The Pondering Potter

Quirky Things I've Found

2011-03-11T08:18:00.000-08:00

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

2010-07-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-10T07:23:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-04T08:09:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-26T07:36:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

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!

Hot From the Kiln

2010-04-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

In the garden, one brave asparagus spear reaches toward the sun and is physical proof of the lengthening day...

In the studio, I got these pots out of the kiln this morning...

Lately, I've been drawn to large red dots...

I'm not sure what the larger meaning is, or even if there is one.

This pot is destined to be someone's favorite morning bowl-fresh strawberries and yogurt would make the perfect pairing. Speaking of yogurt, you really should visit Diana Fayt and check out her homemade yogurt recipe-delicious.

Illumination

2010-04-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

Just back from Philadelphia where I attended the 44th Annual N.C.E.C.A. Conference...

It was an illuminating time, illustrated here by Biello Martin Studio, a fabulous lamp maker's studio.

On the first day of the conference, I met Maha Ameen Khayat, who is a professor at the Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University-whew, that's a mouthful! Yes, she had flown all the way from Saudi Arabia and surely won the farthest distance traveled award. We became fast friends and I now know more about her culture, thanks to her openness and candor. She joined our clay posse and together we visited many, many galleries. My feet are still recovering and my head is full of so many different things to do with clay, both sculptural and functional. I don't think it's much of an exaggeration to say we visited over 50 galleries. It quickly became overwhelming and I stopped worrying about photographing what I was seeing and simply looked.

Here are the pots I purchased from Alleghany Meadow's nomadic clay gallery. The ART-STREAM, is a converted AirStream which allows him to take his (and many other talented people's) pots on the road-brilliant! I cherish my Mary Barringer pitcher and regret not buying the plate as well, but economy ruled my decision.

Before leaving for the trip, I broke my spoon rest, but now have a new one thanks to Kari Radash.

When I left for Philly, it was cold and dreary. I came back to 90 degree weather and a pear tree in full bloom. I wish spring had arrived more gradually, but I'm not about to complain...cutting grass is on today's "to do" list as well as other mundane household chores, but luckily I have lots to ruminate over while trimming the blades.

Why Do It?

2010-03-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the blogger revolution, I wrote to potter, Josie Jurqzenia, to ask why she blogged. Her response was short and sweet-"I do it for myself." There was something comforting in the simplicity of her answer, and I realized our reasons mirrored. However, I have found when other potters respond with their stories, my own studio struggles are validated. When I am alone in the studio, it is easy to convince myself that everyone else has it figured out and that I am a dim bulb...but then I hear from you and I feel a bit more in the normal range.

After my last post, I heard from Heidi Haugen, who had recently posted about the special orders and after reading it I thought, "Ok, it's not just me."

Now the blogging potter is commonplace, which has turned out to be a good thing. Communities are busy being built even without meeting in person. Meredith Heywood has taken on the task of connecting pots with the writer, and is busy curating a show of blogging potters this October at the Campbell House Gallery in Southern Pines, North Carolina-I'll keep you in the loop or you can see what she's up to by visiting her site.

And now it's time to face the growing pile of bisqueware and get to glazing. I feel completely comfortable telling you, glazing is my least favorite task!

On Tuesday, I'll be heading out to Philly for the NCECA Conference and hope to see you there.

Released

2010-03-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

It happened in the kitchen during a house party...

I have a dear friend who gives wonderful dinner parties. For the past two years, when it is time for me to leave, he regularly whispers in my ear, "I need big bowls, please make them for me. I will pay you!" I nod and promise, his wife urges him not to put my on the spot, and then I laugh, "soon I will have what you request." However, I suffer from a problem I am about to describe and I am really interested to know if this happens to you...

If I have a particular fondness for someone who asks me to make a specific pot, I often do not follow through with the request, or at the least, take far too long to deliver. Why? I find myself striving to make the perfect pot, which awakens my inner critic. With every attempt, that voice lets me know, "this is not perfect", which of course is true, for what is? I will cave in, realize the truth of the statement and think, "Oh, I'll just sell these to some anonymous person and the next batch will be closer to the perfection I seek-in the end, my friend will be glad to wait on something better...

Then came the big whammy...

Recently, my friends were over for dinner, and out of nowhere, right in the middle of my kitchen, he says,"Renee, I release you. Before coming over, I was looking at all the beautiful pots I have bought from you in the past, and I realized I have enough. I do not need anymore. I have the perfect amount and I release you from any requests for additional pots." My heart immediately started beating faster and I grew red in the face. I had the urge to fan myself and was at a loss for words. I found myself saying, "But wait! What are you saying? Again, he said, "I release you."

I knew it was a simple case of reverse psychology, but I found myself reacting nonetheless. The next day I woke up and thought, "Damn it! I'll make more than he can ever want and leave them on his lawn! Enough, indeed!"

In the end, it lit a fire and while I still find myself thinking the next batch would be better, I can see that I must get off the treadmill and meditate on wabi sabi.

These bowls are destined to live in Pete and Susan's house, and I can't wait to deliver them.

Spring In My Step

2010-03-10T06:39:00.000-08:00

It's no secret-this has been one hard, long winter, but spring is in the air. In January, I started checking on my Romanian Hellebore, which defies winter by beginning to bud despite the harsh weather. I know this photo isn't very clear, but she is quite beautiful in full bloom and acts as a salve against the relentless cold.

Lovely loaves and beer made by Trappist Monks also works wonders...

And now, off to the studio to begin the process of trimming.

Chuck HIndes Workshop at Cub Creek Foundation

2010-02-19T13:20:00.000-08:00

Just received this in the mail from John Jessiman...

Chuck Hindes
April 17-18, 2010
Chuck Hindes is a very impressive clay artist with expertise in wood firing. He is represented in many important collections with more than 30 years teaching experience at the Rhode Island School of Design and the University of Iowa.

Workshop Fee:
$125 Regular Registration
$75 Student Registration (full time student ID required)
Workshop fee includes lunch Saturday, dinner; Saturday, Coffee, tea and donuts; Sunday morning and lunch. Both meat and vegetarian dishes will be served.

Cub Creek Foundation
4411 Wheeler Spring Road
Appomattox, VA 24522
434.248.5074

email: info@cubcreek.org

No End In Sight

2010-02-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

The winter weather continues and the days are monotonously cold.

What better way to spend a chilly afternoon? Baking a loaf or two gives meaning to the day.

Just yesterday, I had a new experience in the studio. After my heating guy finished tuning up the furnace in the house, he came out to apprise me of his findings. While there, he admired the "coolness" of my studio and asked if I had a pot he could take with him? Preferably, a tray. I offered up a lovely little tray, which I must admit was not priced, and handed it to him. I had a quick moment of understanding as he tucked the tray into his overalls-he saw my offering as a gift. I was so flabbergasted, I just watched him go without saying a word. My initial thought was, "this is a guy who does not have handmade things in his life and here is a moment of clay karma." Later, I wished I had found my voice and chastised him for even contemplating taking my work for free. I woke in the middle of the night, missing my little tray and wishing for quicker wit.

Rather than obsessing, I realized a starting place had been marked for me, and I got to work making some more trays. Here they are in process, draped over some wooden forms I made awhile back...

I also have a large plaster mold I have been carrying around for years. I'm experimenting draping clay over the form and then adding a finishing coil around the rim once it stiffens up a bit.

Every time I make one, I find myself thinking that I could do a better job using the wheel, yet I"ll roll out another slab and make another attempt... This is perhaps my twelfth one, so I am still at the beginning of figuring it out.

Lastly, here are some pants pots that will soon be home to succulent succulents... I group them into little families and arrange them on a tray, where they can grace a window sill together. And, without too much thought, a new body of work has begun.

Someone recently asked me if I like making pots? Again, I was at a loss for words, for the question seemed both alien and hard to answer. My answer is, "Of course, or else my life choices would be ridiculous: however, my passions extend to cooking, plant life and changing the paint colors in my house. It's enough to keep me busy and, at times, out of the studio, but I always return and I can feel a long, hard work cycle upon me-feel free to bring me dinner anytime!

Listen To The Sound Of Silence...

2010-02-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

This photo is proof- I am still here, though quite silent...

This non-stop winter weather has lulled me into a deep hibernation.

I have managed to have some fun, including a visit from Jen Gandee, who broke away from the Gandee Gallery to visit me. Jen gave me my favorite holiday gift, a cup by Brooke Noble-isn't it great?

Brooke's pots are so graphic and cleaver.

She takes advantage of every available surface, even the bottom of the pot. I admit, I don't use it for my favorite beverage, choosing instead to leave it on the shelf as eye candy.

And now, I have broken the silence and plan to let you know of other adventures that are afoot in the studio.

This Is How We Do It

2009-11-06T09:50:00.000-08:00

My state takes its fair share of licks for being... Well, you can fill in the blank. We do know how to do some things right, like making Fiesta Ware... Check out how it's been made since 1871 and take some pride in our West Virginia heritage.

A Good Time Was Had By All

2009-10-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

Be forewarned, it's a far piece out a country road before you arrive at Cub Creek. Luckily, I had an excellent travel partner. We arrived on Friday afternoon and were met by two of the full time residents. They pointed out the kilns and clay studio, then gave us permission to snoop, which we did. It's a very nice set up and lots of clay activity is evident everywhere you look. Once we had looked at the kilns and pots, we headed up to where the residents live. If you are a young potter looking for a residency, I would suggest you check out this place. A few years back, the 4000 square foot plantation home, which had been Cub Creek, burned to the ground. After regrouping, John H., the founder and energy behind this foundation, rebuilt. The new resident housing is charming and cozy with room for six with the two kitchens being a nice addition. The clay studio is still fresh and has a nice open layout.

Now, about Chris...

Chris graduated from Alfred in the early 70's, worked alone in his studio, went on to teach at the 92nd Y, Parsons School of Design and he recently retired from his position at Dartmouth. His ability to speak so articulately about his work and how it's evolved, while simultaneously making his work was very impressive.

