Tuesday, February 26, 2013

A day in the woods


I know it's cliche, but it's true, nature is so art inspiring. Yesterday's trip to the Uwharrie Mts. (pronounced you warrys) down in Asheboro fed my soul. It was around 40 degrees and cloudy, but the walking warmed me up and then the environment distracted me from the cold completely. These boulders are all over the place, outcropping in a flatter meadow area, and from this point you could see Badin Lake down below.


While Gerry climbed on every rock he could find, I wandered around in the woods collecting art supplies. I was obsessed with these orange rocks. I spent this morning trying to find a raku glaze that would match this red orange color.


The Uwharries are a bit of a playground for.... how do I say this nicely? Southern Good old boys?.... didn't their mamas teach them anything about picking up trash?! Gerry spent some time gathering up broken glass, I gathered rusty tin cans and brought them home! I didn't know Bud Light came in this blue bottle. I'm thinking glass shards for raku..... I also brought home a lot of dried grasses, seed pods and some tiny sticks that have mossy greens and cranberry reds on them. I have an idea for some more nature weavings and raku on tiles.....


The red orange rock and the green moss on the boulders has me longing for glazes that would replicate these colors. 
It was good to get out and let nature fill my head with ideas.....


......spend the day with a hot guy.......


......and drive along isolated country dirt roads. So much better than kiln sitting, don't you think?

12 comments:

Laura Farrow said...

ask Babz for her rusty velvet raku recipe... It's a gorgeous matte color! I think there's one also called tin can. she can hook you up!! I hope she'll bring the fishbone white and multicolor too. xo

Michèle Hastings said...

There's nothing like spending a whole day outside in the woods. Gorgeous rocks and boulders!

smartcat said...

Amazing rock formations. You sound like you are raring to create! Go Girl!

Tracey Broome said...

Hey Laura, I know that rusty velvet, I emailed her this morning about it. the tin can glaze doesn't have enough melter in it for me, it fades with tine pretty quickly. I may have the fishbone here, will have to look...
Michele, you are close to that area, you should ride up there!
Suzi, yes, ready to get on with it! Need warm weather!!!!

Unknown said...

My son, who lives south of y'all, claims that the attitude toward litter in the south is "there is no beautiful natural vista that can't be improved by a few Natty Light cans." He took us up to Whitewater Falls, a beautiful place indeed, but that didn't stop someone from throwing out a bunch of cans.. don't they remember the crying indian???

Unknown said...

Indeed- a great way to spend the day!! Spending time in nature is such a gift :)

Tracey Broome said...

Michael I KNOW!!!! That crying indian was in my head all day yesterday! I thought we all knew better, how hard is it to put the trash in your car and haul it out!
Kathy, our natural places are truly a gift, just hope we can do better at protecting them than we seem to be doing these days....

Hollis Engley said...

I love those boulders, Tracey. I can see making pots like that. Good to be able to get out of the house, eh?

Tracey Broome said...

Oh jeez, Hollis, don't give me any more ideas! They would be cool though, wouldn't they?! It was nice to get out, even if the weather was not so perfect, can't have everything!

June Perry said...

Tracey, the digital fire website shown below has a copy of the Tom Buck article on some work he did in the 90's to keep some of those raku glazes from fading. Hope it helps.

http://digitalfire.com/4sight/education/first_you_see_it_then_you_dont_raku_glaze_stability_113.html

Tracey Broome said...

Thanks June!

Amy said...

all looks and sounds inspiring--- and beautiful photos Tracey! REminds me of the need to be outdoors!