Waiting to be Glazed

This is what is waiting for me this afternoon. A few more dips and I'm set to load the kiln this evening. I made a hard decision to cancel my show in Raleigh this weekend due to state of my grandmother. I couldn't focus on getting much done these last few weeks so all you great folks going to Larkspur this year. I'll miss you but will be there hopefully to regain my post next summer!

Yesterday was spent at Clayworks and today I'm catching up on my Art History folks, running kids to some well check-ups, end of the year parties and doctoring a poor cat who injured her paw. And yes...it is my cat Paws! I'm going to run back and pick her up at the cat doctor after picking up my other "kiddies".

I took my camera to class yesterday but I was so engrossed in my demo's that I only got two students at the end of class to for some photo's. Only one more class to go and then I will be saying goodbye to teaching clay for awhile along with all the fine folks I've met at Clayworks.

Here is John very proud of his Cake-plate. He's showing off the top with this great Shino combo he did.

Below is Pat Warren. She has taken several classes with me and I just love her. She's working on a chocolate pot this session which I think is pretty cool. Next week I'm going to try and make a really good effort to get more photo's of my last class.

Sunday evening

This morning I scored the mother load of good boxes behind the Dollar General. SCORE! Nothing like a good dumpster dive to finish off your weekend. I spent the day packing, gardening and finishing up my butter dishes.
I also had to spend sometime on this device to post an assignment for my students. I had just finished telling Joey that I wished I owned some Queen albums because I was in need of a little "Under Pressure" turned up high. Instead of got on Utube and found some good clips while I typed. Who can go wrong with alittle David Bowie live singing "Hero's". He's got the coolest band backing him up...love the chic with the bass guitar in the back.
Enjoy....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjBQKIOb-w&feature=related

Greenware....

Everything is drying at this point. Here what I came up with handles. I wanted something that looked more like a basket than a casserole handle. I envision people using these on end tables or rolling up there washcloths on the counter in a bathroom. I always enjoy what hearing what people actually DO with some of my pieces. It gives me lots of ideas.

Here is the first cake tray I completed. I'm crossing my fingers about the whole sagging issue I've had with other tiered items I've made. I used also another color mason stain ( orange color that is). I"m curious to see how much more vivid it is with my glazes than the last color I used in orange.

Here are all three! Each one I've experimented with surface design, base or top part. We'll see which one wins the prize.

Birthday, pots, camera....

Yes...once again, the camera has been found. Where you ask? Well...Quaid's hamper and I have no idea how it got there. Such is life with three children, two somewhat unorganized adults and a piece of equipment that I think I'm subconsciously trying to get rid of.

These photo's below are actually ones that Joey took with his work camera that came home one night last week. I'm now getting around to posting them. See the crispness in the photo's? This is good camera....

This is a "bird boat", today I'm going to put some handles on these. I've made these in different sizes. I'm not sure about the handles yet so I'm going to get some paper, play around with fake handles and than make a decision on what looks good.
One night last week I just started making these lidded casseroles again. I think making one with my class last week sparked this idea.
Below is the start of some butter dishes.
Yah...this kind of photograph should look familiar...its with my camera.

I did have a nice quiet birthday yesterday. Lots of well wishes. This is what was left of my birthday cake when the camera was finally found. My sweet husband found a cake with poka-dots on it and I was treated like a queen for the day. Boy..once my cake trays are done I'm going to be baking some good cakes for some fun photo's!

My parents called in hospice for my grandmother on Tuesday and my grandmother is being cared for by a Palliative Care medical specialist now. I said my final goodbye's to her on Wednesday. Its sort of a funny thing staying in limbo while something is going on in your life. You try to keep up your normal activities but you do things like put the butter in the refrigerate, forget to buy cat-food for two days and my thought process for working has been set in a sort of one day at time mode instead of planning ahead.

Next weekend is Larkspur, my most favorite show of the year. A month ago I had all the items I was going to make for that planned out in my head. Now I'm just sort of making whatever because I'm in limbo, trying to get to the other side of things. Life lessons are all good and slowing down to think is a requirement in times like this. I've reconnected with relatives, reflected on my own family and been there to help instead of running away from a difficult situation. Maybe I have really reached my 40's! I like to joke that in my mind I'm still 26. Now I think I'll just sway from 42 to 26 when needed.

