Future Relics Pottery

Limoncello, Home Brew, and Unchaining Dogs

2012-02-13T09:11:00.000-05:00

Winter has hit Atlanta making this weekend too cold to do much of anything that meant venturing outside the house. I like to spend days like that curled up with a good book and a pup or too or creating something in the kitchen. This weekend it was Limoncello that asked to be created. We had a few bags of beautiful Meyers lemons so we were ready.
Limoncello is something we discovered in Italy, it's often served after your meal in a shot cup or a cordial glass. You'll want to sip it, not shoot it, the alcohol content is too high but it doesn't taste really boozy. It actually helps you to feel a little less full after a meal. You can buy it already made but what's the fun of that? I can buy a manufactured ceramic item too, but the ones we make by hand are so much better, even if they aren't always perfect.
After making the limoncello we squeeze the lemons into a pretty bottle which we store for later use in cooking. The fresh juice doesn't keep for very long (I'm not sure how ReaLemon lasts as long as it does but I find that frightening) so I wanted to use some of it right away. I guess I had alcohol on my mind because I thought about brewing some beer as a good option. So I made an American IPA with an addition of about a cup of lemon juice. My hope is that this will give it just a subtle hint of lemon flavor to the beer. It will take a few weeks of fermenting and conditioning before I get to drink any of it to be certain my theory is sound. Beer brewing is a bit like pottery, you need patience. You also need some forward thinking an optimism. On one of the coldest days of the winter (thus far anyway) I brewed a beer that will be best enjoyed on a warm summer's day.
A good cause will get me out of the house, the fundraiser for the Coalition to Unchain Dogs was inspiration enough. I bundled up in as many heavy layers of cloths as my body could carry and still stay upright and raced from the house to the car and then into the Midway for the fundraiser. I'm such a whimp when it comes to cold. They had a great turn out, a raffle and silent auction, adoptable dogs and a good bit of fun. It didn't seem like the cold weather kept many people inside and that they were successful in raising a good bit of cash. They will improve the lives of a few dogs with that money and that makes me happy.

Other Stuff:

How to Make Limoncello
The Coalition to Unchain Dogs

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Generosity of Spirit

2012-02-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Generosity of Spirit: The Gifts of Penland Artists

February 10, 2012 - March 15, 2012

At Signature Contemporary Craft, Atlanta
An exhibition of contemporary ceramics, jewelry, and metalwork by 68 artists affiliated with Penland School of Crafts. A portion of each sale will be donated to expand Penland’s ceramic and metal studios.
(Please scroll for schedule and participants.)

Boris Bally Metals
“I am participating in the show because our field (Metals/Crafts) would vanish if it wasn’t for magic places such as Penland that keep the techniques/language/history/spark alive. My experiences there have nourished my mind and heart and give me hope that our world will not simply become a place where objects are designed/made for $$ by computers or in other countries. (No, I’m not a luddite) We have such a rich heritage and Penland is the ‘keeper of the flame.’ ”

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Opening Reception:
Friday, February 10, 6:00 – 8:00pm
Opening Online:
Friday, February 3
Penland Artist Gallery talks:
Nicholas Joerling & Angela Bubash:
Saturday, February 11, 2:00-4:00pm
Julia Woodman & Gay Smith:
Saturday, February 18, 2:00-4:00pm

Barking Spider Clay
“After meeting as students at Penland in the early seventies, we have worked together as Barking Spider Pottery for over 37 years. Living a mile down the road from the school has allowed us to be fully immersed in this remarkable community of artists, while raising our twin boys in a rich and unique environment. Penland has been the catalyst that has allowed us to create an incomparable quality of life.”

Show participants are: Will Baker, Boris Bally, Barking Spider Pottery, Kenneth Baskin, Jana Brevick, Cynthia Bringle, Angela Bubash, Raïssa Bump, David Butler, Melisa Cadell, Caroline Cercone, John Edward Cogswell, Josh Copus, Nancy Megan Corwin, Jim Cotter, Susan Dewsnap, Daniel Dicaprio, Judith Duff, Bob Ebendorf, Veva Edelson, Julie Elkins, Marty Fielding, Joanna Fireman, Becca Floyd, Steven Forbes-deSoule, Debra Fritts, Aran Galligan, Adrienne M. Grafton, Becky Gray, Andrew Hayes, Judith Hoyt, Rob Jackson, Nick Joerling, Diane Solomon Kempler, Sun Kyoung Kim, Kathy King, Michael Kline, Leah Leitson, Suze Lindsay, Sarah Loertscher, Courtney Martin, Tom McCarthy, Linda McFarling, Ryan McKerley, Kent Mclaughlin, Matthew Metz, James Meyer, Ron Meyers, Jenny Mendes, Lisa Naples, Kelly O’Briant, Neil Patterson, Mary Pearse, Ronan Kyle Peterson, Ron C. Philbeck, Rob Pulleyn, Sang Roberson, Justin Rothshank, Akira Satake, JoAnn Schnabel, Gertrude Graham Smith, David Stuempfle, Joy Tanner, Holly Walker, Lana Wilson, Julia R. Woodman, Janis Mars Wunderlich, Hiroko Yamada, and Gwendolyn Yoppolo.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Local Folk Artist Prevails in Dispute with European Retailer

2012-02-08T08:55:00.000-05:00

I just have to share this story about a former neighbor of mine and how she took on a large corporation who stole her art. I've been following this story for a while in the community buzz. Tori is a very humble designer who was not trying to make a fortune off of her art. She just did something simple that made people feel good. Then her design was stolen by a large corporation. After friends and neighbors convinced her to take action what did Tori want from the entire mess? Enough money to pay for surgery for her best friends dog, about $3000. She's gotten that money, plus a whole lot more.

Local folk artist prevails in dispute with European retailer | ajc.com

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Cure

2012-02-07T09:32:00.002-05:00

For some reason I've not been feeling really positive about my work lately. It could be because I've been doing a lot of small, production pieces lately. I'm doing these to rebuild stock but I'm not feeling very passionate about them right now. I made a bunch of mugs and played with glazes, that didn't help. Most potters refer to kiln openings as being like Christmas, sometimes you get an iPad, sometimes you get socks. The mugs, although pretty and totally functional, felt like socks.
Then yesterday I had a meeting with a new venue, they love my pots and want to sell them. I'll announce who it is after the contract is signed but the big result for me was it helped me to feel better about my work.
Later I went to Mudfire to pick up some pieces I fired there and get some others into a kiln. The pots I wanted to pick up were a bit of an experiment. I normally fire my ash glazed pieces in the reduction kiln but since I've got a show on Saturday I couldn't wait for the gas kiln to be fired so they got fired in the electric kiln.
I am really happy with the results. The picture below is of a platter that I did in that firing (forgive the picture, it's from my iPod). I also had a couple of casseroles that were beautiful but one of them didn't come home with me because Adrina Richard bought it on the spot. Another ego boost. Now I'm ready to run down to the studio and throw beautiful pieces again.

In the video I discussed the other day a joke was told by Michael Simon.

An old potter and a young potter where talking, the young potter said he was not happy with his work. The old potter said, "you never will be."

This was met with uproarious laughter from the room. I guess it's something we all go through.

Cakes & Chocolate

2012-02-06T08:56:00.000-05:00

This weekend Janet & I went to a workshop at the International Sugar Art Collection by Nicholas Lodge who is a famous cake decorator. I didn't even know this was a possibility in life but apparently it is. Janet is the baker and cake decorator, actually she's really fantastic in all of the culinary arts. I just wash the dishes and enjoy the delicious food she creates.

I was happy to tag along thinking I might come up with some pottery decoration ideas and a belly full of chocolate. Well, sadly, you don't get to sample much chocolate. You also don't get to sample any cakes. This form of art is all about the presentation, the look. It's not at all about eating. Actually, if you've ever had a taste of one of these cakes you understand the sentiment of "too pretty to eat."

The workshop was a lot of fun, don't get me wrong, how could it not be. It's about sugar art.

One of the presenters was Ruth Rickey who was wonderful. She's smart, vibrant and gave the audience lots of good things to think about in cake decorating that could translate in to pottery and so many other things.

She talked about knowing when to stop decorating the cake not in terms of aesthetics but to think about time vs. payment and time away from family or other things that you love. Basically, if you're sacrificing your personal relationships to create something that you're going to sell for less than minimum wage than maybe you should spend a little less time on this work. The gem was her quote "seek excellence, not perfection."

Other Stuff:
The Great American Cake Show

Ron Meyers and Michael Simon Demo Video

2012-02-03T09:19:00.003-05:00

I found this video on Youtube thanks to Michael Kline. It's about two and a half hours long so you might want to make a big batch of pop corn but it's worth the time. You can fast forward through the first few minutes of people tallking and getting seated, I wish they had edited that out but otherwise it's really a worthwhile video.

Ron Meyers & Michael Simon Demo

Happy Friday, everyone.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Salt Pigs

2012-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

I don't normally make cute pots, or at least I don't try to make them cute. I don't tend to put bees on my honey jars or lady bugs on my casseroles so I'm not sure why I was motivated to put ears on these salt pigs. I do think they are kind of cute but not too much. If they had eyes they might be too cute. Of course after I made them I thought "how am I going to transport these to shows without breaking off the ears?"

Maybe I've been spending too much time playing Angry Birds.

Oh, yes, they do have tails too.

I Need Your Thoughts

2012-01-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

I've been working (slowly) on rebuilding my website. I like the old site but it uses Flash and iPhones & iPads don't like Flash. In English this means that some people can't see the cool, fun animation. So, in the interest of fairness for all, I've recreated my website. It's still not complete, I know about a few issues (like the "home" button doesn't return you home) that I do intend to adjust before it goes truly live but I would love to get some feedback before I replace the current site.
So when you have a minute, click this link and let me know what you think. Please be brutally honest, I need/want to know. Thanks.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Wonderful Weekend

2012-01-30T08:52:00.000-05:00

What could be better than a weekend in January that was sunny and warm. It got into the 60's! I have to admit I like global warming in the winter.
Janet and I had some celebrating to do this weekend as she's had a really positive change in her life. But first I had an appointment with a couple who wanted to buy some pottery to give as thank you gifts for some people who helped make their wedding special. They purchased two large casseroles, one of them is going to a friend of theirs who works for Martha Stewart. I love that idea.

We took Blue for a car ride which ended up at the Midway Pub to enjoy the sunshine on the deck with a beer then later we had dinner out with two good friends.

Sunday was equally as nice, we got some projects done around the house at a relaxed pace and we got some sunshine on our faces. That usually makes me smile.
I hope you had a great weekend too, what did you do?
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Health Insurance

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

My health insurance has gone up again. It's really frustrating because I don't use it. I go to the doctor once a year for a thyroid test and that's it. Of course this does not come anywhere close to fulfilling my deductible.
I have talked to some other people and it seems that most are paying even more than I am so I shouldn't be too upset. It just seems to me like I can put that money way in a bank account and actually have it available if I ever do need it, rather than waiting for the insurance company to cancel my account if I ever do use it. Yes, I've had some bad luck with insurance companies.
I know the Potter's Counsel and the American Craft Counsel offer group plans but I can't find out anything about rates or customer satisfaction.
Do you use any of these plans? What do you think about them?
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Rainy Day Equals Wet Pots

2012-01-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

I made this pot on Friday expecting I would be able to finish it on Monday. It's a multi-part pot so it has to dry to leather hard before I can attach the neck. You would think that after an entire weekend it would have been ready on Monday, but no, it was almost as wet as when I threw it. Maybe the rain is gone for a day or two.

It's okay, I was able to get some other pots made and even took a nap which I need, I think I'm coming down with a cold. Or maybe it's just too much rain bringing me down.

New Goblets

2012-01-23T15:00:00.000-05:00

After watch a video on the Clay Club blog of Cynthia Bringle making goblets I was inspired. I had planned to throw goblets anyway so why not? Here are some of the styles I tried. I'm not really sure I love any of them but I do like the technique.

