Friday, May 29, 2009

A last-minute taste of Gillette




Yesterday I was making cups in the studio when I received a call from the Gillette Chamber of Commerce, telling me that I could still be in their mixer/tradeshow that they call "The Taste of Gillette", an event where all the vendors must make food to have at their booth. It was 11:30 when I got the call, and the event started at 5:00pm, and I needed to make a lot of bread, pack-up my pots, and I needed to get my wheel cleaned up and ready to go, because they wanted a demonstration. So that's just what I did. Also, I had to somehow get some business cards, as I have been putting that off. In the end, it all came together, the house was at least 100 degrees from making and baking bread, I was exhaused before I even got there, but once I started demonstrating, the time went by very quickly. I sold my chartruese raygun, gave out a lot of business cards, and got to see some old friends. I also shared my booth with my good friend Maria Stiles who makes jewelry, and she had a few sales as well.






As you can see, I had quite the following of miniature mud lovers. They made interesting requests, "Can you make a duck? Or no! A flip-flop, make a flip-flop! AND A DUCK!"

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Trailer Fire Studio's first firing!
















I finally got my first finished works photographed! The shiny glazes are kind of hard to get good images of, I'm doing some research on how to get better results. But, I'd rather be making pots, so for now, these will have to do.
The blue raygun is now my favorite. It is much brighter blue than shown here, and it's fin is too fun! I can't wait to assemble some more.
I am making lots of cups today, some space-mugs, and some tall cups similar to the celadon ones shown here. I've got another firing to do tomorrow, and I just received a book telling me everything I need to know to build my outdoor kiln, a 10-year-old dream, finally coming true. There's so much going on it's hard to make time to maintain this here blog!
In other news, the Pearls of the Prairie banquet was this weekend, it's an event where a local artist/art group is honored, as is a patron/supporter of the arts. I had a beautiful (i thought) set of four black and white cups for sale, a medium-sized black and white kitchen bowl, and two collaborative pieces (Jimi Wickenberg's) for sale, AND THEY ALL SOLD! I was a very happy lil' potter that night!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Zap! I'm back!


After many days, many pots, and many pairs of clay-encrusted pants, I finally emerged from the studio this weekend to celebrate my birthday with family and friends. It would have been very easy to just stay in there, but there was the promise of ski-ball and a JB King performance at Coffee Friends coffee shop. One of the great gifts I received this weekend was a digital camera from my mom! THANKS MOM!!! Now I can finally show what I've been working on.


This clay raygun feels so good in your hand! I can't help but hold it and make "pew pew pew" sounds. I'm making all kinds of kitchen gadgets that are raygus, such as salt & pepper shakers, salad dressing cruets, whisks, and others that I will keep quiet about until I show them. ALSO, I've made some really funky space helmets that you can actually wear, or use for a salad bowl, though I wouldn't recommend both at the same dinner.



I've also been making some things that are completely alien to me, like a giant gem-stone-pot for a show I have next year with jewelry artist Maria Stiles. Im really looking forward to all the collaborative aspects of that exhibition, Maria is an exceptional artist and I feel extremely fortunate to be showing with her.


I've aso made a lot of large drinking cups, bowls, plates, platters, a pitcher, and a bunch of other stuff. It's all been so fun to do.
So far, life as a potter is something I could get used to.