Chris makes his work in several stages. Throwing a series of bases, allowing them to stiffen a bit and then adding coils. His coiling technique is somewhat unusual. Rather than adding long continuous coils, he adds shorts coils asymetrically, which gives his pots their organic, undulating shape. He uses this approach with both stoneware and porcelain, then fires them in his very large wood kiln. He also manufactures field tile and employees several interns, who are kept fit by the constant movement in the studio.

Going to a clay workshop is sort of like watching a cooking show. It's nice to see someone who is able to make fabulous things look approachable and also to hear of stories on how to manuever around avoidable pitfalls...

Some hot tips I learned that may help you too...

1) How to glaze the inside of a large pot without picking it up? Buy a water pump for a blow up pool and a shop vac. Place pump in glaze bucket, pump in glaze, have someone standing by with shop vac, and voila!

2) Once that big pot is glazed, it needs to be loaded in the kiln. How to protect the glaze during handling? Mix a 50/50 mixture of elephant glue, available at the local craft shop, and spray it on the piece. This creates a hard shell that burns out during the firing-brilliant!

3) Wood-fired pots must be placed on wadding to keep them from fusing to the kiln shelf, but sometimes the wad will flatten out from the weight of the pots and cause headaches. What to do? Mix wadding mixture and roll into log. Slice into marshmellow sized pieces and bisque fire. Then your large pots can be tilted back, the wadding slid under and your ready to fire.

Those are just a few of the gems I learned.

Appomattox Bound

2009-10-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

I was happy to discover that Chris Gustin will be giving a workshop at the Cub Creek Foundation this weekend, located in Appommattox, Virginia.

Cub Creek was founded by John Jessiman and offers long term residencies to provide an environment for potters to focus on clay work full time. This will be my first visit and I look forward to meeting John Jessiman and watching Chris work.

I will be joined by one of my favorite people and potters, Kate Harward of Tygart River Pottery. Kate makes these lovely lamps, as well as an extensive line of functional work.

This should be just the thing to inject some extra energy into my work...

Bramwell XIV

2009-10-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

Prepare yourself for the Fourteenth Bramwell Oktoberfest...

Stamps have been made, slabs have been rolled, and another year's awards have been made...

Here are the third place awards just before the glaze firing-stay tuned for photographs of the happy winners holding finished pots.

...and a photo of the last blooms of the season.

Turtle

2009-08-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from the poem,
Turtle,
by poetlaurette, Kay Ryan

She lives
below luck-level, never imagining
some lottery
will change her load of pottery to wings.
Her only levity is patience, the sport of truly chastened things.

Recently, I read an article about Kay Ryan and discovered that, in her life, she has been a reluctant poet. If not for the support and prodding of her companion, who stuffed envelopes with self-published books of poetry and sent them to nameless publishers, we may never have read her poetry... I am glad Kay Ryan had such a dear partner.

The article gave me pause to think of my own struggles. For years, I have had an underlying feeling that some day I would wake up and realize the life of a potter is not for me-that I would eventually join the 9-5 world in a more traditional approach to making money...

For some reason, just the other day, out of the blue and in response to nothing, I had this sense of calm and acceptance. The underlying feeling just disappeared. So today, I can say, "I am a potter, and that is that."

In the beginning, I had a road map in my head of what success would mean. I haven't fulfilled my fantasy of big city shows and high end galleries, but something even better has happened... I am part of the intimate rituals carried out daily by people who know and love me. In the end, I think I've succeeded in ways I could not have imagined years ago.

I'm the lucky person who gets to make...

Keepsakes for JK and Vaughn's Wedding Guests

and harvest the bounty from my garden...

...and share my life with lovely people who are always quick to appreciate me.
Thank you.

As The Wheel Turns

2009-07-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

An update on the life and times of a non-potting potter...

You may ask yourself, " What has she been doing and what is she building in there?"

Well, I attended a summer party where I had a drink at a tiki bar on wheels... There was also a fair amount of feasting and a very sophisticated fire works display on Saturday night.

I also taught a two week clay class in Putnam County. I haven't taught a kid's camp in years, but it turned out to be a real hoot, plus a bit on an inspiration. It was great to spend time with people who know who they are and where they are going...This is Cora King- such a great name. She has a Johnny Cash voice and a passion for clay.

When I asked the class what they hope to be when they grow up, this guy replied "actor". "You want to be an actor when you grow up?" He replied, " No, I'm already an actor, I just don't get paid for it yet." His largest role so far is young Scrooge-keep an out for this one.

Also, lots of time has been spent on construction projects...

There is now a roof over the pizza oven and the outdoor kitchen is starting to take shape. My studio bathroom has a new window and the claw foot bathtub will finally welcome potential bathers by actually working-such small things bring such big happiness. The long awaited pagoda is half way to completion and my studio sink has been scrubbed and is ready to become a muddy mess again. Clay has been purchased, glazes have been sieved and everything is in place to begin again...

FYI
The Bramwell Oktoberfest is less than ninety days away (mark your calender) and once again the award cups are on my mind. Bramwell master mind, George Sitler, was recently at the Omegang Brewery in upstate New York. He called from the bar to let me know, of all the awards on display, the Bramwell Oktoberfest awards are the coolest. I confess I saved his message and listened to it more than once. Somehow it accidentally got erased from the answering machine-hmmm.

Product Loyalty

2009-06-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

The other day, my son's friend was over for a visit and wanted something to drink. He pulled out my Christa Assad cup, said how much he liked it and asked if I had made it. I let him know that it was made by a "hot" California potter. "Is she hot?", he asked. "What I meant by hot, is that she is at the top of her game, but she is rather easy on the eye as well." He admired the cup for another second, placed it back on the shelf and chose one of mine.

I didn't think too much of it until my nieces stopped by the house. Again, the question was asked, "Did you make this?". Pots made by anyone other than me were put back on the shelf.

When I visit other potters, I am always excited to touch, admire and use pots made by others...I assumed everyone would feel this way-who cares who made it? In the end, I got to experience radical favoritism and it felt good.

On a recent visit from friend and potter, Errol Willett, I was presented with a tea bowl he had made. While I rarely feel strong ownership of any pot that comes into this house, I find that I do think of this cup as mine. I am now musing over the idea of ownership and how we define what we think of as cherished possessions...

Springing Forward From Here

2009-04-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what living in one place for several years does for the garden... This year we have garlic and winter onions in place. Small shoots of green poke through the soil toward the warming sun.

On other fronts, I've discovered plants in pots are big sellers. After a recent chastising from a 93- year old lady for not knowing the exact name of the succulents that live in my pots, I vow to know exactly what it is I am selling... Though I lacked the proper names for my cacti, she bought them all, loaded them on her stroller and made off into the evening.

And I am working on a project that has been years in the making. Several years ago, I decorated the front foundation of my studio with a mosaic made from broken pots. I planned to wrap my whole studio, but other tasks took precedence. The mosaic groove has hit and I was hard at work all weekend. Because I was working on the street side of my studio, I had many curious passersby stop and offer comments and encouragement. Neighbor Tim stopped to let me know that I do the "best work" and neighbor, Lori, who I had yet to meet, stopped with son, Toby. She let me know I have the coolest house on the west side and that she and her son often drive by to see what's new at the purple house.
In the morning, as I packed pots in the car for a sale, local kids were already at the wall, full of questions and comments... "These stars under the window are really cool. How did you do this?" I think I'll recruit them for the grouting phase. I have officially ceased needing to be in total control and invite friends and neighbors to get in on the action, though I feel a bit like Huck Finn. "Come paint my fence!"

Going Green

2009-04-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

While I've been hard at work in the studio, the garden has begun to bloom...

and the bounty of spring is here.

Lemons to Lemonade

2009-02-27T07:06:00.001-08:00

Before getting on the plane to leave California, I picked lots Meyer lemons and stuffed them into my suitcase...I would have picked more, but Amalia was impatient and didn't understand what all the fuss was about-Amalia, we don't have lemon trees in West Virginia!

Last night, I made a lemon meringue pie. It's been a while since I made a meringue and I had forgotten how important it is not to overbeat the meringue. Oh well, it still looks pretty good.

Before starting on the pie, I ordered fourteen pounds of frozen green chiles from Hatch Chili Express located in Hatch, New Mexico. Amazingly enough, they have just arrived at my door and I am quite excited to cook up some green chili. In a few weeks, my clan will be competing in the Green Chili Shoot Out at the Capitol Farmer's Market, so this weekend will be spent fine tuning our winning recipe.

Way West...

2009-02-20T12:29:00.000-08:00

In a moment of spontaneity, I did get on that airplane and flew to San Francisco. Every part of the trip fell into place perfectly...

I was met at the airport by the ultra-talented Diana Fayt, whose blog, One Blackbird, inspired mine. Let me say now, that everyone should have one of Diana's pots and they're just a click away... We have been pen pals for the past couple of years, but we had yet to meet face to face. Without her encouragement, I don't know that I would have made this trip. She picked me up at the airport, and hosted me for the first few days of my journey. It was so great to meet her in person and I found that we had the ease of old friends meeting again after a long time. She lives in a lovely apartment right in San Francisco. When walking out her back door, you are greeted by a courtyard garden, which was already in bloom and the lemon tree branches were heavy with fruit.

Everyone kept apologizing for the cold weather, but when I mentioned that it was 13 degrees when I got on the plane in WV, they quickly realized that I was finding the San Francisco weather to be down right tropical, even if it was only 59 degrees! Diana made sure that I experienced some really wonderful food, including the creamiest ice cream I've had-yum.

We visited her studio which is tidy, orderly and full of her lovely pottery. I also met other interesting people who have space in her building, including a piano builder and a harpsichord maker-the dildo maker had just moved to a bigger space, so I missed meeting those folks. People make their living in the most interesting ways there-anything seems reasonable. Next we were off to Heath Ceramics, which was established in 1948 by Edith Heath. Because I was with Diana, we were given a leisurely tour of the factory and show room. It's located right over the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito and it was the perfect primer for the workshop I was there to attend.