Gremlins and things....

Becky just left me a post about "Gremlins" in reference to my camera missing. Boy I miss it! I have part of cake stands, new serving boats, butter dishes in the works and nothing to show for it on my blog.

I'm glad everyone liked the cake-stand photo's I posted. Can't wait to see what mine come out like. Hopefully the Gremlins will give me back my camera at that point. ( Really they can have my old one and just give me a new one!)

Cake Stands and Such

I'm really up to late to be blogging but sometimes I get on this computer late at night to check my emails and I get caught up looking up things.

I love how the glaze drips off these plates...cake would have to taste better!

Poka-dots!
I enjoy the birds on this one.

This evening it was Cake Stands. I was looking at what sort of things I've been making lately and thought it was time to try my hand at a cake stand. Its sort of on the same track as my compotes so I'm excited to try this. Here are just a few commercially made fun examples.

I've been able to work pretty steadily this holiday weekend between trips up to sit with my grandmother. Keeping busy this week and having everyone home has been a good deterrent for my thoughts. Having my senses experience the ending of a life and listening to my kids laugh and enjoy each other and their Dad had been so sobering and thought provoking.

Its been pretty rainy and muggy here in the south so I'm focusing on making my bigger items this weekend and waiting for the smaller stuff towards the end of this week. My tests will have to be put on hold until I get this batch of pots made.

The gremlins have the camera. I have a feeling I'm going to find this week buried under some stuffed animals.

Saturday

I'm working on my course this evening. Today I did make some pots. The tests came out of the kiln and some where very promising but ...the camera is floating around the house somewhere.

Some heavy , emotional stuff is going on with my family at the moment. My 98 year old grandmother fell last week and is not doing well. This is a photo of her and her sister. She is the one hanging out of the tree. I needed some music to help my thoughts this evening. I found this while listening to some Damien Rice. Thought it would be nice to share.

"OH Brother Lets Go Down"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysEbha99XLY&feature=related

"Cold Water"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md0mP6bHGl8&feature=related

Is it Friday....again...already?

The girls are out of school today so part of my day will be "mommy time". I'm anxious to unload my kiln today and see the test I've put in. I always love seeing tests but I drag my heels on making tests.

Here are just a few shots of things drying in my studio. I'm looking forward to a good weekend of working. Our community pool opens this weekend so hopefully Joey and the kids can have some fun there while I get down to business. ( To cold yet for me to put on a suit!)

Only two more weeks until the Larkspur show that I do every summer. Crunch time! I also start a new Art History class next week so I need to make sure everything on my web page is all set for that. Busy, busy time of the year in May for me. School is ending, Larkspur show, clay class ending, the girls birthday and my own. I'll be in and out with posts.

You all have a good Memorial Day...stay safe if your driving anywhere!

Thursday

Just a quick check-in this Thursday morning.
I hope to have some photo's up late this evening of some things I'm working on.

In the time being I'm excited to announce that I have a mug on the "American Mug" game on Facebook. If anyone has a facebook account and plays this silly day go check out my mug. Send it to a friend!
( Little trills are great some days!)

Organization

This is a foreign word to me although I really do like the sound of it. We have stuff all around every living corner of our home, shed, yard, car...you name it. I always think this must be because I am so busy with everything else but truthfully I'm sure its my lack on staying on one task at a time. I"m like a humming bird and can not stick to anything for a long period of time ( I hate to clean but I like a clean house) This is a conundrum...(That is such a great word.)

I have to be proud of the fact that I can stay on a schedule with the kids and my work but keeping everything organized has not factored in with that yet in our lives.

So........ going to the store and getting bins to organize all my raw materials this weekend was such an accomplishment. Its so nice not see little bags all around and having to search for ingredients that I think I have but can't find.

The end result was making tests in a short amount of time and Joey even put up a new shelf for me where all my new accent glaze colors can rest.

Glazed Plates

I was happy with how everything turned out in the kiln yesterday. I'm still re firing some old stuff and putting in some leftovers. I had a request for some urns a fews weeks ago that I needed to get down and here are the plates that I've been reporting on over the last few weeks or so. I like this amber and aqua combination and I think the form and sprigs work fairly well also. For some reason there is a purple cast on this photo, which is not on the plates just in case anyone had a question about that. The other night at Clayworks I showed all my fellow bloggers my poor, old camera. Soon it will be my birthday and perhapse I can sweet talk my family into a contribution towards a nice new one. I have hope!

