Hairy Potter

This is a first look at Harry Potter, my new puppy. He's still so little that I don't get to bring him home until April 4th or 5th but then he, Kitty and Wilma will be our fourth & clay pottery pups. Pretty cute huh?

fourth & clay in Diablo Magazine

Diablo Magazine did a wonderful article on West Berkeley Potters and fourth & clay is in it.
Check it out here...There are some beautiful pictures of rae and her work.

above pic: rae's rockin rocks

I saw this poster the other day in a shop window near my house. What can I say. Obama truly moves me and this image is so perfect. He offers a beacon of hope in this crazy political landscape. His speech yesterday on race was a masterpiece.

Comfort Level

I'm back - my head sort of swimming with ideas and questions. Sandi and Neil gave a great workshop - professional, organized, personal and chocked full of information. Sandi hand built her signature intricately darted and stamped utilitarian pieces. Neil threw textured striped altered and sometimes reconstructed pots. The workshop was actually a "2fer"- both artist demoing their different styles. There was then time to work side by side with like minded obsessed potter people. It was a fun group. The five days were action packed.

So why is my mind full of nagging questions? I am wrestling with the question of uniqueness. Is my work truly successful in expressing what I am trying to say? And the big question... OH BOY... What AM I truly trying to say? The Magic 8-Ball is coming up kind of murky. Learning 300 new techniques no matter how clear or fun seems to brew confusion. It feels good to be back in my studio - to throw, think, feel, center and breath.

Workshops are great for stirring up my comfort level.


above - Sandi demos a tea pot
below - Neil scopes out a spout

Workshop Whore

I'm off to take this pottery workshop for five days. Then I am going to spend more fun time with my pottery buddy and good friend, Michele. We are going here for three day to recover after our exhausting class schedule... hee hee...

I call myself as a "workshop whore". I'll take anything anywhere if I think it looks interesting. I've taken pottery workshops in raku, wood firing, quick firing techniques, lid making, large pot throwing, touchy/feely hippy (think any color as long as it's brown) ceramics, tile making, silk screening on clay (the above image is my first pass at trying this at home...not too successful) and a myriad of other things. Some of the workshops have had a great influence on my development as a potter. I actually met Michele when I sat next to her in a Julia Galloway workshop many years ago. That particular workshop totally blew my mind and I continue to use some of the things I learned from Julia on a daily basis. I learned how to make her hallow handles and "ice cream cone" shaped spouts for pitchers and etch patterns on green wear with shellac. She gave us the greatest glaze recipes (listed in her web site under alchemy). I am particularly fond of the chartreuse. To top this phenomenal experience off I made a life long friend. This is a pretty darn cool business this clay business. I know will always feel that there is so much more to learn and that makes me so happy. I'll be back in a week hopefully inspired and tan and I'll tell you all about what I learned. Maybe I can even remember to take some photos.