Routine

Now that the vacation is over, the days are getting shorter and the weather is cooling, it is time to get back to a regular schedule in the studio. I like having a familiar routine and specific goals to fill my day. Fall always reminds me of the beginning of a school year and the fresh start and excitement associated with new supplies, teachers and schedules. It is a great time to re-commit to resolutions made back in January. I haven’t touched clay in weeks so I’m looking forward to my daily studio time this coming week! 

One last morning on Hilton Head. Just another day in paradise!

I did manage to get a little bit of work completed while I was away from the studio. New post cards and sales tags are printed.

Island Time

When we lived in Hilton Head, SC, Island time was a way of life I learned to embrace. I have been reminded of that during our visit here. My fast-paced, deadline-oriented attitude gave way to a “stop and smell the roses, things will eventually get done” perspective. I think a combination of both approaches to handling life is probably the healthiest lifestyle for me and my approach to my art. I need a deadline or roadmap to tackle my work. It’s too easy to fall in the trap of spinning my wheels (no pun intended), so planning is essential. But for the creativity to have room to blossom, I also need that laissez faire element to be present. It’s a balance, like everything in life. 

Hilton Head invites its visitors, natives and transplants to slow down and enjoy every moment.

While away from the studio, I've been working on a new sweater. Take note of the pine straw ground cover. It's one of unique things I love about Hilton Head!

Home Away From Home

I have been lucky to live in both the Carolinas in my lifetime. Both Charlotte, N.C. and Hilton Head Island, S.C. were once home. So any time I come back to visit the South, the familiarity is heartwarming and the friendships I made are quickly rekindled. My artistic muscle was stretched in both locations and has contributed to the clay pieces I make today. 

The beach holds many treasures. Here are some items I collected while taking a walk. I will use the driftwood as handles or bases for my work. 

Early morning run, swim, walk!

I am happy to participate in community projects including this Lend A Hand fundraiser. I picked the word "ENERGY"   and interpreted it in the artwork you see below. This 8 x 8 canvas will be available for auction to raise money for 'Blessings in a Backpack'.

The sun represents endless energy to me. The finished artwork along with all the other artist donations is available at The Muse in Frederick, Md.

Throwback

It was a week of reliving the past in the present. I attended a concert featuring Santana and Rod Stewart mid-week and reunited with many friends and classmates at my 40th high school reunion this past weekend. Music always triggers strong memories associated with the time and timeframe when I first heard a song or became familiar with a band or musical artist.  Conversations with long-time friends help solidify shaky recollections into collective stories from our past.

It was good to reconnect with the Wakefield class of ’74 -- laugh, dance and talk. It makes me appreciate my roots and how lucky I am to have that feeling of comfort surrounded by people who share my history at an important time of my life. I have fond memories of my high school years and now a renewed connection to those people as adults. It continues to influence the person (and artist) I am today. 

All of these artworks have a connection to 1974.

The irregularity of the neck of this pot I threw in 1974 when I was taking pottery classes with Winnie Owens-Hart led to what I lovingly call my 'Tit Pot.'

As a beginning potter, I didn't want to give up on a pot I'd thrown on the wheel. I added some breasts, a belly button and a back-end. It shows I had a sense of humor and whimsy in my work early on!

Clay surface was also important in 1974. I etched these flowers on a wheel-thrown bowl to add some interest.

Long-time friend Donna (Wyatt) Lane created this pastel for me and delivered it at the reunion. It is going straight to my studio! In turn,  I am working on a personal Totem for Donna's garden in Colorado. Several of the women I knew as young girls have artistic talents they practice now. I'm looking forward to future collaborations with classmates who knew me way back when.

Them's the Breaks

Disaster lurks at every turn in clay making. I learned this lesson early on. Breakage or lackluster results happen. As I’ve gained experience over the years, I’ve learned to minimize these outcomes. But they can still occur and it's frustrating -- especially when hours have been dedicated to making a pot.

Long ago I adopted a philosophy that every pot has a life span. Some are very long-lived and survive for centuries (think museum pieces); some of the pieces have a short 'life' and don’t even make it to the kiln. Cracks, glaze mishaps and mishandling can all contribute to the death of the pot. It’s heartbreaking for sure, but the philosophy has helped me to quickly move on. Now, I might keep a shard of a favorite broken pot. Mostly I try to learn from the mistake and make the next piece better.

