Diversity on display

 Snapshots of the show

Note: This link: Table of Contents 
          will help you find specific items of our work on previous posts.

The Blue Sage Center for the Arts did a beautiful job of hanging/displaying the extreme diversity of my work, several styles spanning over 30 years of working/playing with clay. Following are snapshots of the various displays, posted here especially for those who couldn't attend. The show ends on Saturday, June 18; I will be in the gallery on Friday afternoon from 2-5pm for conversation. The Blue Sage has a concert beginning at 5:00pm, so locals are invited to stop by before the concert.

Retrospective Show

Opening May 27, 5-7pm at the Blue Sage Center for the Arts

228 Grand Avenue, Paonia, Colorado and continuing through June 16 

I dove into boxes buried in the basement, drawn from works hanging in my own home, and am excited to bring some very special pieces out into the public. Work which has been in private collection all these years, from the 1990's to the present . Most of the pieces have be in special gallery showings or even art fairs over the years. 

This post will be published now, with more pictures added in the future.

Note: This link: Table of Contents 
          will help you find specific items of our work on previous posts.

Side-Saddle Planters

 Retired? Sort of.

I feel deep gratitude for you, our loyal pottery patrons and friends, for all of these years. Thank you for enjoying our production work, the mugs and fruit baskets, bowls and platters.

Note: This link: Table of Contents 
          will help you find specific items of our work on previous posts.

We feel very lucky to be retired this year when the art fairs are all cancelled. We also feel great compassion for those friends who depend on art fairs for their livelihoods, as well as so many in this time of great economic challenges.

Sam has retired completely from the pottery business. He used to claim that he was only a "potter by marriage," with humility toward the amazingly creative work that he made. But he will make no more stoneware fruit baskets. We have some inventory remaining. I continue to create special pieces. However, without a second person to produce, I am very slow to fill our kiln.

Right now I am most interested in planters and bonsai succulents. I've been raising these plants for many years, selling them locally in my handmade planters. It's not a great marketing strategy, but I enjoy working with the living plants and creating unique planters. In particular, I've designed a planter with a built-in saucer. They are usually handbuilt (without the potter's wheel) and highly textured.

I haven't fired all year and have several items all glazed and ready to fire, but I need to fill a bisque firing before proceeding. Here are photos of work in progress:

Most of these mugs will be sold through Sundance Gallery in Buena Vista, Colo.

unglazed planters in process

Overfill in watering will pitcher down into the "saucer."

Firing schedule is undetermined at this point.

TAQUILE ISLAND TEXTILES

In the meantime, we progress with marketing the textiles, fairly traded mostly for solar gear, which we bring home from Peru We have initiated an Etsy site. Do check it out https://www.etsy.com/shop/TaquileFriends

Yes, and for more stories about what this Peru relationship is all about: www.taquilefriends.blogspot.com

Thanks for listening!

Planters and Plants

My newest, and fun challenging project is to make planters--some of which have the value-added inclusion of houseplants! I have been propagating jade and other houseplants for some time, with stunning results, and offer them as a complete unit. Here is one with a blooming Amaryllis from last spring: 

Note: This link:  Table of Contents    will help you find specific items of our work on previous posts.
The other aspect of my planters is a result of what I like to call "the problem of the saucer." I have solved the problem by constructing the saucer on the side as part of the planter, a "side saucer." These planters are constructed with various techniques, allowing rich textures and fun finishing details.
This pair just came out of the kiln this morning and don't have their plants yet:

Some of my planters are still the traditional under-the-pot saucer:

And, just for fun, the following is a picture of the kiln this morning, in the process of unstacking. Note the various planters, including one in blue on the third shelf down:

The 47th Annual Carbondale Mountain Fair is July 27, 28, and 29, 2018 — This Weekend!

We will be showing our pottery (though not many plants) and you can find us on the map in booth #55, along Weant Street in the NE corner of the park.

The show opens at 12 Noon on Friday, July 29,

 10am on Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31.

Selling closes around dusk on Friday and Saturday; 5pm on Sunday.

For more information about the fun fair schedule, check out:

http://www.carbondalearts.com/mountain-fair/

See you at the fair!