Finally, it was time for the Andrew Martin workshop at Fourth and Clay. Again, I met for the first time internet pen pal, Josie Jurczenia, who has also encouraged my writing. She is the owner of Fourth and Clay and shares her space with Christa Assad and Rae Dunn. Plus, Whitney Smith was there. Yes, everywhere I went, I was surrounded by stars of the clay world.

When I walked through the door, it was announced that the "east coaster" had arrived and things got going. Andrew Martin did an excellent job at sharing his wealth of knowledge. Rather than using a wheel to make his pots, he makes plaster molds of his work, which he then slip casts. I have never worked in this way, but I can see the definite benefits of understanding something about this process. Like anything else, it would take me lots of time to figure out all of the inevitable glitches, but while watching a master, it seemed quite effortless.

Andrew has a very relaxed sort of energy. He told us a story about another potter, who likes his demonstrations to go perfectly. Andrew wondered why, since nothing in the studio actually unfolds in that manner. These musings were the perfect set-up for what was about to happen... At these sort of events, there are always the people who get right up front, and this workshop was no different. All the usual suspects are up front, inches away from the font of knowledge, pens poised over notebooks, book bags and purses wide open from plundering for the pen. It was at this point that Andrew offered to show the consistency of his plaster. As he hoisted the bucket up and over the table to give everyone a glimpse, something went wrong... All of the plaster flew out of the bucket, into the laps and bags of the front row people and then continued on to the empty chairs and floor. The first response was to laugh and then everyone went into action mode. In no time at all, the place was clean, though some remnants did remain on the participants. After all of the commotion, we decided to break for lunch.

During our lunch break, I was approached by Christine Weis Daughtery, who lives on the east coast too. She asked, "Where on the east coast?" I told her that I am from West Virginia, and she said, "Really, me too. Where do you live?" When I told her Charleston, she said that's where she lives. In keeping with the weird symmetry, her last name is Daughtery and my studio is on Daughtery Street...how unlikely. She lives in California during the winter and returns to the mountains for the summer and fall. We plan to have tea together once she comes back east. Small world, huh?

After the workshop ended, Diana dropped me off at glass artist, Lynne Rachel's house. I met L.R. when she moved to Huntington to work for Pilgrim Glass in the eighties. We hadn't seen each other in fourteen years. Again, I was well cared for by another great friend. During my time with her, her neighborhood had a transitional dinner, where each family hosted a different course at their house. We visited five houses, where I had the chance to get to know Lynne Rachel's neighbors. How fabulous to see inside all of those lovely Arts and Craft houses, with exquisite light fixtures and rich wood.

With Lynne Rachel, I rode street cars, walked on the beach, climbed mountains and had breathtaking views of the city and the ocean. The air was so crisp and fresh. L.R. pointed out that the air we were breathing had not been consumed by humans since leaving Japan. Makes you take a deep breath, doesn't it?

Earlier in the day, I had coffee with WV transplant potter, Barbara Edwards, who has been living in California for many years, but still thinks of herself as a West Virginian. She found my blog a while back and leaves me encouraging comments...Another fine first meeting of an internet friend and a friendship blooms...

In another stoke of good luck, my friend, Pete, who lives in Charleston, but is often on business in San Francisco, happened to be there during my visit. He took me to two fabulous restaurants, Absinthe and Aqua. When I mentioned my destination to locals, they said, "Your friend is very nice." And in fact, he is. Without his guidance, I never would have visited these fine eateries. The experience was a window into a world of culinary feats-the perfect foam surrounding the impeccably prepared fish, to say nothing of the fine wine.

After dinner, we went for drinks at Tosca, where the Rat Pack used to spend time. Nothing has been changed for the eighty years it's been in business. The bartender was quite distinguished looking in his crisp white shirt and perfectly pressed pants. The jukebox was full of opera, another first for me. Have you ever found a jukebox that offered opera? It was at Tosca that I enjoyed my first martini. Yes, I've martinis before, but notice I said enjoyed.

They were so cold and perfectly prepared-thanks Pete! After a memorable evening, Pete hailed me a taxi and I returned to L.R.'s, where I had a wee bit of sleep and then it was time to pack up and head to the airport.

Her daughter, Amalia, gave me a chocolate she had saved for me-quite a gift from her. It came in handy once I learned that my flight out of Chicago was going to be delayed for four hours. Just when I was about to melt down, I remembered the chocolate. I felt better once it had melted in my mouth. I landed at 2am and was met by a bizarre wind storm, which had been the cause for delay. I drove home, stumbled into bed, my head full of wonderful memories and the knowledge that San Francisco is full of lovely people and a great place to be.

Confessions of a Potter

2009-01-26T12:11:00.000-08:00

1) My holidays were not stress free.

2) It's been very cold and I have let the studio grow quiet.
3) Living with a teenager is not easy.
4) Sometimes I'm lazy, other times I just want to cook lots of food.
5) I get jazzed when a stranger calls up out of the blue and wants to stop by the studio.
6) I'm often surprised at which pots people want to buy.
7) It is my habit to overthink everything, which can lead to limbo land.
8) In an attempt to be more spontaneous, I am getting on a jet plane Thursday and going to San Francisco, where I will be staying
with super stars of the pottery world.
9) I hope to have lots to say in the near future.
10) My garden is calling me and small starts of basil grow in my windowsill.

Yesterday two lovely ladies came by for some tea and to purchase a present for their friend. They left the studio with several pots and have promised to be back soon. Today, I have been hard at work and feel happier.

It's A Perfect Day...

2008-12-03T14:01:00.000-08:00

Today's power shoppers were the Alten twins. Before meeting the twins, I met their mom, Helen, a potter in a former life. Helen made pots at the Archie Bray. For all you non-clay folks, the Archie Bray is where every potter hopes to spend time. It was so lovely to have a conversation with Helen. With her, I had the experience of becoming fast friends-she is just a delight.

Then came her children....Because they have been raised with handmade pots, they appreciate handmade pots. I have the distinct honor of making the holiday gift they plan to give their mom. I so enjoy knowing where my pots are going and who is using them-thanks guys! When the children of a potter buys my pots, it is doubly special to me. I will always remember them, their enthusiasm for clay and their excitement to give their mom something they know she will enjoy.

To end a very lovely day, I came home and found a package on the door step. While at the Utilitarian Clay Symposium, I bought a Kari Radasch platter. I've been patiently awaiting the end of the Symposium Show, so I could actually possess the platter, instead of just owning it. Today was the day the platter arrived. Yeah! I love my new platter and find myself in a very happy state of being.

A New Day Is Here

2008-12-01T10:31:00.000-08:00

As winter rolls in and all news seems to be bad news, it's easy to get in a funk...
However, as I watched Janet Napolitano, Hilary Clinton and Susan Rice, accept their new roles in President-Elect Obama's cabinet, I felt heartened. While none of these ladies look as if they could mount an arctic hunting expedition, they do look like capable shapers of our near and distant future. Women who have won respect and accolades for doing good, honest, hard, work over extended periods of time. Thank God and the Goddess, too!
For the next few days, I will be at the local Montessori School, selling pots to the children. I always enjoy my time with this group. Because they have been encouraged, they are naturally encouraging and always make me feel loved and special. Last year, one little girl went on a serious crying jag after learning that someone else has swooped in and bought the bowl she wanted. I have to say, it made me love that little girl and my memory of her is still strong.
Yes, children in the above photo are playing with Obama and McCain barbies. They were busy counseling their dolls to "get along" and "work together".

Not A Rock Star Everyday

2008-11-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

I often count on new things working out the first time I give them a try. Since this rarely happens, I'm not sure why I continue on with this mindset. Perhaps I am a slow learner...
I've been busy making large platters by draping slabs of clay over a plaster hump mold and then adding a coiled foot. As I was making them, it popped into my head that the narrow foot might lead to the platter slumping in the final firing. But they came out of the bisque standing proud and I thought, "Well maybe." This is where the magical thinking kicks in, the voice telling you that something is not going to work gets drowned out by the voice of optimism. I didn't completely ignore that nagging voice, and I did start making the feet wider and thicker.
Fast forward to the first glazed load of these pots. Guess what? Sure enough, the platters did slump and I ended up with a kiln load of lopsided platters. Not what I had envisioned... Have I also been making pots that I knew would work for the holidays? I don't even want to answer that question. Have I been enjoying experimenting with the new? The answer to that question is, Yes!
It's times like these that make me really appreciate Michael Kline's blog, Sawdust and Dirt. In moments of despair, I can come in, check out his blog roll and visit other potters without ever leaving home. It also clues me in that I am not the only one coming up empty handed...
Just last week, while visiting Michael's blog, I found Amy Sanders. I fired off an email to say hello, letting her know I liked her work. She then visited my blog, discovered that I had been on a recent road trip with Jen Gandee and wrote me back to say she had traveled with Jen to an NCECA. Jen's husband was Amy's ceramics professor. That brief connection with her made me feel more connected in general. There is a whole community of mad potters out there making things that are both glorious and down right wrong!
Anyway, these little breaks help me to keep things in perspective, allowing me to take a breath and get back to work, which is where I'm headed now, while chanting in my head, "There is still time, be productive."

I may not set the world on fire with my slumpy platters, but I can make a mean pepperoni roll in the pizza oven. In the end, all is well.

