Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Summer Days

Summer is full on around here, both in and out of the studio. I just keep reminding myself of the raku firing I did with ice and snow falling around me. I am working in the mornings when it isn't so bad and then by 4pm I have to come in. I like the heat though and I have shells and beach debris all around me to remind me of vacation days. My work is definitely reflecting all this stuff around me. The only bad thing is that I am on a wholesale buyer's cycle instead of retail. I'm making work that reflects the summer, but it will be sold in the fall and winter when everyone is thinking about Christmas items. If I were doing wholesale shows that would be fine for buyers that are looking forward to Spring 2012. Old habits from my designer days I guess....
I'll just have to come up with some way to display the stuff with a hint of winter.
This thing was a mofo! I have been wanting to make some barn shapes that have drawers and now that I have that out of my system this may be a one of a kind. What a pain it was.
It's pretty cool though, the drawer is like a little treasure box and I will line the inside with some nice paper or fabric. The texture turned out super cool, must do more with this!

I am in a cycle of throwing in the morning while I wait for my slabs to firm up, then making a couple of barns then the thrown work is dry enough to trim and add sprigs. I sat down yesterday and made a spread sheet of the shows I have for fall and the pieces I want to make for each show.
What an eye opener that was. I have really got to stay focused and stop the one of a kind, what if I did this, or what if I changed that, and just make a limited number of styles and lots of them!
Focus is the word of the day. And Corona!

8 comments:

Anna M. Branner said...

VERY cool. (Well, the barn, not the temperature!) Love the drawer and I can ONLY imagine how tough this one was to put together. Perfect.

Tracey Broome said...

hey Anna, I love the drawer too, but not the process of putting it together!

cookingwithgas said...

girl it is HOT,HOT,HOT!
But your work is super cool!

Hollis Engley said...

I love the textures on the new barns, Tracey. I think the drawer is a good idea, but no doubt will drive the making time up unless you figure out a new way of doing it. But I continue to love the barns themselves.

Linda Starr said...

Getting that drawer to fit must be a feat, how would you fire it separately? great textures going there.

Tracey Broome said...

Hey Meredith, it is definitely HOT! Hollis, I think the time will get faster once I make a few, it was the figuring it out that took so long.
Linda, I'm not sure I understand your question of firing separately....

ang design said...

oooh i really like the drawer!!!! something else going on totally a barn with a hidey hole :))

Anonymous said...

What a gorgeous photo with the window! All your beachy work, and new barns are really looking good!