flowers in my yard

this year has been a bumper year - the flowers in my yard are OUT OF CONTROL - which is A-OK with me...but so are the weeds, which makes my back hurt thinking about it.

I cannot express the pink-i-ness of the pink flowers - absolutely breathtaking!

Happy Friday !
have a super weekend.

we're back!!

I am re-posting about the latest piece of work (ha!) because my earlier post went down in flames as blogger was on the blink over night....it happens.  I still love you blogger!!

So, here's a few shots over the build up process.  I have slipped her up and need to do some additional detail carving and cleaning before she dry.....'long time'

This was started before I left for the Davis conference a few weeks ago - I came back and started up with her again and wasn't feeling to great about it, but last night I got back into it.  Oh, highs and lows of not having a direction and being a willing slave to spontaneity!

I'm thinking of getting some lithium carb glazes together for this girl.

another one...

Working on this right now.

It was started a couple weeks ago and then Davis happened and the post Davis happened and work hell and fourth & clay weekend....and finally I got her back out of the damp room and found myself stuck and unprepared.  I just did stuff anyway.  And when I got a little neurotic about it; I thought of what Ira Glass said about making A LOT of work.  I decided it was ALL practice - so here it is -  in progress.   Honestly, I have no clear picture of what I'm doing, or trying to say,  or where I want to go with this one.

"Nobody tells this to people...

via Sara Paloma via Putthison.com

I really like this....a lot!

working back and catching up...

gallery front at opening time!

Josie's new work!

One of my vases with calla's from my front yard.

How fabulous are Lynn Landor's pieces!

Sharon Virtue work

Christa's table

Josie

Whitney's table

Sharon, Sarah Gregory (in background) Dana Zed and Rae

The Fourth&Clay Vase Invitational was this last weekend.  Friday night opening party was good times - thank god they have a couch in their studio - it was nice to talk to whoever popped by for a sit down!  The gallery front had the firsts and in the studio working space behind were tables with incredible deals on seconds from many of the participating artists.  I bought so much work, I think that even if I sell all my vases - I still may not break even !

I had a great conversation with Sara Paloma - whose work you may be very familiar with -she is a wildly talented and successful working ceramic artist.  We talked about about working a full time job vs. doing clay full time.  I have a lot of friends who make their living as artists and over the years we've often talked about the particular challenges for each situation; I have a full time job and that has it's challenges.  The main one being it's a time suck.  Many of my friends have been doing art as a living for so long it's a lifestyle for them.  They couldn't imagine working in an office; I can't believe I work in an office, so we may be even there ;)  

I suppose working a job where I have steady income but have less time to devote to my creative life is a lifestyle too.  I've often tortured myself over the idea of doing art for a living, but I've always chosen to work.  Talk is cheap, eh!  Must be that unglamorous practicality in me.

Recently, I've began to feel more content with my situation; the reality that I like to have a job that pays for my insurance, phone, Internet, rent!  I have to balance and manage my time in as organized a manner as possible where my art is concerned because I simply don't have much.

Anyway, I go on....I think it's a valuable discussion and I thank Sara for a good conversation on the subject and I'd welcome comments, if anyone has any about the subject.




Participants at the show:
Christa Assad
Rae Dunn
Josie Jurczenia
Sara Paloma
Sarah Gregory
Lynn Landor
Whitney Smith
Sharon Virtue
Mary Mar Keenen

alwyn o'brien

Uh,,,,,trying to contain myself; this stuff is making me want to leave work right now and get in the studio....
I LOVE it.  So, after Davis, and seeing sooooo much work; I had some time to think about what is it that I would say is a direction for me, what am I trying to convey.  It's this; something old, something new and something altogether modern and still handmade!  There is such an appeal to me to pull in the past, a nostalgic flavor and mix it all around with something very new and modern - even design-y.

I am not presuming that I've gotten there by any stretch but that is where I want to go...actually, I want to LIVE there!

So, in doing some searching for Alwyn; I found THIS!  I recently made some plaster 'chips', I've been carving designs and rolling out on them and I really find I like the process a lot and want to explore further.  I'm so stoked to see this on the next level.  So inspirational.  holy crap!!!!

dahlaus is a nice blog too!  check it out.

I could not find a website for Alwyn O'Brien
here are some links:
Canadian Clay Symposium
James Harris Gallery
Visual Art Source

CCACA part 1

amber aguirre head - I bought for myself!
david Kuraoka "mango"
michelle gregor
michelle gregor
don reitz
student at Humbolt show - Annakatrin Kraus, "Birds of the Feather Flock Together" (thank you Jesse LU!)
Joe Mariscal, San Joaquin Delta College (thank you Rosalinda!)

CCACA is a big event and it's all over town - so lots of walking, walking, waaalllkeeeeng, hither and yon - my feet hurt enough for me to have found Shuz of Davis and bought some super ugly if sensible shoes.  A ton of work to look at, and then look at again.  I have more shots and when I have more time to write; I'll tell you all about it.  Had dinner with Jesse Lu from "Mudbucket"; I'm sure she'll be posting about the show soon...

dogs were big - seems like people are making dogs right now!  and michelle gregor stole the show - hands down.  Incredible installation at the Pence, a great talk by michelle.


good stuff....more to come.