Please...give your input if you have one to share about the plates.

Yesterday a took a trip into Charlotte to pick up some raw materials I need for tests. Once I got everything home last night I realised how I really hate all the bags of "dust" I have in my glaze shed and thought I may be in need of some plastic bins. On the way back from school drop off this morning I visited my favorite cheap store Dollar General and got a ton of plastic containers real cheap. Score! Hopefully today between making a few things, I may get involved with some re-organization and cleaning up a bit. ( Joey loves when the studio get cleaned so hopefully I'll score some brownie points with my other half.)

Have a good weekend folks!~

Plates

Last night I do some paper stencils with my beginning 2 class. These where so much fun and more and more I'm really enjoying this red clay body.
Its always a bad thing when I demo something I like because then my mind starts drifting around asking itself if I can use this new technique in my pots. Like I need one more element to work with! AHHHHHH...(the voices need to go away.)

Here is a photo of the plates I showed a few posts back. You can see that I added the stain and they are in the kiln cooling as I write.

Hey...who is this guy posing for a shot! ( This is the Clayworks studio and that is my trusty fellow instructor Mr. Ron Philbeck. )

Tuesday

It looks like Blogger will be taking a break on the 13th so I thought I'd just post a quick message since Mothers Day has passed.

I'm finishing up a burial urn for a member at Clay works and also starting on an order for a bunch of pillow tiles and some deep dish bakers for Carolina Creations located in New Bern NC. Please check on the website information for some very nice images of the space and items that they carry. Joey and I moved from New Bern back in 2001; Quaid was only 5 months old and we hated to leave our cute little house and wonderful town. If your planning a trip to the Outer Banks for NC, you should try to swing by and visit the town of New Bern. Lots of great history.

Happy Mothers Day

I hope all the mothers out there had a great day today. We took my parents out for mothers day to a restaurant names Roosters in Charlotte. Last year Joey took the kids and I there and we thought we'd treat my parents this year. Its nice to get all dressed up and enjoy a great meal, nice atmosphere and good company on a sunny Sunday. It was also nice to do something special for my folks since they do SO much for us. They are very supportive of what I do and our whole family. I am so lucky to have them near by and my kids so fortunate to have the chance to get to know them so well. I know this is rare in our big world these days.

So..happy mothers day. I hope everyone had a great day!

Back to Business

Back to business and no more silly songs........

I had a few pieces that did not get fired before I left for Raleigh last weekend. It is so out of character for me to fire a kiln when I really don't have anywhere to go in a day or so ( the nature of my work schedule...cramming everything in at the last minute). It felt really good to re fire some things and get the work in the kiln way before any show or obligation that I might have. Here are the few pieces from that kiln.

If you all recall I spoke a few posts back about feeling like I had to many designs going on each pot. This flower with the red on the inside is one that I have choose to repeat on several pots so that I have more consistency in my work. This design works well on a number of different forms.

Here are some fun little spoon trays that have houses on them, just like the drawings I do on the pillow tiles. These are just fun to do and a good small item for people who would like something but can not spend a whole lot.The huge bowl below was a little test in putting more color where my drawings are. I'm still thinking and working this out with my work.

Random Sillyness-off the topic of Clay

I've been on the computer this evening doing various things and at times I enjoy checking out music on UTube when I'm "surfing". I think I've said before that a good friend of mine plays this silly game on Facebook where we send each other lyrics from old songs for the other one had to guess what song it is. This evening I got sidetracked on new music looking for a certain tune I heard the other day.

Most day when I'm in the car with our kids I have on NPR or a light listening station but on days when I'm alone I like to check out the top40 stations. A few weeks ago this song came on the radio and I felt like I was back in high school because it had such a catchy tune with less the nice lyrics I sort of felt like a rebellious teenager singing it at the top of my lungs and dancing in my car. ( What a sight this must of been!)

Wow..this has to be the ultimate break-up song for all the hipsters these days! Turn it up for American Rejects!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l06M-dsQf3Q

"Tweeting"

I've been hearing a lot about "Twittering" lately..its seems to be everywhere.
Today I was listening to an interview with the two guys who invented Twitter, Jack Dorsey and Biz Stone. As I was listening I started to wonder if all of us who blog and facebook are soon going to jump on this bandwagon to keep up with our ceramic hero's and questions.

