Strip It Down

Strip It Down

To get from a lump of clay to a finished work is a long and multi-stepped journey. Each material used and every step in the process can be tweaked. This can lead me to endless experimentation–and possible confusion. It’s been shown that more choices don’t make us happier and more satisfied with our decisions. Putting limits on what we explore in our art at any one time makes sense. So, what are your parameters? Do you strip it down, limiting your options and looking deeper into your choices? Or do you tackle all the areas that[…]

Place, Land and Earth

Place, Land and Earth

I think I might have fallen out of love with my town of Fairfax. It’s been feeling busy, noisy, and I live a little too close to my neighbors. Having walked to and from work for the past 14 years, I have a level of intimate familiarity with my neighborhood and the changes that occur through the year. Even though I’m attuned to my area, I have this longing for a piece of land that I know so well that it’s become a part of me. A place where I know the smells of the different[…]

Change? Change!

Change? Change!

As this year is wrapping up, I’m already feeling changes on the horizon for the new year. Good, positive changes that you will see here as they happen. One area I’ve been concentrating on is my African Vessels Series. I’ve recently finished a new group of the digging stick/awl forms where I’ve expanded my focus from the direct depiction of these shapes to concentrate more on the surfaces. I’ve begun to incorporate other African sources into the decoration of them. You’ll see references to regional plant and animal life, scarification, and indigenous art along with patinas[…]

Balancing

Balancing

  To Do:                  write newsletter                 finish Coral pot                 laundry                 banking                 update resume                 contact Tilly about take down                              -Tricia                 update website Every day is a balancing act. All of us are constantly prioritizing and re-evaluating the things we need to get done. Some things take precedence, some have been on the list for awhile, and some we don’t even write on the list. Although occasionally, when the list is dense, I’ll write a few easy things on it just to cross them off and feel like I’ve[…]

Giant Steps!

Giant Steps!

I love the week between the winter holidays and the New Year. It slides between the cracks of obligations and new beginnings. It’s open, like a door- just wide enough to look through and peek at what’s coming. This week wasn’t quite long enough for me. It’s now suddenly the new year and I feel like I should hit the ground running. But wait, I’m still contemplating my path and planning my way into this new year. Right now, I feel more capable and serious about working on my new goals than ever before and hopefully[…]

Special Thanks and Appreciation

Special Thanks and Appreciation

It hardly feels like Fall but, Halloween is over and it’s suddenly November. This is often a month we’re reminded about gratitude, and I wanted to take the opportunity to express mine. In spite of the unbelievable state of affairs we find ourselves living with, there are a lot of good things happening in my life! First off, an update and a big thanks to everyone who participated in the Soup Bowl Soiree. A couple of days before the event I was feeling very discouraged, I didn’t think I had enough artists with bowls and people[…]

When is Work Satisfying?

You know how sometimes you have a lot of work to do and you think, if I can just get this done, I’ll give myself a little reward? Well, I have a new opportunity to spend more time on my ceramics right now, and I’m feeling really inspired to work hard!! I know things will gradually come into a routine, but now is when I feel like evaluating and creating systems to make some of the ‘paper work’ easier, and organizing my studio space to make it more efficient and more accessible. There’s official things to[…]

A New Perspective

As Fall rolls in with the reinvigorating energy of the change of season, it’s back to school, back to regular work, and the last big push to get things done before the end of the year. I recently had the opportunity to participate in the American Craft Council show in San Francisco for the first time. Now, this is a pretty prestigious and well respected show, so naturally I was very excited about it but it turned out rather differently than I hoped. People have been asking ‘How was your show?’ and I don’t have an[…]

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