In Stitches

     I have a show of my work opening on Monday, November 12th, 5-7pm at Valentien. Here is an article that was in the paper about it a few days ago. I am so grateful that Jeramy and Jennifer (owners of Valentien) invited me to have my work shown there; it is the first time I have had to fill up such a large space on my own. Since many people think of me as a ceramicist many will be surprised to see that this work is watercolor, ink and colored pencil. It grew out of the ceramic techniques I learned this summer from Kevin Snipes at Penland. When I came home, thinking about making work for Valentien, I started to draw abstract images similar to what I was doing in the workshop on paper. It felt really freeing to be able to just sit at a table. It was not as laborious as trying to work on clay at my house. And so... these 20 pieces now hanging at Valentien are the result. I plan to create more soon and have them available in my very empty Esty shop. Oh, and on the horizon... The Foundry has invited me to have a solo show next November... so I better get busy again soon.

"Hold on Tight" 13x16

Ceramic pieces I made last summer that inspired my current work. 

Work for Sale!

     If you are interested in purchasing any of my most current work it is now for sale at The Foundry on 19th St and also in the gift shop of the Bakersfield Museum of Art. The pieces shown below are at BMoA. They are all looking for a good home!

Little Bottles $22 each 

Paper Clay Teapot $85

How awesome is this cartoon?

Thank you to my friend, Terri, for sharing this with me! I love it!

I got some work done in my classroom today with the help of a few students who graduated last year. Thank you Emily, Bowen and Claire!! I am getting excited about the first day now. My classroom is all dressed up. Year 9...here we go. 

Getting Back to Work

I've been creating watercolor/ink drawings this summer. They will be on display and for sale at Valentien Restaurant and Wine Bar in December with the reception on Dec. 3rd. I still have many more to make, but I really like how they are turning out...

My ceramics will be for sale at the Bakersfield Museum of Art starting next month in their gift shop. The little vases you see in the previous post are the start of what will be for sale along with cups and vases and possibly some pendants.

And it's back to school for me next week. Students return on the 20th and I have been in denial about getting to my classroom, but plan to go on Monday.

It's been such a great summer...

Dragging

I've been dragging my feet a bit... I think it's summer doing me in. I got back on the wheel today and made some funny little vases (they are just 2-3 inches tall). Here they are just taken off the wheel. They will get all cleaned up and pretty tomorrow, but I like how they look sloppy and fun so I had to snap a shot of them.

Back to Paper

I've been creating ink and watercolor pieces lately based on the idea of patchwork and stitching. They may be in an exhibit in December. I love layering the colors... 

Most Recent Work

     I've been thinking about creating this work for some time... 

     My mother is an incredible seamstress and would make many of our outfits growing up (I have 4 sisters); she also made my wedding dress... I on the other hand have never enjoyed sewing. Clay is my medium and the idea of adding stitching to clay and little bits of patchwork has been in the back of my mind since taking a workshop last summer at the Mendocino Art Center. It must come from sitting legs crossed on the floor of my mom's sewing room growing up.

      I recently learned how to make that idea into reality by using wax resist, carving through it (the stitching) then adding stain or underglazing into the etchings. It creates exactly what I am looking for... Enjoy!

Exhibit this Friday- Playful Minds

The opening of "Playful Minds" is this Friday night. Here is a little publicity for it. 

This is one of the 5 pieces I that will be in the exhibit. Hope to see you there!

The List

     When I go to a new place I always make a list... of new things, observations and those tidbits I just don't want to forget. So here is my Penland/Spruce Pine, North Carolina list. I'm sure I'll keep adding to this as I keep looking through photos...Enjoy!

There are many links hiding in here, so scroll over and check them out.


The List

Super Fresh Smell of Green as you get off the plane
Wide open hilly spaces
Thunder and lighting with no rain
Fireflies!
So much tea and coffee
Gas...$3.34
Honor System goat cheese
"largest concentration of artists in the nation"
Knife and Fork
Pizza Parlor- trivia night, open mike night
Penland buffet= delicious
Henry and Alfred- The cats
Home grown tomatoes, kale, squash, radishes, garlic, carrots-Michelle
Fashion photography-Wes
"you're from that bankrupt state"-random stranger 
coffee ice cream at knife and fork followed by the Penland meadow
Yoga with Donna Marie and the entire ceramics class
So many Stars, bridges, streams
Bugs galore
the high in June-75-80 degrees "bring layers"
More tea
The Bringle Sisters
"look at that view"
Tufted titmouse, chickadee
Mica
Mica Gallery
Crimson and Laurel gallery
Lunch/ studio home visit with Suze Lindsay and Kent McLaughlin 
garlic harvest
unlocked cars
1 hour to sushi
Indian Buffet
The Pines- Dessert at lunch 
hanging street lights
meeting Lisa Clague in her studio 
Deer sighting
inside cats
Artists studios to visit everywhere
"where can I get reception?"
Henna
The Workshop-
Kevin, Mark, Donna, Rebecca, Lucy, Genaro, Joan, Sarah, Kelcy, Sandy, Laura, Jacob, Cindy
Porcelain, Underglazes on greenware, cone 6
Rocking Chairs
Everything becoming a song
Show and Tell also know as "show and show"
"Oh, Henry"

At the Airport in Ashville.

