5.17.2007

Always playing catch up


Its Thursday and tonight I got back into my usual work pattern. Last night I had to pack pots for the Clayworks sale this weekend and clean up my studio so I only got to throw three big bowls. I usually start a new throwing cycle with small things first ( mugs, soup bowls) but at the sale last weekend I didn't really sell those small items so I have a lot of those leftover. Yesterday I just decided to go for the gusto and start the big work right off the bat. I like to make all my big stuff that takes so long to dry first and I save the small stuff or things I have learned to assemble quickly till last. So..last night and this evening my shelves got full of big rolled rims bowls ( always fun to throw as well). The next show I am doing only has 5 other potters so I have to think about what items they will be making and how I can tap into my own market with different things. I wonder if other people think this way when they are doing a show with little variety but the quality is all good. We really all do really different work so it really is never a issue but I still like to really show the things I feel I do really well if I know another potters is better at lets say teapots than I am. ( I'm just thinking out loud......)

As for the catch up, I'm pretty much referring to my house and family stuff. After every show I always need to catch up on the house stuff I put to the side the week before the show and I feel guilty for all the time I've lost with the kids. So what I do is make up for it the beginning of the new work cycle. This week was the girls last week of school and unfortunately I had to miss there final little program they put on for the parents. I could not take off another day of teaching so Joey played Mr. Mom and went in my place. We did spend a lot of time playing the beginning of the week and now the summer will soon be here ( Quiad gets done the end of the month .) and I'll come up with all sorts of fun things to do during the week to keep thing interesting for all four of us. Tomorrow we are all going to Quaid's school for a "Teddy Bear" picnic to introduce the girls to there new school for next year. They are very excited to be going to the same school as there brother. I too am excited because I will have every morning free to work next fall and that means maybe I can finally go to bed at a decant hour! The older I get the better I think my brains work in the morning studio wise plus I won't have to freeze at night once winter hits!( We'll see!)

2 comments:

Judi Tavill said...

jen- your kids are precious-the end-o- year is crazy for me too- with a 4th grader and 1st grader at elementary and middle school- it's always SOMETHING...AND I have my stuff in a house tour/ home boutique show on wednesdayso i've got a glaze kiln cooling now(so far...i snuck a peak and i'm happy)and i'll finish glazing a few more pieces and put the next load in tomorrow- i know this is YOUR blog- but i hope you don't mind a little venting-Ihave my friend who has ALS- Lou Gerrig's disease and it's realyy crappy and its progressing quickly- it's been hard to pull out of this funk....
On a brighter note.....
Summer is coming- we live in Rumson ,New Jersey-it's the Northern most point of the jersey shore(just keep remembering New Jersey IS the Garden State(remember Dogma-the movie?)Anyway- we are basically in betwwen this cute town -Red Bank and Sandy Hook(public Beaches) our Beach town is Sea Bright...which I can walk to in 15 minutes-it's right over a bridge.... it's a great place and the proximaty to Manhattan make it a bedroom community to Wall Street- but Mike works locally which is great....Did I say enough?

Jen Mecca said...

Sorry about your friend, i'm sure that is hard.

My cousins use to live in Short Hills so I know a little about NJ. I have lots of relative in NY. My mother grew up in East Hampton and my Dad is was from Syracuse. I can't wait to be a "northurner" again for the weekend. I'm sure we will stand out like sour thumbs with our drawls.