Field trip

On Wednesday, I took a little field trip to Philadelphia with my friend Stacey, a jewelry designer. Since I make pottery and she makes sterling silver and porcelain pieces (Stormflight Designs), we were headed to The Ceramic Shop on Amber Street off of Alleghany Avenue. Located in a factory building in a part of Philly that is a little sketchy, we made our way down at around 9 am to arrive at opening at 10. The one plus to this location is that unlike the rest of Philadelphia, p

arking was easy and free. Walking in the doors is like entering a candy store for artists.

Chock full of walls lined with glazes and underglazes, tools, molds and utensils of every sort, we couldn't wait to start perusing the shelves. Its kind of a haul to get down there and we could have shopped online, but its much more fun, to hold a jar of glaze in your hands and get your questions about it answered by Aaron, the very sweet, personable guy who appears to mostly run the register but is ever so helpful when asked.

I had some goals for new pieces that I wanted to make and he was really helpful in steering me toward a new clay body that I had never used to achieve my goals. (I have since used it and am wondering where it has been all my life :0) Also, not having years of experience with clay he explained a lot to me about glazes and underglazes. Stacy also had a lot of questions which he was more than happy to help with.

They carry several brands of glazes like Coyote, Amaco, Spectrum and their own blend. They also have about every tool imaginable and make plaster molds, kiln stilts, and hydrobats. (Which I love)

They also carry kilns, wheesl and kiln supplies, so there isn't much you could need and not be able to find there. If you are in the market for a modified potters wheel which acts as a functioning turntable, they even have one of those!

All in all, we had a fun and productive trip. We walked out of there with our purchases which we couldn't wait to get home and use, but not before a stop at the Reading Terminal Market for a delicious lunch and dessert. But that's another post...

Studio Sale Sneak Peak

I have been jamming for weeks now in preparation for my once a year big Studio Show and Sale. I like to show these before pictures so folks can see that I do in fact work in my little 12 x 20 foot studio. It took me 3 days just to clean, but it look so nice when I am finished that it is worth the effort.

It is so nice having my awesome daughter Kayla at home from college helping me. She is seen here painting my road signs, making them much more beautiful than I would have and her help is invaluable to me. This is my once a year Studio blow out meant to clear space for new creations in the coming year. That's why all of my paintings are 30% off. That even includes my very newest painting pictured below which is still in progress but will be finished for your viewing pleasure at the sale. Also new this year will be one of a kind pottery pieces (there is plenty more than is pictured here) and gift certificates. If you go to my website and sign up for my newsletter you can also get in on special savings on prints for newsletter subscribers only. I think this years sale is going to be lots of fun and I expect to see a lot of familiar faces. It is free and open to the public and everyone is welcome to just come and browse and have a glass of cheer and a nibble. I also have a free gift just for stopping by. With that, I bid you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and wish to say that I am very grateful for everyone who has supported my life as an artist especially my darling husband and daughter.

Down 'n Dirty with Clay

A friend reminded me today of where my head was at around last September. It wasn't a good place. I had had a very bad time with doing outdoor festivals. Much of it attributable to painful problems with my right foot. But also a general burnout of the show scene, coupled with a slow economy and a feeling that I was stuck in a rut with my work. While complaining to said friend, I mentioned that I felt that I had to change things up, that I was bored, that I felt pigeon holed into what I was doing. (My cow paintings) CREATIVE CRISIS had struck! Thank goodness I had a Christmas commission for a couch painting which allowed me some leeway and a break from painting cows. Don't get me wrong, I love my wild cowies, but I just wasn't feelin' it.

