In time, with a little help from my friends, it just might happen.
Stay tuned.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Could it be...?
Can an old storage shed find new life as a ceramic studio?
In time, with a little help from my friends, it just might happen.
Stay tuned.
In time, with a little help from my friends, it just might happen.
Stay tuned.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
I do this...
And this...
And this...
Because of this...
Thank you John for the "clay canvas" you provided me to play upon. (I can't throw like John does so I am grateful for the collaboration!) And thank you Werner Herzog for an inspiring documentary on the masterpieces painted on the walls of Chauvet. I only wish there was a theater in Charlotte that would consider this film meaningful enough to show it in 3-D.
And this...
And this...
Because of this...
Thank you John for the "clay canvas" you provided me to play upon. (I can't throw like John does so I am grateful for the collaboration!) And thank you Werner Herzog for an inspiring documentary on the masterpieces painted on the walls of Chauvet. I only wish there was a theater in Charlotte that would consider this film meaningful enough to show it in 3-D.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Adios April
The past couple of days of the month have brought some good moments. I'm lucky to work in an area where there are a couple of ponds. April is a good time for geese -rearing.
It's also a good time for mockingbird homebuilders. This fellow and his mate spent a week or so feathering the nest in a holly bush outside my office window.
I've read that a male mockingbird might build 3 to 4 different nests for his lady bird. Looks like the holly bush was prime real estate. (Sorry the pic isn't better but I took it in a hurry. Mockingbirds have been known to dive bomb anyone who approaches their nests.)
Perhaps the eggs will hatch over the weekend? In the meantime I've been busy at Clayworks. With the big move to our new building so imminent, we are all trying to get as much work done as we can before the kilns are disassembled. Here's a tile I made in class. The assignment was to make a tile incorporating applique. I had to make it cave art. :) It's glazed and ready for the glaze firing.
Another class project was to make a luminaria. This was new to me...took me in a different direction. Still have no idea how I will glaze this piece. But seagulls seemed a natural choice for me. As many of them that I've fed at the beach, I should have bought stock in saltines a long time ago.
April ended with a fantastic concert at the Evening Muse in NoDa.
Music lovers 'round these parts know all about Don Dixon and Marti Jones.
If you're not familiar with their music, please google them and check it out. Incredible lyrics, absolutely amazing vocals! It was the perfect way to turn the page on April and begin a new chapter with May.
I hope everyone else had just as spectacular a weekend!
It's also a good time for mockingbird homebuilders. This fellow and his mate spent a week or so feathering the nest in a holly bush outside my office window.
I've read that a male mockingbird might build 3 to 4 different nests for his lady bird. Looks like the holly bush was prime real estate. (Sorry the pic isn't better but I took it in a hurry. Mockingbirds have been known to dive bomb anyone who approaches their nests.)
Perhaps the eggs will hatch over the weekend? In the meantime I've been busy at Clayworks. With the big move to our new building so imminent, we are all trying to get as much work done as we can before the kilns are disassembled. Here's a tile I made in class. The assignment was to make a tile incorporating applique. I had to make it cave art. :) It's glazed and ready for the glaze firing.
Another class project was to make a luminaria. This was new to me...took me in a different direction. Still have no idea how I will glaze this piece. But seagulls seemed a natural choice for me. As many of them that I've fed at the beach, I should have bought stock in saltines a long time ago.
April ended with a fantastic concert at the Evening Muse in NoDa.
Music lovers 'round these parts know all about Don Dixon and Marti Jones.
If you're not familiar with their music, please google them and check it out. Incredible lyrics, absolutely amazing vocals! It was the perfect way to turn the page on April and begin a new chapter with May.
I hope everyone else had just as spectacular a weekend!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Blimey! 'Twas a wonderful day!
Blogging. The thing I like most about it is the people I "meet". If it hadn't been for blogging --- and the friendships that have been born from it --- Saturday's workshop in Shelby would probably never have happened.
For me, it started a couple of years ago when Ron Philbeck, my teacher at Clayworks, mentioned a Devon potter by the name of Doug Fitch. And then there was slip trail artist Hannah McAndrew. I read their blogs, learned from them. Through their words I began to feel that I "knew" them, though they were a quarter of a world away from NC.
