Pottery Classes

Almost a new year and a new session of pottery classes. Sign up for pottery classes for a New Year's resolution! Step outside of your comfort zone and try something new! It is so fun!

The Old Furniture Factory in Round Hill, VA
www.theoldfurniturefactory.com
Home of the Round Hill Design Center, ceramics and pottery demonstrations and classes, and Blue Grass Jam Sessions. Round Hill Arts Center founded here by Carolyn Kruger and Wallace Johnson.

Pots and People

I worked out at The Gateway Gallery all day yesterday and was fortunate enough to sell several pieces of my pottery. I left at the end of the day so excited and feeling very connected to my community.

When you sell work at a gallery, you more often than not, do not get to meet the people who buy your work. When you sell directly at Art Shows and Festivals, you meet and speak with every single buyer. I love this connection, and meeting the people who admire the work enough to purchase it. I love to hear why they like the piece, or who they plan to give it to, or where and how they plan to use the piece. Sometimes, they even share, what recipe or food they plan to serve in the pot - How yummy!

I met everyone yesterday, spoke with them in depth and loved hearing the stories of who they plan to give the piece to, and why they were drawn to that particular pot. I chuckled to hear one lady explain why she planned to give a porcelain bud vase to her daughter. The vase has an intentional bend to the left as it swirls to the top and she said it was "perfect for her daughter because she likes everything a little off kilter!"

How joyful that the woman "got" my intention in bending the top of the bud vase, making it perfectly imperfect! And how wonderful that she could relate it to her daughter's personality!

Reflections

I read a great article today about looking back at your creative business year and taking stock of your achievements, goals,challenges, etc. Where you are today and where do you want to go for the upcoming year. It has been an interesting exercise.

I have so much to be thankful for and it has truly been a transforming year. This time last year, my husband was unemployed in the worst economic job market in our time, and our family faced extreme uncertainty. I was working for someone else making their art, not mine and things looked pretty bleak. Well, we hung in there with a lot of prayer, hard work and some tears here and there, but we have found ourselves at the other end of that dark tunnel looking up at bright skies.

I am making my work again, teaching, and getting involved in the arts community. I have made some wonderful new friends and feel truly connected to some really great and inspiring people.

I do have some big projects and goals for 2011. I have to get more organized and be better about follow through in order to achieve these goals. I have to put myself "out there" which always involves some successes but, inevitable rejections as well. I have to fine tune my equipment and glazes and re-focus on my "voice" and what I want to convey through my work. Most importantly, I have to slow down and focus on quality work.

I continue to find so much inspiration from teaching, and hope to continue my adult and children's classes. Self-discipline is ever at the forefront of my mind. I have to harness my energy and make it work for me so I can work smarter and regularly. Having a studio in my home is such a blessing, but as anyone who works from home knows, you have to be very self regulated and not get distracted.

I am very excited to get up and running with my website and online sales. I am hopeful, some of my old clients from Charlotte, and South Carolina, as well as some of my old Ohio friends will better be able to access my work. The phenomenon of social media has done so much for connecting people and I feel that 2011 is going to be a great year in regards to the increased interest in local handmade artisan work.

Whooo.... Looking forward to 2011!

Scary Pots for Halloween!

I am very happy with my new (old) glazes! In particular I am thrilled with the skeleton bowls! The glaze is firing a bit more red than it used to, but I like it! I am working on a huge set of handbuilt and texturized platters and serving pieces that the glaze will "break" over nicely! I can't wait to get them fired. In the mean time Joel is helping me replace the heating elements in my kiln and I am going to ask for a little help from my friends on this one....It looks super easy, but believe it or not, I have never done it before!

I am so jazzed about this beautiful Fall weather and I am working working working on some new ideas! Pictures to follow...

Gateway Gallery Harvest Table

This is is going to be a great event at the Gateway Gallery in Round Hill Virginia! Come on out to Round Hill for live entertainment, wine tasting, hot cider, weaving demonstrations and beautiful Harvest Table Art! October 15th 6-9pm WE WILL BE COLLECTING CANNED GOODS FOR LOUDOUN INTERFAITH RELIEF FOOD PANTRY ALL MONTH!

...yes I have been in charge of planning this event with a great comittee! Come on out to see the gallery- it is beautiful!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=104483839615224

I have not posted in FOREVER! I have been busy working on my Fall/Holiday work! Sneak Peek...Go to Gateway Gallery in Round Hill, VA for more!!!!

