Saturday, March 19, 2011

Just a few more

Ok, here is the last of the studio pictures. Just some overalls from each corner. Today was a total day of rest. Wesley and I went to Looking Glass in Carrboro. It's sort of a coffee shop/head shop and has great panini bagels and even better chai. They have a side yard with tables and umbrellas and we sat outside and had a great lunch and just soaked up some sun. Gerry is shooting the last of the basketball for the season, shooting women's NCAA regionals at Duke.
This table belonged to Leonora Coleman, the founder of Claymakers in Durham and I treasure it. Her daughter gave it to me when Leonora passed away and I think of her often when I sit at this table. Leonora brought me in to Claymakers as a studio assistant and I learned so many valuable things working there. She was a difficult woman for many, but she was amazingly kind to me and I enjoyed working with her.

My wheel area is the most cluttered area, but nothing can be done about that. The mirror above my wheel is an old medicine chest that was being thrown out. It's great, I can store small tools inside. When I throw larger vases I have to have a mirror. I throw in sort of a sitting/standing position. I found this stool at an old junk yard and it is a perfect height, my back almost never gets tired in this position. The crates came from an old apple stand up in the Blue Ridge mountains. I bought them years ago for $1 a piece. Try to find them for that now! I have a dozen or so of them and use them for everything.
These were Gerry's beakers and I have adopted them. They are darkroom beakers and were part of the darkroom equipment of the photographer that photographed the bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. His son gave them to Gerry when we were in college. Imagine if they could talk....
I decided to take down all of the cards and pictures I had up on my wall in the house. Too much clutter. I put up this piece of wood left over from my last wood firing and have just put up a couple of things that I like. I may rotate them from time to time, but I really don't want to put up an entire wall of stuff like I had before. The very old putty knife belonged to my dad, I use that thing every day for something, and the brush on the right is the brush I used for years to clean off my drafting table. I now use it at the end of the day to brush up scraps laying around. It's a great brush. The metal rulers were from my college days used to cut mat board. A metal ruler is a must have for me.
So that's it, I'm done, time to get to work. As my grandmother used to say, I am plumb wore out! My hands hurt really bad, I hurt my right middle finger pretty bad when I dropped the 4X4 on it, yesterday I pulled a one inch splinter out of my thumb while planing the hole that was cut out for my window frame, and just the hammering and picking up wood and moving things has been a real workout. I'm very proud of this space and proud of myself for having done so much of the work. It now feels very much a part of me. The money I made selling pots paid for it and I have worked hard this past two weeks, I have learned a lot and I have some new very crazy friends, people that I would have probably never met if I hadn't hired them to do this work.
Several of you have commented about insulation, but if I put up insulation and then sheet rock, I will lose what I love most about the walls. Because the kit was pretty cheap they gave me some of the roughest wood you have ever seen, most builders would have thrown it out or returned it, but I loved it, some of the pieces still had bark on them. I will probably freeze in the winter, but I'll face that when it gets here. Maybe I'll do like Jen Mecca and wrap the whole thing in plastic. Maybe I just won't work in the winter, I don't know....
I wedged up some clay today and first thing Monday, I get to work. Sunday is my mother in law's birthday so we are going to spend the day with her.
Thanks to ALL of you for cheering me on through this process and for all of your comments. They kept me going on days when I really did not want to do this anymore. I wish I could blog more about some of the things that went on, but it's not appropriate and all has ended well. I did have a couple of meltdowns, but mostly just kept working at it and gaining more and more tolerance for others that live a life style quite different from mine. I'm glad these people came in to my life and I am a better person for having worked with them. My mom used to tell me that we must accept people for who they are and find something good in everyone that comes in to our lives. Wise woman!
Happy weekend!

24 comments:

Clamworks said...

Congratulations on your new space, it looks wonderful!

cindy shake said...

Your new space ROCKS!!!
Construction projects can test the best of us -they say just do a major kitchen remodel to test a marriage...and don't get me going about the contractor I hired to remodel our entryway, who vanished for a few weeks mid project, whose dog almost ate my rabbit and who had a hard time staying sober past 10am...

Trish said...

So happy for you, Tracey..!looks great..such character. It is a treasure..
Rest well. T.

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

great use of space.
That is some doghouse~

Hollis Engley said...

Looks great, Trace. And I do like that card up there. An honor.

Sister Creek Potter said...

I'm almost sad it is all 'done'. I've loved watching your progress and process. I have a little ritual each morning--checking my email, then the news highlights and then my favorite blogs. Then the day begins. But over the last couple weeks it all got turned upside down because I had to start by checking to see what Tracey did the day before! And some evenings I checked in again just in case…It is all wonderful.

Harold D said...

I'm so happy to see that it has all come together, Tracey... and I can't wait to see what's next! I know you are tired now, but there also must be a great feeling of excitement, wondering what this coming summer in your new space will bring.

DirtKicker Pottery said...

Your new studio has such a wonderful quiet cottage feel. You did such a lovely job putting it all together. I love your style. Get some rest Girl!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Tracey- even your studio is a work of art!! Nothing like blood, sweat and tears to help you bond with something...and you have certainly earned it! Congratulations!!

Tracey Broome said...

Hey Clay Chick and Harold, nice to hear from new bloggers, Harold your last blog post is great! Cindy, I sort of know this man :)
Thanks Trish and Julie!! Maybe it has character because such a character built it, and yes Tyler does think it's a dog house!
Hollis, that card you sent me is one of my most favorites. The one at the top was from Judy Shreve. Gay, you are so funny! I sat down in my studio yesterday and re read the slip book you sent me, what a great book that is. Kathy there is definitely blood sweat and tears there, and Cindy, yes I am going to rest today!

Judy Shreve said...

What a great spot you've created -- the wonderful energy comes through even in the photos! I love the windows and the light -- you've created an amazing space to work in -- and what I see in the building and space is the same thing I see in your clay work -- a spiritual connection. So good for you for working so hard and making your studio truly your own.

Judy Shreve said...

ok - I had to go back and look at the cards!-- I should have read all the comments first! Cool -- that card just reminded me of you -- :)

Patricia Griffin Ceramics said...

BRAVO TRACEY! I love your studio. What a wonderful place!

Vicki Wenderlich said...

Thanks for sharing the process and your thoughts as this was being built, I really enjoyed being let in on it!

Right now I'm away from my studio for a few months and it's great to see you creating and settling into yours.

Laura Farrow said...

OMG, your studio is AWESOME! I know you are excited. xo

Tracey Broome said...

Hey Judy, yep, I loved that card when you sent it, and my space does seem sort of spiritual, I just smile the minute I walk through the door. Hi Vicki, Laura and Patricia! Glad you like it!!! Laura you can come spend time in my studio now!

laura weant johnson said...

tracey, it looks fantastic! and how special that you have leonora's table--i still miss her. it was so much fun to talk to her about clay, &i'm sure she would be thrilled for you!

SUSAN WELLS said...

busy happy lady. I love it.

Lori Buff said...

I'm so happy for you. Congratulations, it looks great. Enjoy!

Michèle Hastings said...

looks awesome! it will be fun to see where this new space takes your work

FetishGhost said...

This is just so s-w-e-e-t! Looks like you've got some great natural light flooding the room. Congratulations!

Linda Fahey said...

I love the story about the table; your studio looks amazing! it's inspiring!

Molly Wieser said...

I was just googling Leonora Coleman - she was my teacher between 1990 and 1993, when I served intermittently as a studio assistant for her. I'm an attorney, and I haven't done pottery for years, but I think fondly of that time with her. I'm glad her table lives on. She got a pug mill during the time I was working with her, and I remember how happy that made her.