Fired up!

It seems like the last few months have just flown by. Now that it's fall it's time to fire kilns on a regular basis. October was the kick off to the firing season with the big event of Soulgama in Brush Prairie, WA. This was an amazing firing with terrific people and when we opened the kiln two weeks later we discovered outstanding results. I'll have pictures soon. Then this weekend was a much anticipated, but not entirely prepared for soda firing at MHCC with a couple good friends. We will open the kiln tomorrow and see how we did. Then on Wednesday another anagama firing in the minigama at MHCC. This firing is based on a visit by a Japanese artist named Nobu. Then it's back to preparing for another Soda firing and firing my own kiln, The Chicken Pot Pie, in December. O' the Joy!!!!

A Good Day

Yesterday I had such a good day. I can't say I got lots done, but I did enjoy the small wonders of the world around me. I had plans of getting into my studio and working and while pots set up I was going to weed the garden and then head back into the studio. This plan was interrupted by at empty vase on my back deck that was calling out for flowers to fill it. So I filled it and then noticed another set of vases and another...before you know it I was gathering flowers and placing them around and enjoying my time with mother nature and art. They go so well together.

Then a tiny hummingbird came into my life. This little creature was sitting on the fence to the garden. I put my finger in front of him and he sat on it then flew back to the fence. What a joy to hold such a tiny creature and barely feel it's touch. Later in the day the same little guy was resting on the leaf of a sunflower and it's parents took turns coming and going and feeding their little off spring. It was an amazing site to behold.

The vases above are skillfully created by Barb Campbell, Susan Goebel, Brenda Scott and Vince and Sabrina Maldonado. In the Susan Goebel vase picture you can also see a John McLaughlin mug in the reflection of the mirror.

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” Frederick Keonig

War Awarness Art

Ehren Tool is my new hero. Unfortunately I heard about him just a few days short of being able to meet him at the Museum Of Contemporary Craft in Portland, OR where he was part of an artist residency titled Gestures of Resistance. Since then I've searched him out on the internet and read all the articles I could find and viewed the images of his work in the peace of my own home. How fortunate we citizens of this country are to be isolated from the ugliness of war. If we don't want to see it we simply shut the TV off. That is if the media even bothers to cover any of the horrific stories that are going on far, far away. We are complacent while young lives are cut short. Consider the potential that is lost everyday and the lives left behind that are changed forever.

I've had the chance to thank Ehren by email and I will follow his journey and with luck our paths will cross and I will be able to thank him in person. He told me if I have a chance to meet him to introduce myself and be prepared for a big hug. I'll hold you to that Ehren. Till then keep up the great work.

Dedicated to Sgt. Brian P. Scott
My hero, my brother and my greatest friend. I miss you so much.

Butter Dish prototype

When you look at pottery at art festivals or galleries try to consider how many pieces didn't make it or didn't work before getting pieces good enough to put out in the world. This butter dish is one of about a dozen and it's the only one that has made it to the point of actually working. I've worked out many of the bugs, but I will probably still have to make another half dozen before I get them to the point that I can pump them out and put them out in the world and hope that someone will love it and want to put butter under it's lid. So really this butter dish should be priced at about $500, but it will probably be $40. Now $40 sounds like a lot for a butter dish, but if you go beyond just the materials and consider the hours spent an artist is getting about .10 an hour. So why do we do it? Well for me it's because I can't help myself. It's an addiction and more then anything I want someone to see what I make and feel the need to have it in there lives.

So my goals for this year include the ultimate butter dish and learning how to use etsy so I can sell stuff.

Namaste

Mug Shot

This is the mug of my dreams. It's the reason I love wood-firing. It was right up front in the firebox during a 68 hour anagama firing. It has no glaze just layers and layers of melted wood ash and carbon trapping. It's funky and frosty and absolutely one of a kind. I'm in love.

High Time for TEA

This years lobby display at the 28th Annual Ceramic Showcase is "High time for Tea" sponsored by Smith Tea. I'm very excited about the tea theme and Smith Teas involvement. It should be an exceptional display with all the grace, joy, community, health, and whimsy that tea is all about. Oh, and let's not forget great taste.

Don't miss the show and tell all your friends and family to join you. All ages are welcome and will have a good time. April 30-May 2 at the Oregon Convention Center.

What a thrill

So a few nights ago a potter friend, Linda Klaus, had my husband and I, and Brian and Sarah Davis, also a potter, over for dinner. Linda is also an antique dealer and has incredible items all through her house. She has a real eye for display and has something to look at in every inch of her home. The big thrill for me was to see my work here and there displayed with other very famous potters and artists work. My stuff looked so professional and worthy and useful. Linda also had a small lidded vessel of Sarah's displayed next to a Don Sprague and they looked great together.

At the beginning of the evening she put out a some crackers and cheese. She said "I think I will use a Brenda to serve the crackers" and I said "I didn't make that". On closer inspection I did make it. It looked great.

There are days when I wonder if my pottery is viable. After the lovely dinner at Linda's I felt great about it. Thanks Linda and also thanks for a delicious meal...Lasagna, broccoli with capers and olives and a beautiful boysenberry pie for dessert.

28th Annual Ceramic Showcase

Mark your calendars. Don't miss it. It's big and beautiful. Lots of things to see and do. Bring your friends and family...all ages.

Oh, and I'm at booth I-11

Winter Blues

I have never felt that I was affected by the season, as far as my mental health went, but this year I sure felt it. January had some very difficult weeks to get through. The pressure of 3 firings coming up and not much work to put in wasn't helping and my creative flow was nil. I just couldn't get it together. Then my wonderful mentor, friend and boss Stephen Mickey let me take an hour from work and watch a DVD of Phil Rogers from Wales. Then Stephen told me to take a bag of recycled clay and make a bunch of Yunomis to donate to our ceramic club. I sat at the wheel and with each ball of clay I could feel the clouds in my head clearing and a little creative juice flowing.

Thank you Stephen for getting me out of my head and giving me an assignment so I didn't have to try to think to hard.