Rumors of snow

I've heard rumors and first hand accounts of snow in NC. In fact, I have a video that I'll try to load on here later, with the famous Cherokee Gill, retired race dog extraordinere, cavorting in the white stuff. It was sent as a little birthday gift, since Cherokee is at home with friends while I am gone. My heart goes all soupy and sweet when I see a dog around here, evidence that I am missing my great big studio buddy. Anyway, check back later in the week since I have to figure it out and it may just remain a big mystery if the technology is too much.

Fog and Hot tea

It's been a lovely foggy day in Florida. We had a great big storm last night, and cool air moved in to create this Englandy looking atmosphere. I've always had a thing for fog. I've always liked hot tea. Hmm? Was I really supposed to have been born in the South or am I really just a misplaced Brit with a slightly funny accent?

Impressionism inspiration

Since I'm not working with clay in the near future, my thoughts turn to painting and drawing. Just before I left home I took my car to the auto car wash for a well-deserved bath. I love the fact that they have great vaccum cleaners. So powerful it sucked up my ball point pen. I wonder if the job perks include dividing the small change or even bills, jewelry, etc that make their way to the bottom of the vaccum cleaner? Anyway, while riding through, I thought how cool that soapy world looks, so took some shots for future reference.

New Days, New Years, New Decades

Everything is new again! I have been cruising the blogs occasionally to see what's been happening out there. I have been on vacation, enjoying some well deserved time with family and starting on a study of courses that will occupy me and keep me away from the studio until the end of May.

Today I walked around the neighborhood (Florida, not NC) and it was a breezy, chilly, sunny morning. Quite nice. Don't know if the FL natives like this cold spell but it suits me just fine.
I have to figure out how to load my camera pictures on this computer, so no new images for a bit.

There was a great article in Ceramics Arts Daily last week about mass production of pottery design. I read it with interest. It really covered the good points and bad points of such a self-financed venture. I can see how satifsying that would be for an artist/craftsman that had the goal to bring well-made work to the marketplace at large quantities. I did have to explore some of my own prejudices about the concept, but realized that I enjoy a lot of products that fall in that middle space--well designed, aesthetically pleasing and in an affordable range.

They are NOT the same as the individually made cup. But I would reach for them and the experience would be more pleasing than that cylinder that comes in a rainbow of colors. I think the thing that I would miss most about the experience is the story behind the work itself. I do think of the person or place or time that I got a cup or mug from and to me, that is an important part of the drinking/eating experience. Now, I'm not saying that I have a concious remembrance every time I drink, but it's there, in the background like ambient music or a soft pillow. Maybe it's just "padding" for the everyday battle of life!

Anyway, I appreciated the article. Take a look for yourself. Tell me what you might think. Have a great day!

A Year of Bluegill Pottery Calendar Giveaway

Here's what February could look like on your wall in 2010. All you have to do to win this full color calendar of 12 months of Bluegill Pottery work is to register at my open house this coming weekend. I'll be open 10am to 4pm on Saturday and 1 to 4pm on Sunday, so come out, look around and register! Oh, and you can even buy things for yourself, friends and loved ones!!!

Crow Clock in the Bird Series.

Bluegill Website Update

I finally was able to get my website updated last month. Many new photos in the gallery section and changes to gallery hours, class info, etc. Have a look at the new stuff, then it will stay the same for a while, since my blog is really where all the new work is featured and the website changes at a snail's pace.

I'm trying to decide on changing my email program from Constant Contact to Vertical Response. I set up a VR account for the Carolina Pottery Festival and it worked very well and was economical to send out show info. I think that I don't use my CC enough to warrant the expense. I will miss all the nice templates in CC, though. There is always a learning curve with a new program, and frankly my patience in learning curves is a bit worn thin.

After/Before or What it takes to make it saleable

These are the pieces I dropped off this past Monday at the Cleveland County Arts Council for their Handmade for the Holidays show. I think it's a nice selection of work with new bird themed pieces, impressed fish trays and some sweet little plum blossom trays that I have coupled with a red bowl. The beehive shape is for knitters or crocheters to house their wayward thread skeins in.

Before it could become a saleable item, it had to go through a bit of post kiln magic. You're seeing many things in many different stages in this shot. It's funny that I took this photo on Monday and when reading Ron's blog today, I see he has his own bit of chaos going on. Is it something in the air, or just the time of year when creativity and clean collide? Creativity seems to win at my house, hands down.

In the cause of full disclosure, I have not been paid or recompensed by Panera Bread for drinking their tea and showing it on my blog. I also had a bagel with cream cheese and darn if I didn't have to pay for that, as well.