Being Inspired While Eating Tofu

I am back from a week in Mexico where I was pampered at Rancho La Puerta in preparation for my up and coming BIG (we're talking HUGE... a LOT of years) birthday....UGH. This one is pretty scary.
While eating in the Ranch's pretty dining room John looked closely at the window casements and was struck by how much their shape reminded him of Andrew Martin's pieces.


My eyes wandered to the massive Trees of Life that flanked the door way. I was struck by the wonderful obsessiveness of these pieces. You can find Trees that celebrate all aspects of Mexican culture from Day of the Dead to one we saw in town that was a tribute to the pottery of the different areas of Mexico. If I thought I was obsessive in making my rose pieces I have a really long way to go to match the details found in these Trees of Life.

A Case of ADD

I seem to be unable to settle into one style of working and stick to it. I see something that inspires me and SHAZAM I am off doing something completely different. My work is beginning to look like a schizophrenic did it. At the very least I think you can say I have a well developed case of ADD. Try putting a show together when the work looks so diverse. I can't seem to help myself though. I just get swept away. There is so much to learn, so many, many ways to manipulate the clay.

These days I am enthralled with inlaying colored clay on flat slabs and handbuilding. It really combines my love of textile print patterns with my dress making/flat pattern making skills. What a gas to roll out a slab, cut a pattern and fold it all up, giving it wonky dimension. How totally different in feel than using thrown forms as a base and building from there - which I still love doing....

The photos attached are the 2 directions I am pursuing THIS week. These are bisque pieces waiting to be glazed. The inlayed clay will fire black.

Maybe if I settled down and concentrated on developing one style I'd get somewhere but I think I'd be afraid I'd be missing something.