Throwing Sets Of Pottery Demo Video

2012-01-20T12:53:00.000-05:00

I've posted another quick demo video to my You Tube channel, it shows some ideas that you can use when you're throwing sets in order to get a degree of consistency in size and shape. I did this demon at Mudfire to a group of students who already know how to make the basic form so I didn't spend any time trying to make good bowls. I didn't even trim them. But you get the idea and it's a 4 minute video instead of a 10 minute video that shows you a lot of stuff you already know.
Enjoy and let me know if you'd like to see other demos.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Google Issues

2012-01-19T09:18:00.001-05:00

You may have noticed that this blog was down for a few hours yesterday. I apologize for any inconvenience that may have caused anyone. I'm not sure what happened but as soon as I added the Stop Censorship banner to my blogger template Google disabled my entire account. Rather ironic, I think. I checked the help site and they gave me some things to check (like have I typed the correct URL, blah, blah, blah), if all of that was right, and it was, than I should check the terms of service because I must have violated them. I looked and could find no such violation but who knows what they were thinking. They also gave me instructions about how to fix my error but no way of accessing my blog (really their blog) to make the changes.

So I sent them an email and a few hours later they sent me an email saying they were sorry, it was a mistake and everything is back on line. They didn't tell me what happened or ask me to make any changes so I assume it was something on their end, but I'm just guessing.

In the meantime I lost my calendar, my gmail account, this blog, my google + account, and my youtube channel. Thankfully I don't use Google Checkout or I would have lost the ability to make sales on-line.

This got me thinking that I'm way to dependent on Google. I know that banks and other companies give people perks like free on-line bill pay to get you to stay with them and not quit when they give you crappy customer service. They call them stickies because they are intended to make you stick with them. Now, I'm not trying to compare Google with Bank of America, I LIKE Google, they rock in so many ways. That's why I use them so much. I'm just too dependent on them, and that's not a good thing. I'm going to make some changes, I'm not really sure what they are going to be but I feel the need to cut some of the ties. I hope you'll hang with me through the changes.

Other Stuff:

Stop American Censorship

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Do You Have That In Blue?

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

If you've done as many shows as I have you've heard this question. If you've listened to many people in the pottery world you've heard "If you can't make it good make it big, if you can't make it big make it blue." This gives blue a bit of a bad rap. It's actually a very popular color for a reason. It's seen as trustworthy, dependable and committed as in the true blue friend. It's a calming color that makes people feel more tranquil. This could be because of the association with blue sky and water, or it could be something else. Of course some very vibrant, electric blues don't do this, they do the opposite and make people feel exhilarated. It's also said that the color blue aids intuition, which could be why President Martian VanBuren had the first blue room painted in the White House, and why one has been there ever since. It's also the name of my dog, because it's only once in a blue moon that a dog like him comes along. My friend Phoebe named her dog blue after the blue bird of happiness.
Blue makes people feel good, so when someone wants something in blue, I'm happy to make it for them. This pottery making thing, it's not just about making me happy, it's about adding smiles to other people's faces also.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Martin Luther King Day of Service

2012-01-16T17:53:00.001-05:00

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" At least once a year many people take this day to celebrate his life by doing something positive for other people. For me this was a day to meet up with my neighbors at Brownwood Park which is near my home in East Atlanta Village and work on beautification projects. We had trash to pick up, the community garden needed some prep work for the spring planting season and a new path through the woods needed to be mulched. I was recruited for the mulching project.

After several hours of loading wheel barrows and pick-up trucks with mulch and hauling it down the path my arms were DONE. No problem, I'd just go join the trash clean up, many of the kids that volunteered where doing that, how hard could it be? Well, apparently some people think that a park is a great place to dump all the old stuff that they no longer want. Besides the typical trash of cigarette butts and candy wrappers (does it seem to you that people who litter also have unhealthy lifestyles?) we found old tires, construction materials, a full bottle of beer, a bicycle, fencing, ...the list goes on and on. It was sad.

We finished up around lunch time just in time for pizza delivery by Grant Central Pizza. They donated more than enough food for all the volunteers. Yay for them. I love the pizza they make and I love how much they support the community.

When I got home my arms were still very tired and sore so I took a hot bath, felt refreshed and went down to the studio to make a few pots. Silly me, I had intended to do casseroles today. After the first 5 quart casserole my arms have told me "enough."

It's okay, it's late in the afternoon, I can get dinner started. It's been a good day.
Did you do anything for MLK day?

Other Stuff:
Martin Luther King Day
East Atlanta Community Association

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20 Ways to Get Good Karma

2012-01-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

I just thought this was something that would be good to read or revisit if you've seen it before.

Instructions for Life by The Dalai Lama

http://www.spiritualnow.com/articles/25/1/20-Ways-to-Get-Good-Karma/Page1.html

The Dalai Lama

Ask The Dalai Lama a Question

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
Follow the three R’s:
- Respect for self,
- Respect for others and
- Responsibility for all your actions.
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Spend some time alone every day.
Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and
think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
Be gentle with the earth.
Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Little Bird

2012-01-13T08:27:00.000-05:00

I added this little bird to the cover of a jar last night. I was just playing around at the end of a long day of throwing. I don't normally add these types of elements but I like the way he looks on the little knob. I do wish that I had put some eyes on him but I also wonder if that would have made him look too cute. It's hard to get the right balance.
What do you think?

Artist Residencies

2012-01-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

I must admit, I would love to do a long term artist residency at a craft school. I do try to get to Penland School of Craft for a couple of weeks every summer and I love the full, distraction free, immersion in clay. I know I'm very lucky to be able to work full time as a potter. Many artists I know spend much of the day teaching in colleges or high schools and then create and sell their work when they can. The financial security would be great but the time and energy involved would take a toll on my work. I admire these people and sometimes wonder how they do it.
The thing is whenever I hear an artist speaking about their history it tends to go from college to grad school to a residency somewhere and I get a little envious. I don't want to leave my home for several years, I'd miss Janet, my dogs and my friends. It's just a pipe dream but it is a dream.

Other Stuff:
All you need to know about artist residencies

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Paws Whiskers and Wags

2012-01-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

I was contacted a few weeks ago by Jill from Paws, Whiskers and Wags which is a pet crematory in Decatur, GA. She was interested in having me make some urns for her clients. I felt quite honored. Being an animal lover and dog owner this was a project near and dear to my heart. I've been commissioned to make urns for people's pets and departed loved ones in the past so this is not something foreign to me but it also feels really good to be able to offer a selection to people. I also like working with these people, they seem very professional and compassionate. I sense a good partnership.

If you need their services you can find them at 2800 East Ponce De Leon Av in Decatur, GA or call them at 404-370-6000.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Chamois Alternatives

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

You may know that I'm a vegetarian, well, technically a pescatarian as I do eat fish and sea food. I made the decision to stop eating meat after seeing the horrible conditions of the feed lots in the west and hearing so many news stories about how chicken was making people sick due to the deplorable conditions the chickens were kept in. But I'm not writing this to make you stop eating meat, I'm writing because I have found some very good alternatives to using cow or dear hide as a way to finish the rims of pots.
We all know that a well finished lip makes a mug more useable as a well finished rim makes any pot more attractive. But if I can get that without using an animal hide chamois I'm happier. I was told to try newspaper but that's not really very environmentally friendly for a full time potter and the newspaper tends to tear at bad times. I never really liked using newspaper although I would use it in a pinch.
Elisa Helland-Hansen recommended using plastic, you get plenty with every bag of clay and it's a good way to reuse the plastic that is not listed as recyclable. It's nice and thin so you don't lose the feel of the clay and it does make a really nice rim.
Ronan Peterson suggested using the fat rubber bands that you get when you buy fresh broccoli. Broccoli is one of my favorite foods so I have no problem getting rubber bands. The one I'm using right now is blue so it doesn't get lost very easily either. All you have to do is cut the rubber band so it's no longer a closed loop but just one long strip of rubber. It's easy to hold and makes a nice rim. You can even attach a cork to it so it won't get lost in a slip bucket.
In the interest of full disclousure, I do have a couple of leather chamois that I still use. They were given to me and I'd hate to disrespect the animal from which they came by throwing them away. But when they get lost or break I don't think I'll be replacing them with another hide material.
What do you use for a chamois?

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Pit Firing

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

For New Years I went to my friend Laura's Farm in middle Georgia. I love going there for the friends, the relaxation, walks through the woods with the dogs and peace. This year though I did some work. I was unable to resist the call from the large deep pit that is used as a collection location for the dead branches and stuff that are cleaned up from the grass prior to mowing. I cleaned out the pit so I could use it as a kiln to fire some pots.
The pots were burnished with white and red Terra Sigillata while greenware then bisque fired to cone 04. I know it should be cooler than that but I didn't want to wait for a full kiln load to fire these pieces. I laid the pots in a bed of pine needles that I had soaked in salt water and then covered them with cotton (from the farm) that had been partly soaked in copper carbonate, orange peels, juniper berries and branches, black walnuts, and some more copper carbonate. I then covered that pile with dried leaves and twigs. I built a pile of dried branches over that, and surrounded it with some old scrap wood, all from the farm. This was lit on fire from the top so it would burn down, which it did. I kept the fire burning by tossing (gently) more dried wood onto the fire. After a couple of hours we toasted the kiln gods as the sun was setting and let the fire burn down on it's own.
The next morning was New Years day so we didn't get up very early but when we did make it out to the pit the pots were warm but cool enough to remove from the ashes. They cleaned up nicely and easily, I think they look pretty good for the first try. They do not have a lot of black on them, as expected, but everyone there agreed they looked fine without, not everyone likes black on their pottery I guess.
I did make a short video of the event also:

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Liebster Blog

2012-01-05T11:51:00.001-05:00

Yesterday my friend Gary presented me with a Liebster Award for which I'm very grateful. Gary is an artist who creates really interesting and beautiful images using photoshop and words. He's a visual artist and a wordsmith. His blog is called Walking Spirals and you should check it out.

The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is German (n.) and means: sweetheart, beloved person, darling.

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to his or her blog

2. Copy and paste the “Liebster Blog Award” icon into your post

3. Pass the award on to 5 of your fellow bloggers and let them know you did so

Thanks to both the givers and receivers of this award and speaking of which I get to pass it on so in no particular order:

Architecture Tourist Terry Kerns writes a very interesting blog that not only gives a very in depth look at the area's more interesting architecture but he's a lover of many other types of art and can be found sharing his views of local art shows and artists.
Risk a Day This is a blog that is written by Laura Biering and her group of risk takers. The idea is that by taking an intentional risk each day you will grow your courage muscle. The stories tend to be very encouraging and thought provoking. Some of the risks are huge, some very simple, but they all get you thinking.
Brilliant Visions This is one of the blogs that I read for creative business insight. The author, Martha Carnahan is a brilliant business and life coach whose blog always inspires me in some way.
Pam Kinsmith Art & Design Pam's blog is a thoughtful look at various different types of art, her view points are always interesting as is the art she chooses to discuss. It's a beautiful place to see art and someone's perspective of the work.
What Would Cathy Eat Yes, it's a cooking blog but as a maker of functional pottery I also enjoy cooking and eating. Cathy's blog has many fantastic vegetarian, healthy, Earth friendly, and delicious recipes. It's where I go when I'm trying to find a creative and fantastic dinner.

I can think of many other blogs that are deserving of recognition but don't fit the criteria for one reason or another, some are in my blog roll, some are in my google reader list. I am grateful for them too.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Updating Your Portfolio

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

I seem to follow a lot of artist blogs, some are from people who have been working as professional artists for many years, some who are still considered emerging artists. One thing I love about following these blogs is seeing how the art is growing, evolving and simply changing. Thanks to the blogs we can often know where some influences are being found.
What I hate to see is when the work is evolving but the portfolio doesn't change. I know I'm only looking at the on-line version but so many shows and galleries are happy to look at work samples on the web it makes me wonder why these portfolios are being neglected. Okay, we all know that not everyone is tech savvy but this is important to your career. Take a class, you probably took 4 or more years of college classes to get where you are artistically, why not take one to learn how to get new images of your work into the hands of gallery owners?

