The Delicious Dish

I have been thinking of the economy and the upcoming election as of late, much like everyone else.  After trying to sit watch and listen to the debate. Hoping to at least gain some new insight from the candidates on how the bail out plan is going to work.   It made me think of something that neither presidential candidate mentioned as a way we as a collective whole can help to repair our floundering economy.  I am getting on my soap box to say what I am sure you have already heard.

We can choose where our hard earned cash goes. If we are unsatisfied with how the big businesses are going to spas and living lavishly on our dollar and how tax credits are being given to businesses that outsource over seas then we don’t need to support them. I remember as a teenager rolling my eyes when my father would say over and over again buy American.  As an adult I realize how right he is (shhhh! don’t tell him, it will ruin my reputation).

What I am trying to say is try to vote with your wallet whenever possible, by buying products better for the global community.  As a person who runs a small business, I see how community support can make a difference. Be it through buying local products or a larger community of buying handmade products can really make a difference.  I took a pledge to buy handmade last holiday season and have done my best to carry it over the year. But at this time I am making it again. As an artist I prefer the thoughtfulness of handmade gifts and intend to share it with others.  No, I am not expecting everyone to come knocking on my studio door, but I want to be the little bird on your shoulder when you are out shopping, but really wanting to save money. Think of quality and items made with care meant to be enjoyed for years to come. 

I am busy once again getting ready for a show, next weekend at Peter’s Valley. I am looking forward to talking shop with other artists. I have been on break from doing craft fairs for several months. I have had a spring and summer of multiple non clay jobs taking over all my time. But things will get back to more clay come mid October.

The time away from the studio has me now frantically potting, but has me motivated to have more fun in the studio. Why can’t everyday be a clay party? I say that because I am still trying to find a way to combine my drawing with my pots. I don’t know why I feel the self imposed pressure when it only took me 8 years to combine clay with painting. Am I asking too much while trying to keep a cohesive body of work?

The photos tell the story of how I glaze.

So if you don’t hear from me, it’s only because I am having a GLAZE PARTY (this is a bad Black Flag reference to T.V. party) I seem to turn projects with lots of repetition in to this song.

The picture is of one of my new tea pots ready for a party of two. 

After what has probably been months of procrastination I have finally added more items to my Etsy shop. Its not that I don’t like selling work, its finding the time to photograph the work and all that it entails. If you have never heard of it before, Etsy is an online shop for all things handmade. It’s very easy to get lost looking at some of the beautiful things people make.

In other studio news I am back in the studio after a break and playing catch up and getting ready for my next show at the end of September in New Jersey. I will tell you more as things get closer. Yes, I am finally doing sales out of state.                                                     

 I just had to share this photo of the tomato part of my share last week. I made 4 quarts of sauce. I am making more this weekend and tomatillo salsa.

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!!!