She Knows Who She Is

2008-10-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

I was a clay artist years before I was a wife or mother. Early on, I recognized how integral clay was to my well being and happiness. I articulated that importance to my husband before we married. I let him know that if he was looking for a wife with a high earning job, he might need to keep looking. I suppose he was up to the challenge and this past summer we celebrated our eighteenth wedding anniversary. While all these things are true, it has been far from easy and I have gotten lost along the way more than once.
My husband's schooling was long and involved. He had to work very hard, often needing for us to give him time alone for preparation and study. Because I supported his dream, I would take our small child away in an attempt to give him what he needed-often a simple thing like quiet. I, in turn, expected the same support from him and to his credit he has always urged me on, even when I felt like quitting.
I thought that mothering and art would go hand in hand seamlessly, but I was a bit naive. When my son was three, I took a five week residency eight hours from my home. Looking back on it, I can't believe I had enough guts to do it. It was hard and I missed my son terribly. At the same time, I recognized my own need for quiet moments to reflect and learn. I was hard headed and focused enough to make it happen. By the time my son was eight, I had studied abroad for an extended period of time and taken another residency in Maine. When sharing my plans with other non-artist mothers, they would pull their children in closer while shaking their heads to let me know they could never make this kind of decision. I knew that if a father where in a similar situation, it would simply be taken in stride and the wife would keep the home fires burning until his return. I didn't receive that same feeling of support from moms I'd talk to in the school yard about my need, though my absence from home was a direct result of needing more training and time in order to do my job better. After a while, this mindset started effecting me. I began doing less art and more mothering, thinking that this would lead to a well adjusted child. I don't regret how I've spent my time, but working less with clay made me unhappy on a subtle level that was even hard for me to identify. However, my son is now seventeen, can drive himself to school and makes a mean bean burrito without any help from me.
This past year, I have felt more and more like myself, that is my "old self". I now have the freedom to re-visit who I was in the before time. I am reconnecting to the energy that gave me so much happiness. Seeing the film, Who Does She Think She Is, really churned up lots of things that I had simply been repressing in order to get on with the day to day. In part, the film made me sad, revealing the tough struggle women face when trying to do two things well at the same time. It also gave me hope, for there are women out there who, against all odds, are just getting art done.
In fact, my fascination with Janis Mars Wunderlich was in part sparked by the fact that she has five children in her house, yet she manages to continue with her sculpting. This past I Friday I not only got a chance to meet her (a very charming and personable woman), but also got the chance to have a private viewing of this documentary. I knew nothing about the film and expected it to be fluffy for some reason. I was mistaken. I discovered this documentary was made by Pamela Tanner Boll, who won an Academy Award for her documentary, Born Into Brothels. I also learned that Ms. Bolls is a West Virginia native who grew up in Parkersburg. Rather than the film showing women easily going between the two worlds of artist and motherhood, it depicted women having a hell of a time trying to do both. Often the struggle ended with the artist being forced to choose between her art and her marriage. One of the husbands told his wife, "I need a wife." She responded by saying she needed one too-something that I have felt more than once. Seeing how little support these women (with the exception of Janis, who is happily married) received from their husbands gave me a deeper appreciation of how much support I have received.
While I sat in a fairly empty theatre watching this film, it was debuting to a sold out audience in NYC at the Angelika Film Center. While Ms. Bolls has tremendous talent and experience in the field of documentary making, she found that the film industry didn't find this subject matter interesting enough to release. I suppose children being born into Calutta brothels is just more fascinating than the struggle of the female artist in America. Rather than letting this lack of interest from the industry silence her film, Ms. Bolls is releasing the movie on her own. It gives me a sense of pride in her and in all struggling women who must make art...

Mars and Beyond

2008-10-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

I've been fascinated by the sculptures made by Janis Mars Wunderlich for years. Her sculptures feature the bodies of women, the heads of animals and lots of clinging children. The forms change, but the theme is always the same. I knew she had twins, but I've just found out that she has a total of five children. Aha, the theme makes complete sense.

Today she is at the Huntington Museum of Art, giving a three day workshop. Tonight there will be a viewing of the film, Who Does She Think She Is? , which focuses on five female artists and their struggle to be both good mothers and productive artists. Of course, Janis is one of the artists featured in the film. I am not taking part in the workshop for I am workshopped out, but I will drive over, meet the artist and check out the film...

Oompah!

2008-10-09T12:13:00.001-07:00

It's time for the 12th Annual Bramwell Oktoberfest. The hosts of the 'fest, George and Laura Sitler, are pictured here in front of the Perry House. Yes, that is a tuba you see on the porch-part of the traveling oompah band, leaderhosen and all...
The first Oktoberfest consisted of a merry gathering of 12 or so people. We loaded up Abra and Ariel's little red wagon with a small keg of home brew and set out for a walk through this lovely historic town. Twelve years later, it's grown into a full-fledged Oktoberfest. This year we expect 400 gallons of micro-brew from breweries located up and down the eastern seaboard and untold of amounts of home brew. International beer judge, Owen Ogletree will travel from Athens, Georgia, to pass judgment on the beer and to educate us on the finer points of ale. The awards I made are safely packed and ready for delivery. In short, all is well.

Recycling Day For Clay

2008-09-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

This is my clay recycling station. First, I slake down the clay in a bucket with water. Next I shove the moist, sloppy clay through a screen, pictured in the back corner of the photo. Then I scoop up the clay, place it on top of a piece of canvas and wait for the sun to do the rest. Every now and again, I go out to roll it into a log. Once enough moisture leaves the clay, it's ready to be wedged and become a lovely clay object or, if this plan fails, the clay is returned to the slurry bucket and recycled again.
Over the weekend, our new neighbor, Phil, threw a party. I ended up giving several tours of the studio, sold some pots and discussed the merits of a wood fired pizza oven with his guests. Phil says next time, he plans to take a commission...

The Maker and The Critic

2008-09-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

When studying clay at university, the professor gives out concrete assignments, such as make twenty-five teapots by next Monday. Everyone gets busy quick, cranking out lots of pots and keeping the best for the Monday critique. The class would take lots of time discussing the work, praising the good and pointing out the bad. At the end of the long discussion, the professor would bring out the trash can, trashing what was deemed a failure and keeping what was successful. While this approach is potentially painful, it was also very helpful.
Left alone in my studio with no critique deadline, it's easy to make a pot or two, judge it successful or not, and then move on to the next thing. The downside of this approach is that rather than forcing myself to work on something until it in fact works, I can say, "Oh yuck, no more of that." '
Going to the Clay Symposium worked to remind me of the far away time of class critiques. While there, I got to spend hours watching successful potters who have spent years honing their skill. Pot after pot, they have forced themselves to work out the glitches. Often the information was just so simple, yet powerful. My favorite demonstrator was Bruce Cochrane, a Canadian potter who has taught for 30 years . Here is one of the simple things I picked up from him. As he was throwing his nesting bowls, he started with the biggest and worked down to smallest. I was busy feeling stupid for not realizing the genius in this approach, when someone spoke up and said, "God I always start with the smallest and struggle to make the biggest one big enough." This comment came from one of the elite in the group, which worked to make me feel better. I was then able to accept it as a eureka moment-this is but one example of such moments.
Back home, I'm busy working on the Bramwell Awards. I allowed popular opinion to guide my design, though I wasn't so sure that the design was my favorite. However, my studio is full of these pots-a small portion of the bisqued pots are pictured above. Over the weekend, a friend from Connecticut visited. He loved the shape and texture of the award cups, and ordered 30, which he will use as his holiday gifts-sans the Bramwell stamp, of course. That order is forcing me to continue working on this shape and after I finished the 80th cup, I'm beginning to figure out how to make them. Without the impetus of more money for these shapes, I may well have abandoned them to move on to something else. Like so many things in life, I'm glad to be forced to continue working to improve my understanding of the form and am receiving a sense of accomplishment. Thanks, Henri!

Big Thumbs Up From The Universe

2008-09-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

I was just writing about how the clay community is sleepy here in my town, but change is in the air. I was on my way home the other day, when a sign caught my attention. It had images of pots on it, then I saw the word clay and supply. I immediately pulled into the parking lot and knocked on the door. The owner's, Michael and Karen Garnes, welcomed me in and showed me around. Not only will they sell clay and glaze supplies, but they are setting up a lovely teaching studio, which is full of light and lovely shades of green and blue. They are just moving back to the mountains from down south and saw the need for more things clay! There are no clay supply companies in West Virginia, and if you are a friend of mine living in a city with clay, I've probably called you up at least once to beg you to bring clay to me on your next visit. My search for clay mules is over. Yes, the only clay supply company in West Virginia will be located at the bottom of my hill. I could literally walk down there, throw a box of clay on top of my head and soldier it on home. I am still experiencing disbelief, but even as I came home from yoga class, the owner's of the new business are in there working hard. The open date is slated for October 15th! Good friend Mary says, "It's a big thumbs up from the universe. Now is your time to shine." Thanks Mary, I will do my best and I do feel buoyed by this event.

Pleasant Drive, Perfect Weather

2008-09-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

My head is full of information, images and ideas... What a treat to watch people who so intimately know how to work with clay. While in everyday life, the label potter might not garner much understanding, for a few short days I was with people who work with clay everyday and still come to learn something new from the interaction. Spending time with potters is not the norm for me, a solo clay artist in a town with a very sleepy clay community. Spending this time with people who share my need to work with clay gave me a fresh perspective, fostering a reawakening of the passion I have for clay.

This is my newly acquired Mark Shapiro tea bowl. The plate above was made by North Carolina potter, Michael Kline. The sculptures are made by one of the artist-in-residence at Arrowmont-it's life size and entirely made from clay, even the lace.

Driving in my car...

2008-09-09T13:08:00.000-07:00

This week I will be attending the Utilitarian Clay V Symposium, where seventeen nationally known ceramists will come together and share their approach to clay work through demonstrations and dialogue.
My co-pilot will be Jenn Gandee and I am very excited to get in the car and head south. It's a relatively small conference and is limited to two hundred participants. It always does me good to hear of stories from other potters-to learn of their struggles and successes, which usually leads me to the conclusion that we are all crazy. All of this unfolding in the Smoky Mountains will simply be a plus.
I'm sure I will have lots of stories and pictures to share, so stay tuned...

The Garden Behind the Studio

2008-09-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

I'm lucky enough to have a lovely vegetable garden behind my studio. Today's yield is a bountiful bowl of delicious cucumbers, peppers and onions. The onions have been drying in my out building for the past two weeks, and today I finally got around to braiding them up. It's a pleasant, meditative process and I can't wait to get my fall crop in the ground. This weekend the eggplant and serrano peppers will be ripe-chili rellenos are part of my weekend plan. I also stumbled across a pear tree in my neighbors yard. I don't know how I've missed it all these years, but a tart will be the perfect end to a weekend feast. If you are in town, give a call, stop over and enjoy some lovely food with us.