But through the power of blogging and the resulting power of friendship, I (along with 35 others) spent a magical day at the Cleveland County Arts Center.
The "British Invasion" began with a workshop in Cape Cod. From there, it moved on to this workshop in Fredericksburg, VA before finally arriving in Shelby. NC. (Yes, it was highly anticipated!) Fellow potter/blogger from Adelaide, Austrailia, Ang Wolford decided to go on "holiday" with Doug & Hannah instead of buying a new kiln.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who is glad that Ang made that choice. It was a delight to meet her. Her work is absolutely exquisite!
Here are but a few pix I snapped during the workshop. The blogger/paparazzi (or potsarazzi as someone suggested) were well represented at the workshop so I'm certain you'll find many more photos on other folks' sites. Below, a pic of some of Doug's work. That lovely pitcher on the right now lives happily with me. :)
And here are some examples of Hannah's slip-trailed work.
Hannah was always at the ready with a smile, even though our processed clay was a far cry from what she and Doug are used to using.
Doug goes "pyro", drying a puzzle jug he just finished throwing. After slipping, Hannah will decorate it.
Close-up of Hannah's handiwork...
John demonstrates the secret of the puzzle jug. Good thing it was filled with water instead of the traditional ale. :)
Time flew by as the potters worked...
...while, behind the scenes, Ron Philbeck demonstrated his super wedging skills. (just look at those hands fly!) Ron was a HUGE reason that all of this came to be. A thousand thank yous to you, Ron!
For me, it started a couple of years ago when Ron Philbeck, my teacher at Clayworks, mentioned a Devon potter by the name of Doug Fitch. And then there was slip trail artist Hannah McAndrew. I read their blogs, learned from them. Through their words I began to feel that I "knew" them, though they were a quarter of a world away from NC.
But through the power of blogging and the resulting power of friendship, I (along with 35 others) spent a magical day at the Cleveland County Arts Center.
The "British Invasion" began with a workshop in Cape Cod. From there, it moved on to this workshop in Fredericksburg, VA before finally arriving in Shelby. NC. (Yes, it was highly anticipated!) Fellow potter/blogger from Adelaide, Austrailia, Ang Wolford decided to go on "holiday" with Doug & Hannah instead of buying a new kiln.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who is glad that Ang made that choice. It was a delight to meet her. Her work is absolutely exquisite!
Here are but a few pix I snapped during the workshop. The blogger/paparazzi (or potsarazzi as someone suggested) were well represented at the workshop so I'm certain you'll find many more photos on other folks' sites. Below, a pic of some of Doug's work. That lovely pitcher on the right now lives happily with me. :)
And here are some examples of Hannah's slip-trailed work.
Hannah was always at the ready with a smile, even though our processed clay was a far cry from what she and Doug are used to using.
Doug goes "pyro", drying a puzzle jug he just finished throwing. After slipping, Hannah will decorate it.
Close-up of Hannah's handiwork...
John demonstrates the secret of the puzzle jug. Good thing it was filled with water instead of the traditional ale. :)
Time flew by as the potters worked...
...while, behind the scenes, Ron Philbeck demonstrated his super wedging skills. (just look at those hands fly!) Ron was a HUGE reason that all of this came to be. A thousand thank yous to you, Ron!
Clayworks' potter and board member, Ann Prock, watches Hannah make magic.
Doug adds botanicals to a traditional harvest jug. Doug typically throws large pieces (in very little time I must add). According to him, what we Yanks consider to be jugs, the Brits think are bottles. :)
A bath in slip and the harvest jug is set outside to set up.
Off with the leaves and on to a kiln at some later point. I'm not sure what will happen to all of the demo pieces. Perhaps they'll end up as auction pieces in a fundraiser?
Doug demonstrates "Man-deco"... (translation - quick, though with intent)...
...while Hannah leisurely takes her time slip-trailing her intricate designs.
Here she adds her signature birds to a casserole. I've been a fan of these birds from the first day I discovered her blog.
The workshop over, John & Doug compare...well, I'm not sure what they were doing actually, but I liked the expression on both of their faces.
