of my work and would like to have it in the governor's mansion and the governor's office.  I promised to get right on that, and that is what I am about to do, making a special pot to mark the birthday of Nathan Seccuro, who is sadly missed.

A Slice of Pittsburgh

During a recent trip to Pittsburgh, I popped into the Contemporary Craft Museum, where I saw this awesome show.  It's definitely worth checking out...

The images making up the x-ray people were repeated over and over then sewn together.

 

They shimmered and moved as the observer walks through them.

These shoes are made of the most delicate paper.

This last image is an exerpt from a much larger piece.  The detail and shading are spectacular.

See it for yourself!

Society for Contemporary Craft

Pittsburgh, PA

April 16 - August 22, 2010

Organized by the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, Inc. this triennial exhibition features 85 exceptional works that are pushing the boundaries of fiber art. Of the total number of works in the show, 22 pieces were produces by artists living outside of the US. Countries represented include Australia, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

SCC will be featuring half of this large and diverse exhibition with the other half on display at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. The exhibiting artists have employed a dazzling variety of techniques, often in a single work. Many of the artists have combines traditional techniques such as embroidery, quilting, or weaving with more contemporary processes such as laminating, plant dyeing, digital printing, and burning. Materials range from linen, wool, and silk to plastic bags, cable ties, and X-rays

Work Life

Bright and early on Sunday morning there was a knock at the front door.  I considered not answering, but was glad I did.  There on my doorstep  was the flower delivery guy with this beautiful bouquet from great friend, Stacey.  She wanted to wish me well on my first day of work, and the gesture really made my day, and now here I am, already half way through week two...

Yes, I miss my studio and flower garden a lot, but the Capitol grounds are beautiful, and every day, I stop and smell the abundantly fragrant and lovely magnolia blossoms...

I have also spent time with over 130 lovely quilts, watching as the artful ballet of hanging them for display unfolded over a series of several days.  Now I get to walk through them everyday on the way to my office and admire the fine craftsmanship.   Other interesting things I've done this week include watching  the taping of ARTWORKS, our public television show which features in depth interviews with WV artists, from the control room.  I will be interviewed and introduced to WV artists, letting them know I am available to help them make their way through the grant application process.

While reviewing previous funded grants, I am  finding all sorts of interesting people, like Tatiana Rakhmanina, who is busy making fancy hats in her Hinton, WV studio.  She wrote a grant to study with Queen Elizabeth's milliner and I think she made good use of her time.

Tomorrow, I will meet with the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.  They are interested in finding a sculptor to design a memorial for the miners who lost their lives at the Upper Big Branch mine explosion...

Yes, it is odd being away from the studio everyday for eight hours, but it's also stimulating in a way and I think my 9 to 5 work will have a positive impact on my ceramic life.

Sometimes The Lights All Shining On Me, Other Times I Can Barely See

As of late, it has truly been a long, strange trip...

This time next week, I will be starting my new job.  For me, this is a strange statement to write or say out loud, but the time is growing very near, but for today, I hope to simply soak up some sun, throw some porcelain and glaze some pots.

I just found this little bowl in my son's room.  I think I will make a matching set.  I love its sweet simplicity, and strawberries and yogurt really look at home in it.

To all those who have written such kind and caring words to me, thank you so much...

 

Spin It For Me Sweet

This photo of my son,Zane (right) and his best friend, Nate was taken at the Millennium Park in Chicago a couple of summers ago.  We took Nate and Zane to their first big rock concert as part of Zane's birthday celebration.  Nate has been an important part of our family for years and I have many fond memories of him.

I remember giving Nate a bowl years ago, assuming he would stick it on a shelf somewhere and forget about it.  A while later, he came to the house with a distressed look on his face.  He told me that he ate his morning cereal from that bowl everyday and had accidentally broken it.  I told him to go out to the studio and pick out a new one.  He gave me a smile and asked me to "spin it for me sweet".  I thought that was the loveliest turn of phrase and it secured a special place in my heart for him.

Nathan Securro had a terrible car crash on Saturday night and died from his injuries.  Our whole family is completely devastated by this loss...  Please keep his family in your prayers and remember to hug those one's who are close to you often.

The Suit

Back in November, I received notification of a job posting at the WV State Culture Center...  

Here is the job description:

CULTURAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR

ART

ART HISTORY

FOLK ARTS

LITERARY ARTS

UNDER THE GENERAL SUPERVISION OF THE DIRECTOR OF

ARTS, THE CANDIDATE WILL COORDINATE ALL ASPECTS

OF THE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS PROGRAMS OF THE AGENCY.