Art Square Clay Camp

I had a very fun and busy week teaching a children's clay camp at ArtSquare -Loudoun Academy of Fine Arts. The kids made some amazing work and I have my kiln firing as I speak. I will post some photos of the finished pieces when I head on over to ArtSquare tomorrow! The great folks at ArtSquare are going to promote an adult "getting started with handbuilding" class and then hopefully get me on the schedule starting in November! I need to stir up some interest in the time between!

Patience

I am being reminded of some very important lessons this morning. I have opened the kiln to find little chunks of clay embedded into all my glazeware. Apparently, I have had an explosion...the cone pack I put in to check my kiln temp was the cause. I was hurrying to load the kiln before out of town guest came and whamo...a whole load of work down the tubes. I have not unloaded the entire kiln, so maybe there will be some salvageable work near the bottom. I am reminded that hurrying through anything in this life is a recipe for disaster. I need to slow down and think things through a bit more and not rush to the finish line. Isn't this so true with life as well!

Now on the positive side, I got some great test tiles out of this kiln load and I am on my way to some decisions about my new work. Next week is a down week for the girls and I (as in no house guests) and I can work SLOWLY to remake the pieces I lost today and get a good start on my new ideas!

I am selling a good number of pieces at the Gateway Gallery in Round Hill, VA and I will hopefully have some new work to display in a few weeks....but I am just not going to rush it -lesson learned!

Gargoyle demo

I finished up the gargoyles from the children's demo at Round Hill Art Center. They look so GRUESOMELY cute! I fired them in the kiln, painted them with tempura paint and when dried, washed it off with water and a toothbrush and finished them off with a glossy spray enamel. I cant wait to get them back to the children!

Slow Food and Handmade Pots...any ideas or thoughts?

I read this article from Laurie Erdman today and it absolutely sums up my latest idea percolating about a class or an actual event centered around the art of the table, handmade serving vessels, local potters, local food and their inherent interrelationships. Any ideas or thoughts? Making notes and brainstorming...more to come!

“Yukkuri, tanoshiku” - slow down, enjoy it!

http://laurieerdmanpottery.com/2009/06/05/pottery-and-slow-food/

Wood Fire Pottery

I have gone over the mountains and through the woods today, and I ended up off a gravel road at Wood Fire Pottery. I met Shawn Grove and Bryan Mattraw! They have the juiciest pots ever and a lovely studio! I dearly wanted to purchase a pitcher, and after handling and petting it for a while, I reigned myself in and purchased a sweet little cup and spoon for my morning coffee ritual. They wood fire their kiln and the vapors and ash from the wood add to the color and texture of the clay and glazes. The word that comes to mind is "Juicy"...nice thick rimmed vessels with almost an orange peel look to the glazes. Very VERY Nice!

My NC inspirations

Oh.....to see the work of my heroes and inspirations! Please see the wonderful works of Piedmont Ceramic Artists - Adrienne Dellinger, Julie Wiggins, Amy Sanders, Joy Tanner, Terry Gesss, Nick Joerling, and all the rest! What a blessing to have "grown up" in the Carolina Ceramic tradition!

http://www.piedmontcraftsmen.org/artist-select.php?mid=1

Favorite website

My ABSOLUTELY favorite Website!

Amazing work!

http://www.akardesign.com/art/

Energyxchange

http://www.energyxchange.org/about/energyxchange-story

FYI!!!

Love Birds

Bird Production has begun!!! I am making a large number of love birds for my niece who is getting married this Fall. I am making a set for the cake topper, and multiples for the reception tables. It is such a joy to make these little guys-(talk to me after about 20+). They will be glazed in blue and orangish glaze when completed. I plan to make these sweeties all summer long, when I have some spare time or need a break from the wheel. What great inspiration my niece and her fiance are providing! Tweet Tweet!

Centering

I woke this morning to a crisp coolness that was absolutely delightful. I got Joel off to work and the girls off to school and ventured downstairs to open the kiln. I am so happy with my new glaze results and cannot wait to make some more work! I have unloaded the kiln and have done a quick 20 minute yoga routine. I feel so loose and relaxed and I am reminded of the importance of breathing, stretching and opening and quieting my mind. I am reminded of the wonderful book "Centering, in pottery, poetry and the person" by MC Richards.... AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ...Enjoy!

http://www.upne.com/0-8195-5190-2.html

Gateway Gallery Co-Op

Today I am heading out to Round Hill to work at the Gateway Gallery. I have joined the cooperative and have some of my work displayed in the Gallery. I will post some pics of all the beautiful work that is available in the Gallery Shop!

http://www.thegatewaygallery.com/