Thursday, June 20, 2013

Back from the land of Enchantment

 So , let's see.... a week at the beach, a week in the Smokey Mountains, and week with Tibetan monks.... time to get back to the land of Chapel Hill and my reality here! Is it any wonder I never have any money?
There was lots of conversation last week with the monks regarding reincarnation. I would like to believe that this girl in the photo above was me in a previous life :-)

I got this postcard in Cherokee, NC at the Qualla Arts Co-op. If you have ever been to Cherokee, you will know that it is perhaps the tackiest place on Earth, except for maybe my home town of Myrtle Beach. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to go there whenever we get anywhere nearby. For some odd reason, my parents chose to leave Myrtle Beach on the fourth of July every other year or so, and go to Cherokee for vacation. It's exactly the same theme park kinda place, wtf! but I love tacky, and I love the Cherokee people. They are stepping up a bit, and the place is much nicer than it has been in past years. At least they don't have those poor bear cubs chained outside the stores anymore.
They seem to be getting a handle on the beauty and wonder of their culture and finally have a few places in town that honor that. One place is the Qualla co-op. I am telling you all of this, because the coil pottery they had on display took my breath and got the little wheels in the remote part of my creative brain thinking that I want to go back to making some coil pots. Some of the nicest pieces I have ever made were coil pots that I raku fired, even though at the time, I was warned against raku firing coil built pots. I did it anyway, and got some spectacular results.


I did a quick Raku fire on Tuesday and while the kiln was heating up, I put a few pieces in a trash can, built a little fire in there and smoked them. This is one of my favorite ways to get an interesting surface on clay.



This one I raku fired. It has a nickel and cobalt oxide wash on it, and my intention was for it to be a blueish green (as per my test tile), however, I forgot and put it in reduction and got this well reduced black piece instead. Since it was inspired by Alvin Ailey's dance Revelations, I suppose it's sort of perfect for it to be black... I like it. Remember those legs I found in the tin box at the antique store? There they are, worked out great except gluing stuff to clay is driving me mad, I am just about over this found object/gluing business!
I really have to stop being so lazy with my photo set up, what a shite piece of photography this is! Sorry..... just went outside and grabbed a piece of construction paper, ugh, the early morning blue light.


These are cute, right? There is a piece of wire attached to one of the nails from another project that didn't quite work out, but I like it on this nail, so I left it there. I really love these.


So wishing I was still sitting in the mountains in my favorite flannel shirt, sipping on a chai, but I'm back and I need to make some work, so play time is coming to an end.
Unless Wesley wants to go back to the beach??........ maybe just a weekend camp on the A.T?

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Off to a great summer, I'd say! Love the visual of you in a past life...I can see you in her, for sure :) The little crackled house/barns are beautiful ~ love them! Can't wait to see what you come up with after these recent experiences.

cookingwithgas said...

Boy, where have I been these past few weeks.
The video by Wesley was great as were the pictures of her, the Monks, the art and all....
Then I went back and finally watch the one of Tim and Susan. I just fell in love with them and their playing- those voices together and the looks of deep love, good grief! Wonderful.

Then you and your work...I am digging it all.
A big hello from our house to yours, kiss all them guys and give them some hugs for me.

Tracey Broome said...

Hey Kathy, thanks, I definitely feel a connection to that potter girl!
Meredith, where have you been? YOU have been working! unlike me!!! Glad you got all caught up, lots going on down here at the Broome house, but most of it playing!
Yeah, Susan and Tim, when they look at each other, they need to get a room, haha!

Patricia Griffin Ceramics said...

You lead a charmed life!... Such a gift to have all that special time, and with your daughter too. I'm lucky if my kid calls me back these days. He's much too busy for mom!... Hey, I like the idea of reincarnation too, though I'm such a control freak I want to know (and approve of) the next iteration of myself! Ha!

Tracey Broome said...

Awww, Patricia, I know. I was much too busy for my parents too. I am very blessed that Wesley likes hanging out with her mom and dad! Oh, if only we could pick our next life,wouldn't that be amazing!

Laura Farrow said...

I'll go to the beach!!! Let's pile some peeps in the car and head out for a day trip or overnight. Ready when you are. xoxo

Susan Wells said...

sounds good to me! Let's vacation until we are so sick of it we want to dive into the studio! Raku and coil looks fun!!

Shannon said...

hey Tracey, I Just tuned back in after a couple weeks away. SO GREAT to see Wesley's JOY with the monks. Your continuing barn explorations are really good.