THE CANDIDATE WILL: WORK WITH AGENCY STAFF ON

SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS; SHARE RESOURCE

INFORMATION WITH INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS; MAINTAIN

CONTACTS WITH WEST VIRGINIA ARTISTS; WORK WITH

AGENCY STAFF TO MAINTAIN ARTIST REGISTER DATABASE;

DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT NEW PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUAL

ARTISTS; COORDINATE THE WEST VIRGINIA ARTIST

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM; COORDINATE THE PROFESSIONAL

DEVELOPMENT FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS PROGRAM; WORK

WITH THE DIRECTOR OF ARTS TO PUBLISH ARTWORKS

NEWSLETTER; WITH WITH THE DIRECTOR TO PRODUCE

ARTWORKS TELEVISION SHOW; RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENT

NATIONAL INITIATIVES CONCERNING ARTISTS; REMAIN

CURRENT WITH NATIONAL TRENDS AFFECTING INDIVIDUAL

ARTISTS; COORDINATE ON-SITE VISITS TO ARTISTS'

STUDIOS; SERVE IN AN ADVISORY ROLE FOR THE AGENCY

ON INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS' ISSUES AND CONCERNS.

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED. 

It seemed like an interesting job, and I found myself filling out the application. Oh,  the places the internet can take you, without ever leaving the comfort of the studio.  It was all on a whim and I thought of it as an exercise.  After all, I haven't filled out a job application or received a paycheck from an employer in over a decade.

I filled out the form, hit the send button and put it out of my head.  The weeks passed and the exercise was forgotten, until the phone rang one afternoon.  

In the end, almost by accident, I have managed to get myself a 9-5 job.  It is both scary and exciting.  

No, I will not stop making pots, and hope to actually make more-am I delusional?

As the year unwinds, we shall find out the answer to this and many other questions I don't yet know to ask...

I will begin my new work schedule mid-May and plan to be busy in the studio until that time arrives.

I just got these little pots out of the kiln and have nestled in some colorful succulents-they make me smile.

Crossing Over

I've been busy cleaning up the last remains of the dark clay body I have been using for the past several months.  I suffer from being fickle when it comes to clay bodies-sometimes yearning for the crisp cleanness of white, then pursuing the dark and organic. This is not the most productive way to approach making, but I find myself falling down the rabbit hole time and time again.  For me, the best part of making pottery is throwing the pot.  Glazing is my least favorite part.  I will be surrounded by stacks of bisqueware before I find the motivation to actually glaze work.  Then comes the unloading of  the kiln, where I will be disappointed by the muddy quality the dark clay gives to my glazes.  This will send me off chasing the light...  In my defense, I have limited myself to one dark body and one porcelain-two at once is quite enough!   

Step one involves removing all traces of the offending body, including mopping the floor and rinsing off all tools, work surfaces, bats and wheel.  This I have accomplished...

Next comes connecting with a new ideas... This is sometimes accomplished by wearing my purple velvet shoes, which are always on a shelf in the studio.  They never leave the studio, just in case I need a little jump start, plus they are quite uncomfortable, which keeps me at the wheel rather than pacing about looking out the window.

Before I started making the triple red dot series in dark clay, I was making the raised dot series in porcelain.  I'm preparing to revisit those-it's the clean, bright colors of spring that interests me now, but I know eventually, I will go back to the dark side.

Recently, I sent my brother-in-law a set of mugs with raised slip work.  He both lives in Alaska and suffers from back pain.  He wrote letting me know of the healing quality of the mugs.  As he drinks from them, he rolls the mug between his hands, which give him an acupuncture treatment as well as delivering caffeine.  I'm hoping he'll make an infomercial for me soon!

  

  

When my son was nine, he went to visit his grandparents house where his dad and I were married under their wisteria vine.  His step-grandmother gave him seeds from the wisteria and told him they were magic beans.  He brought them home where we planted them.  That was ten years ago, and this is the first time it has bloomed-just in time for our twentieth wedding anniversary this June.  It has been worth the wait and the smell is heavenly...

Lastly, I must tell you of my weekend.  Out of the blue, we were invited to dinner by friends both Friday and Saturday night-a true double hitter.  It was so delightful, I want to share the menus with you and regret not having photos to accompany the description.

Friday night was an Indian feast of smoked eggplant, curried chick peas and vegetables with saffron infused risotto and a green lively raita.  I admit at the end of the evening, I dashed into the kitchen to eat  the last few chickpeas straight from the pan-yum.  The host discovered my caper, but rather than chastising me or causing me discomfort for being so bold, he simply joined me at the stove, where we finished off any hint of leftover.

Saturday night was a six course meal served by an absolutely calm host-I find myself getting manic, so I was doubly impressed by Sam's demeanor.

We started with smoked eggplant which was mounded on a small round of tortilla with red pepper coulis.  This was followed by a lovely torte and fresh baby greens.  Then came the chilled cauliflower soup with a lovely surprise of fresh avocado tucked beneath the surface.  Next, we had grilled prawns with quinoa-spicy and delicious.  At this point I was slowing down a bit, but the courses kept coming...braised beef with delicate potato slices hidden beneath gently melted gruyere.  And finally, a fabulously light layer cake with strawberries and buttercream frosting.  I am writing this as a way to savor the meal again.  What a lucky person I was this weekend!