Later, several workshop attendees headed for the Pleasant City Grill where we raised a glass to toast our guests and the knowledge they so readily shared with us throughout the day.
It really was an incredible day - meeting people whose work I have admired for so long, people I have only known via the internet. Until now. I think the Brits + the Aussie + Shelby Ron went to Penland today to tour the school and visit Michael Kline. I'm sure that was another fantastic experience for our friends from abroad. As for me, I'm suffering a bittersweet withdrawal. By the end of the week, Hannah, Doug and Ang will be back home. I hope they know how much we loved having them here...and how much we learned from them. Hopefully they'll come back again soon for an encore performance. 'Til then, I'll be listening to my Love Daddies CD & enjoying ice cream from my Ang bowl. (Thank you both!) The words on the plate I bought from Hannah sum it up nicely....
The hands of the friends I made will always be near me. In their work. And in the words they post on their blogs. Blimey! Does it get any better than that?
Doug adds botanicals to a traditional harvest jug. Doug typically throws large pieces (in very little time I must add). According to him, what we Yanks consider to be jugs, the Brits think are bottles. :)
A bath in slip and the harvest jug is set outside to set up.
Off with the leaves and on to a kiln at some later point. I'm not sure what will happen to all of the demo pieces. Perhaps they'll end up as auction pieces in a fundraiser?
Doug demonstrates "Man-deco"... (translation - quick, though with intent)...
...while Hannah leisurely takes her time slip-trailing her intricate designs.
Here she adds her signature birds to a casserole. I've been a fan of these birds from the first day I discovered her blog.
The workshop over, John & Doug compare...well, I'm not sure what they were doing actually, but I liked the expression on both of their faces.
Later, several workshop attendees headed for the Pleasant City Grill where we raised a glass to toast our guests and the knowledge they so readily shared with us throughout the day.
It really was an incredible day - meeting people whose work I have admired for so long, people I have only known via the internet. Until now. I think the Brits + the Aussie + Shelby Ron went to Penland today to tour the school and visit Michael Kline. I'm sure that was another fantastic experience for our friends from abroad. As for me, I'm suffering a bittersweet withdrawal. By the end of the week, Hannah, Doug and Ang will be back home. I hope they know how much we loved having them here...and how much we learned from them. Hopefully they'll come back again soon for an encore performance. 'Til then, I'll be listening to my Love Daddies CD & enjoying ice cream from my Ang bowl. (Thank you both!) The words on the plate I bought from Hannah sum it up nicely....
The hands of the friends I made will always be near me. In their work. And in the words they post on their blogs. Blimey! Does it get any better than that?Saturday, April 23, 2011
British Invasion Redux
The Fab 4. I never thought it could happen again. But today...it did! (left to right, Ron Philbeck, Ang Wolford, Doug Fitch and Hannah McAndrew )
Okay, so Ron isn't a Brit by birth. And Ang hails from Adelaide, AU. But put those two together with Doug Fitch and Hannah McAndrew - as they have been in the blogosphere for lo these many years - and they are undeniably a part of the new Fab 4.
I'll post more in a day or two, after I've wallowed in the wonder of it all (and I can go through over 400 photos.)
It truly was an amazing day!
Okay, so Ron isn't a Brit by birth. And Ang hails from Adelaide, AU. But put those two together with Doug Fitch and Hannah McAndrew - as they have been in the blogosphere for lo these many years - and they are undeniably a part of the new Fab 4.
I'll post more in a day or two, after I've wallowed in the wonder of it all (and I can go through over 400 photos.)
It truly was an amazing day!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
"Poney Maroni"
I stayed up way too late last night catching up on episodes of "Breaking Bad" and getting further along with this little guy.
I love making birds but have recently been playing around with other forms. My last attempt at a large meerkat sculpture ended in disaster so I was less than confident beginning this project. Honestly? I wasn't even planning on finishing this guy; he was more of an experiment born out of my angst and frustration over the unfortunate meerkat's demise. I didn't have the proper dowels at home to support him, so I relied on a pair of thin wooden skewers to prop him up between two cans of peas as I worked on his legs. Luckily, these "toothpicks" held their own (and the pony) until his legs were dry enough to support him.
