Home Parties, Salon Nights and A Show and Tell

With me, it's pretty much any old excuse will do for a party. I just love making delicious bites to wow my guests, pulling out the wine glasses and even breaking down and cleaning my kitchen floor. (My husband appreciates this aspect of preparation too.) Back in March, I decided to throw a pottery party and invited my other artsy and not so artsy friends to attend.

I really wanted to share all the new things that I was learning by taking up pottery. This was interesting for my friends too (they told me) as several of them had attended my salon evenings in the past where I spoke about my paintings, but this was a whole new trip. I feel so blessed that my friends are even that interested in me and what I do that they want to come and hear about what motivates me and inspires my work be it my pottery or painting.

It was a very fun night. In addition to getting to share my work, I enjoyed seeing my very diverse friends interact with and befriend one another. Yes, several were fellow artists like Chad Everett, Stacey Peterson

, Mary Coleman and Cindy Wool and Nina Watts. There was also a nurse, a fitness expert, a doctor, an animal researcher, a musician and a stay at home mom. Interesting how the arts brings people together.

People kept picking up pieces and declaring them their favorites. There was almost a tug of war over a piece that someone had set aside for themselves and someone else wanted. That kind of made me feel good :0)

I spent some time talking about different techniques that I used. One of my favorites being using wax to paint designs on a piece and creating what becomes a wax resist. I talked about raku vs. gas kiln high firing vs. low fire. Even though I've been at it a year now, there is so much I don't know. I talked about the process as much as I could and fortunately, some others had dabbled in ceramics as well and were able to fill in the blanks for me.

It was a really great time. A fun way to market your art if that is your goal, but also to find out exactly what it is you are up to as you answer questions from others about your work. I find that when I do these parties I learn much about myself as sometimes, in the telling to others, I find intentions that I didn't know were there at the time.

Last summer, my husband and I, who is a musician (bass blayer for the band Knowlton Point) held what we dubbed a musicians barbecue. We invited a bunch of musicians to cook food on the grill then everyone took turns jamming with one another on our pergola until we got the call from the neighbors! Another great evening.

I think my next party is going to be kind of an artists show and tell combined with the musicians barbecue. In a nod to what was dubbed "The Big Share" in an artist coaching group called Artists Conference Network that I had the honor and pleasure to be a part of years ago I will have my artists friends come over early and share a piece of work before the music begins. Should be even more fun!