The Delicious Dish

Design Boards and sketch books I love them. I find it fascinating to see how the creative mind works and to see an idea go from inspiration to fruition.  Visiting an artist’s studio and seeing what hangs on the walls. Or sometimes I take a gander at design blogs like the lovely Decor8 just to see how a decorator layers pattern, shape and color together to create a specific mood. I may have this obsession with inspiration boards as I currently do not have any real wall space in my studio so instead I have photographs, postcards and things I have picked up from various sources stuffed in folders and sketchbooks.  Someday I will be able to find them a spot to hang and it will be a map of how my work is slowly evolving. Today with this in mind I wanted to share with you only some of what inspires me.

I finished the Dahlia/sunflower vases I showed you the other day. The photographs are not anything fancy, but I needed to take them before I forgot. But before I get to that I wanted to show you the pots I scored while at Watershed to round out my glee!

This fabulous tumbler is from Naomi Cleary, somebody I have been eyeing on Etsy. I just love that she has brought her decoration into the interior of the piece. I love it so much it spent the day helping weed my much neglected garden.

The second is a trade with Molly Hatch, which is a true score. The line quality and the bird had me at hello. I am not sure if you know it, but I am sucker for birds. The pink plate behind the tumbler and vase for Zinnias is from my friend Jenn Martinelli. The birds have been getting acquainted.

Now onto to the finished vases and I will let the photos do the talking. I am happy with the end results. I never thought of the Zinnias when I was creating, but when I saw them at the farm stand I had to have them. The vase and flower combination reminds me a little of Esther Williams. 

 I am back from my wonderful weekend in Maine and visiting Watershed for salad days.  It was a lovely day of clay, friends and farm.  I may sound a bit giddy, but I love this place. After having done a couple of residencies and visiting for salad days, I still walk away revived and motivated and inspired. My head is swimming with new ideas.

This is the “great” salad plate sort. It’s like the “running of the brides” at Filene’s Basement…only kinder, gentler and less chiffon. Everyone is admiring and trying to narrow down Adero Willard’s beautiful plates to a top choice, especially if you only wanted one. It was hard; I ended up pulling six away from the crowd laying them on the grass to make my choice. That’s my arm attached to the brown shirt holding the plate I happily brought home. I really got two as my husband purchased another. 

On the way to the studio in the old brick factory you walk by this barn, part of the organic farm surrounding the facility. If you look closely you can see chickens roosting in the window. 

I am ending today with the shard pile!!!  Clay is the way!

This is a preview of my new sunflower and dahlia vases.  I love showy old fashioned flowers and think the vases they are placed in should be the same. I am currently glazing them and have no idea how they will come out, but I wanted to take a minute and show you what I have been up to.

The first photo is step one, manipulating the cylinder off of the potter’s wheel and the second photo is the form finished and hanging out getting dry. They are sectional and can be separated and used as a small vase or as a more glamorous piece placed together. I will post a final photo when the glazing is done. I have high hopes for a great firing tomorrow. Especially as it has to be as I need the pots going in to the kiln for a sale this coming weekend.

I am busy in the studio trying to test out some new ideas for my work, and as always I am on a deadline, for a sale and behind schedule.  I should just be satisfied with the work I already have, but this is a sale I am super excited about. I was asked to participate in The Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts invitational pottery sale on July 12^th. It coincides with the Watershed’s yearly fundraiser called Salad Days,  a true picnic social. You make a $25 donation and receive a handmade plate made by that years Salad Days artist, and enjoy a salad luncheon buffet outside on the fabulous grounds surrounded by music, friends and farmland!!!!

To be honest I had a small almost panic attack when Kari Radasch contacted me.  I truly admire her work and the respect she has gained in the clay community.  Although I casually know Kari from time I spent at Watershed, it was years ago, so I openly admit to being excited and feeling very unworthy. In the back of my head I keep thinking about how when I show up with my work, they will say Ooooooo, we thought you made something else. I can not believe my work is going to be in such good company.

 Yet another good part about being asked to do this sale is I had just decided not to do a big retail show this fall because of its high cost and this fell in my lap. Maybe it’s true that things happen for a reason. 

Wouldn’t this lovely compost jar look so much better on my counter than the boring stainless steel bucket I have now.  I honestly think my food scraps would compost faster after a time in something so lovely. Yes, I am trying to justify buying it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can’t say too much about the sale last weekend as all I can really remember is how hot it was. It was day 2 of 4 days over 90 degrees, which is super hot for June in MA and I am not a huge fan of the hot humid weather.  On day 4 of the “official heat wave” I worked outside harvesting delicious produce at an organic CSA I am doing a work share at this summer. Part of the share this week was 5 heads of lettuce; yes that lovely green arrangement is of Romaine.

Have you ever noticed how some pots are perfect for certain dishes?  This bowl made by Seth Payne is made for scrambled tofu and turnip greens (also from the farm).

The biggest plus of the heat has been my garden is blooming!!!

I have so much to tell you about fun and exciting things that I don’t know how to start. I think I will have to pace myself and just come back with my other news during the week.

 This is the shelf of pots I spent the weekend glazing.  I have two glaze kilns to fire this week in preparation of the sale at The Decordova in Lincoln, Ma I am doing on Sunday. Hopefully it’s a nice day as my ever so helpful husband is going to help me for the day and I want everything to be nice as it is the location of our first date. (Do you hear the cherubs and violins???) I know on his behalf he is more excited to get to see all of the artists in the park and go to the museum than hauling pots with me.  It is a nice place to go for relaxing and enjoying great art. 

As you can see the pots are ready for color and that I am trying something new. I did some lino-printmaking this winter when my studio was to cold to work in clay and now the process has found its way to my clay. It is still in the test stage. I am leaning towards the carving right on clay more than the scriffito (too contrasty) I will let you know when they come out of the kiln, one if which I am firing now. Still more pots left to glaze. Happy Monday!

Come on by my studio sale this weekend 5/17-5/18. I have done a studio clean out of all seconds.  What this means to you is BARGAINS!  I need room in my studio and my seconds need a new home.  For you purists out there I have first quality pots as well. I will be outside under a tent or in the glaze shed from 10-4 both days.  The sale is at 122 Singletary Avenue, Sutton MA.  Contact me if you need directions at info@leahguerin.com or click this link for mapquest.

I call these ladies the biddies. I have wanted to change the shape of my mugs. I didn’t want such a literal interpretation of the curvy female I am.  While I was sketching out the new form it came to me.  I needed to make a mug to be a tribute to my fantasy hair-do. The BEE HIVE! 

Of course it doesn’t help that when I work on a series of something I line them up on my ware cart and they become an all girl clay army. So this goes out to The Ronettes, The Supremes, Doris Day and Kate Pierson, where ever you are.