If you don't have time to take a class why not try some portfolio software. I've listed a few examples below, I've not tried any of them so I can't recommend one but most have a free trial.
I'd love to know what other people have tried and what you thought of it.

Other Stuff:

Artfolio Creator
IVWebsites
Artists Portfolio Creator
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

To Etsy or Not To Etsy

2012-01-03T08:32:00.000-05:00

I am not really very good at keeping up with my Etsy store. It just seems like a lot of time for little results. Of course if I put some effort into keeping it up to date I might actually have more success with it. It's something of a self fulfilling prophecy I suppose. But by the time I take the pictures and the measurements and think of a catchy description that doesn't sound too much like an infomercial then upload everything I've killed a lot of time. Then if the piece sells I have to run around to my collection of boxes to find the right size shipping package that holds the pot and enough padding to keep it safe from all the possibilities that can happen to a package in transit. It just seems like a lot of work.
I was discussing this with a friend who said "So is putting on a show, but you do that."
He has a point, and a good one at that.
Is anyone else having the same thoughts and concerns with Etsy as I'm having? Is there something you do that makes your Etsy experience easier?
Thanks in advance.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Kitchen Tools - Zester

2011-12-30T08:24:00.000-05:00

Janet is a wonderful cook, she really enjoys experimenting with new dishes for dinner or baking something sinfully delicious. I'm very lucky.
Creating pottery and creating culinary delights have a lot in common. We are both often trying new things, sometimes it's something completely different than we normally create, sometimes it's a new twist on an old favorite. We are both very concerned with aesthetics as well as function (if it doesn't taste good nobody is happy). And we both are always looking at new tools and gadgets. Sadly, for Janet, I'm often looking though our kitchen for these tools. I pretend I'm helping her cook but I'm actually thinking about what some kitchen gadget will do on clay. I've actually tried a few of these kitchen tools with varying degrees of success so I thought I'd write some articles about the tools I like.

One of the tools I like for making a basket weave design is a zester. You use one of these tools to scrape the outer layer of peel off citrus fruit, I use it to make Lemoncello. It's nice because it makes nice lines in a perfect row. I use it when the clay is leather hard but it might do some interesting things on softer clay too. Have you used one? I'd love to see what you did.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Plate

2011-12-29T08:27:00.000-05:00

Here's another piece by Geoff Pickett, we picked this one up at Perspectives in Watkinsville, GA this year. It's a really beautiful piece. Most foodies will tell you that food looks best on a plain white plate. It's due to a lack of competing or disagreeing colors. I know this is true from a set of bowls I made and glazed with Libbys Red-Orange which is a beautiful glaze. The bowls look great and a salad really stands out, but anything with a tomato sauce doesn't look appealing in the bowls.
Geoff got it right with a natural white glaze and just a hint of color on the boarder of the plate. I can learn a lot from this man.

Rainier Has Heartworm

2011-12-27T11:51:00.001-05:00

You may remember the article I wrote a few months ago about a very sweet dog that was trying to adopt us. Of course we kept him and he and Ginger the Min Pin have become best buddies. They just love to play together, they run around the back yard and wrestle and don't even care about the size difference. I worry sometimes because he is so much bigger (about 60 pounds) than she is but he is so gentle with her that she's always fine.
Rainier is an attention hound who loves nothing more than to push his head under my hand so I'll pet him or he'll rub his entire body against me, usually when I'm trying to tie my shoes. I'm not sure if he thinks that this will get him a walk or if he'll just be able to knock me to the floor so we can wrestle. Either way it's sweet, annoying, but sweet.

We took him to the vet yesterday to get his six month heartworm check and it came back positive. The vet believes that he was infected just before the first test he had which is why that came back negative. He has been on treatment so they don't see any sign of baby heartworms but it's still going to be a long, expensive and difficult treatment process.
We have two traditional, vet recommended options and several non-traditional, herbal alternatives which sound less invasive but don't carry any guarantee. Mostly, I'm concerned about trying to keep him quiet during several months of treatment. Apparently activity like running around with his little sister could be deadly as the heartworm start to die. This is what scares me the most.
Thankfully, he's very healthy otherwise and since we've found them pretty early he's got a fantastic chance of a full recovery.

Other Stuff:
American Heartworm Society
Unchain Your Dog

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Happy Xmas, War is Over?

2011-12-25T08:51:00.000-05:00

It's hard for me to believe that the war in Iraq is truly over. I hope that's just because it's been going on so long that it has just become a part of my life that I haven't fully let go of yet. I'm glad that the troops are coming home and that some of them will even get to spend this day with family. I hope you and they enjoy today.
Of course the timing is perfect for my favorite Christmas song which I'm sharing with you here with a word of caution, the video is rather graphic and may cause you to hate war.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Dinner With A Potter

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Please excuse the poor quality of this photo, it was taken with my iPod which doesn't have a flash. I could have gone and found my camera but I wanted to get to the soup before it got cold and the beer before it got warm.
Being a potter for me also means having pottery from many other potters to use at meals and other times. When I picked out this bowl and stein I wasn't thinking about how Michael Kline (the maker of the bowl) and Kyle Carpenter (the maker of the stein) are friends who sometimes share kiln space. Who knows, this may not be the first time these pots were together, I know it won't be the last.

Other Stuff:
Michael Kline Pottery
Kyle Carpenter

Christmas vs Kiln Opening

2011-12-21T14:21:00.001-05:00

This holiday season has not been one of my better ones in terms of holiday spirit. I'm not certain why that is, I really like Christmas, I enjoy giving gift more now than when I was a kid when all I thought about was receiving. Giving someone something that will make them happy gives me lots of joy.

Sales have been great since November, much of it is from people buying gifts for others or buying something to use during holiday celebrations. Still, this year I'm feeling just a bit apathetic. I'm not really being a Scrooge, I'm just disinterested.
Yesterday it occurred to me what might be causing the issue. I was unloading the big gas kiln at Mudfire and marveling at the beautiful pots that the studio members had made. I knew how excited they would be when they saw the pots. I even got to share in the excitement that some members felt as they found their art on the selves as I was still unloading the kiln. Then it struck me. I'm desensitized. I get to experience the joy of kiln openings pretty regularly. And many a potter has likened the experience to Christmas.
May you enjoy the season and the feelings of happiness throughout the coming year.

Time To Relax

2011-12-19T08:50:00.001-05:00

This past weekend I had my Last Chance Studio Sale, when it was done I closed up shop for the rest of the year and into January. Now comes the time to start focusing heavily on creating pots for next spring. Of course I still have to keep the gallery's and shops stocked but that too can come from the pieces I create over the next few months.
For now I'm tired and grateful. It seems like this fall and winter have been particularity busy, which is a good thing but it's draining. My tired is not a bad tired, but I do feel like I need to rest. I imagine it's similar to the type of exhaustion someone would feel after running a marathon or an iron man (only without the muscle pain). Not being the athletic type I'm not really sure, I just know it's a good tired and a good healing needed.

I was reminded that this is a good time to take a few minutes each day and meditate. It's something I had stopped doing as I got really busy. I'm not sure it's the best thing to give up when I'm stressed for time but it went away. Now I'll give myself that gift. It will help me to heal.
I am also very grateful to all the people who came to my shows and shops. I'm thankful for the people who bought my pottery so I can continue to make more, I'm grateful to the people who visited my booth just to chat. It's nice to take that time to visit and learn what's happening in the lives of my friends. And I'm thankful to the people who brought me gifts like food from their garden, to share in the joy of creating.
I am also forever grateful to Janet for all of the support she's given to me, for all of the weekends she's given up to hang around an art festival, for the cookies she's baked and then given away to customers, and for the love she's shown every step of the way. Thank you.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Last Chance Studio Sale Dec 17 and 18

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

As the holiday season draws to a close the shopping frenzy often heats up. Avoid the traffic and crowds at the malls and shopping centers. Buy local products that show you care about the person who is receiving it. Come to my studio sale.
This is a great opportunity to see pottery in the making in a working studio. I'll will be offering demonstrations on throwing, hand building and decorating pottery starting with a simple bag of clay. I will also be available to discuss various glazing and firing techniques. Finished pottery pieces will be available for sale at the show, works in progress will be offered for pre-purchase and customization to your needs.

The Studio is located on Willow Place off Bouldercrest Dr, one mile south of East Atlanta Village.
Hours of sale are 11am until 5 pm Saturday Dec 17 and Sunday Dec 18.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Artists Website

2011-12-15T08:30:00.000-05:00

For the past couple of weeks I've been working on updating my website. I like the way it looks but it uses Adobe Flash on the home page and some smart phones don't like that so I'm trying to make it more friendly to all the people that would be likely to view the site. I taught myself HTML many years ago, back when websites where chiseled into rock but later I actually took classes in website design and development at Emory University her in Atlanta. I learned a lot but it's still very time consuming to make a really great website. Thankfully, I'm the client and the webmaster so I set my own time frame and deadlines.

Because of this I was very interested in this article about why you need a webmaster if you're an artist. Much of it rings true for any business but it got me thinking. First, in the interest of full disclosure, I also run a business building websites for artists. It's nowhere near as much fun or as lucrative as pottery so I'm pretty quiet about it. Needless to say, I could not agree with this article more. I've built websites for people and told them I would maintain the site for them for a small fee. Most people are not interested in paying that, they just want me to show them how to swap out the pictures. When I show them they get glassy eyed and start thinking about what kid they know who plays computer games so should be able to update the site. Bad thinking.
A couple of years ago a restaurant owner asked me about building a site for him. The interview ended with him telling me he had a few other people to interview but he'd get back to me. When I followed up with him he said his neighbor's son or someone like that was going to build the site for him. About a year later I was dining there with friends and inquired about the site, he said it was almost done (a year later!!!). A couple of months after that the restaurant was out of business.
I don't know how much the website had to do with the demise of the establishment, but I imagine the types of business decisions he made were.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Malcolm Davis - RIP

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Like many other artists I was surprised and saddened by the news of the death of Malcolm Davis. I read one potter's thoughts of how he will live on forever due to his shino glaze. It seems many of us had our first, and maybe only encounter with the man through the glaze. Not only was that very generous - it's a great glaze - but that was really smart marketing. It makes me think he was a really smart man. I have read and heard from people who have met him that he's also a really nice man. I only know his glaze and his pots. His pots have been really inspiring to me. We have had some of his pieces at shows at Mudfire and I was always impressed with the craftsmanship and with the design. I love the simple brushwork that he would do on his pieces which, of course, showed off what a wonderful glaze he created. The thing is, he was much more than someone who made pots, he was much more than someone who made glazes. He was a civil rights activist who was interested in things like peace and love and a good planet to live on. He was a great role model. He gave us a lot, he'll be missed a lot too.

Other Stuff:

Article on the life of Malcolm Davis from Studio Potter
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Trip To Athens

2011-12-13T08:01:00.001-05:00

After the Raku Party this weekend Janet & I took a trip to Athens, GA to see the studio sale that Carter Gillies was having at his place. It's always hard to get to other potter's sales because they are often on the same weekend as mine or there are too many and too spread out to get everywhere. But we do try to make it to at least one a year and since Carter was having some guests we figured we could also see the work of several potters in one place. I wanted to see a new glaze Carter is using and Janet wanted another plate from Geoff Pickett to complement the one we already have so those thoughts influenced our decision also. I apologize to my other potter friends, we'll get to your studio sale another year.
The photo here is not very good, I'll take individual pictures of the pieces and write about them in my "Other Peoples Pots" series. The jar already has coffee beans in it and I had to take the tea bowl out of the dishwasher for the shot so I wasn't doing a big set up. I should have taken a picture at the studio.
Carter's studio is behind his house in a residential neighborhood in the beautiful city of Athens. I love looking at the architecture in the city, it may not be as awe inspiring as the Greek city of the same name but it does have some cool and funky buildings. Being a college town it also has a really cool vibe. I fear it may become a strip mall hell in a few years but hope that the idea of supporting local businesses is strong in the residents. Judging by the amount of people we saw shopping at Carter's studio sale I feel it's there in some.
Speaking of studio sales, I have to get ready for mine which is this weekend. I'm calling it "Last Chance Studio Sale" because it'll be the last chance for people to shop for my pots (except on line) and the last chance for me to sell them this year. Come on out.