Skyline College show at Davis

Next weekend is the California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Arts in Davis. Tiffany Schmierer will be putting together a show of her students' wonderful artwork from Skyline College.  I'm one of them...


The opening will be Friday night! 

For more information go to the John Natsoulas gallery website at:www.natsoulas.com/html/ccaca

Please join us if you can!

Ophelia

photos: tiffany schmierer.  thank you tiffany!

What's in a name?

Here's  No. 3 (after I put on the glaze - so we're looking through the purple haze).

Of course, this one has no name.  I never know what to call anything; it's one of my stuck places, not unlike pricing work - I feel like the mouse trying to find the cheese bit in a maze when someone asks, how much?
I tend to like "untitled", it has become my default.  This one asking me for a title not to be nameless.

It's friday; deadlines approach.  time for drinks.

today

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, he said:

“Man.  Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present;
the result being that he does not live in the present or the future;
he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”




source: understandtheuniverse

one for CCACA

this is one of two of my pieces going in the Skyline Ceramics Department Show at CCACA.  The other one is in the kiln, as I write.  Nothing like waiting to the last minute, in clay time.

The California Conference for the advancement of Ceramic Art is a fun, if intense, collective of ceramic  shows that virtually takes over the town of Davis, CA (April 28th thru May 1st).  As we are nearing d-day in trying to organize and get ready; it's all about racing around getting pieces done, photographing them, building and painting new pedestals, packing and organizing  or the show.  The circus is going on the road!  It really is a lights, camera, action situation.  It's fun,,,and exhausting!  but mostly fun.  It's not often you can hang out with a "town" full of ceramic people, see old friends and make some new ones.   We are planning a blogger happy hour on Saturday - so any bloggers out there attending, please leave a comment so we can get you in.

A lot of work goes into setting up the show.  Tiffany Schmierer is the leader of the pack.  And a good leader at that.  Tiffany runs of the Ceramics Department at Skyline and spearhead's the massive efforts that go into making this possible - I've written about her many times.  She is a pleasure to work with and I feel lucky to be a part of the team of people involved in putting on the show for Skyline.  We will be sharing space this year with Foothill College and Merritt College!  more on this soon...


Wish us luck!

Heroes

Tim Hetherington was killed in Libya yesterday as well as photo-journalist Chris Hondros, who died of his injuries after the incident.  If you have not watched RESTREPO - I highly recommend it.  Hetherington made the documentary film along side Sebastian Junger.  A remarkable and moving film that shows the nuance and complexities of war.  He lived an extraordinary life and told extraordinary stories.

I'm moved by his loss and my thoughts are on all of those 'out there' - lives on the line each moment of each day doing the tough work.  We've lost a powerful visual voice.



just found this: Tim Hetherington's last documentary short

Amanda Michelle Smith Lynch

amanda michelle smith lynch - it's mindboggling and I can't take my eyes off of her work.



beautiful and inspiring!  

Art in a Box via the Compound Gallery

Check out the Art in a Box movement via The Compound Gallery.    Clever, clever stuff!
Right now they are doing a Subscription Giveaway!  go HERE

Ben Carter

I've seen and admired Ben Carter's work on many of my blog-spherical trips mining the ceramic world.  This dogwood painted platter has always stuck out in my mind.  His particular aesthetic really hits the mark for me.  It's beautiful, sensual and also solidly functional.   I would really like to get a piece of his one day.

I just spent all morning discovering Ben's blog "Tales of a Red Clay Rambler" (thank you Martina Lantin) - it's energetic, insightful and informative - I found it very inspriational!


 support your "local" clay blogger!!

relief

more vases I'm making for a couple upcoming events; I've been using a carved plaster design to get the initial relief which I then painstakingly carve in around to enhance the outline of the relief....I say painstakingly, but I actually find that I really enjoy it.  It's very meditative to sit for hours and concentrate on drawing.  my neck hurts, but hey, no pain no gain!

I am trying some raised on raised appliqued areas as well - over the carving with their own relief patterns.

anyway, having some fun even though I'm staring down some deadlines!


CCACA is coming up and the Vase show at Fourth & Clay!

vases...and flowers

some new vases recently made and the flowers hiding in plain sight in the alley at Ruby's Clay Studio this weekend!  I don't know what kind of lily's they are - actually, I'm guessing lily's.  beautiful!

Eye Candy

ideal world;art and gum.  Look, I've said before I have a gum "problem"


Check out some genius new work from Jason Bige Burnett in collaboration with printmaker Eleanor Annand
at Crimson Laurel Gallery!
all this Via Clay Club & Crimson Laurel Gallery
Jason Bige Burnett

keys

I bought these keys for a friend at the alameda flea market...I keep wondering what the doors/locks look like?

I like the idea of stories about keys...mysteries and secrets.