Barking around the studio....

So what's a dog to do when her master is busy making pots and ignoring her pleas to be outside in the sun??? Bark in frustration at the ground hog, chipmunk and squirrells infringing upon her domain, that's what.
For the record, we did hit the pavement after this platter was completed. (She's snoring at my feet as I type.) A custom order from PAK, it will barely clear the kiln for the bisque. I'm looking forward to all the space for decorating- cherries, cherries and cherries....
I'm busy this long weekend with orders and building inventory for a few spring shows. If you aren't aware of the Pots in the Park event in Oil City, Pa in May click the link! I'll be there with many other potters showing off our wares, doing demos and talking about why we make pots! Come one, come all!

The Sue Tirrell rooster mug hails from Red Lodge Clay Gallery, Montana

Spring Booty

There's nothing like a little spring to make us wake up to the world. This leafy wood fired tumbler is by potter, Cathy Bisowsky of Indiana, PA. She works out of Stoke Hole Pottery. If you had a chance to stop by the IUP Underground Pottery Sale this weekend, you may have had the chance to see more of her work. Regretfully, I only picked up one of these... While the weather was doing it's best impression of spring today, I made homemade lemonade from a simple syrup, juice of 3 lemons, and some cilantro. (Don't knock it until you try it!) The perfect cup to start spring.

Tumblers and vases for two orders. A local guy is trading me custom made pedestals for some dinnerware. Bartering....gotta love it.

Yes, those are moonshine jugs...along with plates, bowls, spoon rests...stay tuned for more!

Bad Pics of SWEET Pots

A few new pieces, slab plates and cream tumblers. I'm playing around with lines as added interest. It's fun to see them roll with the forms. At this point I can say I'll be sticking with the cream, terra cotta and black color scheme. My photo set up is a major undertaking so the livingroom became a quick photography studio for the day-which means poor lighting. Forgive me and just look at the pots. These are on their way to the IUP Underground Pottery Sale this weekend. Always the best place for a large selection of pottery from local established potters and the up and coming clay artists from the IUP Ceramics program. This Friday and Saturday 9 am to 7 pm, Robertshaw Building IUP campus.

C'mon, you know that's a cute pot!!!

Loca- Consumer of Local Art

When you hear the word locavore, what comes to mind? Food? The attempted "greening" of everything? Dictionary.com lists a locavore as: "A person who attempts to eat only foods grown locally. " In thinking of how our communities are stretched beyond small town limits with down town epicenters, I wonder what the new catchphrase is for the person wanting to not only consume local food, but also patronize local small grocery stores, hardware stores, and family run restaurants? What soapbox sits under my feet today? The label might be one attributed to potter Kristen Keiffer-"Sponsor Creativity & Community- Support your local artists by buying and giving handmade." The impetus for this blog posting is the kitchen of stained glass artist and Valley High School art teacher Prissy Pakulski. In creating a home with beautifully crafted furniture and stained glass windows, she included my terra cotta cherry designs. Those who read this blog know my cabinets are full of locally and internationally purchased hand made pottery. How nice for my art ego to see this!!

If you are looking to become a loca-consumer of the arts, I suggest the "Underground Pottery Sale" April 7 & 8th, Indiana University of PA, Robertshaw Building, 9am- 7pm. Pottery from the hands of IUP students and many potters from the surrounding communities. All proceeds benefit the Ceramics department. And, as awlays, the Saxonburg Area Artists Co-op is open Fridays and Saturdays for a more ecclectic selection of paintings, sculpture, jewelry and more.

Support Creativity & Community!!

Soup Sales...people doing the great things they do....

Potter, Josh Floyd, Emmanuelle Wambach , Nancy Smeltzer and Harmony Ritchie, organizers of IUP's sale.

Many of you have heard of the"Empty Bowls" Soup Sale events across the nation. Hopefully you've had a chance to participate in this wonderful event that brings together potters, cooks and hungry patrons of the arts for the benefit of the less fortunate in our communities. Did you know that by simply purchasing a hand made bowl and homemade soup, you qualify as a patron of the arts? You thought only millionaires were patrons?? Support the arts, purchase from local artists. Be a responsible citizen, purchase that bowl at a local soup sale and all the profits go to the food bank. It's a win win win.
IUP hosted a sale yesterday, the community responded with many, many, many bowls donated by local potters. The best chefs in Indiana County brought their soup making talents to the table and the public lined up. In turn, they raised over $3000! Nice job, everyone!