Another Raku Party

2011-12-11T17:41:00.001-05:00

The weather was absolutely perfect for this weekend's raku party at Mudfire. It was sunny and warm enough to be comfortable but not too warm as to not want to be near the kilns or reduction chambers. I love firing raku in these conditions.
We had a few new members who wanted to participate in this firing which meant that I got to practice my how-to-raku and safety speech. It must have worked because nobody set themselves on fire which is always a good way to be. And everyone had some pieces that they liked. I really enjoy teaching raku firing. I especially like it when the kiln Gods co-operate and we get some exciting work. I'm actually considering writing a proposal to run a workshop at John C. Campbell Folk School. It's a really cool place and that would be a great way for me to spend some time up there.

Template Change?

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

A new year gets people thinking about new things. Sometimes those are seen in the form of New Years resolutions sometimes they just find it a good time to make changes. Several years ago I made a New Years resolution to stop making New Years resolutions, so far I've stuck with that one. But I still think about making changes, hopefully positive ones, in my life. One small change that I'm considering is changing this blogs template and updating my website. I wonder if that's a good thing or not, marketing people will talk about consistency in branding and things like that. I don't know if that is really important in my line of work.
What are your thoughts?
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

My First Demo Video

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

I decided to try my hand at making a demo video. I can see a few things that I could do better, like camera placement to keep my head out of the video but I think it's not too bad for a first try. What do you think?

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Thanks For A Great Show

2011-12-05T09:11:00.001-05:00

The Telephone Factory Art Show is over, I'm happy and exhausted so this will be short but don't take that for being less than the huge amount of gratitude that I am feeling. I'm thankful to the people that liked my pots, especially those that liked them enough to buy them. I hope you enjoy them for many, many years or that you enjoy gifting them to the people you care about.
Thank you to the artists that made this show a success by producing great art and doing your part to make it a fun show for the patrons.
Thank you to the residents of The Telephone Factory Lofts. The hosts were fantastic, we couldn't have done it without your generosity. Thanks to the residents that had to put up with a bunch of artists and art buyers for the weekend. I hope you never felt inconvenienced or uncomfortable. And thanks to the people that work at the Telephone Factory that helped get the place ready, directed us to the way you wanted things done for the benefit of the residents and the building, and, of course, thanks for letting this happen in this fantastic place.
Thanks to the volunteers who helped get the signs and balloons made and placed and those that helped staff the front desk and smile booth.
A huge thank you to Tonya and Ian who helped to put this show together. I would not have happened if it weren't for your efforts. Words cannot express my gratitude.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Telephone Factory Lofts Art Show & Sale 12/3-12/4;

2011-12-02T08:30:00.000-05:00

The Telephone Factory Lofts Art Show and Sale

Dec 3rd 11am - 7pm
Dec 4th 1pm - 6pm

Established in 1996, The Telephone Factory Art Show and Sale is one of Atlanta's longest running art events. The Show provides artists an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work in a unique, progressive, art walk setting.

Participating Telephone Factory residents open their homes to local, guest artists who exhibit and sell their artwork, mix and mingle with the public and have a really great time in the process. There is also a daily raffle drawing for visitors. This year's prizes are 8GB iPod touches.

The Telephone Factory Art Show and Sale has become a much anticipated event over the years.
Admission is free and open to the public.

The Telephone Factory Art Show and Sale
828 Ralph McGill Boulevard, NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30306

also on Saturday:

Mudfire Holiday Studio Show

Nov 26 - Dec 23

The potters and sculptors at MudFire have been busy making hundreds of delightfully unique, affordable, one-of-a-kind creations for the holiday season. We invite you to buy handmade American craft, and GIFT IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT!

Gallery Open Daily 12-8pm except
Closed on Tuesdays

Holiday Party & Reception
Sat. December 3, 5-9pm

175 Laredo Drive
Decatur, GA 30030
info@mudfire.com
phone: 404-377-8033

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Candle Karma

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

As part of the Telephone Factory Lofts Art Show and Sale planing committee I have had to do a little shopping. Post cards and business cards were needed which means postage stamps needed to be purchased, things like that. We also have the use of some public restrooms which of course need to be stocked. We decided that the rest rooms would be nicer with some yummy scented candles burning but wanted to be considerate of the environment so we wanted soy candles. We talked about getting them from the usual type places when I suddenly remembered someone I met who makes candles. He's an artist that sells soap and soy candles at Donna VanGogh's Artist Market in Candler Park. I was there dropping off pots one day when he was there, he asked if I made any honey jars. Of course I do and I brought him one. Now when I needed candles I wanted to return the favor. This is the beauty of collective stores, art shows and even galleries; we artists get to meet and support each other.
Don't forget to come to the show Dec 3rd and Dec 4th at 828 Ralph McGill Boulevard, NEAtlanta, Georgia 30306

Other Stuff:
Basic Handmade Soy Candles
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Early Work

2011-11-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Those of you who are also friends with me on Facebook may have noticed a new profile picture. It's a picture of a slide that my high school pottery teacher took when I was taking her class in my junior year. Yes, that was eleventh grade. It seems like so long ago and yesterday simultaneously. This may have been a slide that was included in the portfolio I sent to Alfred University when I was applying there. It makes me wonder things like who has seen the slide, what do other people think about the work (I am trying to resist critiquing it), and what happened to this piece.

For me, this is some of the fun of facebook.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Peach Cobbler

2011-11-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

I love it when a customer sends me a picture of one of my pots in use or where it's displayed. I really think it would be fun to have a collection of these pictures but I rarely think to ask for them. Thankfully, some of my customers think about it themselves. That's what happened this weekend when a casserole I made was used in someone's Thanksgiving dinner. Here it is with some peach cobbler in it. I just love the way the warm, golden color of the cobbler looks with the ash glaze trio.

The lid is designed to stand easily on the knob, on some pieces it can actually be used as a serving bowl. In this picture it's being used as a stand for the cobbler.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T10:24:00.001-05:00

I'd like to wish all of my friends, family and followers a happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for your support and encouragement.
Janet and I are celebrating with family in Oregon which is the inspiration for the picture choice today. It's a view of Mount Saint Helen's and Mount Hood that I took during an earlier trip. It's really fun being in a place where you can see so many snow capped volcanoes.
However you spend today, I hope you have an opportunity to see the beauty around you and be thankful for it.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Comments Please

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

The other day I was eavesdropping on a conversation near me. Normally I wouldn't do this but when the conversation started the two couples were discussing a trip to China that sounded very interesting. They were also talking loud enough for others to hear easily so I don't think they cared.

Apparently the couple that went to China also blogged about the trip while they were traveling. The friends mentioned that they left some comments on the blog just to let their friends know they were reading the blog. The travelers said they had seen the comments and it meant a lot to them that the friends did comment. I think it means a lot to many bloggers to see people writing comments. It helps us to realize that people are reading our writing and it's effecting them in some way. I have friends that tell me they read this blog but have never commented. I appreciate hearing that they have been reading it too, again, it makes me feel like I'm not all alone here in the bloggosphere.

I have also made friends with other artists through blog commenting which has lead to some email commenting and may result in a visit sometime. I think that would be fun. Yet their are still some people who write blogs who have received many friendly comments from me over the past few years who have never acknowledged my feedback or commented on my blog. I know people are busy but after a while that just seems rude so I stop reading their blogs.

I want to take this time and space to thank my readers, whether you comment or not, for following this blog. I appreciate comments and emails, I appreciate Facebook likes and retweets and I appreciate hearing "I read your blog" when we're talking. Thank you

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Open Studio and Sale at Future Relics Pottery Studio Nov 17 - 20

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is a great opportunity to see pottery in the making in a working studio. Lori will be offering demonstrations on throwing, hand building and decorating pottery starting with a simple bag of clay. She will also be available to discuss various glazing and firing techniques. Chiminea firings may be held throughout the weekend, time and weather permitting. Finished pottery pieces will be available for sale at the show, works in progress will be offered for pre-purchase and customization to your needs.
Come share a cup of apple cider and taste the worlds best chocolate chip cookies then enter a drawing to win handcrafted pottery.
The Studio is located on Willow Place off Bouldercrest Dr, one mile south of East Atlanta Village.
Hours of sale are noon until 6 pm Thursday, Nov 17 through Sunday, Nov 20.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Feeling Foolish

2011-11-16T08:12:00.000-05:00

As you may know, I'm on the planning committee for the Telephone Factory Art Show and Sale. I volunteered for the committee because the show might have been canceled if nobody helped make it possible. It's been a lot of work but I've really enjoyed doing it and working with the rest of the committee. Of course it's also been a bit stressful fitting in everything for the show plus my own stuff, especially my studio sale coming up this weekend. But I've actually been able to get some stuff done ahead of time which made me feel great. Until I realized that we need about 3000 postcards printed and I only ordered 1000. This puts us way behind in getting the word out there. I feel like I've let the committee and the other artists down. I know it'll all work out but right now I feel pretty crappy.
Thanks for reading and thanks for your comments (please be kind).
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Goddess Mugs At Charis Books and More

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

This weekend I brought some Goddess-ware to Charis Books and More at 1189 Euclid Ave in the Little 5 Points neighborhood of Atlanta. I am so happy to have these pieces there, it just feels like a perfect fit. Charis is the Souths oldest independent feminist bookstore, they have been an institution in the community for over 35 years. Not only do they sell books but they have always found ways to give back to the community that supports them.

When I first started making the Goddess Mugs I wanted Charis to carry them but I was never able to connect. This Saturday Angela, one of the owners, was at Mudfire and saw a mug that is in the Mugs For Jugs breast cancer fundraiser, she asked Erik about it. The good news for me was I just happened to be at Mudfire for the raku firing so we got to talk. Now my dream of having these pieces in Charis has come true.

Other Stuff:
Charis Books and More
Mudfire Clayworks
Charis Circle

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Ladybug Bowl

2011-11-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

I don't normally like to rush the drying of any of my pots. I've seen too much loss when people do this and I don't want my pots to suffer the same fate. If I don't have time for them to dry properly I most likely don't have time to recreate them. But sometimes they need just a few minutes to be at the perfect dryness for trimming or something. At those times I'll put the pot in the sun. Sometimes I will find that a furry woodland creature has invaded Atlanta and is checking out my pottery. I don't mind, who doesn't love it when their art is admired. The only thing I don't like is that squirrels and chipmunks tend to leave paw prints in the rims of the bowls leaving me to have to refinish the rim. Today I came out of the studio to find this lady bug trying to leave her mark on my bowl. Thankfully, it was dry enough to resist but it started making me think about how to decorate the edges of some pieces. I'm not sure where these thoughts will take me but I guess I can say it'll be inspired by nature.

Saturday Raku

2011-11-12T17:14:00.001-05:00

We did another raku firing at Mudfire today, I did six pots in horse hair and this time none of them broke. Yay, thank you kiln Gods. Since half the pots broke last time I'm really very happy with today's firing. I tried doing some things differently which seems to have worked. One of the pieces was left at Mudfire to go into my display in the gallery, the rest came home for the studio sale this week.
I also got some other great news but I think it'll keep until Monday when the paperwork has been signed.

It Is Lovely Indeed, It Is Lovely Indeed.

2011-11-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

I, I am the spirit within the earth.

The feet of the earth are my feet;

The legs of the earth are my legs.

The strength of the earth is my strength;

The thoughts of the earth are my thoughts;

The voice of the earth is my voice.

The feather of the earth is my feather;

All that belongs to the earth belongs to me;

All that surrounds the earth surrounds me.

I, I am the sacred works of the earth.

It is lovely indeed, it is lovely indeed.

~ Navajo origin legend

Song of the Earth Spirit

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Another Woodfiring

2011-11-09T15:15:00.001-05:00

I just got back from Shorter University where I dropped off some pots to be wood fired. This time some students are going to be handling the loading and firing of the kiln so it feels really removed. It also feels like a relief that I didn't have to spend the time there right now while I'm getting ready for all the holiday shows and studio sale. For that I am grateful.