My clay work today has also had a garden component. Several years ago, as a neighbor moved, she gave me a small pot of hens and chicks. I accepted them, but wasn't really that excited by them. I left them on the front porch over the winter thinking that would kill them and I would be off the hook. I am here to tell you, hens and chicks need absolutely no care and they will still flourish. From those three small starts, I have grown a jungle of hens and chicks. I made some little pots to hold a small portion of them and today I put them in their new home.

Things go in the Studio

2008-08-29T11:11:00.001-07:00

One more layer of straw and mud have been added to the oven. So far we have had 7 pizzas, 3 calzones and 2 loaves of bread. Every baking effort is a delicious learning experience and the response from our friends is quite good. Next we will order the hydraulic lime for the exterior shell.

Every year, I am the official maker of the Bramwell Oktoberfest awards and I am busy making...For the past couple of years, I have been experimenting with handbuilding the awards. The pots pictured here are handbuilt, i.e., built using slabs of clay.

The bottom photo shows a thrown cup. It takes years to learn the art of throwing a pot... Handbuilding has a quicker learning curve. I always assume folks will go for the thrown cup, but after a weekend of friends stopping over and picking their favorite, I can tell you the handbuilt cups are the winner. Feel free to offer up your opinion-I'd love to hear from you and it's so easy to post a comment...

And a random aside... Several years ago, my dear friend Mary's mother died rather unexpectedly. It was her wish to be cremated. My friend asked for an urn-yes, I just so happened to have one on the shelf... I went through an urn phase several years ago. Anyway, over the weekend, I had an unplanned visit with my friend, Gene. His sister died a few weeks back and she too chose to be cremated. The plan was to take her ashes to the ocean, but they haven't been able to get there yet. He let me know that his sister is in an urn made by me, and is happily placed on the mantle until they can make it to the ocean. I feel very honored but it's also a bit strange. So as of today, body count=2. Wow. My mother, who loves all things macabre thinks this could be my calling...

Another Summer Trip...

2008-08-12T06:12:00.000-07:00

Just back from a week in Pittsburgh, where a good time was had by all. Of course, eating is always on the to do list when visiting a city and my favorite Pittsburgh eating experience was Lidia's-nothing else came close. After consuming the best pasta I've had, I visited the Society for Contemporary Craft. The staff could not have been more accommodating, taking time to bring pots out from the back and giving me a personal tour of the current show. While there, I got a Deborah Schwatzkopf bowl, which I love. Deb throws her work, cuts it apart and reassembles it-an exercise in patience.

Once home, the sand was removed from the interior of the oven and the first fire was built. The initial firing was both steamy and smoky. It's hard to believe that the whole thing didn't crack apart and blow up, for it was still quite wet, but it simply became hard. We had our first go at making pizza, and every crumb was consumed-yum... Now we can continue adding clay to the exterior, which will make for better heat retention.

More Oven Building...

2008-07-29T10:57:00.000-07:00

Grace and Joe stopped by for a bit of clay stomping Sunday afternoon.

Then it was time to shape the dome, which is done with wet sand, and then covered with damp newspaper to keep the clay separate from the sand.

The next step involves mixing sand with clay which makes a sandy clay, of course. Grace and Joe were a big help. Grace was a bit reluctant at first-it is a squishy undertaking, but once she got started, there was no holding her back.

Finally our first layer is complete. Once it sets up a bit, we will dig the sand out from the interior, burnish the inside and build a fire. We will then continue adding layers of sandy clay, which will eventually go all the way to the exterior ring of brick. By building a fire and then adding more clay, it allows the layers to expand and contract without cracking-amazing, isn't it?

When reading the book on how to build this oven, it seems that one could do it over a long weekend. However, we have found that it is like trying to actually make a Rachel Ray meal in 30 minutes-a lovely idea, but usually it takes a bit longer.

Unexpected Perils of a Fruit Picker

2008-07-24T06:05:00.000-07:00

Four years ago, we planted two peach trees. Because they are young trees, the yield has been rather small, and a cold snap last year blighted our blossoms resulting in no peaches at all. This year, the limbs were covered with hundreds of peaches. The branches were actually bent over from the weight of the fruit. I got busy planning all of the wonderful things I would do with my bumper crop, but then the rains came. It rained for several days in a row. While it worked to deter me from picking fruit, it did not deter the birds from munching away. Before I knew it, the peaches were falling off the tree, most of them with holes made from the birds and the flies and yellow jackets were in heaven. Finally, the rain stopped and I got to picking. First of all, stepping on over ripe peaches is a bit gross-the way they yield underfoot may remind you of stepping in something else...

Once the over ripe fruit was cleared from the walkway, it was time to fight the myriad of flying insects who were greedily seeking there bit of the pie. Any romantic notions I had about picking fruit in an orchard was put to rest and I have a much greater appreciation for migrant workers who must accept this as a normal part of a day at the office (or orchard). Let us give thanks to these hard workers.

Luckily, we had a family trip planned to Chicago, which got me out of country mode and into a city mindset. We took our son and his buddy to Rock the Bells, an all day hip hop concert. Before getting out of the car, they assured me this was going to be a life changing experience and at the end of the concert, they were planning a way to follow the show, which will travel coast to coast. Yes, it worked to jog my memory-I remember when...While the boys rocked out my husband and I enjoyed a George Gershwin concert at Millennium Park. We all got what we wanted and left in a happy mood.

Just to prove the oven is well underway, I will share a photo of the foundation and arch. Sunday at one, we plan to begin on the dome-if you're in town, stop on by...

Local Finds

2008-07-10T16:35:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this garlic just call to you?

If you live in the Charleston area, you might want to pop by the farmer's market early Saturday morning, where you will find Julie Schaer, The Potager, and her ultra fresh organic produce. A potager is similar to the traditional English cottage garden, but is mainly based on vegetables and other edible plants and herbs, often incorporating some cutting flowers for the household.
The plants are chosen for their form, color and taste, with seasonality and continuity of fresh vegetables for the household in mind. These gardens are low maintenance and closely planted.
Julie also offers a "subscription" to her garden goods, which she will deliver to your door. Every week is a surprise and it keeps things fresh in the kitchen.

Another good find I just discovered can be found at Bailes Glass and Granite located at 1537 4th Avenue. Once there, you will spy a huge dumpster full of lovely pieces of marble and granite. I had been out gathering brick for the pizza oven when I spotted it. The Bailes guys were really friendly and even got the pieces I wanted out of the dumpster and put them in my vehicle. The plans for my outdoor kitchen is getting fancy! The arch went up last night, and pizza is truly in the near future.

Weekend in Syracuse and Beyond

2008-07-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

Recently, I popped up to Syracuse for the weekend to attend the Everson Biennial Show: The Object and Beyond-the image above is of Errol Willett's stoneware vine. I met lots of interesting people and saw art of all sorts. Meeting Professor Olivia Robinson, a very tech savvy artist who describes herself as knowing what men know, in regard to electricity, computers, robots, manufacturing inflatable art and how to properly use a soldering iron, was one of the many highlights. Once you check out her website, you will agree she is a live wire-be sure to watch the video of her project, OBLIVIOUS.
I also had time to take in the International Fiber Collaborative, a project headed up by fiber artist, Jennifer Marsh. After putting out an international call for 3' X 3' crocheted cloth, she pieced the cloth together to make a slip cover for an entire abandoned gas station, including the pumps. Many of the fiber pieces included messages and thoughts on our nation's dependency on oil. I still do not know how she maintained the needed energy level to complete this project, but she did it and it is very impressive. The work will be in place through this fall. If you find yourself driving through the Syracuse area, you should definitely check it out.
Once home, it was time to get things together for the Farm Family Reunion. One of my dear NYC friends stopped by to spend the night on the way to the reunion. When I knew him, he was Dave, but in my absence he became a rabbi and I found myself addressing him as David-Dave just seemed too casual. By the time we left the reunion, he was just Dave again. Now it's time to turn attention to the 4th of July. Our peach trees are heavy with fruit and the oven building is well under way... Peach cobblers from the oven are in my future.

Getting What You Ask For...

2008-06-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

I have a dear cousin, Becki, who I haven't seen in years. We don't call each other or send letters, but remain in each other's thoughts... In my last post, I invited you, dear friends, to send your favorite recipes to me and perhaps a photograph of your food in my pots. Later that day, as I checked my mail, I noticed a lovely package left by my door. I am a cookbook collector and especially enjoy Barbara Kafka's cookbooks. Sure enough, the package was Barbara's latest cookbook, sent to me by Becki! How did she know? I can't wait to get into the kitchen!

Meredith says...

2008-06-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

"I am enjoying my new bowls almost every evening..."

Here is her delicious sounding recipe-

3cups sliced strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
mix together and let sit for 1-3 hrs in
refrigerator.

remove beautiful summery margocee bowl from
cabinet,

put two scoops of premium vanilla ice cream in
bowl,
add fruit.....
EAT.

I think I know what's for dessert tonight...

Friends, do feel free to send me delicious recipes anytime and please send pictures of my pots in action in your world!

East Meets West Virginia

2008-05-22T03:29:00.000-07:00

The day finally came for me to meet Yasuko Yamagishi. We met at the most beautiful roof top garden in the heart of my city. While Yasuko was in 3 inch heels and a beautifully tailored suit, she also carried bag containing garden snippers and the most trendy garden hat I've ever seen. She took time to cut flowers that most of us would overlook when contemplating a flower arrangement, like hosta leaves and clematis blooms.

In true American style, where more is more, I was prepared to visit several gardens and had imagined cutting lots of flowers. However, after cutting a rather meager looking assortment she was ready to head to my studio.

Once we arrived, she chose a few more flowers from my garden- a poppy and rhododendron blossoms then requested a large pitcher of water.

Her purpose in coming to America was to collaborate with ceramicists, bringing together her art with ours. She and several of her colleagues traveled throughout West Virginia for the past month. She visited Lewisburg, stayed at the Greenbrier and had a tour of Matewan-in short, she saw both the impressive as well as the less than prosperous-a true picture of West Virginia. The day we met was her last full day in America and she is now safely home in Yokohama.

