One week from today my first solo show opens in Dallas, PA at Misericordia University at the Pauly Friedman Art Gallery. The feelings are overwhelming, and are giving me so much to think about and process. I am lucky to have friends that recently had an opening and they have been supportive and very giving. My job is done, pieces created and ready. They are packed and I deliver them Monday. At this point I just need to decide what to wear. Still my mind is never far from the show.
My day job, that I love, and being in the studio keep me from going over the edge. I cleaned my studio and sat down and starting creating for the next phase. I start my art fair season and have another solo show to prepare for.
Thanks for listening and have a great day!

April 8, 2015

I have never had to name 21 pieces, but I did tonight. It's an interesting challenge.  Next week I will have at least 20 more pieces to catalog. My solo exhibit is fast approaching and I have to give the gallery my list that includes price (semi easy), dimensions (easy) and names (hard. Every step towards this show brings new challenges.

Creating the pieces, trimming them and bisque firing them was challenging in itself. Now I am waiting for the weather to warm up a bit so I can gas fire my pieces and not have them crack. My show consists of horse hair pottery exclusively. The patterns on my pieces remind me of different horses which I have loved since childhood.

The pieces just speak to me. I hope they speak to you too.

April 7, 2015

Pottery Challenge
I am preparing for my John Britt workshop this coming weekend.  I feel as if this worshop will lead further down the road towards my new work.  I have put together a notebook with a section to record all the test tiles with the glaze combos.  I stared reading John's book and am already thinking about what to pack. I always look forward to workshops and to see what knowledge I bring home.

There is so much that I want to learn. The nice thing is I want to, it's not that I have to. I think people in general get to an age or a place where they don't have the desire or energy to look for more. I am over 60 and am not there yet. I hope I never get to a place where I don't want to continue learning.

Pottery challenge #10
I spent part of today revising my Bio and Artists Statement. It makes you think of where you've been and where you want to go. I did not come from an art background. My studies in ceramics started in the last semesters of college so there was no time to develop fully. After many years of not touching clay I went back and fell in love all over again. I picked up my studies by registering for a class and then doing workshops. Each nugget of information has helped me improve. I take something away from each class and each teacher. Each one of my teachers have given me something to take away and use.Sometimes it has taken months to process what I have learned but in some way it always comes out in my work.



In the year 2013 I signed up for the Steven Hill Journey Workshop, I had no idea how this would change my life. There were 9 other participants Steven Hill of course and those wonderful people at the Saratoga Clay Art Center where the Journey was held. The course was a year long with growth I could not imagine. The 10 of us have bonded together and have stayed in touch as a small but wonderful group. We get together several times a year and seven of us attended NCECA. The year affected me more than any other workshop/course I have taken.

I will go more in depth on the year in my next blog.

April 5, 2015

With only 4 weeks to go for my first  solo show the anxiety is growing. My pieces aren't cataloged, named, fired or packed. I will fire in the next 2 weeks as soon as the weather clears up. I need everyone to do a sun dance.

This holiday weekend brought family time and a lot of time for more thought. It also brought time to spend in the studio. I am going to receive some new glazes which will need color testing. I have made 100 plus test tiles for my new glazes and for my John Britt (the glaze master) workshop this coming weekend. Half my tiles are in the bisque  kiln right now.

April 4, 2015
When Ithink about my pottery I have several thoughts and emotions. I am proud how far I've gotten but I know I still have a long way to go. My forms have improved and my visions have become clearer. This journey I'm on is as much about the work as it is about how I feel about me and life in general. As an artist I get to share my inner most feelings that I pour into the pots. I am so happy that people live the work and take the pieces home to enjoy.

April 3, 2015

I've been doing a lot of thinking about my work. I have worked hard and I can see progress in many areas. I am so happy that I can see where I am headed. I have been doing raku and horse hair firing for some time now.

My solo show is really going to happen on May 2, 2015 and I can't wait. After NCECA, my brain is on overload and my sketches for my next project are coming along.

My art fair season is about to begin and preparation for that is in the works too.