Raise your hand if you already "twitter"!?

I have to admit that I have gotten on the website to see what it is all about, but than I thought since I don't even use my cell phone on a regular basis, what was the point. I have enjoyed Facebook these last few months. Its nice to see what is going on with my friends and family on a day to day basis. I enjoy "snooping" on my niece and nephew and ribbing my husband about stuff but if I can't keep up with my blog, why start something else? While I was listening to these guys talk about how most people tweeter to keep up with the on going events or trends that shape each individuals lives I really did think " Oh no, will the ceramic community that I blog with start doing this also and I'll have to tag along to keep up"?

So, if you are twitting, please let me know..I'm curious to know what all my "techno" clay geeks friends are up so I don't fall behind. ( Which is where I feel like I am most day in the technology world. Texting...what is that????)

Its Wednesday.... I'm happy to be home. Only one sick kid with me today. I'm grading extra credit papers and throwing. Its a pretty good day here in the Mecca-Lawler house-hold.

Raleigh Adventure

Happy Monday to everyone out in cyber land!

I have a few images from my weekend in Raleigh. Here is my little travel companion helping me bring packed up pots out to the truck. She had a great time visiting with her cousins, grandmother and aunt. We try to do separate things with our twins but still whenever one is away from the other, we always hear how they are missed. McKenna brought back lots of treasures for her sister from our trip, which was sweet.

Here is my tent with a few folks enjoying the day. This event was the time the CDC decided to do a studio tour. My friend Betty McKim lives in the five points area in Raleigh and she was nice enough to ask me to join her for this event. We did have a steady small stream of people through out the day and I enjoyed reconnecting with some customers who I have not seen in a long time.

Here is one the second set of compots that I have been working on. Still some bugs and design flaws that I need to work out but at least these don't tip like the last batch did!

This week I am hoping finally to get some glaze tests made. Today I unpacked and cleaned a bit. A good friend of mine came by with a painting that I had traded with her..that was a nice treat!

On the family front...I can't believe I'm saying this again but we are on yet another round of germs here. Mckenna and Quaid now have whatever there sister had last week. I fear since I'm run down it may come my way again so I'm downing lots of vitamins and organic herbs to ward it all off.

Heading Out In the Morning

McKenna and I are almost all packed for our weekend show/trip to Raleigh. The kiln is cooling, Joey has my displayed strapped to the roof of the truck and I'm looking forward to spending time with some wonderful old friends and family members. I spent the week grading exams, answering many, many emails from concerned students and also playing nurse to a very sick little girl. My pots I have to admit played second fiddle to all of this. The steady income that has been coming in from my art history classes has been a nice contribution to our household in this economy. The one unfortunate thing about this is by taking on this responsibility, I have had to give up another.

Last week I gave my notice at Clayworks which is a studio that I teach two classes for once a week. I have been teaching there for about 8 years and have loved the students I have met and taught. My decision to stop teaching has been a hard one but one that was needed to focus on other responsibilities and loves in my life. Our home in York SC is an hour away from the studio and each year the drive back from Charlotte has concerned me more and more. Since I get up at about 6:30 every morning and don't usually get to bed until 12am every night, driving home at 10 has become a issue for me.

My other reason was my children. I really do enjoy being a mom and the best thing I always think that I can do for them is to just be here. I enjoy taking them and bringing them home from school and helping them learn how to organize there little lives from day to day. This week I had to put my five year old child, who had a temp. of 104 in the car and drive her 1/2 hour to my parents so I could teach. I thought about this through out the course of my classes and just wanted to be home. Both these situations have made me stop to think about my priorities and the fact that I need to slow down a bit. My family always comes first, doing what I love comes second and filling in our financial gaps the best way I can comes third. Time is so precious to me because I seem to have so little and would like more.

I hope I can continue my relationship with the folks at Clayworks. I hope all the great students I have had will continue to challenge their instructors, ask for new things to be taught, give lots of feedback and ideas and strive to make it the best it can be when it comes to educating people about ceramics.

I'll miss you guys come next fall. I guess your just going to have to come out to little Old York for a visit!