I also was able to take a few minutes to visit Spring Place Pottery in Cartersville, GA where I have some pots. It was good to see gail and talk about the holiday sale she is running the Holiday Sale there on Nov 18th and 19th which is the same weekend I'm holding my studio sale. We're hoping it's a good weekend for everyone.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Good News

2011-11-08T08:37:00.001-05:00

The alarm clock is set to NPR which means I normally wake up to the news and start complaining politics first thing in the morning. I need to find a light jazz station or something soothing. However, yesterday I heard two stories that really made me happy. One was about Chinese artist Ai Weiwei who was arrested without charges several months ago. Lots of people protested, Weiwei was released and told not to leave the country. It took the Chinese government a few months to charge Weiwei with tax evasion to the tune of $2.4 million. That might be enough to make you really sad except people are donating money to him so he can pay the tax bill. Some are sending it into his home via paper airplanes or tied to fruit that they throw over the wall. It makes my heart feel good that the people of China are supporting this artist that the government clearly wants to quiet.
The other article that made me happy was about all the people that have moved their money to credit unions or small banks. You may remember that I wrote this article suggesting you do the same. Well, a movement was started (not because of my article) and this past Saturday was "Move Your Money Day." I had no idea that this even existed when I wrote the article, I was just pissed at Bank of Screw America (who I don't use) for being so greedy and ugly to their customers (some of whom are my friends). So I'm glad to see the credit unions and the members who own them getting stronger while the big banks that hurt this country getting smaller. Keep it up people, it's not as hard as BoA wants you to think it is. You can set up a new bank account on line right now. Go.

Other Stuff:

NYC Galleries Show Ai Weiwei's Work while Donations in China Pour In
MoveYourMoneyDay.com & Dump Your Bank Day Success Evolves Into Live Webinar Event

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

No Use Crying...

2011-11-03T09:24:00.000-04:00

Today is starting out on a sad note, last night we realized that we have a dead bunny to pick up near the road. I didn't want to do that task in the dark so it's awaiting me now. A great way to start the day. Then Janet was getting ready for work and accidentally broke one of her favorite coffee mugs (not the one pictured here). It's interesting how we think of things, as much as I hate to see any dead animal it seems worse that it's a bunny, they are cute and relatively harmless (except to my garden), they don't seem to tease the dogs like squirrels do so it feels sadder to see it has died.
The mug is a little bit of a different story. Yes, it sucks that it got broken, even though it's just an object Janet cried about it, she feels awful. But if she had treasured it, and put it on a shelf somewhere safe and not used it I don't think she would have enjoyed it so much and it still may have gotten broken while dusting or something.
Lorrie King of 50 Cents Period brought one of my Goddess mugs to a woman in Nepal who said it was too beautiful to use and put the mug somewhere safe. I appreciate that she feels that way and I honor her thinking but I don't wonder if it would be better if she used it and was reminded of the Goddess within herself, her friendship with Lorrie, the great work they are doing together, or anything else that may come to mind.
I guess the message here is that life is short, no matter if it's an animal or an object, and we should simply enjoy as much of it as we can.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Stone Soup

2011-11-02T09:36:00.001-04:00

Despite the fact that I'm living the glamorous life of a potter I still cannot escape the drudgery of housework. Being a potter means you have to make the dishes and wash them too. And you have to make the bed, do the laundry, clean the floors in your house and studio. It's not all fun and games (although I wouldn't trade my job for anyone's). One thing that I sometimes enjoy doing is cooking. It's sort of like mixing glazes but you get to taste what you've made. I have made glazes with tasty names like Mint Julip and Licorice but I've not wanted to taste them. The food that I really enjoy cooking the most is soup. I think that's because it's hard to ruin soup. Naturally, that means I cook more in the cooler weather, last night was the start. I made Stone Soup, which means I wandered around the co-op and my kitchen finding veggies that seemed like they would go well together, threw them all in a big pot with some vegetable broth and spices and cooked it until we were ready to eat. It was pretty yummy but I can't tell you the exact recipe. You can follow the links in the "other stuff" section to find some great soup recipes.

Bon Appetit!

Other Stuff:

Miso-Ginger Soup
Butternut Squash Soup
Spinach Soup
Seafood Chowdah

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Bowls Today

2011-11-01T12:09:00.000-04:00

I've been making a lot of smaller pieces lately like butter keepers, soap dishes, and of course, mugs. So today, after I was inspired by a call from a collector, I decided to make some decent size bowls. Here's one I made just before going into the house for lunch and to write this blog. It's six pounds of clay and a nice size but I think it can be a little bigger. I may try after lunch, it'll be a bit firmer then.
What do you think, would you try one more pull?
This afternoon I'll be going over to At The Collective to take down what's left of my opening show, I'll leave some pieces for my permanent display, it'll be fun to decide which ones. I love packing up when I'm not exhausted from selling pots all day. It just makes it easier.

A Day At The Beach

2011-10-31T10:43:00.000-04:00

We are back from Charleston, where we had a great time. The architecture there is so fun and beautiful I could just wander around neighborhoods admiring peoples homes. I also love the look of the old oak trees dripping Spanish moss. It's especially fun during Halloween since it does have an other-worldly look.
We brought Ginger the min pin with us and she fell in love with the beach. It's so fun to see the world through her eyes.

Other Stuff:
Charleston, SC Tourism
Photos Of Charleston Architecture

Other People's Pots - Bamboo Mug

2011-10-28T08:04:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the artists who made this mug. It's a shame because it's a favorite and because they got me to thinking about my booth layout in different ways. They told me about how they hired a feug shui expert to look at their booth and make suggestions for improving the energy or Chi of the booth. When they followed the advice they discovered an increase in sales. I think anybody would be happy to have an increase in sales so I started reading about Feng Shui and Bagua maps (plans for good chi) and made some changes to my booth. I too noticed an increase in sales. The increase can be related to a lot of things but I do think the booth looks nicer anyway.
Oh, yeah, the glaze on this mug is really pretty too.

Other Stuff:
Lucky Bamboo
American Feng Shui Institute
Bagua Map
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

At The Collective Show Extended

2011-10-26T16:41:00.000-04:00

Today I was supposed to pick up my pottery from At The Collective in Inman Park but they are still selling really well and it was requested that we keep the show up through this weekend. So if you haven't had a chance to come down to 280 Elizabeth Street to check out the pots you still have time.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Join a Credit Union

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

Many people are upset about Bank of screw America charging a $5 to use your debit card. I've even seen a petition going around Change.org. The other big banks that we bailed out with our tax dollars are sitting poised to see how this works for BoA. If we simply get used to it then many of the other banks that we own will start charging customers also. We may see advertising wars like who has the lowest debit card rate but the bottom line is, you're going to pay for it.
The other option is to become a member of a credit union. As a member you do own the bank and have a say in what happens. Imagine being asked to vote on a bank policy. Credit Unions are non-profit which benefits the members, and they didn't need to be bailed out. If everyone moves away from the big banks and joins a credit union, or at least a small bank, then the big one's won't be too big to fail or too big to screw the customer.

Other Stuff:

National Credit Union Administration
Credit Union National Association

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Too Busy To Be Creative?

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

I keep getting totally stressed out by how busy I am right now. If you're an artist too you are probably thinking "it's the holiday season, we all are busy, get over it and count your blessings." You'd be right, that's really good advice. The thing is, sometimes being very busy, and stressed because of it cuts down on creativity. We may not be as busy next year if we aren't creative enough this season so now is a good time to think about some things we can do to prevent or get over the creativity suck of being very busy.

The first thing to remind ourselves is that we can't do everything and it's ok to ask for some help. Sometimes that help may be something as simple as asking a partner to do a little more of the house work. For me, I know I'll have more time to pay-back that favor in January and February so it's ok to ask for it now when I need it.

Another thing to do is notice when you have the most creative energy and try to use that to schedule work time. If it's morning, try getting up a little bit earlier so you can spend some time creating before the other distractions of the day start getting in the way. If it's evening maybe forgo watching TV or some other evening activity that would take you away from your most creative time.

Try to be more organized. Now may not be the time to reorganize your entire studio or all the closets in your house, who has got time for that anyway? But it may be a great time to find little things that you can do in a more organized fashion. This should save you some time and energy and make your life easier. We can all do with a little of that.

Don't be afraid to say "no." As the holidays approach we get asked to attend a lot of events. Some are more fun than others, some more important than others. Try to strike a balance. You'll be really stressed out if you don't take some time to relax and have fun but don't be afraid to say "no, thanks, I have to be in the studio."

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Opening Event At The Collective

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'll be having an opening event on Saturday the 22nd from 11am - 6pm At The Collective in Inman Park. If you haven't been there now is a great time to come see my work plus that of the 50+ other artist that show and sell in the store. It's really an interesting place with something for everyone.
I'll be serving wine and some appetizers in the afternoon which is not a shopping experience you get everyday.

At The Collective
280 Elizabeth St
Atlanta, GA 30307
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Call For Artists

2011-10-19T15:06:00.000-04:00

The first meeting for the Telephone Factory Lofts Arts Show and Sale was held Tuesday night and we had a great turn out, not to mention a list of folks that intend to be in the show but were unable to attend the meeting. The good news is that we still have room for a few more artists. If you're interested in being a part of this event we would be happy to discuss this with you, simply fill out the form at:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dHUzSWxJNzJ1TzR1a21ObE9TWWFXMlE6MA#gid=0

Established in 1996 The Telephone Factory Art Show is one of the city's longest running art events. The show provides artists an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work in a unique, progressive, art walk setting.
Participating Residents open their spaces to artists who exhibit their artwork, mix and mingle with the public, make a few sales, and have a really great time in the process. There is also a daily prize drawing for visitors.
The Art Show has become a much anticipated event with last year's show attracting an estimated 3000 patrons.
Admission is free and open to the public.

The Telephone Factory Art Show
828 Ralph McGill Boulevard, NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30306
thetelephonefactoryartshow@gmail.com
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Cutting vs. Growing

2011-10-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, the U.S. government wastes too much money, you'll never get an argument from me about that and I agree cuts are needed. Too bad the idiots in Washington don't know how to run a business and don't understand that many of the cuts they are making actually cost the country money because they are cutting jobs. This is not the way to grow the economy or any business.
I keep track of my sales. When I noticed that people were buying more functional pots I started making more of them. It's what people want and I enjoy making them. Now my sales are consistently up. I don't see anything wrong with this.
Sometimes a business may have to reinvent itself in order to grow and thrive. This may be what some government agencies like the post office need to do. I'll admit, I don't have all the answers to how they would go about doing this but I think they need a redirected focus. Focus on growth not on cuts.

I'll never have a successful pottery if I only make cuts, we will not have a successful economy if all we do is focus on cuts.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

What to do When People Don't Pay

2011-10-17T10:54:00.001-04:00

I have many really wonderful customers. I get a lot of repeat business, I have new customers that send me notes telling me how much they love the pottery they bought, I have customers that refer other customers to me. But once in a while someone bursts that bubble of happiness. Usually it's because I have to track them down to get payment on a piece.
I tend to be rather trusting, many potters are. I've often heard stories of someone who wanted to buy a piece from a potter but didn't have the cash and the artists didn't take credit cards so the artists said "take it home with you and mail me a check." This helps make for loyal customers. In many of the studios I've visited in Western North Carolina the potters leave a box and a calculator (for computing the tax) in the showroom just in case someone wants to buy something when the artist isn't there. I love these bits of faith in people.
So it really bothers me when I have to pursue someone for money for a piece they purchased. It feels bad in so many ways. I do worry that some problem has occurred, like the customer is ill or they found something wrong with the piece. It almost feels like a bit of a relief to find out that everything is ok, they are just to busy to remember that artists have bills too. Then it just feels vulgar and like a big time suck to beg someone to pay me for the pottery that I've delivered or at least made to there order and would like to give to them.
Once I created a pot that is intentionally chipped on the bottom, the glazes are dark moving into light. I made it to remind myself that when people do things to chip away at this potter by doing things like not paying a bill I will still reach for the sky.

