Fun in Estacada

The Estacada Summer Celebration is coming up July 27 and 28. The Spiral Gallery in downtown Estacada takes a big part in this summer event and I'm excited to be part of it. This will be my first year and I look forward to all the fun. The website for the event, www.estacadasc.org, lists the music schedule and the participating artists along with many other attractions and family fun. It looks like a great time especially if you have children. I hope to see you there.

Speaking of wood-fire...

It's been far too long since I've posted on my blog. I think about it all the time, but always come up with something else to do...aaahhh gardening. I'm finally getting around to writing down what I learned this year at Ceramic Showcase. I had a great show and to be honest I'm already looking forward to next years show. It's always so great to see all these amazing talented artists come together and work, laugh, and catch up. This year since I was not in charge of the show I thought I would give a concerted effort to spend more time in my booth and talk to potential customers. This is very difficult for me. I could probably sell something of yours far better then selling my own work, which essentially is selling myself. People who know me think it odd that I have such a hard time with this, but I really lean far on the Introvert side of the Myers-Briggs personality test.

As to what I learned. It's not as hard to spend time in my booth and talk with a few people as I thought. I would try to gauge the person's interest and ask if they had any questions or complement them personally. That usually broke the ice. On one particular occasion my world was changed. A lady and her daughter stepped into my booth and picked up one of my more expensive mugs. She looked at it a bit and set it down. I pointed out that I had some more reasonably priced mugs on another shelf if she was interested. She looked at me and asked "why is that one so much more?" This was my chance to speak about the wood-fire process that I am so excited about, but I didn't want to bore the pants off of her, it's all about balance. I wanted her to see that although the others were very nice, this one was special. It had all the features of wood-fire I love. So I gave a run down of the basics...I don't really use or rely on glazes to finish my work, the ash from the fire flies through the kiln, lands on the red hot pots, melts, drips, creates crystals...sometimes, flashing, wadding, grinding...etc. She soaked it in and grabbed the mug, "I'll take it, but I don't know if I'll remember all of that". Her daughter looked and smiled "I got it mom".

I was on cloud nine. I loved that mug and was so pleased with how it came out and it found a home that will look a little deeper and closer at it then the average mug. That is why I do wood-fire and pottery. I want to make functional art that adds to peoples lives and makes them look at the small things. Now maybe I'm just babbling, but I can hardly express the joy I felt the moment she took that mug and understood that it was one of a kind, unique, maybe like her daughter...special out of all the others.

30th Anniversary Ceramic Showcase

http://www.oregonpotters.org/ceramicshowcase/index.htm

If you are in the Pacific Northwest or you have friends, family etc...please tell everyone you know about this great show. It's at the Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE ML King Blvd. Portland, OR 97232. It's FREE.

It's the 30th Anniversary of the show so it's going to be Bigger and Better then ever. There is something for everyone so plan to bring the whole family and spend the day. Did I mention it's FREE?


My booth is J7. I'm near the stage and the wine bar...good neighborhood. :):) It's less than a month away and still so much to prepare.

Please help me spread the word.

Odd Treasure

I usually don't do this type of post and don't let the picture offend you, let me explain. This drawing hangs in my studio. It's very special to me because it's a portrait of me drawn by my brother. He was three years older so when I was a lowly Freshman in High School he was a Senior. He made sure I didn't get picked on much. It was probably my favorite year of school and it's because my brother, my friend and hero was there. We had lots of inside jokes which included him calling me Bitch and me calling him F#%^head. One night while I was doing homework he cranked out this little gem. I love the one huge foot and the little hand with the middle finger up. I was never that skinny though. I don't think anyone would think of him as an artist, but this is a Mona Lisa to me.

This is the 21st Anniversary of his death. The other day I realized that this meant I have lived more years without him then I had with him. This realization caught me off guard and stirred up lots of emotions. I thought back to the gray painful days when it first happened and how for years February was so difficult to get through. Then I remembered the March that I realized I made it through February and it wasn't as painful. I was healing. This was a few years after I met the man I married.  It's as if a piece of a puzzle was missing and he gave it back to me. Not quite the same shape, but it still fit. I've always had a happy life, but there was just that little hole in my heart and it got patched.

I still have a pin hole that could never be filled by anyone but my big brother, but my life is once again filled with friendships, companionship, laughter, love and new inside jokes. I'm grateful I had a big brother and especially one that I was friends with and so close to. I really don't think there has been a single day in 21 years that I have not thought about him a little bit. He is always in my heart and because of this portrait, always in my studio.

Sweet Deal

In 2011 I was selected to take part in the Clackamas County Art Alliance Exhibit. My work was displayed for three months in a showcase in the Development Services Building in Oregon City. While walking through the building an art lover fell in love with a soda fired pitcher and contacted me about purchasing it. We played phone tag a few times, but finally got to chat and I discovered she and her husband are apiarists. I jumped on the chance to barter for goods. A bargain was struck and I traded my pitcher for three quarts of honey and a little beeswax.  It worked out for Eric and I to drive out and meet Nancy from Mountain Meadow Honey at her house. Nancy greeted me and was so excited to be reunited with the pitcher she had eyed months before. She was already well versed in ceramics and has wonderful art throughout her beautiful home. I wish I could have chatted longer with her and look forward to meeting up with her again. Mountain Meadow Honey, which now I know is fantastic, is available at Bob's Red Mill. I'm a big fan of the barter system and this deal sure was sweet.

2012 is shaping up to be another busy and exciting year with new adventures in life and clay. As I'm updating my blog I'm also thinking "get int he studio and make pots" I have several firings coming up to prepare for and I always wait till the last minute and turn myself into a stressed out ball of whim. I have time, it's January and if I stick to my guns now I'll be set for the TWO firings in March. I have an unbelievable opportunity to fire with Jack Troy at Soulgama while he is in the area for NCECA. In the picture above I am reading an article written by Jack. He is an amazing potter, poet and writer. I'm ready to get my mind blown by all his insight on all things, not just ceramics. On that note I better get in the studio and make some pots I'm proud to put in the kiln next to one of his. No pressure...none at all...sigh