Come around December when my daughter began painting lessons with a friend of mine, I wandered into the clay studio to kill some time and fool around with throwing on the wheel, something I had never done. I think I got hooked the first time I got my hands and pants all dirty trying to center the clay on the wheel and do my first pulls. I had found that new challenge, that new outlet that I was yearning for. I had forgotten about my angry rants in September. I was telling my friend how I seem to run to the clay studio every free chance I get now and that's when she reminded me of the dreadful headspace i was in just a short time ago. Now, I am having so much fun learning so many new techniques and ways of making things. The coolest thing about clay is that it teaches a control freak like me to let go. Being a newbie, when I throw the clay on the wheel it often dictates to me what it will be. Sometimes it will bend to my will but often not. It teaches me to go with the flow. When I apply glazes, I can put colors together with my painters eye, but again have to accept what the clay and the glaze and the heat determine as the outcome, not me. So every Thursday, when the kiln gets opened, it's like Christmas or giving birth to something. Complete surprise. If you look through my archives, you will see the progression of where I started and where I am today. So much fun! In a few weeks, I will be having my Annual Holiday Open Studio. I have somehow managed to make pieces in the short time that I have been making pottery, that other people might like to own. (I know because I have sold a few already) Above is a sampling of some of my recent pieces that will be for sale at my Open Studio. Unfortunately, I haven't offered them for sale online due to shipping concerns. I can honestly say that each piece is one of a kind because I am just learning and wouldn't be able to replicate a piece if I tried. If you are in the area, I hope you will stop by my sale to see my awesome new pottery and my paintings and everything else I have to offer (including some great wine and snacks). I am sure I will continue painting. I rejoice in the knowledge that as a creative person, my life doesn't have to be just one thing. An artists life is a ongoing work of art, a creative process in itself which knows no boundaries. If you are thinking about trying something new yourself, I highly recommend it. Even if you don't think you are a creative person, spread your wings, try on something different and see what shakes out.

Autumn Inspiration-ceramic pots

I love Autumn. It shows up in my paintings, my photos and now in the pottery I am making. These are a two new pieces using a wax resist technique. I painted with wax onto the bisque clay and then dip in the glaze. I love the natural theme and the way the glazes echo the theme in that they are not glossy or brassy. The larger bowl is in a glaze called Rob's Shino. The smaller one is glazed with mamo or spogemine. (forgot to write it down again :0( ) These will be available for sale at my Open Studio. If you are interested in purchasing before that or would like more information prior to that, please contact me :0)

New Medium

Having been a painter for so many years I am having a blast exploring the new medium of clay. I had taught art for a few years but my ability with clay was always limited to hand building. A few months ago, my daughter began taking painting lessons with a friend of mine at the Art Studio in New Castle, De. I knew that another friend of mine taught clay there but since it is about 1/2 hour away, I didn't have the to motivation to go over there until I started taking my daughter. Now I am learning to throw pots on the wheel, some of which I have posted here-my humble first attempts. I so enjoy the getting out to be with other artists and the warmth and camaraderie of the studio. Everyone is so helpful and friendly and I am really enjoying the challenge of learning something new. I think I might be becoming addicted :0) These are just a few pictures to introduce you to the studio.

I'm so proud of Me :0)

So I began on this new adventure of being creative everyday, ok, most days, and in that I have been trying something new- throwing pots. You saw what I made a few posts back titled consistently inconsistent where I showed pix of my green ware and just thrown pots on the wheel. Well, when it came time to glaze and fire them, I was thinking about painting and asked my friend and awesome clay instructor Brenda how I might do just that. She showed me the under glazes and how to give them a clear glaze when I was done and set me loose. Since I have always been a painter this was the perfect marriage of old and new. I had a rather limited palette, but I mixed up what I had enough to create some interesting designs, in my pretty little flowers that I painted onto them. I was so happy yesterday when I walked in the studio and saw hownicely they came out. They remind me of painted Mexican pots. I had some other items there that had come out of the kiln as green ware, so I sat and painted those as well and will be able to get them on Thurs. I am so hoping that I will be able to throw on the wheel again by then. I had a terrible fall on the ice last Tues. where I had to be carted off to the emergency room by ambulance because I went down on a cement curb on my back. Fortunately, nothing was broken but I am still sore and on the mend. It takes some strength and a lot of bending over to be able to throw, so please send out a few prayers my way- I really love doing it :0)