Going in circles with clay

I learned several things during a two-day wheel pottery workshop at Jacksonville Center for the Arts this past weekend.  First, I have a greatly renewed respect for potters who make all sorts of round things on that spinning wheel made rather famous in the sexy scene from the movie "Ghost." Second, making wheel pottery is far more difficult than it is sexy. Third, not sure I have the strength in my left hand to ever become a full-time potter.  Despite that, I had a great time in Sarah McCarthy's class and am pretty pleased with all the pieces I created--even the very first little bowl with a definite angle to it.  Sarah has thrown thousands of bowls and has such a positive attitude that she makes you believe even your funkiest bowls were good efforts in your first time at the wheel.

After spending most of the day trying to center lumps of wet clay on the wheel and being successful only part of the time, I switched to some slab work to give my throbbing hands a break.  Slab has been successful for me the vast majority of the time and this day Sarah taught me how to use wooden molds to quickly create very lovely pieces.  I can hardly wait to see all my pieces glazed and ready for prime time. I'll be proud of them all, even that slightly lopsided first bowl.

Aside from the creative process, the very best part of this workshop was meeting new people, working with friends and getting to know Sarah better.  Make that two Sarahs and their incredible gifts of contagious laughter.

Determination of a squirrel

I think we could all learn something from squirrels.  Even though these little creatures at my house are surrounded by abundant forest, they love to "eat out" and try new and exciting things.  Their appetite for this kind of diet knows no bounds.  "No squirrels allowed" signs mean nothing to them. "Shoes, shirts and ties required" doesn't slow them down a bit.  At even the best buffet of mixed seeds, cracked corn and that favored supply of sunflower seeds, they'll cut in line and "cherry pick" at every opportunity.  They have the determination of an Army tank on full speed.  When the easy-picking sunflower seeds were gone from the feeding platform, this furry critter went straight to the source by lifting the lid, hanging on with his back feet and repeatedly dropping into the feed tube to feast on the sunflower seeds before the birds even had a chance at them.

Determination is a good thing in life and, more often than not, it pays off.  Just don't forget that sometimes too much of a good thing is a bad thing!

Art with friends

I spent a good portion of yesterday doing art, chatting about art, and eating surrounded by art in the lovely and interesting home of an incredible artist in Blacksburg, Darcy Meeker.  She works in stone carving and copper and abstract paper on canvas and ink and clay and jewelry and notecards. She inspires me to keep on experimenting in many different mediums until I am smitten with the two or three that I can concentrate on.

Around the table, Darcy and Charlotte, normally a watercolor painter of enormous flowers and such, worked on copper. I sketched and then began to ink an amazing clump white birch tree.  Bookmaking Becca Imbur came buy to show her best creation, beautiful little daughter named River.

It was a lovely time. Creative sharing and supporting of the best kind.

http://www.darcymeeker.com/ -- be sure to watch the video
http://www.bimburbooks.com/