UG Update

Progress is being made in the studio.  There have been a few hitches that I will describe in a bit, but first I wanted to mention that I'm on the Uncommon Goods website!  The images look so awesome!  I was also featured on their blog. Pretty exciting times for Mitzi's Functional Ware House. :)

Like I mentioned earlier, progress is happening, but not without a few added stress factors.  I was firing a kiln this weekend when it didn't reach temperature.  I thought it was because I was venting the kiln, so I restarted it, and unfortunately, it is one or more of the elements.  So I have to unload all the work, repair, and re-fire. Ugh. That work was scheduled to arrive at UG next Monday...obviously that probably won't happen.

Previous to the firing, I realized that my studio space was not large enough.  If I were to start taking over the living room, Josh may divorce me, so I added two more 12"Wx48"L MDF shelves to my arrangement I had already set up.  When I woke up the next morning, I noticed a hairline crack extending across the wall.  I spoke with one of my students at the Clay Spot who is a construction worker, and he said it was the dry wall seam.  Growing up, my dad harped at his wife and 3 girls to ALWAYS hang things in the studs.  I have no idea what I was originally thinking, but apparently I didn't put the single shelf strips in the studs and the weight of the new shelves caused the drywall to shift.  I purchased a cheap stud finder, took the work down, and reattached the shelves.  My house is fairly aged, and I wasn't having much luck finding the studs with the cheap finder. I looked up all types of DIY help tips, and I'm pretty sure what I found was a stud and not just drywall.  I was a nervous wreck that night, because I was second guessing where the studs were and imaging the scene I would discover in the morning with all my sets crushed and laying on the floor.  Here is the beauty of my shelves now, filled with UG goods. :)

Upcoming Show

Cup show at Terra Incognito Studios in Oak Park, IL.  I will have 3 pieces in this show.  If you're not in the northern part of the country, check the show out online here.  

Creating Characters in Clay

Fresh out of the kiln, here are the coil projects from the Savannah Christian Prep Middle School!

Some of the coils got a little out of control, so we had to improvise.

One student made a box, because she missed the first day of class.

A very popular character.

Shrek didn't have time to get color or a mouth, but you get the idea.

 

 

Cups of Fire

"Cups of Fire: National Ceramic Cup Competition" is at Ann Arbor's Clay Gallery in Michigan. It will be up from Feb 3-March 3.  Arizona State University Assistant Professor in Ceramics, Susan Beiner, was the juror.  She select 169 pieces out of 313 entries.  I just saw that an article was written about it and you can find it here.

I'm pretty excited to be part of the show.  I feel like all the works are so diverse and well crafted that it's quite humbling to see my little tumbler sitting on the shelf beside all the other works.  Here are some great images from the show that the Clay Gallery posted on their facebook page.

This cup "Cloudy Day" by Nicole Aquillano won best in show (for a good reason, it's awesome)

Can you find mine? :)

Fantastic Ceramics

It has been a long time since I posted one of these, but I found this great piece!  I love the arm spoon!

Cory McCrory (awesome name right?!)

Cup with Stirring Limb

To see more of her work go here:

http://www.terraincognitostudios.com/

OR here: 

http://home.comcast.net/~potteryhead/site/

Preoccupied

Artz Blitz happened!  I taught 8th grade at Savannah Christian Preparatory School last week. It was so rewarding and inspiring.  I had 18 girls that made "Characters in Clay" with the coiling method, and they made everything from Spongebob and Mickey Mouse to realistic portrait heads.  The class met for one week, 8:45-9:45am.  By Wednesday of last week, I considered changing the assignment altogether, because I didn't think we had enough time to finish, but I stuck with it and they pulled it off.  I meant to grab a photo before I loaded all of them in the kiln yesterday, but alas I forgot.  I will try to get one before they're returned to the students.

George as a western catalog model

George McCauley was also here last week at SCAD.  He was our visiting artist for Winter Quarter.  http://www.georgemccauley.com/index.html  It is always a pleasure to see him.  He is so entertaining, and although his style of work is very different from mine, I always enjoy watching him create.

Meanwhile, I am also still in creation mode for the Uncommon Goods catalog.  I still teaching at Savannah's Clay Spot on Monday nights as well.  The current class, Try Clay On and Off the Wheel, is almost over, but then another one will start March 5 (http://www.savannahsclayspot.com/adult-classes.html).

So needless to say juggling a few jobs is tough, and an experience that can leave your body unhappy.  Mine decided that it was tired of taking abuse and retaliated by giving me a cold or severe allergies.  I can't decide which, so I'm taking meds that will cover both grounds.  While I am pressing through, I am also on the search for an accountant to help me take care of my taxes for this past year.  It's the not-so-much-fun part. I'm creating a spread sheet in Excel that will help me to organize everything.  I should have been keeping receipts and a document all year long, but initially, the only reason I registered my business was because of The Gallery.  At that time, it was a source of income, but it wasn't anything that I took seriously.  Slowly, this has taken off into what is looking like a nice side job; therefore, I am here trying to collect receipts and track my income/expenses from 2011.  When I was growing up, I remember my parents having a hectic schedule this time of year...now, I know why. :)