dream studio and a bunch of other ridiculously dreamee stuff

















































I almost fainted; I'm still trying to recover myself.  BIG, clean, gorgeous & stylish studio space in Brescia, Italy. Such the life!!  I used to want to come back as a wine maker in italy - forget that....


The amount of aluminum leafing that he does on those large tree forms is astounding.
Please, I invite you to investigate his site - totally amazing and inspiring!


found at Carole Epp's fabulous Musing About Mud blog


Fausto Salvi's Brescia Studio
Fausto Salvi 

Forrest Lesch-Middleton & John Neeley Show at TRAX






John Neely from Logan, Utah &
Forrest Lesch-Middelton from Petaluma, CA

Once upon a time: teacher and student.

Oct 9 – Nov 7, 2010

OPENING RECEPTION: 5–7pm Saturday October 9

Gallery Talk @ 5:30pm




and a nice invitation from Forrest :

Hello, I hope this finds you well.

I would like to invite you to the opening of "Once upon a time" a two person ceramics exhibition I will be having with John Neely (One of my graduate school Professors) at Trax Gallery in Berkeley on Saturday, October 9th.
For me, this will be a great honor in two ways; one being that I will have another opportunity to show at Trax a renown West Coast gallery of fine hand-made ceramics; and two, I will be showing with one of my great mentors and an icon of Functional American ceramics!

The exhibition will run October 9th - November 7th
Opening Reception Saturday, October 9th 5pm - 7pm: Gallery talk 5:30pm

This exhibition will also be available on line for viewing and to purchase works for the entirety of its run.
www.traxgallery.com

I hope you get a chance to stop by either in person or on line! 

Gratefully,
Forrest Lesch-Middelton

ok, THIS was fun...



click here - RAKU Demo at Fog Fest


Featuring me as the "cranky" cranker 
Margaret Tassi the STAR puller & Rig Inventor!
Georgene MacNicol as second puller.  


Video courtesy of Erika Peterson's new iPhone...
and dedicated to John Toki - who wasn't there in person but definitely in spirit - he was the inspiration.


Of course, THIS happening on one of the hottest days of the year in Pacifica (90 degrees - thanks for that) and this the 4th firing of the day.  


Margaret hatched this Raku Rig idea after attending the Raku FEST at RAC with me over a week ago - inspiration put to work!  We even tried a bunch of glaze/underglaze that Jane MacDonald had outlined at the festival during her talk - we had mixed results this first go.   


Friday night before this event we were giddy and ridiculous with excitement putting this rig together with the help of,  well,,,some riggers (friends of the studio)


dang, I love ceramics and ceramics people...



Lauren Gallaspy



















































































Lauren Gallaspy's work is intriguing and creepy but pretty too; it's like 'the thing' - only a 1000x better than John Carpenter ;)  it is porcelain after all.

This works requires concentration to enjoy and long periods of time to work through the feelings and responses it elicits.  The intricacies and attention to detail living on and within the over all abstract form is delightfully complicated.

ma jun








































































Ma Jun  neat-O!

Raku Fest, David Kuraoka, Coyotes attack, and various other bits




















































Richmond Art Center (an amazing place!) had a Raku Fest on Saturday.  For a fee, you support the RAC and could choose to have two pieces raku fired.  There was food, demos and David Kuraoka did a lecture on his history of Raku and Pit Fire both at San Jose State and SF State including a slide show....highlight!

I have only had second hand knowledge of David Kuraoka.  I had a teacher (Tiffany Schmierer) now a friend who was a student of his at State - I've heard all the stories, good, bad and everything in between, tales and mythic legends of huge beach pit fires and raku fires sometimes with as many as a 1000 people; the original burning man!  In listening to him talk about his career all the stories, hearsay and bits of information came together.  I started to get some of the scope of David's influence and power.  It is so fantastic how many of his students are now teaching, influencing the next generation of artists.  Not a few of his former students working and impacting the ceramic stage on a large scale - many in the Bay Area.   People like Dave Kuraoka are (as mentioned in an article I linked below) living treasures.  The dude is a powerful & amazing guy - funny, cute and humble; a real original, a master.  I've heard a lot of stories about State and David - it was a real cool thing to get a chance to listen to his storytelling with pictures!  I sat there in awe.


Jane McDonald fired some large pieces - it was great to see big work !
Bruno Kark did a throwing demo - Bruno is super cute and fun to watch and listen to.
The RAC is a gem!

I left the Raku event SO high on creative fumes and Dave Kuraoka and FIRE...couldn't wait to get in the studio and do something, anything with clay.



I thought I'd take my dogs out and them go to the studio and work all night.  It would have been a walk like every other walk we've taken in the last 10 years.....



















except for these guys

They wanted my dogs.....for dinner.  To make a long story shorter; we were a mile from the car and we were "hunted" the entire way back to my vehicle.  There was no one anywhere near me to help and the two coyotes were extremely aggressive and deadly serious!  I had the tiny dog in my arms and had to tie my other dog to me with my scarf - at one point after circling us for a half mile they were less than 6 ft away lunging in at Dante.