I invited her to walk through the studio and choose whatever pots she liked for her arrangements. Again I was surprised to find she gravitated toward my bowls rather than what we think of as a vase. I stood back, studying her approach, which is thoughtful but not labored. She showed me pictures of her work in Japan, where it is not uncommon for her arrangement to fill a whole gallery while remaining sparse-very beautiful.

Her school has 500 students and I found myself wishing I could be one of them. She snipped the stems of the flowers twice while they were under water to encourage the flower to take up as much water as possible.

Next she delicately balanced the flowers...a calm sensibility, in no way busy or quick. A few years back, I was at a wood-firing conference where we threw some pots for the firing. In attendance were clay artists from around the world, including Japan. I had just become interested in what I call power throwing-throwing a pot as quickly as possible.

As I was working away, I looked up to find the Japanese potter staring at me in puzzled amazement. In an instant I was able to read his face and register his dismay at my approach. He didn't speak any English, but I could tell his question was,"Crazy white woman, what are you doing?" It extinguished my interest in power throwing, and even now, I still seek to slow down.

My visit with Yasuko gave me reason to think about graceful approaches to work, flowers and arrangement. I am very glad to have had the chance to meet her. When it was time for her to leave, there was the formal handshake which ended in a hug. I feel like a made a new friend, and who knows, perhaps my future holds a trip to Japan...

Spring Cleaning

2008-05-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

After a flurry of activity, like getting my son ready for his first prom and taking my mom to a foot doctor by the name of Legg, I am back in the studio. As I mentioned in my previous post, I have been working with draped slab forms. The one pictured here is from my first effort, and is perfect for holding green apples, shrimps or a bounty of grapes. In order to create space for new work in my studio gallery, I will be taking part in the East End Sale this weekend, here in Charleston. You will find me at 1585 Quarrier Street. Bring your mom by to pick out a lovely vase for Mother's Day, or heck, treat yourself!
On Monday, the 19th, I will be hosting Yasuko Yamagishi, who is traveling from Japan to spend time studying Appalachian wildflowers. In Japan, she operates a school of Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arrangement. She will spend the day with me in the studio making flower arrangements in my pottery with local wildflowers. I'm very excited to spend time with Yasko and hope my poppies are in bloom for her.
And lastly, an update on the pizza oven. While we had hoped to finish it last fall, the cold weather set in and we go distracted (and cold!). We are now back on track and hope to host a mud stomping party soon. In case your interested in building your own oven, we are working from Kiko Denzer's book, Build Your Own Earth Oven which is full of great advice and lovely pictures. I'll share our photographs with you as the work progresses.

New Approach, Same Direction

2008-04-09T08:24:00.001-07:00

I chose to take class with Mary Kay Botkins because she handbuilds her pots rather than throwing them-these are some of her lovely pots. I work the other way round and though I have been working with clay for twenty years, I have never spent much time handbuilding. It's a strange thing in the clay world...Potters either throw or handbuild, but rarely do both. As Mary Kay mentioned, it is often assumed that those who handbuild cannot throw. She was simply more interested in working with slabs.
I have become increasingly interested in handbuilding because it gives the maker the freedom to stand while working (yes, I know some people throw pots while standing, but I never mastered that trick). Also, it is a somewhat more tidy approach to working with clay, plus stopping and starting doesn't seem so daunting. Beyond these reasons, I am less schooled in this approach and simply have less expectations, leaving me free to experiment. Like most people who hope to make money from their craft, I desire the work I create in my studio to equal money. This keeps me doing the thing I know how to do best, and can discourage me from wasting time on projects that may not bear fruit. Watching Mary Kay allowed me to see a new way.
Mary Kay had the woodworking instructor, Seth Rolland, cut a quick wood mold to use for a demonstration (do visit Seth's site, his furniture is gorgeous). Of course, everyone was envious and wanted their own lovely wood mold, but the wood workers were there to do their thing, not make molds for the clay people. However, I still wanted my own molds. When a friend with woodworking experience offered to cut me some, I decided to take him up on it. The only thing required was that I be able to describe or draw out what I wanted. I do not work in wood, and didn't know exactly how to articulate what I wanted. I decided to talk with Seth. I went in expecting to get some advice on describing, but I got something even better. Right away, Seth asked if I would like to make my own-eureka! In a matter of seconds, he pointed out a board I could use and I was on my way. Luckily, the equipment I needed was not in use and in fact I had the whole room to myself. We turned on the band saw, he set it at a 45 degree angle and had me feed through my first board. It was a simple, free form kind of approach. I guess he was confident that I wouldn't cut my fingers off, and he left me to it. Initially, I thought I would just cut one or two, but I ended up using the whole board-it was extremely satisfying and somewhat addictive. After cutting the forms, I used a very large belt sander to finish off the rough edges and to refine the shapes. It was some of the best fun I had the whole time I was away. Here they are, unblemished by clay...
The week before, I had made some slump molds out of clay and then bisqued them. Yesterday, I rolled out slabs and began... We will see where it takes me-I think the boat shape of the bisque molds is very appropriate.

No Place Like Home

2008-04-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

It's good to be home! While away, I met so many interesting people and learned all sorts of new things. I realized when operating in "normal" society, we are surrounded by people who describe themselves as lacking creativity. I have just returned from a place where everyone was creative and quite busy tirelessly creating- be it wood, glass, silver, cloth or clay.

Yes, there is an aquarium in Gatlinburg. If you find yourself a bit peckish after seeing so many fish, you can have a fish sandwich at the lunch counter on the way out. While I enjoy a good fish sandwich every now and again, I found this offering rather disturbing.

This Is What Happened In the Textile Studio...

2008-03-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Laura Sims is a textile artist living near Asheville, North Carolina. She has an inviting smile and a calm, open demeanor. She has made a living from her creativity for the past 20 years. She makes lovely wall hangings and hand dyed scarves. She assured us that she would tell us everything she knows now, and that if we call her in the future, she will tell us what she has learned since seeing us last...

Laura uses a technique called discharge dying and it is really amazing. We started our projects with black silk, which we pinned to a soft surface in order to hold it steady during printing. Next, we mixed pigments to the clear base dye to create a variety of colors. The dyes are quite viscous and colorful. We did color studies on cotton by dipping wine corks into the dye then stamping the sample cloth. Once the dye is applied to the black cloth, it removes the background color, leaving behind the color of the dye. It was completely stress-free and we experienced a high success rate. Anything can be used as a stamp. We gathered leaves from the campus and used them as stamps, some used pre-cut stencils, others painted freehand on pieces of plastic sheeting and then applied the cloth to capture the image.

Laura brought pieces of blue styrofoam insulation and a soldering iron, which my housemate, Erin, used to create a block print. After painting on the dye, we let it set for a bit then proceeded to the steaming pot. After a 10 minute steam, it was time to put the cloth in cool water for 10 minutes. The final rinse was a vinegar mixture, which removes any leftover dye and sets the colors permanently.

If Laura Sims comes to your area to give a workshop, be sure to take it. You will walk away with lovely things for your home and personal adornment. Her work can be purchased at Ariel Gallery in downtown Asheville.

Both Eyes Open

2008-03-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

I arrived at Arrowmont Friday afternoon with both eyes wide open. It's really great to be back after a 13 year hiatus. The weather is warm and the daffodils are in bloom. Arrowmont was founded in 1912, predating the fudge and tee shirt shops- images that often come to mind when thinking of Gatlinburg. Even though the school is located right downtown, it sits back from the main strip and I find myself forgetting where I am. One reminder is the church bell that rings on the hour playing a medley of Tennessee Waltz coupled with Rocky Top Tennessee-wow!

Each evening, one of the faculty members gives a slide show, sharing their process and thoughts concerning their work. Last night, John Cogswell showed slides of his beautiful silver pieces. Though I know relatively little about metal work, here I am with this legendary figure. John has taught at Parsons (yes, he knows Tim Gun) and was the director of the metal smithing department at the 92 Y.M.H.A. in New York City (the H. stands for Hebrew). Currently he teaches at S.U.N.Y. His pieces are exquisite, while he is articulate, friendly and approachable. Because of his affiliation with the Y, he has been made an honorary Jew and is the only goy to have work in the permanent collection at the Jewish Museum, NYC.

During his slide show, we saw his interpretation of a tzedakah. This word means charity. Traditionally, you would find a tzedakah discretely placed in the exterior wall of the temple. Those who have extra can anonymously donate money by placing it in the tzedakah from inside the temeple, while those in need can anonymously take money from the exterior. He spoke about true generosity being anonymous and how these pieces commemorate that idea...something to consider.

His home is near the Culinary Institue of America, and he is often commissioned to make tasting spoons. The spoons have a lovely curve at the end, so that the chef can attach a cord and wear them around their neck. Because they are made from silver, the taste of the food is purely presented to the palate. It is an object any chef would be proud to have.

In addition to learning about silver smiths, I am also learning a bit about fusing glass and the art of discharge dying. I urge all of you to go to art camp for a few weeks this year. You might just find a new passion!