I wasn't referencing a photo or plastic figurine so his proportions leave a lot to be desired. And halfway through his creation I realized that I had inadvertently combined a ^10 porcelain with a ^6 clay body. (Do you think I should learn to label my bags of clay???) So it remains to be seen how well the two clays play together as they dry, are bisqued, then fired. There's a bit more to do on him yet but I'm happy to say he's helping me get a little of my confidence back.
I don't have any plans yet on how I'll finish him. Glaze? Oxides only? He has to make it through the bisque firing first. But I do have a name for him. Though he looks more like "My Little Pony" I'm calling him "Poney Maroni". Of course, now that I've given him a name, I've connected with him more than ever. I sure hope he makes it.
I love making birds but have recently been playing around with other forms. My last attempt at a large meerkat sculpture ended in disaster so I was less than confident beginning this project. Honestly? I wasn't even planning on finishing this guy; he was more of an experiment born out of my angst and frustration over the unfortunate meerkat's demise. I didn't have the proper dowels at home to support him, so I relied on a pair of thin wooden skewers to prop him up between two cans of peas as I worked on his legs. Luckily, these "toothpicks" held their own (and the pony) until his legs were dry enough to support him.
I wasn't referencing a photo or plastic figurine so his proportions leave a lot to be desired. And halfway through his creation I realized that I had inadvertently combined a ^10 porcelain with a ^6 clay body. (Do you think I should learn to label my bags of clay???) So it remains to be seen how well the two clays play together as they dry, are bisqued, then fired. There's a bit more to do on him yet but I'm happy to say he's helping me get a little of my confidence back.
I don't have any plans yet on how I'll finish him. Glaze? Oxides only? He has to make it through the bisque firing first. But I do have a name for him. Though he looks more like "My Little Pony" I'm calling him "Poney Maroni". Of course, now that I've given him a name, I've connected with him more than ever. I sure hope he makes it.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Birds About Town
Like most potters or ceramicists, I enjoy seeing where my pieces wind up...how they look in their new home. In the case of the "flock" I've been told that many of my birds adorn bookshelves, nightstands, birdbaths and windowsills from homes along the PeeDee to an apartment in Paris. I, myself, keep all of my "rejects" around the yard - stacked on piles of rocks, tucked into knotholes or nestled in potted plants. But I recently was sent a couple of photos that represent a first for the birds that I'd like to share.
This one sits happily on a metal sculpture at the home of fellow potter, Chris Beloni. Her husband, Andy, works with metals in his spare time. (Andy created the holes in "GTO", our latest barrel-firing oil drum). This piece has four "perches" specifically made to hold birds. I've only made one so far...as a test. More to come.
And here is a pic of two birds on a wedding cake. There were 23 birds in the order and I'm not sure how many were placed on the tiers and how many found their way into gift baskets fashioned for members of the wedding party. The cake was about 8 tiers high and quite magnificent.
A close-up... (both photos are from Kevin Keelan)
I'd write a bit more but I'm off to a reception for "Inhabitants and Happenstance" the new exhibit at the Lark & Key featuring the work of Amy Sanders and Duy Huynh. Both are extraordinary artists and I'm excited to see their latest work.
Have a wonderful weekend!
This one sits happily on a metal sculpture at the home of fellow potter, Chris Beloni. Her husband, Andy, works with metals in his spare time. (Andy created the holes in "GTO", our latest barrel-firing oil drum). This piece has four "perches" specifically made to hold birds. I've only made one so far...as a test. More to come.
And here is a pic of two birds on a wedding cake. There were 23 birds in the order and I'm not sure how many were placed on the tiers and how many found their way into gift baskets fashioned for members of the wedding party. The cake was about 8 tiers high and quite magnificent.
A close-up... (both photos are from Kevin Keelan)
I'd write a bit more but I'm off to a reception for "Inhabitants and Happenstance" the new exhibit at the Lark & Key featuring the work of Amy Sanders and Duy Huynh. Both are extraordinary artists and I'm excited to see their latest work.
Have a wonderful weekend!
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