We all have 24 hours in the day and yet, we never seems to have enough time. I’ve just finished one class session and am about to start another. In organizing it, I realized it will be the final one this year! Ack!! The end of the year is in sight and seems to be careening towards us at 100 miles an hour!There’s so much to fit in. I’m still at the Fairfax Farmers’ Market on Wednesdays until the end of October, there’s a couple of orders to fill, and I’m trying to build up a[…]
Category: Blog
If You’re Using Something…
A wonderful friend of ours gave me Master Class on my last birthday. It’s an online series of classes taught by well known people in so many different disciplines. It’s been very interesting. I thought I would study different business classes, learn about negotiation and presenting yourself. Well, during my recent brush with COVID, I had a lot of time at home and I watched some classes. Since I was having a stay-cation, I turned on the Alice Waters cooking class just for fun and it was so inspiring! Part way through her talk on the[…]
Thanks Community
Ah, the times we’re living in. I find myself squeezed between anger at the rising situations and disbelief in our society. And yet, we move forward, there is no stopping. Even with everything that’s going on I’m still a happy person overall. A big part of that has been finding solace and happiness in community, both the one I live in and the one I make in. Recently, we’ve had our annual summer festival for the first time in two years. As a vendor I was there for both days and it was great! It was[…]
It’s Summertime!
When I was growing up in Montana, summertime was intertwined with our huge veggie garden. First it was planting and the dreaded weeding, and then the excitement of everything growing and finally the reward of the first veggies. Were we live now, I can plant in April instead of early June so my garden is already growing like crazy and I love it! Besides the garden, our town festival signals the start of summer around here. Since my last class session just ended, I’m taking two weeks off to prepare for the Fairfax Festival. I’m making[…]
Throwin’ It Down
Thanks to my student Catherine, I’ve been watching The Great Pottery Throw Down lately. If you’re unfamiliar with this, it’s a British show very similar in format to The Great British Bake Off: an elimination contest of amateurs, judged by well known professionals with some sweet, understated, British charm thrown in. I use throwing for producing multiples of functional work, but generally it’s not the way I explore ideas and try new things. Confession time–watching this show is inspiring me and I feel like trying a bunch of the techniques and challenges that have been presented![…]
Necessity is the Mother of Recycling
The world of clay is being hit with the same shortages that the rest of the world is having. I went to buy 500lbs for my next class session and was met with ‘Sorry, it’s out of stock. We don’t know when we’ll get any and it will be rationed to 100lbs per customer once it gets delivered.’ Wow!!A quick look at their out-of-stock board displayed about 30 names compared to the four names listed last time. I hadn’t considered that all the personnel shortages would make a difference in making clay. But, of course it[…]
Taking the Long View
I always find it interesting to evaluate what’s happened in my ceramics world during the past year. It gives me valuable information that I can’t really understand when I’m in the middle of things. It’s taking the long view, standing back and comparing my plan for the previous year with the realities of what happened and forming my ideas for the future.I’ve used the Annual Review Worksheet from Alyson Stanfield https://artbizsuccess.com/ecourse-annual-review/ for the past number of years and it’s always helpful because she asks questions that I might never ask by myself. So, I’m reviewing and[…]
Always Something Going On
Wow! It’s December and it seems like there’s always something going on! Time for the final big push before the quiet of winter can settle in. Lots of things are happening this busy month. This weekend will be the first of two events–our Open Air Open Studio! Please stop by on Saturday or Sunday and see Sam’s beautiful paintings and my newest work. There will be plenty of choices for holiday gifts! If you can’t make it to our event this weekend, you’ll have another chance to buy gifts for everyone on your holiday list. Next[…]