Sandy Brown: Queen of Spontaneity

2008-03-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

No N.C.E.C.A. for me this year. In case you don't already know, N.C.E.C.A. is an educational clay conference. It moves from coast to coast and is being hosted by Pittsburgh this year. Picture hundreds of clay people coming together, watching stars of the clay world give demonstrations, taking opportunities to see and try out new and nifty clay equipment, plus galleries all over town highlighting the best and the brightest contemporary clay artists.
Sandy Brown will be one of the clay stars on stage. In 1997, I contacted Sandy to inquire about studying with her. She lives in Appledore, England, right on the coast. I had never met Sandy, but had admired her work in magazines. Her work is whimsical and spontaneous. When viewing her work, you can tell she is a woman who doesn't take things too seriously.
My clay work had been informed by two teachers, both fairly rigid in their approach to clay. I have made hundreds of cylinders, only to cut them in half in order to see how consistently I had managed to pull up the clay. I have been to many a critique, where most of the pots ended up being thrown into a trash can on wheels ( a throw back to Daniel Rhodes and his approach to critiques-my WVU professor got his M.F.A. with Dan and it shows!). After literally years of these kind of experiences, I yearned to study with someone who simply made work.
Much to my surprise, Sandy wrote back to me, invited me to stay at her house and work with her for a month. It was a great experience, and I found what I was looking for. Sandy values her work. Most potters have shard piles behind their studio, where they break pots that don't please them. When I asked Sandy where her pile was, she replied, "I never throw any of my pots away. I have used too many resources to bring them into being." Wow! This was really new to me.
She began making pots after traveling to Japan as a cosmetic representative in the early '70's. She would show up at department stores, act as if she had just flown in from Hollywood, and show Japanese ladies how to properly apply eye liner. Her translator liked pots, and they would stop off to visit potters between mascara lessons. She was hooked. She married (and later divorced) Takehsi Yasuda and the rest is history. She shies away from demonstrations because her work is rooted in spontaneity, which, by definition, is difficult to schedule. When I visited her, she had just returned from an artist in residency in Australia. Once she arrived at her residency, she was told the only stipulation was to work with clay in a way she had yet to try. It was in Australia she began making larger than life figures.
Her house in Appledore is an old bed and breakfast, which she has converted to a bed and pottery. From her kitchen window, you can see fishing boats and lovely coastal scenes. When looking out my bedroom window, I could see one of her figures prominently placed in the middle of the courtyard- a big happy lady accented in blue and she always made me smile. Sandy is also lucky to have a church in her village which offers healing every Wednesday evening. No, I never went to be healed, but it comforted me to know I could, if I needed.
I'm missing the conference and a chance to visit with Sandy because I will be at Arrowmont School of Arts and Craft. While there, I will study with Mary Kay Botkins and Linday Pichaske. I am looking forward to leaving reality behind, living behind a walled campus, where all focus and activity is centered around creativity.
One final thing...
I was out for a walk yesterday and got something in my eye. Once I returned to the house, I took a look in the mirror by my front door, and as I watched, my eye quickly swelled shut in a matter of seconds! I'm on my way to the eye doctor and hope not to be arriving at Arrowmont looking like I do. I have coined a term, cyclopsian, and I think it describes how I look and feel quite adequately. If only I were in Appledore and it was Wednesday evening!

Noelle's Pretty Pots

2008-02-19T10:57:00.001-08:00

During the Michael Connelly workshop I attended last fall at the Huntington Museum of Art, I had the good chance to meet fellow potter, Noelle Horsfield. As I entered the room, she caught my eye with her trendy glasses and great hair cut. Her home and studio are in Maine, but she was in town visiting her parents, which is how she came to be at the workshop.
Over lunch, she showed me some digital images of her work. I really enjoy learning about the different approaches taken by artists who work in the same medium. Noelle told me she had been experimenting with making clay molds of machine made pots. She then uses these molds to make her own original pieces. Because I didn't stay for the whole workshop, my time with Noelle was brief, but since meeting we have been in touch. I asked if she would mind sending some pictures of her process so I could share them with you. She obliged my request and her are some shots of Noelle in action.

She begins by choosing a ram pressed plate, in this case a deviled egg tray. After covering the tray with cheese cloth, she uses a sand filled sock to pounce the clay, creating the mold. The cheese cloth allows for easy separation of the clay mold from the original.

This pot will become the mold...

After bisque firing the mold, it is ready for use. Once again she pounces a clay slab over the bisqued mold, creating a new deviled egg dish. She uses coils to create a nice foot for her new pot.

Now she is ready for decorating. As you can see, she uses different colored slips for decoration, and finishes the bottom with a lovely little rosette. During a workshop with Jack Troy, he mentioned that the bottom of a pot should always contain a surprise. The bottom of Noelle's pots holds just the sort of surprise he recommends.

She uses this process to create lovely platters....

Here are a couple of her finished pots-fun, tactile and colorful. Lovely to see, touch and use.

You can purchase Noelle's work for your home by visiting her etsy site, Noelle's Pretty Pots.
And if you plan on being in Huntington, West Virginia in March, you can attend a workshop given by Ed Eberle. I will be there and will let you know what I learn.

The Gun Cup: A Cautionary Tale

2008-02-14T12:37:00.001-08:00

This is a lovely vessel made by good friend and talented artist, Jenn Gandee. She is working on her M.F.A. in Syracuse and vessels like these will be featured in her exit show this spring. She was kind enough to bring two tumblers to me as a holiday present. In the last few years, she has become fascinated with screws and gears. Recently, American soldiers and guns have made their way onto her work-she has been learning how to successfully transfer silk screened images onto her clay work.
As I mentioned, I was very happy to receive these precious presents. I proudly displayed them in my kitchen window and also discovered that they were perfectly sized to hold a bottle of Sierra Nevada-yum!

This is the first part of the story.
Part two: band practice

Occasionally, my studio becomes the Thursday night practice hall for a string band-my husband, Rory, plays the acoustic guitar.

Anyway, shortly after receiving the cups, the band came over for a jam session. Of course, Rory took my favorite gun tumbler out to show the boys in the band. As he showed it to them, he spoke the words that so often doom a cherished object-"Please be careful not to break this." That was all it took to seal the fate of the gun cup. He put the cup safely away in another room to insure its safety. It was all good until quittin' time. One of the guys reached for his coat, the arm of his coat caught on the broom handle, the broom fell over and as it did, it tipped the table just enough to send the tumbler tumbling, crash, to the floor. In an instant, my gun cup was in several pieces!
C'est la vie. I did enjoy it while it was here and the screw tumbler, which is dear to me too, lives on!
The upside to the story? I received a lovely heart shaped box of chocolate from the guy who accidentally caused the demise of my cherished object. This made me very happy and really it wasn't his fault, for those cursed words were the true cause of the fiasco. In the end, all is well, and chocolate is good!

Next time disaster strikes remember, chocolate moves all feelings in a good direction.

Have a heart!

2008-02-14T07:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's day! On Saturday, I am off to a grand Italian feast at Pete and Susan's. When referring to them, I simply call them my fabulous friends, and in fact they are! Their parties are always filled with great food and fine wine. As a token of my appreciation for who they are, I have made party favors for the guests...

Renewing Commitments

2008-01-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

Why is it so hard to keep good things going? With all the holiday activities, I began neglecting The Pondering Potter. Once off track, it becomes easier and easier to procrastinate, which is what I have done...
I had a really good holiday season and a great sale at the Unitarian Congregation Hall with lots of talented artists. By nature, I am a bit reclusive. Once in hermit mode, I forget how much fun being around other people can be. Plus, it's nice to share my work with a new audience. I have my dedicated followers, who will call and come by, but meeting and enjoying the response of new folks is good too.
My good friend, Jenn Gandee, who now lives in Syracuse, NY, came for a 2 1/2 week visit. She is finishing up her M.F.A. this spring. She is full of energy and new ideas, so having her here was a real treat. Together, we attended Mary South's annual holiday party, where I got to see so many old friends. Today, I make a new year's pledge to spend more time keeping in touch with you!

Thrilling!

2007-11-08T05:03:00.001-08:00

Before starting my blog, I wrote to fellow blogging potter, Josie, and asked,"Why do you do this?" She quickly replied, "I do this for me, and when someone posts a comment or emails me, it is thrilling." Now that I am part of the clique, I can experience this feeling for myself.

Today, I received a thrill from Meabh Warburton, an Irish textile maker living in France. She sent me these photos of her friend's wood-fired oven. Dear reader, my oven will not be anywhere near as impressive a this, but I really appreciate Meabh taking the time to share...

Another way I get a thrill, is to see someone experiencing success-check out Diana Faydt and you will see one talented woman who mustn't have much need for sleep!

Alone in a room with a mound of mud

2007-11-07T04:58:00.000-08:00

Beyond being a potter, I am a member of a large family. Because my schedule is somewhat fluid, I am often called on when family members need assistance. I feel lucky to be able to help and often get pulled into strange trips to optometrists, hospitals and even drug rehab facilities. And yes, these adventures take me away from my work. This can lead to me feeling disoriented and lost upon my return to the studio. I will realize, I am alone in a room with a mound of mud and now upon demand, I must create. This can leave me feeling shaky for days.
Last week, I took Grandma Vaurny to the optometrist for an eye injection. The injection is meant to stop fluid leaking from the retina, which causes macular degeneration. Grandma is a hoot-she is rather deaf, isn't very steady on her feet and her eyesight is sketchy. Though she's falling apart, she still has a strong sense of style. She let the doctor know that his tie did not match his shirt. He tried to convince her that it did, but she wouldn't hear of it. Ultimately, he gave in and said he would let his wife know...The week before, it was a trip to the dentist, where I left my newly arrived Ceramics Monthly-oh well!
She lives in a lovely assisted living situation in Huntington-round trip time=two hours. The architecture of the place is reminiscent of a castle. This ticks her off a bit, "I don't know why they made it look like a castle. It is not a castle!" She eats alone in her room rather than going down to the dining room, which is a clothe napkin, silverware sort of setting complete with crystal chandeliers. When I asked, "Grandma, why don't you eat with the other folks here?" Her answer? "They are all so old." There you have it.
On top of these adventures, I got the brilliant idea to switch from a white clay body, which I have been using for the past couple of years, to a dark stoneware. I do this often enough to keep myself fairly crazy. When I make this switch, I'm always convinced the change will lead to a eureka moment. I am also sure that moment will arrive with the new clay. If nothing else, these changes keep me on my toes. After three weeks of self-doubt, I am actually getting into a new groove. Just in time, for depression was starting to set in. Spending hours in the studio helps tremendously and I am simply making-plus quieting that critic, who can pop into my head to offer unsolicited comments at unexpected moments.
Along with uninterrupted hours in the studio, I find checking out what other potters are up to in their studio helps a lot. Josey Goes to Pot is a favorite. She has a link to another blogging potter, Smokey Clennell, which I found both soothing and interesting. Smokey is in China with the University of Nebraska. He is taking pictures and sharing stories about the life of potters in China. Clay seems to be everywhere, and I found that very heartening. It helped to remind me, I am not alone, but part of a larger network of people working in the same medium, attempting to attain a similar goal-making pots that work. And now, off to the studio.

