I Did Have Some Pictures...

...to go with this post. However, in a moment of distraction I inserted the SD card into the wrong slot in the computer. Now it is lost in there somewhere and with it, the pictures of my newest work. I suppose Jay can find time this weekend to take the darned thing apart to retrieve the card. And I suppose that I will pay closer attention to what I am doing from now on.

I am working at the Toe River Craft Shop in Celo tomorrow. And we'll see if both kids' schools can manage to get them on the correct bus to deliver them there after school. And, boy-oh-boy, we are going to Dollywood Saturday. Jay's company is providing the tickets and lunch. I think they do this every year. We were all set to go last year, and then I wrecked my van.

In other news, I had a piece accepted into TRAC Fall Celebration of the Arts 2009. The Opening Reception is October 10 at 7 pm. Hope to see you there.

So, you can look forward to seeing shots of some big-ass baskets next week. I haven't made large-scale work like this since college. I made three out of Brownstone for a cone 6 load, one of which I think is too big to fit into the Runt for bisquing. Not sure how I'll solve that problem yet. I made two others out of Zella Stone along with a dozen smaller, tray-like vessels. Next. I'll move on to some more wine bottle coasters. I really need to stock up.

I wish I knew what to call some of the things I make. I also wish I had a better answer for the folks who ask me what my pots are for. "I make them with no specific funtion in mind" is a pretty lame answer, but it's the truth. If I like a piece of pottery and can afford it, I often buy it. I rarely think about how I am going to use it. I just know that I want it around.

Fellow potters, what do you say when someone asks you what your pots are for?

Back in the Saddle

After a successful Studio Tour the kids and I headed off to stay in Nags Head with friends. Awesome weather, food and drink but the fun didn't stop there. Their daughter travelled back to the mountains with us and they joined us mid-week for Independence Day follies. Add another family of four to ours plus the three from Virginia and we had a full house indeed. I'm still buried in laundry.


With all the company gone by Monday morning, I hit the studio hard. I have two arts and crafts shows coming up, and thanks to the TRAC Tour and my almost daily visitors, my stock is dwindling. I have high hopes of firing a cone 10 before Bele Chere in Asheville July 24-26 and a cone 6 before the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair in Burnsville August 7&8. I just keep thinking positive thoughts. Besides, I've been told that sleep is overrated.



Meanwhile, I became a member of Toe River Crafts in Celo which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. There is a special exhibit of member work and the above basket sold within a few days. I'm so sad to see them go sometimes.



I don't have any shows lined up for the fall but my main goal is to piece together a website. My head is full of ideas, but I really need to keep a slow pace: first make the work, then market it. I already can't keep up with my Etsy site and I feel like a bit of a failure. As for the website, I reserved my domain name 6 months ago and am looking into using some kind of template for the time being. I can always redesign it later, but I just don't have the time nor the inclination to reinvent the wheel.



So it's back to work. With the kids home for summer break, carving out studio time has been a challenge. I've been coaching my kids on how to be self-reliant while I'm working. This means not interrupting to tattle, cleaning up after themselves and making good lunch choices. Yesterday, Allison ate 1/4 of a watermelon and potato chips and onion dip.