Tuesday April 28th

I had a few minutes today to check in on all your bloggers out there in cyper space. Seems lately that I've been reading what everyone else has been up to more than posting what I'm doing.

This week my art history classes are working on there on line exams so I'm sort of anxious to see how my students are doing.

This weekend I worked on and off on tiles, plates, and bowls plus lots of family stuff. I'll be in Raleigh this weekend as I wrote about in my last post. Mckenna will be coming with me on this trip to keep me company, spend some one on one time with mommy and visit with some of her cousins.

In the studio, I've been thinking hard about trying to incorporate all the things I want to say and do with my pots. I still have not been able to make tests but I am thinking more about where I put my springs and how this will work with my drawings ( and glazes). I thought I'd start by making some different plates. If you can see on the first photo I didn't care for the placement of the spigs on the side of this plate so I started ripping them off.I couldn't figure out how to break up the space with lines and glaze. In the last photo you'll see that I turned the springs to the side and I think this will work better. Today I'm going to trim some feet before heading off to Charlotte to teach.

We are on round two of being sick in the house. Aydan has been ill with a fever, cough and dizziness. ( Her doctor says its another virus)Thank goodness we have not been to Mexico or really anywhere else for that matter. I'm wondering how this whole flu thing will play out. Cross your fingers I'll get through the week without germ free myself.

Carolina Designer Craftmen Studio Tour

Next weekend I will be joining a lot of talented folks for the Carolina Designer Craftsmen Five points Studio Tour. Here are just a sample of some of the craftsmen I will be showing with. Please go here http://www.carolinadesignercraftsmen.com/the_guild.php
for more information.




Today I am working. Inventory is low and I need some good pots! I'll be mixing up some colored clay and throwing some soup bowls and covered jars with feet. Yesterday was spent on small bottles. ( I'm in a small garden show at our church this weekend....wow!!) Off to work...

Bali potters...and Cleaning

Yesterday was such a beautiful day and I just loved being here and getting all sorts of things done in the house and my studio.

I spent my morning mopping and cleaning out my glaze shed. I even cleaned out the shop-vac.He Ha..what a dusty mess. I than moved onto clay. Today I will begin to throw again.

Those broken pots on the floor got tossed. That felt great and my next project is to take all my bags of raw materials and put them in some cheap plastic containers. Those bags take up so much space and Joey and I have talked about putting up some more shelves in here and in my studio. ( As he reads this, which he does he is saying to himself that he has asked me for week to get that ready for him and I haven't....so I better get on that with taking stuff off the walls or I may loose my free-labor!)

I was catching up with friends last night on Facebook and found that someone over in Italy invited me to view there ceramic studio page. Its a group that calls themselves GAYA. I haven't heard of them but some of you may have. Anyways, I was curious and got on there site and found this great UTube of Bali potters. Its pretty cool plus that music is so great that they put on here.

Enjoy the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltW3T46rtnY

The Hogde-Podge Of It All

"Life is a journey, not a destination"

I get this magazine that I love to look at called "Signals". Its pretty much just neat gifts but it also has a lot of jewelry that has various quotes and sayings. I have been eyeing an bracelet in there for some time which has this quote stamped on it. I really can relate to this saying because when I think of my work over the years and how much I go back and forth with what I'm trying to accomplish and say, I relies that I am always learning. I'm always changing, questioning decisions and learning from mistakes. I think for some people they can easily solve what they are trying to work through in their art. For some of us, it does not come so quickly and that's OK. I figure that everyone does move at their own pace and what may seem easy for me when it comes to some other life lesson is harder for others.

I was viewing my set-up the other day at our Circle show and wondering why I felt a bit uneasy with the group of pots I had. Last night when I started to up-pack the work and put it up on the shelf I had an "ah ha moment". ( If anyone indulges in Oprah, you'll know this term.) I

t finally hit me that I have a Hodge-podge of designs. I have three glazes..that have been worked out. I have my surface treatment that I'm always "tweaking" but the designs constantly change. I have some good ones that directly hit me as well thought out and other that seem so-so.

So, next order of business for me in the next batch of pots is to do some series. Keep the good patterns and leave the old. My head feels so much clearer after the light bulb finally turned on.

Hey...does anyone own this rat and how did it find my cup?