What do you do when someone is resistant to paying?
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

AutumnFest Oct 15-16

2011-10-15T08:29:00.000-04:00

Saturday, 10 am - 6 pm (music until 8:30 pm), Sunday, Noon- 5 pm

Don't miss this year's AutumnFest, across from City Hall in Avondale Estates. Enjoy browsing the artist market featuring a variety of mediums from artists from all over the Southeast. Live music and entertainment features popular bands such as Adron, Underhill Rose and Kodac Harrison. New this year, food and drink vendors will stay open after the artist market closes Saturday night so you can enjoy the live music of The Buggs, Atlanta's most exciting Beatles tribute band! The whole family is sure to enjoy all this plus food, drink and recreational activities for the kids! This year’s children’s area includes the Reptile Wagon, a mobile “reptile zoo” displaying everything from Cobras to American Alligators! Don’t miss the Southeastern Snake Encounter on the main stage on Saturday. Admission is free.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Silence Means Working

2011-10-10T08:04:00.000-04:00

We all know it's the holiday season, people are doing a lot of shows and a lot of making so we can keep stock fresh for the shows and the galleries. It's a hectic time of the year. So, since I've got so much free time (note the sarcasm) I decided to volunteer for the Telephone Factory Art Show and Sale planing committee. It's been one of my best and favorite shows for the past few years and I hated the idea that it might go away if people didn't volunteer to help make it happen. So I committed to do my best to make this a really great show, even if that means a little less blogging or something.
Historically the people of Atlanta (and surrounding area) have been really good about supporting this show. The venue is cool, the art tends to be very diverse and great and the party atmosphere creates a really good time.
This year the challenge will be getting residents to host the show since so many of the resident artist have had to move out. I don't think it'll be a big problem though, it seems that a good sense of community is a part of living in these lofts.
I hope to see you there.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Thoughts About Steve Jobs As An Artist

2011-10-06T08:53:00.000-04:00

It started in a garage, as a creation of a dream and became something that has, in some way or another touched most people who are alive today.
Many artists work alone in a garage/studio and never consider the tie they have with the technology genius of Steve Jobs. His life wasn't about mother boards and ram. It was about being creative, about following your heart, about adding elegance and beauty into peoples lives and it was about believing in himself. He didn't invent products that people wanted, he invented products and then told us that we want them. And he was right, we do want them. We want them because they are built well, useful, and beautiful.
As artists we try to create the same things. We don't want to put our worst work out there for the public, we want to show our best work. People have different reasons for finding something useful. A beautiful painting can be as useful as a coffee mug. The fact that people will pay $10 - $100 or more for a hand made coffee mug when they can buy a used mug that works just as well for fifty cents at a garage sale proves that people want beauty in their lives.
Steve Jobs did and said a lot of brilliant things in his life. Even though it has ended much too early we should never stop learning from him and we should always remember that great things can come out of our humble garage/studio.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Mugs for Jugs 2011

2011-10-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

MudFire announces our most important event of the year, a collaboration with artist friends to raise money to help fight breast cancer. On October 1, 2011, we'll launch Mugs for Jugs, an exhibit and benefit sale of handmade ceramic mugs with proceeds donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
This event provides a great opportunity for coffee drinkers to team up with artists to fight this terrible disease, while taking home a piece of handmade American craft for daily enjoyment.
The exhibit and benefit sale will begin online at 10:00 am EST on Saturday, October 1. A reception and kick-off party will be held that night from 5:00 - 9:00 pm in our Atlanta gallery.

175 Laredo Drive
Decatur, GA 30030
info@mudfire.com
phone: 404-377-8033

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is the only breast cancer organization to earn the highest rating from both non-profit watchdogs Charity Navigator and the American Institute of Philanthropy. Over 90% of their budget goes directly to research & awareness programs. We are proud to support their efforts and hopeful about meeting the goal of achieving prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime.
Mugs for Jugs is a national invitational exhibit, with over 50 artists accepting our call to join arms in the battle against breast cancer. We are overwhelmed by the enthusiastic support of our artist friends from around the country. MudFire instructor Emily Downey conceived the event and is a key part of the effort to realize it.
The show will present the largest and most significant collection of clay artists in a single exhibit in Atlanta this year.
Each artist has chosen their contribution level to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, with MudFire matching their contribution. On average, over 40% of each sale will be donated. We are still adding to the roster of participating artists, which currently includes: Autumn Higgins, Beau Raymond, Becky Strickland, Brooke Noble, Chandra DeBuse, Debra Fritts, Dow Redcorn, Emily Downey, Emily Reason, Erik Haagensen, Gay Smith, Jennifer Graff, Jeremy Randall, John Britt, John Roberts, Joy Tanner, Julia Galloway, Julie Wiggins, Justin Rothshank, Kathy King, Kathy Phelps, Keith Phillips, Kristen Kieffer, Kyle Carpenter, Lana Wilson, Leah Leitson, Linda McFarling, Lisa Orr, Lora Rust, Lori Buff, Luba Sharapan, Maria Andrade Troya, Mark Issenberg, Mark Knott, Mary Briggs, Megan Daloz, Mike Yarnold, Niel Hora, Ron Philbeck, Ronan Peterson, Sarah Anne Marraffino, Shadow May, Stacey Stanhope, Vernon Smith, and William Baker.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Two Opportunities This Weekend

2011-10-01T08:30:00.000-04:00

LakeFest is happening in Pine Lake, GA this weekend. Last year this two day event was a blast, I can only assume it's going to be even better this year.

October 1 – 2, 2011 • Saturday, 10am – 7pm • Sunday, 12pm – 6pm

Lakeshore Drive, Pine Lake, GA

Admission is free, all are welcome
and

Mugs for Jugs

October 1, 2011

Paper-clay?

2011-09-29T08:30:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was having some difficulties throwing this pot. It felt like I had an air bubble but when I tried to poke the bubble with my pin tool I realized something was actually in the clay. So I set about trying to dig out the offending matter. It turned out to be a large piece of cardboard.
I had just opened this bag of clay so, even though I did wedge the clay I didn't do as through a job as I would have if the clay was being reused. I guess I learned my lesson. I just hope Highwater doesn't charge me extra for the paper-clay.

Etsy and The Studio Potter

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Maybe I get bored easily or maybe I'm continually growing. I like to think the latter is true especially since I spend so much time auditing and attending workshops and trying to improve myself and my pots. We are told that growth is a good thing. We are always striving for a higher degree of knowledge, a promotion at a job, we even measure our children's growth on a wall because we find it important.
Sometimes growth is not so good, like when it comes to listing my pottery on Etsy. I don't create formula pots. Even when I make a lot of one piece each one tends to be very different. Take mugs for example. Many potters make mugs, they can be a staple of our existence. But when I make them, even if I make a set, no two are alike. It's not that I can't make a pair of matching mugs, I guess I could if I tried. It's that I don't want to. Like many people my mug travels around with me in the mornings. It starts in the kitchen, moves to the bedroom then maybe outside, to the office then the studio, and eventually back to the kitchen and into the dishwasher. Janet's morning coffee mug makes a similar journey and we don't want to get them mixed up since she takes hers without sugar and I take mine with, if we mixed them up it would be bad.

In order to list one piece for sale on Etsy I need to take at least 5 good images of the piece from different angles, know it's measurements and then write something interesting about it. That's a lot of work. So is setting up and breaking down a show. Which is the greater time suck? I don't know. But I will tell you that I do enjoy doing shows more than Etsy. I like meeting my customers and hanging out with other artists. Don't get me wrong, my favorite way to sell is still in galleries and stores. It's easier than setting up the booth and I still enjoy a personal relationship with the owner of the place.
Lots of people sell on Esty, some of the work is very unique. I'd love to know where they find the time. I'd also love to hear some suggestions for making Etsy listing faster and easier.
I love and appreciate your comments.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Solving Problems With Art

2011-09-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

I sell a lot of French Butter Keepers. They are a simple product that solves a problem for people by keeping butter soft and fresh. It also gives people a nice way to serve their guests that's different than a traditional butter dish and they make a great gift. Essentially they solve a problem so they sell well.
When you think about it most of my art solves a problem for someone. Sometimes the problem is the need and want for a unique gift. I can't tell you how often someone has bought a pot from me then told me that it was the perfect gift for someone who "has everything." Sometimes it's a piece to ad interest to a person's home and sometimes it's very functional like butter dishes and casseroles.
As artists we need to think of our art in terms of fulfilling a need when we are trying to sell it. A friend of mine is a writer who loves music. Music inspires her but she can't listen to music with lyrics while writing. The solution is, of course, that she listens to instrumental music while writing. The hard part is finding radio stations that play only instrumental music, and of the type she likes. To solve the problems she can buy CD's or download music onto her computer or find internet radio stations that fill this need. This is a great example of art solving a problem and artists supporting other artists.
What problems can your art solve?

Other Stuff:

Solving Your Customers' Problems
Basic Sales Skills - Problem Solving

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Volunteers Needed

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

2011 Telephone Factory Art Show?
You say, yes!

2011 Telephone Factory Art Show Status
Thanks to all y'all who responded to the 2011 Telephone Factory Art Show survey. We received 24 responses and 18 of those 24 said, "Yes! The Show must go on! That's great news. Now the fun begins. There're a few things to do to make The Show happen. Let's:

Assemble a 2011 Committee with the following members (complete this form to volunteer for the 2011 Committee):
- Chair (Est. time commitment: 215 hours over 6 month period in 2010, est. 2011 will require less)
- Co-chair (Est. time commitment: ?)
- Treasurer (Est. time commitment: ?)
- Web designer (Allison Smith if she still wants it) (Est. time commitment: ?)
- Promotions/Marketing/Sponsorship (proposed new member) (Est. time commitment)
Schedule accelerated meetings and location(s):
- Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 7:30 p.m., location TBD: Intro new Committee, Show agenda and whatnot
- Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 7:30 p.m., location TBD: First payment due, Show status updates and whatnot
- Tuesday, November 15, 2011, 7:30 p.m., location TBD: Final payment due, Show status updates and whatnot
Geterdone! The Show is Saturday, December 3, 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Sunday, December 4, 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Complete this form to volunteer for the 2011 Committee.

2011 Telephone Factory Art Show Materials
If gettinerdone seems a daunting task, fear not, there's a good foundation of materials and contacts that can be recycled from previous years. Here's what we've got:

Web site: hosted by Hypermart
E-mail Marketing Account: Free MailChimp account
Twitter account
Facebook page (though it seems to have gone missing)
Google Docs:
- Operations Manual (shared with Committee)
- Visiting artists sign (public)
- Prior year's postcards (shared with Committee)
- E-mail account: thetelephonefactoryartshow@gmail.com
- More...
Google Calendar (shared with Committee)
Mailing lists from prior years
Contacts from prior years for:
- Parking
- Sponsorship
- Security
- Porter/cleaning
- Valet
- More?

General Telephone Factory Art Show Info

Who Participates
Resident Artists, Guest Artists and Hosts

Where
The Telephone Factory Lofts
828 Ralph McGill Boulevard, NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30306

When
Saturday, December 3, 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 4, 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Questions?
E-mail us at thetelephonefactoryartshow@gmail.com.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

CERF+ and You

2011-09-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

If you are a creator making craft and/or art you owe it to yourself to check out the web site for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund. With all the damage from the spring tornadoes to the recent hurricanes now might not be too soon, hopefully it's not too late.
CERF is an organization that assists artist and crafts people after they have suffered a loss due to a problem like flood or fire but they do something more. They have a web site that is stuffed full of suggestions to help people be ready for a disaster and better cope with one if it happens. Many of the suggestions are really simple and easy things to do that won't be a huge time suck but could be worth the effort.
I've talked to several artist who have had to rely on CERF after an emergency, they all talk about how much more responsive CERF was than FEMA or other government run agencies. That's no big surprise but it's still good to know.
So take a few minutes and go to the web site, and if you have a few extra dollars I'm sure they would put a donation to good use. Think of it as good karma.