I love the colors and texture of this new ribbon plate.

Unfortunately the piece did not survive the glaze firing.

A visit to the art supply store always lifts my spirits.

You never know what tool you'll find in the cake decorating aisle!

Finish What You Start

Here's my current knitting project. I have another one waiting in the wings which is good incentive to keep knitting!

I had a conversation at a drop-in knitting group I attended this week at The Knot House. It was about starting new projects before you’ve finished others. I have disciplined myself in my fiber arts to fully complete a project before I start another. Otherwise, I find I have lots of projects started and nothing finished. Based on this week’s conversation, I’d say it’s a common habit in the yarn world and probably happens with lots of creative types.

There is something invigorating about starting up a project and working on something new. The completion and finishing details of many projects is not always as exciting. In knitting it involves seaming the knitted pieces together, sewing on buttons, weaving in loose yarn ends and blocking the finished work. Not glamorous, but all necessary for a finished product.

The ribbon plates and bowl are fresh out of the glaze kiln. This week I'll catalog them before I move on to the next project!

It’s the same process with clay. Creating and making is really fun. The finishing details like cataloging work, photographing, measuring the items and creating descriptions for selling—those are my stumbling blocks. Thanks to the help of my new marketing/PR associate – I am planning to apply the same lessons I’ve learned in knitting to my clay work. Completely finish what you start before creating something new. It’s worked well for me in knitting and will serve me well in my clay. 

I'm happy with the cake stand (and the cheesecake recipe too)! Go to my Pinterest board 'Sweet' to get a copy of the recipe!

Collections

I am an accumulator. I am a saver. I am a collector. These attributes are both helpful and sometimes harmful to my art. I have kept imperfect pieces of my own work thinking I’ll fix them at some point when I just should have junked them and moved on. I have saved lots of ‘stuff’ for later use in my artwork (everything from wire springs in assorted sizes to family jeans to make into quilts). I like to collect specific items like buttons that I can use on the sweaters I knit and some of the clay pieces I make.

This week in the studio, I spent time working with a friend on planning how improve sales of my work. It is an on-going process and I’m excited about the potential.  I tossed lots of those unfinished, imperfect items that were merely a distraction and really not worthy of my time.   I learned a new wood-burning skill that may find it’s way in to my future work. 

I like to display and group collections of my work and other art throughout our house.

My studio is filled with collections and groupings of items I've saved over the years. 

I've organized my button collection by color. 

The jeans, fabric and driftwood are stored and awaiting future projects. 

Nothing like a new tool for the studio!

Revisit

Oh, and she never gives out

And she never gives in

She just changes her mind

(She’s Always A Woman – Billy Joel)

This was a week of looking at the familiar in a whole new way both in and out of the studio. It’s a good exercise for me to recognize in my work and daily life.

I was lucky to attend a Billy Joel concert this week with my husband, daughter and her boyfriend. I’ve seen Billy numerous times over the years. His music and lyrics resonate with me and my family. I love his songs now as much as when I first started listening. Not only does the music evoke memories, but I continue to hear his lyrics in new and meaningful ways as the years pass by. To me, that is art and what I am striving for in my own work.

Part of what keeps me going to the studio is looking at familiar shapes in new ways. And on top of that, when someone tells me that they still use a piece of work I made many, many years back – it’s a good feeling.

My neighbor Candace has a bountiful garden and I am the lucky recipient! Here is a chocolate zucchini cake I made sitting on one of my wheel thrown 'original' cake plates from 2003.

Lucky for me, I have friends with great ideas! In this new rendition of my hand-built cake plate, I've separated and added pieces to include a bowl that can also be used as a stand and an additional smaller plate that can be stacked vertically! 

I've learned to add curves to my hand-built mugs. I think this shape mimics what I used to throw using the wheel. I am also playing with use of matte and shiny surfaces to highlight the texture. 

I made myself a set of dishes using hand-building methods. It's been on my 'to-do' list for quite some time!