Little bud vases

Spring has arrived here in the mountains and I'm having fun making all sorts of new vases, big and small, carved and with little handles. Each time I create a new one I'm thinking of what flowers might look best in each one. I really come alive with the spring and the fresh air after being cooped up indoors all winter. I'm daily watching my garden beds to see what has poked up more than the day before!

Where did March go? The time flies for me in and around the studio. There is always something to do! I'll finish up these vases, head to the clay conference and when I return I'll be helping Will fire up the wood kiln with some large pots he's been working on. (I get to squeeze some of my small pots in, too!)

NCECA Clay Conference

I'm getting excited to attend NCECA in Tampa, Florida this month. I was awarded an education scholarship to attend by my local Southern Highland Crafts Guild. I'll be exhibiting in two shows that are in the conference, so if you are there, be sure to check them out. NCECA is the annual clay conference where thousands of artists, educators and students gather to share ideas, have discussions and view art by contemporary ceramic artists.

The first show you have to see is an invitational exhibit by Highwater Clays of Asheville, NC sister store at the St. Petersburg Clay Company in Florida. It is a group exhibit of potters that have been affiliated with the Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts (I was a resident artist there back in 2004.) There are also numerous other fantastic exhibits being held at St. Pete Clay, so you're in for a treat when you head there. The opening night for all of the exhibits at St. Pete Clay is March 31, 5:30-9:30.

The other exhibit I'm happy to be a part of is Greens and Grog, a group show of cups and salad plates by past resident artists of Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine. You can view this exhibit during the conference, March 30 - April 2 in the Buccaneer Room D of the Hyatt Regency in Tampa.

It's neat to be involved in two shows that came my way through artist residencies that I have been involved in. It feels good to have new work from my last wood firing there, too. I picked out a nice selection of new pots for these two exhibits.

Hope to see you there!

New carved mugs on etsy

I've listed a few new mugs from the firing in my Etsy shop. The secret about the mug is the surprise on the bottom! I had fun making this new form, leaving more area for carving, and I also decided to carve the bottom. I'm working on this new "joy" stamp. I always have used a JT stamp, but I think it's time for a change and use my name. It just seems to fit.



Although I love the earth tones of a wood and soda kiln, dare I say I'm loving the pooling amber and sage green glazes in the carving pattern? I've been feeling a pull in this carving direction and might even try some new things that are brewing underneath...maybe in the gas kiln that is up at the studio.

Until then, I'm still loving the contrast with the rich red wood fired stoneware below the pooling glaze.

Fresh, Schaller Gallery Exhibit

Don't miss the Schaller Gallery online show of Fresh, lots of fresh pots, the latest venue for finding my pots for sale. He has a great selection of pottery on display and I'm excited to be represented among the fabulous ceramic artists on his site.

http://www.schallergallery.com

Spring

Here's a newly carved square serving bowl that came out of the kiln. Reminds me of spring. I'm working on sorting through all of the new work, sending pieces off this way and that. Soon I will be listing new pots in my Etsy shop because I have a great new selection of carved mugs and carved bowls that I'm excited to freshen up my shop with! Keep posted for that, first I have to get busy with my camera....but there also is this great thing called my greenhouse and SPRING that has been calling my name lately. I'm eager to get into the studio to make new pots already, but will have to juggle that with my spring fever. Little buds and daffodils are starting out here, but I know our mountains aren't through yet with the winter. Greens in the greenhouse are first on my list.

a few faves

I'm sending these little beauties off to a show. I'm loving my new cup form, and excited that my glazing idea for them worked out. Now I just need to find out if people like holding onto the little nubs, or waist details I added. (I need a better word than 'nub' for this! any ideas?) I had notched most of these cups, but now I'm finding with all the surface excitement, I prefer the cups that are not notched. Below is a lineup of most of them. Some of the glazes reached cone 12, so they completely ran out of the lines, that's ok though. That worked out best on the notched bowls below.