I threw rocks, yelled - it was an intense exchange to say the least.  Nature is beautiful until it tries to kill you; or  your dogs in my case.  It's always good to keep your eyes open and keep your cool...

now we will have to rethink our walk strategy...


the next day:

At Clay Creations Studio where I have been working and teaching a mosaic class we have built a cute little gallery.  Sunday a friend of the studio came by with some reclaimed wood to build two shelves for work!























How cute is that shelf - thank you Dave Blackman - you are an awesome speed racer builder guy!
the gallery is OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!  come see us at FogFEST this weekend.


so, that was mostly my weekend: I got my pyro fix, listened to a Master, made my first concrete counter top, fought off marauding animals, made some cups and bowls, helped build shelves, set up a gallery....


In other news...










































The Studio Space I have been teaching in and working is having an event.  We link up with the Art&Wine event in Pacifica: FOGFEST which is in it's 25th year (I've never been).  The clay studio will be having our
own event and pottery sale a little down the street.

Should be fun!

come by if you're in range.....


btw: the studio is looking for artist members  - we have space - we are 10-15 mins south of San Francisco on the coast.  We are a fully equipped studio with 12 wheels, electric, Raku and new High Fire Kilns.  We are currently a Mid-Fire studio with new options for High Fire.  We have a small cute gallery space and are rolling out a new workshop series for 2011!  I'll be posting more about those...

For more info - there is a link at the top of my blog on the left.

David Eichelberger






































David Eichelberger....Eiiiichelbeeeerrrrger!   I'm like a moth to a flame over the line work.  His forms are a attention getters too!

he has some beautiful form, surface and drawings...dude's got it all!

check out more of his work:
David Eichelberger - Mudfire
Crimson Laurel Gallery
Red Lodge Clay Center

Happenings







































Jason Dunn has a show now through September 23rd at the College of Marin Fine Arts Gallery
835 College Ave
Kentfield, CA
www.marin.edu
Hours: M-F 11-5pm/Sat 9-4

Jason is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet and his work speaks for itself.
If you can make it happen, please see his work.









































Mitsu Kimura of Ruby's & Red Brick Studio is having a show 'ORGANICAL' with Jen Brazelton at Ruby's Clay Studio Gallery Sept 22 - Oct 5.

Both Mitsu and Jen are accomplished amazing sculpture artists - I look forward to seeing their work shown together - a powerful combo.  I have quite of few of Mitsu's pieces and will be swooping in for more!


DO NOT MISS, PEOPLE...........do not miss!!
Artist Reception Saturday, October 2, 6-9pm.


Mitsu doesn't have a website - just see the show, you're gunna have to trust me on this one.



Ruby's Clay Studio
552A Noe Street, (btw 18 & 19)
SF, CA 94114
415.558.1819

Ceramics Annual of America download














































































Here are a few pics that I took - I went to Reception Night on Thursday.  I thought the show was very well done.  The lighting was a disappointment.  Pieces were area lit, but it was too greatly contrasted against not enough general light - so the effect was "dramatic" lighting - and not in a good way!

It did have a CCACA feel to it as well, which isn't a bad thing only because John Natsoulas is heavily involved in creating this show (with John Toki of Leslies Clay in Berkeley).

I like the opening nights - a lot of people to talk to about their work and the atmosphere is usually party-ish!

Lauren Ari was stand out for me!  Here all this time she has been over in Berkeley and I've never seen her work or met her! I instantly became a fan.  I love it.
The other was Carmen Lang - her small sculpture vignettes were so gestural, sweet and subtle.

I confess, though I have a 3 day pass, I've not been back - it's been a tough weekend with the fire disaster and  a friend losing her home - there is still one person from work not accounted for and just hearing other stories about what is happening is sobering.

I am going back to the CAA on the end side of today; helping pack up some work.

It would be great to hear your thoughts, opinions, feelings about the show?

Fire



























Here is the SFGATE article on the fire.  A friend of mine lost her house.  Her family is safe.

My heart is breaking for these people. Their lives will never be the same.
If you're at all interested in helping in any way you can go HERE

Friendly Reminder...CAA this weekend




































CERAMICS ANNUAL of AMERICA is this weekend.

Exhibition Dates and Times

September 10th – 12th, 2010

Friday September 10 & Saturday September 11, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday September 12, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm 

Opening Reception, Preview Party

Thursday, September 9th, 5:30pm – 9:00 pm 

Admission

$10, one day pass; $20, two-day pass; 
Opening Reception, $45
$5.00 after 5:00, Friday and Saturday 
Ages 18 and under are FREE.
Children's Craft Workshop







CAA WEBSITE
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS



Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl

Someone sent me this book in the mail???



























THIS should be good!


More:
article/interview in the Independent.