Other Stuff:
CERF+ Website
FEMA

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

At The Collective Semi-Annual Clearance Sale

2011-09-17T08:30:00.000-04:00

It's out with the old to make room for the new at our Semi-Annual Clearance Sale! You've stocked up on your favorite earth-friendly products at EcoEmporium's Retirement Sale...now treat yourself to fabulous deals from our other artists in the shop!

This is the perfect opportunity to get a head start on this season's holiday shopping!

September 17 - September 25

Extended sale hours:

Sept. 17 10:00am - 8:00pm

Sept. 20-23 11am - 8:00pm

For all other dates, regular hours apply.

280 Elizabeth St B103
Atlanta, GA 30307
770-696-5845

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

East Atlanta Strut

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's always nice to not have to drive very far to do a show, it's really nice when it's in the neighborhood so friends can visit easily. That's part of what I love about the East Atlanta Strut. The parts that other people (you) will love besides the great art and music is the good food and beer, the incredibly eclectic parade, the Imperial Opa Circus, and the friendly people.
My booth will be near the circus so I can enjoy them too. Come on by and say "hi." We may even have some of Janet's fabulous chocolate chip cookies for you.
The festival runs from 10am - 10pm Satuday, September 17, 2011.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

To Fix or Not To Fix

2011-09-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

This little drop of glaze seems to have fallen off the side of the pot. I expected the glaze to run a bit and even left a nice foot to catch any drips (you can't see the foot too well in this photo but trust me, it's there). I did not expect it to do this. Now I have this little drop attached to the foot and I don't know what to do with it. I think it looks pretty cool, I like how it captures a moment in time but I don't know if anyone else will like it as I do. So I'm posing the question to you, dear reader. Grind the drop off or leave it there?

artist vs artisan

2011-09-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

At times the word artist is used to describe me, other times artisan is used. I often refer to myself as an artist but I think that's incorrect and that I'm actually an artisan, at least I hope I am. Per Poor William's Almanack (not to be confused with Poor Richard's Almanack by Benjamin Franklin):

An artist creates works that may not be appreciated during life, or ever.

An artisan produces things that work, and that are immediately useful.

Clearly, in a society that values things, it is safer to be an artisan than an artist.

It seems many people think of artisan as a marketing word, probably from seeing so much artisan bread in the large grocery stores. But the word is actually derived from the Italian artigiano and refers to craftsmen or manual workers who create functional or non-functional products. Since I make functional pottery as well as sculptural pots (raku) I think that definition applies very well. However, the definition of artist uses terms like "expert," "imaginative," and "master." I sure don't consider myself a master potter at this point in my life but I do know that to create my pots I use my imagination. Is the difference between artist and artisan then the level of expertise?
Which do you prefer? Do you hate labels also?

Other Stuff:
Poor Richards Almanack
Definition of Artisan
Definition of Artist

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Volunteering Equals Networking

2011-09-12T08:39:00.000-04:00

One day I was feeling very badly about something I had no control over. I was feeling helpless and angry which I know are useless emotions. Often when people feel those things they say or do something ugly to someone who doesn't really deserve the wrath. I didn't want to do that so I thought about doing something that might make me feel better. I immediately contacted someone from a non-profit that I like and asked them if they would keep me in mind if they ever needed a piece of my pottery for a fundraiser. As it turned out they did need something and fairly soon. The woman from the charity was very happy that I approached her so she didn't have to do the work of looking for me (or some other artist) and giving the sales pitch to make me choose to give up a piece of my work. It made us both feel good.
Besides the obvious immediate funds for the charity I also got some exposure for my pottery which is great for increasing sales. Anyone who bid on the work is now a potential buyer and the people that work at the non-profit are more likely to think of me when they are thinking about making a pottery purchase. Oh, yeah, and I felt a whole lot better very quickly.
I can't afford to give away a lot of pieces, and I'd rather choose the receiving organization myself than have them contact me but it's something that I like to do from time to time.
If you don't have something to donate you could consider donating time. It's a way to meet new people and tell them what you do and who you are, who knows they may turn out to be a good part of your network whether you're an artist looking to sell your art or someone looking for a new job or someone looking for a good pet sitter. Oh, and you may help someone else while you're at it.

Other Stuff:
Hands On Atlanta
Volunteer Match
On Altruism and Service to Others

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Wheelbarrow Festival in Reynoldstown This Saturday

2011-09-09T08:25:00.000-04:00

The Reynoldstown Wheelbarrow Festival is celebrating its 16th annual event on Saturday, September 10, 2011.
This festival has grown over its 16 year history into a rich and diverse family festival. Providing eclectic, beautiful and savory fare that appeals to all audiences, this year's festival will not disappoint.
The purpose of the Reynoldstown Wheelbarrow Festival is to use art and artistic expressions to empower residents with support and recognition in their quest to grow and maintain the neighborhood they call home. The festival is also a leadership development tool for community residents to organize the festival and head the needed committees and leadership positions. All the proceeds from the festival go to neighborhood revitalization and public safety.

More Stuff:
AM 1690 Artist's Market
Music Schedule
Location
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Other People's Pots - Geoff Pickett Mug

2011-09-08T08:11:00.000-04:00

Geoff Picket is one of my favorite Georgia potters. This may be because he fires with wood or because he apprenticed in England in the '70's and I enjoy the English ascetic. I love the look and feel of this mug, and face it the feel is very important in a mug. I have actually handled many mugs that Geoff has made and this one feels the best to me. I like that about a potter since we all don't have the same size hand and since people hold mugs differently. Pete Pinnell has a great video about his thoughts on cups. It's worth a listen, you can find it here.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Sell More Art By Being With The Process

2011-09-06T05:00:00.000-04:00

As a career potter or maybe anyone who sells their work, I am often considering the sale of my work. I look back on records from shows and galleries to see what has been bought, I check old consignment records to remind myself of what people have ordered and I check Etsy to see what people are buying. It's hard not to make this an obsession. I can spend a lot of time and energy trying to make the perfect pots for everyone but we all know that is not going to happen. I do know that if I make mugs people will buy them, many of them anyway. I also know that I don't sell many sake bottles so I don't make many of them. However, sometimes I just feel like making sake bottles, so why not do it? The right buyer will come by eventually and that person will love that bottle. At the point where I decide to make a piece I should be fully invested in making that piece. I need to be with the process and not be spending my energy worrying about whether someone will buy it or not. To quote Wayne's World "if you book them they will come." If I make them they will sell, provided I'm focused on art, not on profits.
A study was done recently where two groups of children were given paper and crayons and told to draw a picture. The first group was told to draw whatever they wanted to draw and just have fun. The second group was told the same thing and offered a prize for the best drawing. The first group drew better pictures because they were simply enjoying themselves and making their art for themselves not for any reward. The second group of kids got so focused on the prize that they did poorly on the drawing. I suspect that's true of most artists. If we focus on making the sale it will distract us from the actual piece we are trying to make.

How many times have you made a piece that you really loved and as soon as you put it out for the public it sells. That is because the feeling you put into the work shows in piece. Love what you do and the buyers will see that and help you to make more great work.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

To Be or Not To Be?

2011-09-05T10:02:00.000-04:00

To be or not to be...
2011 Telephone Factory Art Show?

2011 Telephone Factory Art Show Status
Rumors buzzed about 2010 being the last year for the Telephone Factory Art Show (TFAS) and it would appear that the rumor intends to hold true. There've been a number of changes at the Telephone Factory Lofts and in the lives of many of the founding artists who live(d) there, so we're calling for a show of hands for interest from Hosts, Guest and Resident Artists who participated in the 2010 Show. Wanna have another go at it in 2011? 'Twould be such a shame for a much anticipated annual event to fade away.

2011 Telephone Factory Art Show Survey
As has always been true, folks who participated in The Show in previous years get the first say in this matter because it is your Show. Please take our survey to let us know your level of interest in creating a 2011 Show. Please respond by September 16, 2011. If the majority of responses are positive, we'll form a 2011 TFAS Committee and charge ahead with planning from there. If the majority of responses are negative or unsure, well...sadly, that'll be the end of one of the Atlanta's longest running art events. Please email thetelephonefactoryartshow@gmail.com with your thoughts about continuing this show. We are especially interested in hearing from residents who would be hosting artists.

General Telephone Factory Art Show Info

Who Participates
Resident Artists, Guest Artists and Hosts

Where
The Telephone Factory Lofts
828 Ralph McGill Boulevard, NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30306

When
First weekend in December

Questions?
E-mail us at thetelephonefactoryartshow@gmail.com.

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Arts On The Creek

2011-09-03T05:30:00.000-04:00

WELCOME TO ARTS ON THE CREEK 2011

Perimeter Church, at Medlock Bridge & Old Alabama Roads, Johns Creek, GA

Saturday, Sept. 3: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 4: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.

With our Juried Exhibition Art opening Friday, Sept. 2
at the Johns Creek Arts Center

Follow the links below for more information

Map of festival grounds
How to get to the festival

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Robin Hopper's Functional Pottery - Review

2011-09-02T05:16:00.000-04:00

I recently read Robin Hopper's book titled "Functional Pottery." Let me start by saying I thought it was a really great book and one that I will read again in the future to be reminded about what he's discussed. I believe that this book would be helpful to all levels of potters but the newer potter may get the most out of it. One of my favorite chapters was the one where he discussed making lids. We all know that their are many different types of lids but we frequently only make a couple of types of lids and although we may get really good at those lids it can be limiting to the style of pieces we make. In this chapter he also discusses where the weak points can be which is helpful in preventing breaking or warping.
Robin writes a good bit about the aesthetics of good form. He even starts the book with a brief history of functional pots and includes many, many pictures of great work from ancient pots to contemporary works. It's a joy to simply look at the pictures and be inspired.
Only one thing about this book really annoyed me and I can't be unhappy with Robin about it as his main talent is making great pots. Most of the chapter titles ended in a preposition. I know it's a small thing in many peoples minds, some people only think of prepositions as something they had to learn in school and could then forget. However, I don't think his editor should have been one of those people. I hope that mistake does not distract any readers from what is otherwise a wonderful book.

Other Stuff:

Funtional Pottery eBook
Robin Hopper

Tom Turner Visit

2011-08-31T15:50:00.001-04:00

Tom Turner visited my class at Penland last week and invited us out to his house to see his studio and view his collection of pottery.
The man is very precise in his work and very intelligent in his approach to making beautiful pots. After 50 years in the pottery making business he should be.
This picture shows only some of his glaze testing work. I'm not sure I have the patience to do this, do you?
His collection is amazing, he's got pots from many different countries, famous and not so famous potters from America and even 1000 year old pieces from China. He also offers three day workshops where the student works right next to him. I think it might be a bit awe inspiring.

Other Stuff:

Tom Turner
Glaze Testing

Pottery Notes

2011-08-29T09:48:00.000-04:00

Here are the pots that I brought home from the Tom White workshop at Penland School of Crafts. I also made a few mugs that I sold or donated to the school and Mitchell county animal shelter and a couple of goblets that were auctioned off at the end of session auction, which is a lot of fun and a place to get some great art deals.

Most of these pots do not represent my best work by any means. I did not go to Penland to make great work while I was there. I went to learn how to make better pots. I think of these pots as my notes. When I was in a class in school and needed to take notes I did not focus on proper spelling, grammar and penmanship. I focused on getting down the information that I needed to remember, to have a reference place where I could find information when I needed it. That's what these pots are, they are my notebook and a reminder of what to do, and what not to do to repeat the processes that I learned in the workshop. I really think that is the best way to approach a craft workshop. What do you think?