Potter Josh Floyd http://floydpots.blogspot.com/ and Debra Frew http://www.etsy.com/shop/StokeHolePottery

Arts Patron LouAnn Hoviland and potter Kyle Houser http://kylehouser.blogspot.com/

Potter, Irene Tabish serving up the soup.

Arts Patron Evelyn Smeltzer- mother of potter and chef Nancy Smeltzer. That's MY bowl going home with her!

If you missed this great event, no worries...Deer Lakes High School will be hosting it's 7th annual soup sale May 18th. Hope to see you there!

Meandering Time Travel

The gallery is stocked well enough for the time being. This allows time for a pause in the search for glaze combinations and traditional functionality and do some exploration. I have been working my head around some more figurative and symbolic sculptures... a concept that has presented itself many times in my work, though it's been awhile since goddesses and female figures have shown up...it's probably time. In thinking about more symbolic pieces, I revisited some pieces I saw in Peru in 2007. These gorgeous pieces are in the Larco Museum, Lima. http://www.museolarco.org/ I was so enthralled with the pieces I neglected to photgraph the tags...

These three pieces impacted me the most for deceptively simple forms, the symbols of seeds and the beauty in the birds. Sustenance, humanity and spirit, don't we as artists look for these still today? In addition, I am working in groups of three, which draws my attention to the structures. The concept of connection in humans, to each other, within ourselves, our surroundings and the world as a whole seems an apt point today, considering how "connected" technology allows us to be today. Are we really connected? On what level? What allows us to be genuinely connected? To what are we connected?

And speaking of big ideas...I don't think there's a culture out there that doesn't make big pots...

And now a word from our sponsor...Corn.
In our society today, so much heated argument is dedicated to corn, at least in my realm of interest in NPR podcasts and broadcasts on agriculture, food, health and the state of the economy. Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, health care, farm subsidies, ethanol, gmo's (genetically modified organisims), pesticides, and special interests, did I miss any? When did we loose sight of rejoicing in food and the life and livelihood it provided? My mother has a set of corn salt and pepper shakers, does that qualify? Depending on which museum you are standing in, the answer could be yes. Our culture, in the last 100 years, has mass produced a considerable amount of tchotchke or kitsch dedicated to all the foods that have sustained us for centuries. I don't think any of them measure up to these boys. Imagine future archeologists digging through the rubble of our homes trying to piece together our stories, the same way archeologists have been attempting to piece together the stories of the Inca through these relics.

After looking at these, I'm left with a craving for corn on the cobb and butter from a corn emblazoned butter dish...maybe there's a corn goddess in the making???

YAY! and few thoughts about process....

I woke this Sunday morning with great anticipation! I fired the honey pots, biscotti jars and butter dishes last night. What's not to anticipate about decadent pieces that revolve around things your dietician insists you should limit??? I don't have a dietician, I am a dairy farmer's daughter. Butter, not margarine or "spread" in any form. Sugar or honey, not "sweetener."Please, honesty in food...but that's a conversation for spoken conversation, not a blog post today... anyway...LOOOOOOK!!

Multitudes of decisions are made in any body of work regardless of the amount of pieces. Teaching full time leaves me with less time than I'd like for the investation of ideas which then leads to a certain amount of pressure to "get it right." In the middle of glazing, ideas are bouncing in my head and a limited number of pots sit on the table. It's like the lottery, how many combinations can be arranged of pattern, motif, and color? (And more importantly, which one will allow me to build a new studio?) Accepting the fact that I'll never know what will work for me until the glaze goes on trumps hesitation. This fresh batch gives me more to consider. Black and white contrast well against the terracotta, but there is something very nice about the amber over white glaze which was done in the last batch. Amber was used over the terracotta this time, but not over the white...lessons learned. For me, this is the catalyst for the next group of pots. A painter friend asked if I ever get "stuck" or run out of ideas. My answer at the time was that in my studio there are always a few pots that don't get glazed and needing to finish them usually propels me into the next kiln load. But today I've realised that it is more than unglazed pots, it is unresolved ideas that continually move me forward.

As I posted early on, I have never made honey pots before. Everything is a learning experience, and there was much to be learned about small forms that hold specific things, but also forms that need to accomodate a utensil. While I worked some of these new issues out, the issue of availability of the sizing of utensils was disappointing. Make the honeypots larger? Continue in the search for smaller, nicer honey sticks? Probably both.

Another issue is my photo "booth." At some point, I will purchase one of those great little pop-up photo tents. For now, I am (adventurously) working with what I have. Just call me "McGyver."