Doing What Had To Be Done

not the ideal bracket, but they're paid for!

What was I thinking???

I finally broke down today and pierced the holy drywall on the south wall. A wall that I had first designed to have a big six foot wide window, but soon realized I needed the wall for shelving! But I couldn't decide on the shelves, brackets, and procrastinated the inevitable. Instead, I move stuff around constantly during the day, looking for space, when all I needed to do was put the effing cheap metal brackets up and get on with it (already) !!!

Anyway, the shelves helped to clear up precious table real estate for the pots coming off the wheel and I had my first real day of potting, aside from the time I took to put up the brackets. Incidentally, for those of you who like statistics, the brackets are now on their third tour of duty. First the Penland Barns studio (1998), then the Micaville studio (2001), now the Snow Creek studio (2009).

table of 4 lb. bowls

I made some 4 lb. bowls this evening and wanted to make a real simple serving bowl with a serviceable rim like the ones I used to make on the "bread" bowls, but not as pronounced. So I eventually came up with the ones on these. One thing I like about using bat pins is that I can put a pot back on the wheel and re-do a line or a rim, as I did on a few of the early ones here.

Flower Pots

Here is a 3 lb. flower pot with a frilly collar that I do with my "special" finger. I leave a bead of clay where I want the decorative feature to be and after it has sat a little while and firmed up just a little bit, I go in and push up on the bead to make this collar. I made a table full of these little planters, this morning and detailed them before supper.

Wednesday Morning Chatter

With more nice weather, today, I hope to get some more grooming done on the grounds in anticipation for the big shindig coming up next month. The grass seed I 'broadcast' last week is beginning to show itself through the straw, thanks to the steady exchange of rain and sun, P.T.L.! I made several attempts last year to grow grass on the raw clay banks behind the studio, but gave up as each attempt failed. Fingers are crossed that this round one takes. Now if I can just keep the kids from running all over the new grass...and the merrymakers .

Speaking of merry makers, my father in law, George Lane, is throwing a party to celebrate the new studio on May 9th.(the aforementioned shindig) We'll send more invites out, and if you live around the greater Penland area you might see this poster!

a fancy little poster Stacey
made in her recent letterpress
class at Penland!

As we get closer to the date I'll remind you all. But if your coming from over seas you might want to go ahead and make arrangements for travel.
Talk to you later.
;-)

Pots To Put Dirt In

flower pots made with 6 lbs. of clay.
(except that little'un on the left)

Ha, I was just thinking of the irony of making these pots will ultimately hold more dirt.

I guess I'm easily entertained...

:-)

I Like Black and White

Thanks for looking, seeing, reading, and indulging me.

Back Home II

Someone else is home too!

We came home to a porch full of big boxes. The show at Kohler is over and they promptly shipped the unsold pots back to me. Thank You! It has been a real pleasure working with Amy Chaloupka at Kohler's ArtSpace Gallery. Way too often I have to wait for pots that linger in some back room, because a gallery is reluctant to take the time to pack and ship unsold work back.

Here is one of the pots that fly back home over the weekend.

I still don't know the best way to see this pot. What do you prefer, B/W or color?

A Little Note On Standing

I stand when I'm throwing on my Shimpo. I've always described it as a more active posture. I'm able to step back and eye the pot I'm throwing from a better perspective. Plus, I just like being able to move around, instead of being hunched over in a sitting position.

Robert Genn writes a weekly 'letter' called "The Painter's Keys". He has hit the nail on the head with this week's letter. He says,

"I've always recognized the value of standing. Standing gives a painter more kinetic opportunity. Body movement and physical action become part of the creative act."

"Kinetic opportunity!"
I'm going to have to 'borrow' that phrase the next time I teach a workshop. (which will be be in June at the Snow Farm!)

More From the Trip

the entrance to the National

Museum of the American Indian
in Washington, DC

So, today wasn't as productive as I would have hoped. Is it ever? I did take a big bite out of the showroom clutter. I made a trip to the dump and stored some non-essential crap things into the deep storage unit of my shop attic. I pugged all of the clay (about 300#) that had frozen over the winter and needed some regrouping. Yay.

Here are a few more pictures of pots I encountered on the trip over the weekend.

the original "port-a-potty"



an interesting bowl from Julia Child's kitchen,
now located in the
National Museum of American History

one of the Museum of the

American Indian corners(?)

I took hundreds of pictures on the trip, mostly of the family. I averaged about 200/day! I'm still editing. More tomorrow.

Malin Grumstedt via Karin Eriksson

Here's a link to some beautiful "ceramics" from Malin Grumstedt.

Thanks to Karin Erikkson, of Karin's Style Blog, for posting the link!

Back Home

For Jenny: a beautiful piece that we saw in the "rotunda" of the
National Museum of the American Indian.
Sorry I don't have any more info about it origins, etc.

We're back from our mini vacation in Washington, D.C. and it's always great to be home. The grass has grown with all the rain and sunshine the past few days, and the green from Spring is spectacular.

I'm getting realigned for pottery making, today, and firing later this month.

I'm also dreaming up a pottery give-away for this week, so stay in touch.


Oh, and here's the link to the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian that I mentioned in the caption above.