Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Mark's Motley Crew
That would be me with Mark's fingers sticking out of my head!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
workplace
Lara O'Keefe came by today, talking with Martin Simpson, Joseph Sand and Alex Matisse. Check out Alex's blog for more photos.
Joseph and Mark's gardens, really nice.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
First Firing!
The firing was so much fun because it was a rare weekend that Gerry was off on a Saturday and he was here to help out. It was pretty funny in the yard, caterpillars were dropping all over us and the pollen was literally coating our skin. Maybe April isn't the best time to work outside.
I have never fired this kind of kiln before and just sort of went on instinct. It's amazing how strong your kiln instincts get. The kiln climbed steadily to 1900 degrees without any problems and all in all it was a great firing. This was the first time Gerry has seen a Raku firing and I think he is hooked now. It is so addictive.
Earlier in the week, I had the great pleasure to invite my friend Charlotte's high school son, John, in to talk to my class about his sculptures. He did a couple of demos on techniques he uses and then the kids tried out the techniques with their own work.
Ian is one of those kids that you just know will do great things in life. He pays attention, works hard and is meticulous with his work. he worked for an hour in class the first day, went home and worked until 9pm then came back to class the next day and worked for 2 more hours on his sculpture. It turned out so great, I loaded it in the kiln this morning.
Also my child turned 16 this weekend and we got her a Yamaha keyboard. The band has been wanting to add one and she just has a natural inclination to playing keyboards. It's been a really busy week and today, I went in to the ArtsCenter very early before anyone got there and unloaded a kid's kiln, loaded another. Then I glazed all of their cupcake boxes with a white base, I am going to get some china paints and let them decorate with paints. I also glazed the plaques some of them made for Mother's Day. The studio I use for the kids doesn't have access to the glazes and it is just easier for me to do it. Did I say easier? Right! And last, I mixed up five Raku glazes to try out for the Raku class I am going to teach at The ArtsCenter. They are hydrating now as I blog, I need to go out and sieve, so I better get to it. I'll be going out to work at Mark Hewitt's next week. His May sale is coming up very soon. Have a great week everyone!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Silent Auction
The cup and saucer are from Doug Dotson and the serving platter below is by Rusty Sieck. I have a pitcher that matches this plate. The photos really don't show these pieces for what they truly are. I was in a hurry to get them delivered for catalog photography and snapped them quick on my deck.
Mark Hewitt gave me a mug like the one on the right that he fired for the Catawba show in his new kiln. I have the other two mugs for myself. Thanks, all of you for your generosity!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
email from NC Arts Council
Thursday 23rd April 2009
Dear Artists, Arts Workers, and other Arts Leaders,
In the many years I've been at the State Arts Council, we've lived through several economic ups and downs, but certainly never a down period quite like the one we're in now. And yet there are also great opportunities for the arts today as we become better known as part of the solution that will rebuild North Carolina's economy.
On the first afternoon of ARTS North Carolina's ARTS Day events (May 5-6), two of Governor Perdue's Cabinet Secretaries will give us their views on the Creative Economy. Don't miss hearing and meeting Cultural Resources Secretary Linda Carlisle and Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco. The conversation will surely be stimulating as they talk about the overlap and convergence of the work of their two departments.
On the second day, you'll have the chance to talk with your legislators about the rich contributions you are making to the life of their communities and our state. No one can do that quite like you.
It would be great to see all of you here for the ARTS Day events. In times like these, we need to gather as colleagues to reinforce one another and the very valuable work that all of us are doing. Here's a link for more details: www.artsnc.org/advocacy/artsday.
All the best,
Mary B. Regan, Executive Director
North Carolina Arts Council
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tacos and cupcakes
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Liberty Arts
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Life is Good
I love this little oven, I guess used for pizza, maybe bread? I want one
Wesley, my Shakori chick
This van was so cool inside but to dark to shoot any good pictures and I couldn't read the ISO on my camera, focusing problems :) Someone told me it had gone to Burning Man, wouldn't surprise me. It was a work of art.
the hood of the van
Jeff Martin's booth was very busy and so was he, lots of people gathered around him as he painted and I wasn't sure I could form intelligent sentences, so Hi Jeff! Sorry I didn't stop and chat. Hope it was a good show for you, I would like to do this show I think.....
Is this the Avery Tileworks booth?
Here was the last picture I managed to shoot before I just gave up and had a bunch of fun. If you haven't been to Shakori before, you really must check it out in the fall!! Ahh....... Monday I'm back to work with another residency that I am not looking forward to since I haven't been paid yet for the last two I did. I'm sure I'll be paid eventually but really, people, I need the money. This is doing little for my motivation to teach kid's classes. It's a lot of work for very little pay, just warm and fuzzy rewards, which are nice, but warm and fuzzy isn't going to get Wes to college. I have been thinking this week that if I spent as much time on my own pottery as I do on rolling slabs and loading kilns and glazing kid's stuff, I could produce enough work to probably make up the income that I can't even get anyway. I have got to figure something out after I get through this summer. I'll be way burnt out anyway so that will help with my decision making I'm sure......
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Ultraman
Monday, April 13, 2009
Easter Weekend
My child is just getting prettier and prettier. She turns sixteen April 25, can't believe it! Love this kid!
We walked around UNC campus and shot a bunch of pictures. The pink dogwoods on campus are amazing.
We also walked through the Coker Arboretum, where they have the most unusual selection of trees I have ever seen. Lots of flowers there are already in bloom but there are so many more to come.
What a cool place to live. I just love Franklin St. Hope everyone had a great Easter.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
POLLEN
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Suzanne
SUZANNE
Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river
You can hear the boats go by
You can spend the night beside her
And you know that she's half crazy
But that's why you want to be there
And she feeds you tea and oranges
That come all the way from China
And just when you mean to tell her
That you have no love to give her
Then she gets you on her wavelength
And she lets the river answer
That you've always been her lover
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that she will trust you
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind.
And Jesus was a sailor
When he walked upon the water
And he spent a long time watching
From his lonely wooden tower
And when he knew for certain
Only drowning men could see him
He said "All men will be sailors then
Until the sea shall free them"
But he himself was broken
Long before the sky would open
Forsaken, almost human
He sank beneath your wisdom like a stone
And you want to travel with him
And you want to travel blind
And you think maybe you'll trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind.
Now Suzanne takes your hand
And she leads you to the river
She is wearing rags and feathers
From Salvation Army counters
And the sun pours down like honey
On our lady of the harbour
And she shows you where to look
Among the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed
There are children in the morning
They are leaning out for love
And they will lean that way forever
While Suzanne holds the mirror
And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that you can trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind.
Monday, April 6, 2009
NCAA Champs!!!!!!!
My husband is down on Franklin Street shooting pictures in that crowd right there, holy crap! I just saw his photo up on USAToday's page. Wes and I went down in that crowd a few years ago and it was pretty scary. We're just sitting home tonight watching it on TV. We went down around 8pm and it was just a sea of Carolina Blue. What a great town to live in. So much fun! GO HEELS!!!!!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
GO HEELS
This photo was shot last year when I was working for Gerry at the tournament. I have a spring break camp all week, so I'm not sure how much blogging I'll be doing. I do have gas for my kiln now so I have to get busy soon!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
will I ever fire this sucker?
I am being asked to teach more kid's classes this summer than I can keep up with and today a friend asked if I would teach a class at a retirement center in Hillsborough. I am booked up all the way through November and it's just now April. Good to have the work I guess, but I'm tired just thinking about it!