Pots and Pizza-a great combination

2007-10-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

My husband, Rory, can be described as a self-motivated guy with an eye for detail. He is a man of action. We have been discussing building a wood-fired outdoor oven for the past few months. We love to bake and have always wanted an outdoor kitchen. Our plan is to make handsome loaves and the best pizza in town. Buy a pot, eat a slice!

Last week I had to be out of town for a day. Rory let me know he planned to get started on the oven project in my absence. Step one is laying the foundation. Though we had talked over the plan and poured over books on the subject, I came home to find more than I had imagined... He had been busy digging-not just some small indention in the earth, as I had expected, but a big honking hole! Close to three feet deep and four feet in diameter. Notice the precision of the circle-no messy looking foundation for our oven! Now on to filling with rubble, building the base up three and a half feet and then forming the oven itself. We plan to be baking by Thanksgiving.

A Fine Weekend at the Museum

2007-10-22T05:44:00.001-07:00

Over the past few days, I have been enjoying time at the Huntington Museum of Art. The road to the museum is somewhat narrow and very curvy. It demands a slower speed, preparing the mind to focus and pay attention. Finally, after ascending the mountain, you'll see the museum, which is tucked away on fifty-five acres of beautiful woodland. As you drive around the back, you'll discover the art studios. Walter Gropius designed the studios and as you walk through, you'll find well thought out space perfect for creating art-clay, drawing, printmaking and painting. We are very lucky to have such fine facilities. The studios are great on their own, but are made even better by an art patron who created an endowment which funds the Walter Gropius Workshops. This endowment is used to bring interesting and talented artists to Huntington, where they share their expertise. The museum is fortunate to have Kathleen Kneafsey heading up the clay studio. She works tirelessly to bring in one fine potter after another, arranging for them to come to Huntington and share their approach to working with clay. This weekend we had the chance to spend time with Michael Connelly.
I am attracted to work that is strong and easily understood. Michael's pots are both. They are not delicate, fussy or fragile-as you view them, you can see they will stand the test of time. They are put together with purpose and are not only eye candy, but also a pot that can be used everyday for generations. He is not speedy in his approach to clay, but rather slow and thoughtful. He takes time to center, time to open, time to throw. While making his work, he discussed reducing the pots into smaller sections, making it easier to understand the whole. He spoke of the difficulty in making pots that are not well thought out, which can lead to a certain blankness when it comes time to glaze and finish a piece. I have to admit, the day before I had been standing in my studio, looking at bisqued pots feeling a bit blank and unprepared-I guess it goes with the territory, but it is not a fun place to be. Michael used his thumb and forefinger to indicate just how much of the pot he thinks of at a time-a small space of only an inch or two. It reminded me of that saying, "the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time." He leaves lots of clay behind, knowing that as he trims, he will reduce the excess while finding the ultimate form of the piece. It was nice to see someone who is not consumed with producing one pot after another in the fastest and most efficient way for quick sale. He also gives himself the freedom to work in different clay bodies-sometimes earthenware, sometimes stoneware. Rather than attempting to keep these different bodies separate, he simply moves from one to the other, using the same wheel and wedging space, allowing the transition from one to the other to be illustrated in the surface of the ware. This is not the usual approach-there are potters out there with two of everything-wheel, tables, wedging space-in order not to contaminate one with the other. Gosh, I think I like Michael's approach better!
While it is hard to leave the safety of my own studio, I find spending time learning about how others approach work is always a good thing to do! So get out there and visit a potter-who knows what you may learn.

Fall Leaves in West Virginina

2007-10-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

All is well on the homefront. The kiln is cooling and my bags are packed. Tomorrow morning we will caravan down I-77 with some of our best beer brewing buddies.
Fall is my favorite time of year and Bramwell is the perfect place to observe the changing color of the leaves. The architecture is beautiful and the streets are paved in lovely clay bricks. Do you know that at the turn of the century, there were more millionaires per capita living in Bramwell than anywhere else in the U.S.? The homes reveal the wealth of the original town members.
Now it is a sleepy, somewhat surrealistic place. If you have extra money and are looking for a country estate, I would suggest having a look. Rather than describing, I will take lots of photos to share... until then.

Test Kiln Happiness

2007-09-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, I bought a Vulcan test kiln thinking it was the missing piece between me and glaze satisfaction. Like so many of the things we buy in order to make us better, it has been gathering dust in the corner of the kiln room. Recently, it started catching my eye. I pulled it out of the corner and placed it center stage. I now use it all of the time. It allows me freedom to experiment. I find I can view the pots as information rather than failures (or successes). These pots are fresh from the kiln and I have more firing right now. Finally, I can fine tune these vessels and finish up this project-hurrah!

Unearthing Inspiration

2007-09-19T04:54:00.001-07:00

Before becoming my studio, my perfect purple cottage had been home to countless children. They loved playing in the back yard and have left me many treasures.
Slowly, as my garden plot grows, these gifts reveal themselves in the dirt. I have found match box cars, plastic army men and marbles. The marbles bring me the most pleasure.
Here is a sample of what I found this year. To me, they are beautiful and remind me of the simple pleasures of childhood. When I find myself feeling uninspired, I take a minute to play with them. Rolling them in my hand, I study their dazzling colors, which helps to refocus my attention. These few moments are usually enough to spark new motivation and I find myself wanting to get back to the creative task at hand.
My time today will be spent glazing and firing the prototypes for the Bramwell Oktoberfest awards. My camera needs a battery, but I'll post some photos of these loving cups soon.

Blog Fade

2007-09-12T05:51:00.001-07:00

Recently, my dear friend Cat McConnell called to ask, "What's up with your blog?" She had just returned from a weekend podcamp, where she learned about blog fade. She diagnosed me as a sufferer and urged me to make a come back...
I was so busy with the business of summer that my time at the computer was limited. I've kayaked in Canaan, visited Civil War sites at Beverly and spent time in New Orleans-plus the inevitable house project, but now I'm back.
This summer's house project centered around the basement. We finally made the leap and removed everything in order to waterproof and get a nice epoxy paint on the floor. It took longer than anticipated and it created another mess to boot. Everything that was in my basement was moved to my studio...you can imagine the rest. Order is finally emerging and the Goodwill guys just left with quite a bounty of treasures, including that huge computer hutch that has haunted me for years. Goodbye!
Afterwards, I unloaded a nice kiln full of pots and was actually happy with my results. Several families of vases are ready to make their way to the gallery. It is good to be back at work.
My current project concerns making beer steins for the Eleventh Annual Bramewell Oktoberfest. I am honored to be the official stein maker for this 'fest. Usually I stamp the steins, but this year I am giving decal making a try. I'll keep you posted on both the successes and the failures.

An Unexpected Bisque Disaster

2007-06-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Potter, have you ever made this mistake? It was a first for me...
In December I was busy being a manic potter. Before a sale, I am always convinced that I do not have enough inventory and that I must produce as much as possible right up to the last minute. I don't know why I continue in this mode, since I have yet to sell out of pots and even if I did, wouldn't that be a good thing? Anyway, I was busy and I still had time to load a bisque and perhaps fit a glaze firing or two in before the big day.
I load the bisque kiln taking care to fill it to the limit. I place the cone in the cone sitter, turn the kiln on and dream of new glaze ideas while the kiln fires away overnight. Finally, it is time to unload. As I do, I notice the pots feel different than usual. In a flash, my heart tightens and I start to feel ill. Sure enough, I had placed a cone 6 in the sitter and fired it off. I didn't even make it to the second shelf of the kiln before realizing my mistake. I turned away and took a minute to cry.
Rather than increasing my inventory, I had just ruined a kiln load of pots. I took several of them to the hillside (I use this space as my shard pile. I tell my son that after I am famous and my studio becomes a museum, there will be a lovely trove of treasures to be unearthed) beside my house and chucked them over. I couldn't bring myself to throw all of them away, so I stuck some under a shelf and tried to forget.
In a recent cleaning frenzy, I found the stack and wondered, "What can I do with these useless pieces?" I remember seeing a gardening show about growing moss on pots. They simply painted buttermilk on the exterior and waited for the moss to grow. I did not have any buttermilk, but I did have some out of date yogurt and thought that might work. To increase my chances of success, I added some moss to the yogurt and put it in the blender. In my mind, they will become cool mossy pots-perhaps there will even be a demand for them. I'll keep you posted.

Welcome One Blackbirders

2007-06-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have made it to this blog from my guest post on One Blackbird - welcome! I've been busy working on a new line of work that incorporates . . . . . . . . . . .

Something new and exciting in the studio

2007-06-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

...it was time to go house hunting. We found a less than perfect house with a perfect studio space out back. Two houses for the price of one! We couldn't believe our good luck but then reality set in. Our new home and studio needed a lot of vision and TLC. While visions of increased clay productivity filled my head, I soon realized the roof and structural support trumped throwing pots. We have done the majority of the work ourselves (I have a motivated husband who supports my passion for clay) and I've learned so much about how buildings are put together. These lessons have kept me busy for years but finally the work is paying off. And now something new is happening... This year, after painting the gallery room (again!) I felt comfortable with the idea of folks stopping in for a chat and to buy a pot. I did one small daring action and put up a simple sign that reads "pottery" on the side of my studio.

I then got lost in planting flowers in the yard and beans in the veggie garden, but guess what? Folks are actually stopping in for a chat and to buy a piece of pottery! The house beside me is for sale and every realtor who shows the house, ends up in my studio-usually with the folks looking at the property! After so many false starts, I feel that this is my time! Today's guests included a portrait artisit and her realtor-we had the nicest time, and they loved my garden too.

the pond blooms

2007-05-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

Recently the pump in my small pond gave out and we have been slow to replace it. This has resulted in a somewhat murky pool of water. We have two garden variety goldfish in the pond and they haven't seemed bothered by the lack of filtration. We keep meaning to get another pump but there are so many things to do. Well, last night, as I added water to the pond, I caught a quick small movement in the bottom of the pool. Guess what? Not only have the fish not minded the lack of filtration but they have actually been getting busy and we have a pond full of babies! What a nice surprise.
the pond was blooming...