Shopping At Cousins in Clay

2011-08-26T17:25:00.000-04:00

The Cousins in Clay sale is at Michael Klein's studio this weekend. Michael and Bulldog Pottery of Seagrove, NC have teamed up to bring us a wonderful collection of pots. Since Michael's place is only 10 minutes from Penland I was more than happy to head over there to check it out. Of course I made a purchase and when Michael was filling out the receipt he recognized my name which was quite thrilling for this emerging artist. That lead to an invitation to stay for lunch and a tour of the studio and wood kiln. I felt like a kid in a candy store. Michael's wife, Stacey Lane came home and we were introduced. I've seen her here at Penland as she was teaching a metals class. It was great to see how inspired she was by the student's work. I love thinking about how cyclical teaching can be; the teachers inspire the students who inspire the teachers.
It was also fun to meet Samantha Henneke and Bruce Gholson of Bulldog Pottery. They are very sweet people who also made me feel very welcome and at home. It was interesting talking to them about Seagrove and the potter's there and how things have been evolving the past few years. They've further inspired me to visit Seagrove. Like I need another excuse.
If you're near Backersville, NC do try to stop by the show, you won't be disappointed.

Mushrooms of Penalnd

2011-08-24T07:59:00.000-04:00

Probably because of the amount of rain in the woods around Penland huge variety of Mushrooms grow here. Rumor has it that Lucy Morgan, the founder of Penland School of Crafts, used mushrooms as a table center piece for an important dinner. I can only guess that the guests must have been enchanted by this creative setting.
While hiking I took some pictures to share with you.

Looks like Coral

Love the contrasts on this one

I call this a sunset mushroom

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Michael Klein Visit

2011-08-23T13:17:00.001-04:00

Michael Klein came to Penland as a guest artist. He gave a great demo about his surface decorating technique. He talked about how he pigments his wax, how he maps out drawings and even how to best care for brushes. It was quite informative as well as fun.

Kiln Unloading

2011-08-22T16:52:00.001-04:00

Lucille and Julia are finished cooling. We unloaded Lucille already and have learned a few things from the firing. We also saw quite a few nice pots. Now we're reloading her and will unload Julia shortly.

First Firings

2011-08-20T19:54:00.001-04:00

Last night the kilns were loaded and the firing started. We are firing two kilns, Lucille, a salt kiln and Julia the salt and soda kiln. The fire is always exciting, especially as the sun starts setting over the Penland hills.

Phone both

2011-08-19T06:25:00.001-04:00

Here's Tom White making a phone call in the new salt kiln at Penland. We suspect he also changes into his super potter cape in there. It's been a great workshop.

Penland Bone Yard

2011-08-17T08:54:00.001-04:00

Here are some of the pots in the bone yard shelf in upper clay. How many potters do you recognize?

Going to Penland School of Crafts

2011-08-12T08:41:00.000-04:00

The truck is all washed and packed up, I'm heading to Penland to help out at the auction and then take a two week workshop with Tom White. I'm really excited, not only because it's such a great place, I'll see some old friends and make some new ones and I'll learn a lot.
Last year when I was there I didn't post as much as I wanted to because of the difficulties getting away from the clay and to my computer. This year I have an app for that on my iPod touch. I love this little gadget but I promised myself not to become a slave to it but rather to use it as a tool for entertainment and productivity. I'll have to find the setting that turns off the sound whenever and email arrives.

Speaking of tools, here's my travel bag of tools. It's many of the tools I normally use while creating my pots, and some extras that I seldom use. I tend to use just a few simple, standard tools but you never know what you'll need in a workshop.
Do you have a large tool collection? Do you use them all very often?

Other Stuff:
Penland Benefit Auction
Tom White Pottery
Atlanta Clay Store - source for pottery tools
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Other People's Pots - Berkshire Pottery Lamp

2011-08-11T08:14:00.000-04:00

Like many of you I have a nice collection of pottery that I didn't make. I have a good selection of pots I did make but could not sell for some reason like the pot has a defect or Janet couldn't part with it, but I also have pots I've bought or traded throughout the years. Since the people that read this blog seem to like pottery for one reason or another I thought I'd take some pictures of these pots in use and post them periodically. They are too nice not to share.

The first piece I want to show you was made by Berkshire Pottery in the 1970's or 80's. This is the era when I first fell in love with pottery due to a ceramics class I was taking in High School. The pottery is located in the area in the New York state mountains where my family used to vacation for a couple of weeks every summer. The picturesque setting, peaceful way of life and connection to the land was very attractive to me even as a kid. Even though I currently live in the city I live in an old farm house and grow some of my own veggies. I guess it's still attractive to me today too.
If memory serves me correctly this lamp was given to me by my parents as a birthday present. It has traveled all around the country with me and has not been broken or lost. I'm not sure I can say that about anything else that I own.
I love the style of this lamp, it's very old school European and speaks of art as function. I love the color of this earthenware and the simple design. I think I learned about wax resist from studying pieces from Berkshire pottery.
I'll post more pieces in the coming months, keep checking back here.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Inman Park Crawl Sat Aug 13

2011-08-08T08:32:00.000-04:00

Come Crawl through Inman Park this Saturday!92.9 dave fm presents the very first Inman Park Neighborhood Crawl happening this Saturday from 11am-6pm.

dave fm's Sully will be hosting the crawl from 11am-1pm live from the new Zhaddy's Cafe. Shoppers are encouraged to visit the participating Crawl businesses (including us!) for your chance to win gift certificates at each location between 11am-6pm.

One grand prize winner will get to pick their own prize, by selecting up to FIVE gift certificates from the places they visited!

YOUR CRAWL MAP:

This is a great way to meet our neighbors, discover a new favorite business and simply enjoy the neighborhood!

Learn more about the Inman Park Neighborhood Crawl!

ATC VENDORS

Amalgum Arts

A Fine Line

Barkha's Custom Sourcing

Bear Maker Bakery

C Glass

Claire Was Here

Crusty Bakery

EcoEmporium

Frock of Ages

Future Relics Pottery

Ideas are Us

Inca Kids

Innertrinsix

Ginger the Knitter

Gorilla Sacks

Hirsch Glass

Jen Liam

Joe Mcknight Photography

J William Hill

King Pen

Kristen Lee Jewelry Designs

LG Designs

LeAnn Christian Glass Art

Luna Potenia Designs

M* Jewelry

Marian Collier Designs

Marsha, Marsha, Marsha Jewelry

Nanjeng East

NJ Edge Designs

Peace of Fe

Nelms Creekmore

Redstilts Designs

Rodina Kanfeld

Sally B's Skin Yummies

Scott Elrod Garden Art

Sirius Silver

Southeast Succulents

Suz Seams

The Pop Shop

The Uncommon Finch

Those Barrett Twins

Tutta Bella

Wieda Duncan Fabric Art

Winsome Expressions

You Look Hungry

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Got Testimonials?

2011-08-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

By Martha Carnahan, Business& Life Coach

Somany entrepreneurs tell me they want to get some great testimonials… but theyput this task on the back burner. They also claim it’s a pretty easy thing todo… and yet, they have few or none to include in their marketing. If it’s soeasy, why haven’t they done it?

Because,like many things, collecting testimonials is “easy,” but complex at the sametime. For most of us, it feels a little weird to ask people to say nice thingsabout you. What if you come off as a pest? What if the customer says “yes” andthen writes up a quote that doesn’t sound very good? What if the customer nevergets around to it, and now you have to nag them? Yikes! And if you are selling anything online, testimonials – good ones – can makeor break a sale.

Thisis precisely why Lori asked me to share with you a new e-book I’ve written, BrilliantTestimonials Toolkit. I wantedto share a very graceful process with you, that not only results in great,authentic, non-hypey testimonials, but, done well, the process actuallyenhances your relationship with your customers.

Someof the benefits of testimonials may be obvious – building trust andcredibility, for example. But here’s one you may not have thought about:Testimonials harness the power of story. Here’s an excerpt right from the book:

“Stories evoke an emotion. They engage your listeners’ hearts aswell as their minds, bringing information to life. Facts and statistics are thecommodities of our info-centric world. Telling great stories adds a fresh voiceto the party. People tend to remember stories more readily than they rememberfacts (or those marketing bullets on your website.)” ~From BrilliantTestimonials Toolkit

Ihope I’ve given you a few nuggets of encouragement to get going on yourtestimonials project (I know it’s right there on your giant to-do list – if not,it should be!). If you buy this $11 e-book too, that’s just an added bonusbecause it was fun to write and I love sharing it with others.

And,actually, you can also show your love for Lori, our favorite potter, by usingthe links here in this blog post because she’ll get a commission for each onesold. Kind of like putting a tip in the blogger’s tip jar, but better!

Here’sthe link: http://www.brilliantvisions.net/brillianttestimonialstoolkit

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery

Future Relics Pottery

Limoncello, Home Brew, and Unchaining Dogs

Generosity of Spirit

Generosity of Spirit: The Gifts of Penland Artists

At Signature Contemporary Craft, AtlantaAn exhibition of contemporary ceramics, jewelry, and metalwork by 68 artists affiliated with Penland School of Crafts. A portion of each sale will be donated to expand Penland’s ceramic and metal studios.(Please scroll for schedule and participants.)

Local Folk Artist Prevails in Dispute with European Retailer

Cure

Cakes & Chocolate

Ron Meyers and Michael Simon Demo Video

Salt Pigs

I Need Your Thoughts

Wonderful Weekend

Health Insurance

Rainy Day Equals Wet Pots

New Goblets

Throwing Sets Of Pottery Demo Video

Google Issues

Do You Have That In Blue?

Martin Luther King Day of Service

20 Ways to Get Good Karma

Instructions for Life by The Dalai Lama

http://www.spiritualnow.com/articles/25/1/20-Ways-to-Get-Good-Karma/Page1.html

The Dalai Lama

Little Bird

Artist Residencies

Paws Whiskers and Wags

Chamois Alternatives

Pit Firing

Liebster Blog

The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is German (n.) and means: sweetheart, beloved person, darling.

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to his or her blog

2. Copy and paste the “Liebster Blog Award” icon into your post

3. Pass the award on to 5 of your fellow bloggers and let them know you did so

Thanks to both the givers and receivers of this award and speaking of which I get to pass it on so in no particular order:

Updating Your Portfolio

To Etsy or Not To Etsy

Kitchen Tools - Zester

Plate

Rainier Has Heartworm

Happy Xmas, War is Over?

Dinner With A Potter

Christmas vs Kiln Opening

Time To Relax

Last Chance Studio Sale Dec 17 and 18

Save The Date

Shop On Line

Keep in Touch

Artists Website

Malcolm Davis - RIP

Trip To Athens

Another Raku Party

Template Change?

My First Demo Video

Thanks For A Great Show

Telephone Factory Lofts Art Show & Sale 12/3-12/4;

Candle Karma

Early Work

Peach Cobbler

Happy Thanksgiving

Comments Please

Open Studio and Sale at Future Relics Pottery Studio Nov 17 - 20

Save The Date

Shop On Line

Keep in Touch

Feeling Foolish

Goddess Mugs At Charis Books and More

Ladybug Bowl

Saturday Raku

It Is Lovely Indeed, It Is Lovely Indeed.

Another Woodfiring

Good News

No Use Crying...

Stone Soup

Bowls Today

A Day At The Beach

Other People's Pots - Bamboo Mug

At The Collective Show Extended

Join a Credit Union

Too Busy To Be Creative?

Opening Event At The Collective

At Signature Contemporary Craft, Atlanta
An exhibition of contemporary ceramics, jewelry, and metalwork by 68 artists affiliated with Penland School of Crafts. A portion of each sale will be donated to expand Penland’s ceramic and metal studios.
(Please scroll for schedule and participants.)

2011 Telephone Factory Art Show Status
Thanks to all y'all who responded to the 2011 Telephone Factory Art Show survey. We received 24 responses and 18 of those 24 said, "Yes! The Show must go on! That's great news. Now the fun begins. There're a few things to do to make The Show happen. Let's:

2011 Telephone Factory Art Show Materials
If gettinerdone seems a daunting task, fear not, there's a good foundation of materials and contacts that can be recycled from previous years. Here's what we've got:

General Telephone Factory Art Show Info

Who Participates
Resident Artists, Guest Artists and Hosts

General Telephone Factory Art Show Info

Who Participates
Resident Artists, Guest Artists and Hosts

With our Juried Exhibition Art opening Friday, Sept. 2
at the Johns Creek Arts Center

Map of festival grounds
How to get to the festival