Momentum

Having fun in the studio in the middle of my making cycle, I often have multiple pots in process, overlapping in their work stages all at once. After throwing a round of fresh pots each morning, the finishing of the pieces happens in the later part of the day. After the 3 prototypes of bowls a couple weeks ago, I've made some more squared bowls. They are slathered with the works...

wedged, thrown, squared, trimmed, notched, carved, and soon to be slipped, fired, glazed, fired and hopefully perhaps later, enjoyed?

Seeing

After the snow settled down last week, we finally had a sunny day before everything started to melt. I woke up and could tell the light was just right, so even without a cup of coffee, I headed out with camera in hand. I found all sorts of interesting tiny details in the ice on the branches as well as on the ice in the little stream that runs through our driveway.

The ice had created little star and fern patterns, and I love the repetition and pattern in the tire tracks below. I just am amazed sometimes at the beauty that surrounds everything around us, if we just take the time to slow down and see it.

To notch or

not to notch?

I'm referring to the notches on the base of the piece. I think I already know which version I like of these three. But I'd love to hear your voices. One is not notched, and the other two have different shapes of notches. For some reason now that I put notches on the last round of bowls I threw, I find myself wanting to see it on other forms. But it might not be necessary on all of the forms...

Do you like my little details on the middle portion of the pot? I'm very excited about these little macro details.

Focused

At the potter's wheel, sometimes there are those normal throwing days, or the bad (not-so-focused) throwing days, and other times it seems like everything between my hands and the clay is perfectly choreographed. Today was one of those fluid, meditative days between my mind and hands.

I'm working out this cup form, similar to the notched vase in the photo above. I made that vase last fall, with little details on the body and the rim of the vase, as well as notched feet. So I thought I'd translate that into a smaller pot, something as simple as a cup. What is intriguing, though, is that something of a smaller scale can be more complex within its proportions and contrast of line and form.

Prototypes

The thought of the snowy drive up the mountain to the studio is making me stay put right here with my mug of hot coffee. I can at least polish off those endless winter projects at the computer desk, so here's more I wanted to share from yesterday's day of work. I've been playing around with a different squared bowl form with a slightly different trimmed foot. And an asymmetrical notch...you like? It's fun to think about different carving patterns on each of them, too, especially this one where I carried the carving all the way down through the foot. I love the tiny steps of changes that come through working along in the studio.

In the new year I always get into a winter cleaning mode- this time it's with my old scraps of clay. Instead of getting new clay, it's time to go through the piles and buckets of reclaim scrap clay and use it. So I have several different flavors lying around- this one is a dark orange stoneware, I love working with it, it feels so nice to throw. I'm envisioning a creamy white slip underneath a soda flashing slip in the wood kiln, maybe throw in a honey amber celedon glaze as well.

Ok, so now that these 3 are made, I hope I can make them like this again!

desk at Work

I love my work place. It's a nice spot for getting things done. This piece was the last of a small batch of 'warmup' lunch plates that I was trimming a foot on. I have always loved the trimming stage. The finishing of the back of the piece is just as important as the front. Soon I'll carve a pattern on both the top and the back of these plates. I had a nice day up at the snowy studio today, warm and cozy inside.

Snow Days...

There are plenty of snow days around here lately, seeming to slow things down. But that tends to happen in the winter months anyway, right? A general winter hibernation. But I have big plans in the studio this winter, so no snow can get in my way. Luckily I was able to trim the feet on some lunch plates today and finish carving them, too. Until I get back up there, the snow details just keep getting prettier.

Resident Artist exhibit

Coming up soon is an exhibit I'm in along with the other resident artists at the Energy XChange. The exhibition is "WNC Models of Sustainability", and it features the work of 8 artists who are in residencies at the Energy XChange in Burnsville, NC, and the Jackson County Green Energy Park, located in Sylva, NC. Both of these renewable energy centers use methane gas from the landfill to supply the needs of working craft artists in their studios. The exhibition is at the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design in Hendersonville, NC.

The opening reception is Friday, January 14, 5-7 pm. Exhibition dates are January 14- April 22, 2011 with a panel discussion on March 16th at UNCA.

Look here for an article that made it into the Asheville's Mountain Xpress newspaper.

For more information about the gallery, visit this link:
Center for Craft, Creativity and Design

Home is...

where your cup rack is.

After more than a week away on the road to do a lot of traveling and family visiting, I'm glad to be home to my own dishes and my own food. Back at the pottery wheel in the studio with clay up to my elbows felt great today, too.

Happy New Year everyone! Here's to a great 2011 year for pottery!