Wonder-Full items in Clay!

ETSY is a terrific online sales site and they offer a feature called "Treasuries" that any member can contribute. A Treasury highlights the work of 12 different artists and I find that composing one is a delightful endeavor of its own!

I created one composed of items by different artists......all of whom work in clay. I always marvel at the unique approach each takes with their work! It's fun to view and I welcome you to take a peek! It will only be "up" for three days.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=50381

Words of the Wise

"Consider every path carefully testing it in whichever way you feel necessary, then ask yourself, but only yourself, one question: 'Does this path have a heart?' The path that has heart will uplift you, ease your burden and bring you joy. The path with no heart will make you stumble, it will break your spirit, and finally cause you to look upon your life with anger and bitterness."

~Carlos Castaneda

Signature Piece

Of all I do in clay, this particular form is the one I consider my "signature piece". It is completely hand built using slab construction & if you watch my slide show for a moment, you'll see a pic of me working on one in my home studio. In addition to it's inherent beauty, I do hold a visual artist's copyright on this form because of it's unique nature.

There are many steps involved in the creation of this form I call a "sculpture vessel" (though my pet name for it is a "swoopie"!). First, a fairly large amount of clay is made into a consistent width slab using my slab roller equipment then it is placed in a form I made to "slump" the clay into a generalized domed form. From there, when it is just the right amount of hardness, I cut it apart, then reassemble it using a scoring and slip technique. Much time is spent refining edges. Each one of these forms I make are one of a kind, tho they are similar in overall shape.

I enjoy making them because I love the rhythmic beauty that results in each one's defining edges. In some cases, the sculpture vessel is completed with only a colorful palette of glazes, allowing the sculpture itself to take dominance. With others, I use the sculpture as a "blank canvas" to hold an image I find beautiful and compelling. The vessel pictured here is embellished by the stylized galloping horse which I originally drew. In addition, it holds a copper wire spiral, a turquoise colored metal feather and a variety of fibers which I felt complimented the form. I love working with mixed media.....putting things together in ways that are uniquely my own is a great deal of fun for this artist!

Whoa Horse Art Team

Sometimes in life, the unexpected presents itself and adds such a richness to my quality of life! Such is the case when I was invited to join the "Whoa Horse Art Team"! I hadn't known of their existence and was just delighted to have been invited to join up (which I immediately DID).

This is a group of people who love horses and produce equine art utilizing various art media. People who love horses seem to have a huge commonality coursing through their veins and, for me, it's a feeling of "coming home" to meet and converse with others who share this.

I was BORN loving horses. I didn't learn it from my parents or siblings, for they didn't have "it" (a love of/for horses). I only know that from the earliest time I can remember, the mere sight of either a REAL horse or even the IMAGE of a horse was enough to raise the hairs on my arms & make me tingle all over! I've been fortunate to have owned and trained a few of my own over the pathway of my life and, while I don't currently have a horse, I certainly pay hommage to their regal beauty via my ceramic artwork, as do other members of "Whoa Team" in their chosen art media.

So, thank you "Whoa Horse Art Team"....I'm so glad to be aboard with you all and will take great pleasure getting to know each one of you. If you'd like more information about the Team, follow this link!

http://whoateam.blogspot.com/

Location of New Home & Studio

Here's what we're working on... very near (just outside city limits of) the small community of Paonia, CO. We're re-modeling the modular and the new construction is the shell of what will become my new studio & firing facility. It's very exciting and it's also keeping us very busy!
Just the other side of the tall trees across the street is a river, so there's nothing but nature to see from the front yard! The new studio will be terrific because it is directly attached to where I will do final firings. There is a gravel driveway just to the left of the studio where we can loan/unload work to be taken to Art Shows. This is officially the "BEFORE" picture and sometime later I'll post a pic of the completed renovations.....maybe this summer!

Big Changes Soon....

Our present home goes on the market soon for sale! We've lived here for about 10 years, so this will be a big change for us. Our new location in Paonia, CO will be preparation for retirement so, we are down-sizing and also looking forward to a down-sized lifestyle!

Normally, this time of year sees us participating in out of state Art Shows, but our time is spent now readying our current home for the market PLUS readying our new location. I am having a new ceramics studio built there and it is due for completion in about three weeks.

This is the beginning of a website I've built to aid in advertising our home for sale....take a look at the preview!

http://lifeonotterroad.weebly.com

Poised on the threshold.....

.....of a triumphant moment in the history of our country. Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and I remember.....

....I remember being a teenager growing up in Dallas, TX & riding the bus to the downtown library when blacks sat in the rear of the bus. I remember that blacks could not use the same restrooms or water fountains as myself. I remember the Civil Rights movement....I remember wondering WHY some other whites viewed blacks as less of a person than themselves....I remember Oletha and Dessa; two black women who taught me alot about love at a formative stage of my life.....black or white made no difference to them & this young white girl was embraced by both of them as one who needed a little wind beneath her wings. And my love for them knew no bounds of black or white.....

And how I remember Martin Luther King......who put into words the feelings of so many by his moving speech "I Have a Dream". His dream.......and his vision became my own though the pain of his death and the loss of his leadership doubled by the loss of JFK in my own city sent me reeling into unknown depths of despair for the future of our country.

But now.....we're just one day away from the swearing in of Barack Obama as 44th President of the United States. This (much older) white woman is moved to tears as I realize the triumph which is occuring.....that, as King stated so many years ago.....a man has been judged by the content of his character and not the color of his skin ....his strength, his character & intelligence, competence and unwavering committment to the American people has earned him the highest honor in our land....a day of triumph for us ALL and one where HOPE reigns supreme.....