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."

February Studio Tour

No one does studio tours in February do they? Especially here in Western PA, today, when my driveway is 8 inches deep in snow. Not a problem for us Subaru drivers, but a serious problem for those without 4 wheel drive as the driveway angles downward. With so much snow, I was again afforded a snow day. It left me with some time to tidy up. The studio is currently in a slow sort of lull; finshing some things, beginning some sculptural pieces. Here's your tour...a little of this, a little of that.
Honey pots, butter and cheese dishes waiting for the final details and firing.

A mostly clean studio. I was talking with Kyle Houser (Homefry sketchbook) yesterday admitting to him that my floor cleaning skills were less than admirable. Anyone out there shaking their heads? This week, in an effort to stay ahead of the trimmings and dust I have been "cleaning as I go" with a shiny new sponge...well, it's not shiny anymore.

My hand me down slab roller- still rolling after all these years.

An ecclectic mix of obejcts that pile up in the kilnroom. No, this kiln is not currently hooked up, but it makes a great storage surface. (Anyone wishing to donate to the cause, please contact me personally.)

The beautful sunny view from the studio today. And yes, that orange object at the bottom of the window is my new kayak....when's the snow going to melt???

Who do you love?

A few "little things" I've been working on the side. What a most appropriate day to unveil them!
In October, I participated in a workshop given by ceramic artist Carla Flati at the Pennsylvania Art Educators Association 2010 convention in Pittsburgh. "Nichos in Clay" provided all the top secret techniques one needs to know to create these colorful pieces. I can't give any secrets out, you'll need to see Carla at Standard Ceramics in Pittsburgh to get the goods! These will make their way to my Etsy page soon. (On the off chance you need a late Valentine's Day gift, or a sweet gift for yourself.)

These are wall ready, you simply need to decide where you'll hang them.

Honey!!!!

A friend from my college days at IUP asked me to make a honey pot. I've never made one, not sure why?? I am a huge fan of honey, so I guess this is long overdue. These will be decorated with white glaze and cherries then covered with my heavy luscious amber glaze. Dots and stripes will find their places as I go.

Now that these are finished, I wish I had made more in the series. Time is limited with me, and from experience I have learned it takes much less time to throw all the parts than to put them all together. Three tends to be a number that works well in production with pieces that require assembly. My process takes more time than I care to admit. I admit, I fuss. And fuss.

Challenging myself to a new form was refreshing, so much so, I worked later into the evening than usual last night and took advantage of a 2 hour delay this morning. I hear the weather is supposed to be frigid again tomorrow, maybe I'll have a chance to finish the two lidded jars that accompany these three "sweeties".