The incredible bridge that can only hold 40 people. 

Show and Tell 

Sunset over Penland. 

Michelle and Wes in front of the house.

Donna and me on the last day.

Oh, Henry. 

Intrinsic Motivation

     It's far from finished but I started painting a giant wine bottle yesterday... just because... I actually really enjoy painting them now. Every other bottle I've painted has been for a charity event or given away as a gift. I was thinking about my favorite one so far and wanted to recreate the flower aspect of it but with more color. I was able to get my hands on this giant bottle from Valentien after it was empty. Since I leave for Penland tomorrow,( I can't wait to see Michelle!) I won't be able to finish it up until I return.

     It has been really beautiful as far as the weather is concerned here so I was able to work on it in the back yard while Chris practiced his swing (see the net in the far corner). Our cat was asleep on his landing... it takes a lot more than a golf swing for him to get out of the way!

Playful Mind

    So the full story of how these pieces came about includes my students.We were in the middle of state testing in April and after they had finished their tests on one of those long days (they had 3 hours to take the English portion and all finished within two) I decided to entertain them and demonstrate some thrown pieces on the wheel. Usually when I demonstrate it is for something they are expected to create...perhaps a small cylinder. Well... this was more to kill some time so they requested something "bigger". I threw 3 pieces quickly finishing one on the wheel and moving directly to another wheel. It was very playful and fun and the students enjoyed seeing me throw (I think!)... not as a teacher, but as an artist.
      I was also thinking about how I needed to create work for the exhibit at the Arts Council coming up in July, so I figured I would take these playfully created pieces and finish them for that exhibit. The days after state testing, I decided to continue "playing" with carving, textures, adding grog as decoration and so forth. I am really excited about how they transformed from entertainment for my students into pieces of art that I am excited to share with the public. Hope to see you at the opening of "Playful Minds", July 6th at the Younger Gallery!

Summertime...

That's a Wrap

It's been 15 years since I graduated from Bakersfield High School. This is the end of my 8th year of teaching and my 5th year walking the field with the students in my cap and gown as Visual Arts Department Chair. It still seems pretty surreal that I work here and get to spend all day in what was my favorite class in high school. Have a great summer students and congratulations to the class of 2012!

Last week of school!

Me and my student Amy. She took my class for one year and conquered wheel throwing.
 She is so talented!

These are 18"x18" and still need some sanding and stain. 

These boys are 3 ft x3 ft and also need some sanding and stain. I calculated that I will need to make 256 tiny bowls (as shown below) to cover just one of the big ones. I may need to call in some troupes to help. 

     It's the last week of school! We had finals today and I said "Goodbye" to numerous seniors. It is always a bitter sweet week. This year there was a group of seniors who ate lunch in my classroom every day... I will miss them. :-(  In art developments, the wood shop class brought over these beauties above for the project I am planning for Valentien Restaurant in the fall. I plan to attach these to them. I can't wait to see just one finished...

   

Last Week of School...almost.

At the end of the school year I have to play catch up on firing, unloading, glazing and refiring with the students. It has become a tradition to paint wine bottles in my class while we finish all the pottery firings. See previous posts here and here (the second link is my favorite) about the evolution of the painted wine bottles. This year though, the BMOA didn't do painted wine bottles for Winescapes so I got to paint on this little guy as an example for the students. It was actually really fun to paint a small (regular sized) wine bottle. I am giving this to another teacher as she donated some empty wine bottles to the class. She requested oranges, browns, yellows and earthy reds.  

If  you haven't read the children's story, "The Dot", you should. 

In the Works

Today I took work out of the kiln! My favorite kind of day. The vases below will be part of the exhibit this summer at The Younger Gallery entitled, "Playful Minds". The little pieces below them will be shown at Valentine Restaurant and Wine Bar in the Fall. I plan to make many pieces and mount them onto wood to hang on the wall. And the last photo is from our wedding 7 years ago; today is our anniversary. Off to dinner now!

Solar Eclipse May 20th

I knew the eclipse was going to happen today, but didn't think I would get to actually see it. I read about making something to fracture the light and so forth... but honestly I just couldn't get it together enough to make that happen (read lazy). But luckily our two huge trees in the front yard did the trick for us. Check out the eclipse on our house! I'm so glad I noticed it in the backyard and thought to run out front with my camera.