New Ideas in the Studio

I'm sure you've been missing me and wondering how my PTO gig went and when I would be making more pottery, to which I answer: just fine and finally this week.

I stopped at the Burnsville TRAC gift shop this week to see if I needed to restock any work, and one of the shopkeepers asked me if I had anything specifically holiday related. I don't so I thought I'd go home and try to come up with something. I played around with some ornament ideas.

And then had the idea to stack some of these shapes to make some sort of a Christmas Tree.

Not really doing much for me.

They were much more fun to play around with this way.
So I attached slab bottoms to a couple, and I think I've got a new form to work with.

Teardrop: A Tribute to Massive Attack

I've been included in an Etsy Treasury!

Must...Keep...Blogging...

I am definitely suffering from studio withdrawal. I have been unable to carve out any studio time for the last two weeks. Only one more week of preparations for the PTO Fall Festival, and I'm headed down to finish up some work in progress and clean up the mess I left.

I'm in the middle of a batch of smaller baskets.



I have a ware board of them tightly covered waiting for handles.



The reclaim that I spread onto plaster is cracked and getting bone-dry around the edges.


And even wth so many boxes of Ellen Buff, I really wanted to work with a white body again for a bit. That box of Buncombe White isn't going to carry itself downstairs.

Ooh! You can see a glimpse of my new-to-me Subaru Outback in the background. I have my own car for the first time in nearly 10 months. I can't promise not to bitch about the Ford anymore (that's way too much fun), but not today.

In fact today is a celebration! My "baby" turns 10 today.

A Tupperware Party of an Art & Craft Show

Back when Allison was a baby, and I had to take out an ad in the local newpaper to find a playgroup, one of the Moms who answered the ad sold Tupperware. She convinced me to host a Tupperware Party. Considering I met her through a classified ad, I objected that I really didn't know anyone to invite. This was back in the days when I didn't know how to say "no", so the party proceeded despite my protestation. No one came. Not a single solitary person.

I've just got to say this, and I really don't care who I piss off. The Art & Craft Show at the Old English Inn this weekend was the most colossal waste of my time since that Tupperware Party. I had gone to this show for the past two years as a spectator, and it looked like a good show with nice pottery, jewelry and fiber arts. When the show organizer who also owns the building called me two weeks before the show and asked if I could do the show for no booth fee, only 15% of sales, I agreed.

The Old English Inn is really an interesting building. It's the oldest, largest log structure in the South, was part of the Underground Railroad and is rumored to be haunted. However, no matter how interesting the building is nor how talented the artists are, the public won't come to a show that is not advertised.

There were two other functions in Spruce Pine this weekend: the Heritage Festival and the Spruce Pine Potters Market. What traffic we did have was obviously piggy-backed from those events. Folks certainly couldn't have found their way to us by following the directional signs that looked like a third grader printed them on poster board.

I've never had a sale go so badly. I had 4 sales, and the check I wrote for my 15% was less than $10. On the positive side, the weather was divine, so I sat on the front porch with some of my fellow artists, and we solved world hunger.

Clay & Blogs and Other Happenings

I'm not sure having a car with a built-in GPS is a good thing. I picked the kids up early from school Friday, loaded them in the car and set off for what I thought would be a 4 hour car ride to the Moore County Arts Council. I must have picked the wrong route because the trip took 5 hours. I didn't arrive in time for the group picture, because I was busy talking to a nice Police Officer in Candor. No ticket, just a warning.

The kids were great. Allison took loads of photos which I don't have the time to go through until later and ate all the sandwiches that Ben tried and didn't like. I did manage to convince them that it was inappropriate to climb the lovely live oak outside. Attending this reception with me was their penance since the rest of the weekend was party-time for them. Otherwise, I'll bet they would have opted to stay home.

The reception was great. I wish I lived closer and could spend more time with all of the great work. I am humbled and honored to be included with such a diverse and talented group of potters. I met Superwoman Meredith, Mark, Linda, Tracey, Hollis, Samantha among others whose names escape me, but I will remember when I go through Allison's pictures and catch up on everyone's blogs.

We left Southern Pines and drove to our old stomping grounds outside of Charlotte to visit old friends. The rest of the weekend is a blur, but unfortunately, Saturday was too busy for me to get to the Atherton Mill to see the Carolina's Got Art! Exhibition. I pinky-promised to come back soon to see my friends so maybe I'll squeeze in a trip before the exhibit comes down.