Happy New Year!

This is the final post for 2011. This last week of the year, after the crazy, hectic holidays, and before the start of the new year I like to update all my new calendars, pay my bills, balance my checkbook, and find all my scattered ‘to do’ lists, to see if I can finish things up.

This year I had a ‘to do’ dating from 2003, that needed a bit more time to complete. That year I had attended the NY Ceramics Fair, where contemporary artists and antique dealers display their wares for collectors and designers. I somehow got some free tickets, and attended the show across the street from the Metropolitan Museum on 5^th Avenue. That first year I went they had a display of antique ceramics from the Deerfield Museum, and I fell in love with a delftware punch bowl. So I did some research on punch bowls, and sketched out my version of a bowl with a fish, with the words ‘Keep Me Swimming', traditionally used inside a punch bowl to encourage replenishment. It was time to make it my own, for this year’s holiday.

Sorry, I forgot to photograph the making of the bowl, but it was 14 pounds of porcelain clay, with a thrown foot, to give it height. I planned on making 24 cups, with handles, with each having a number.

I mixed up some clay slip, using cobalt and a little red iron oxide to tone down the blue. So I threw 27 cups, with the same shape, sort of, but the sizes definitely vary. The cups were trimmed with a rounded bottom, and I added a thrown foot from a coil.

I had a limited amount of the chosen porcelain clay, so I ditched the idea of a handle on the cup, and I’m glad I did because they stack nicely!

So, I made it just in time, and I tried an eggnog recipe from Alton Brown. We had a bottle of Maker's Mark on the side, and voila! a new tradition.

Another new tradition this year was my decoration of a little sculpture that was a joint effort between my daughter, Cathy (a VERY talented painter) and myself...she did a small sculpture and I added some dark slip to bring out the 'lines' and put it into a dark clay shadow box. It is very much at home on my mantle, and a little  Grinch-Santa hat dressed it up for Christmas.

I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year, and all the best for 2012.

This year's tree, the loveliest of all

Malcolm and blackberries

When I got the job firing the kiln for the Malcolm Davis workshop in 2002 at the Art School at Old Church, I was very excited but at the same time, I was very nervous firing the kiln, which was filled with Shino freaks’ artworks. After Malcolm’s instruction of how to fire a shino kiln was finished, everyone left the art center but me. The kiln was still around cone9 just after the glaze reduction. Malcolm had plans to have dinner with Mikhail Zakin but he kindly stayed with me for a while. I had a very good time chatting with him but I knew he needed to leave. I remember
that I tried not to give him a chance to say, “it’s time to leave”, by talking and asking questions non-stop. My last question to him was…’How high can the pieces as well as the kiln go up?’
He told me the story of blackberry picking during his Shino firing….. His firing was almost finished, he totally forgot that he was firing the kiln. He was having fun picking blackberries. Suddenly he remembered that he was firing the kiln! Ran back to the kiln and the cone11 was down completely. He left me with this answer to my question “So, cone 12 is still ok.” Always when I fire the kiln, I remember this story and imagine how happy he was picking blackberries.
I hope he is at peace with no pain and meets his dear friend, Pam Proctor up there.

Tribute to Malcolm Davis

The Pottery Show at the Art School at Old Church in Demarest, NJ during the first weekend in December was not the same this year.  At first I thought it had something to do with the economy and people’s depression about the “It’s only a Recession” Depression.  But it was something else; the zeitgeist was not there. It felt intangible at first, but by Sunday I realized what was missing: Malcolm Davis. I remember thinking that next year when Malcolm comes back the energy will flow again.

For the past 10 years I have looked forward to Malcolm’s effusive, long lost friend greeting when he arrived at the school on the Friday of the show weekend for the inventory process. Even during transitional periods and stressful times in my life, he always made me smile. But what I loved most about Malcolm was the seriousness of his convictions underneath his Suessical antics.

Maybe I have a soft spot in my heart for him because Malcolm was my first. Yes, I know many people have said that about him and I do realize that someone like Malcolm must be shared with the world.  For those of you who don’t understand what I’m referring to; Malcolm and I (and about 20 other people) spent 5 days together on Long Beach Island, NJ back in 2002. No, it wasn’t a “Jersey Shore” kind of thing – in fact we never even saw the beach! 

Malcolm was the instructor of the first pottery workshop I ever took. By listening, watching and learning from him I realized that I could take myself seriously as a potter (and as a person) without being too serious.  It was possible to change your life’s direction mid-stream and live to tell about it! I have often said that Malcolm taught me about the importance of Qi in an otherwise lifeless piece of clay.  In Chinese religions, Qi is the life force and energy that flows through everything.  Well if anyone knew about Qi, it was Malcolm.

Malcolm Davis, 1937-2011

Well, there are tributes to Malcolm Davis all over the internet, and since we all have our memories, we wanted to share. So here I go…

I attended classes at the Art School at Old Church, in Demarest, NJ for 7 years, and during that time was privileged to be able to volunteer at their annual pottery show, curated by Karen Karnes. Those shows, the outstanding work I saw every year, and the wonderful, generous potters I met every year changed my life.

Malcolm Davis was always approachable, easy to talk to, and even a friend, to a star-struck pottery student. I took a few workshops, and then joined him at his first workshop at La Meridiana, in Tuscany. It was a wonderful experience. I had never been to Italy before, and who better to share the food, the wine, the beauty of the scenery, and pottery making, than Malcolm Davis! It was a magical experience. I know everyone who was in that workshop has some great memories. It was a little rough around the edges, but truly exhilarating.

Malcolm petting the beef before dinner - Poggio Allora

Malcolm was describing to me the strange reaction he got when he sent them his material list, including a few toilet brushes for the glaze mixing. I think his explanation strained everyone’s translation abilities. So he asked me to take a photo with them…voila!

I later sent the photo to Malcolm, and a few months’ later it appeared in my new deck of Studio Potter Collector Cards! I was so proud.

Malcolm was a great friend. I still feel overwhelmed that he would take time to gossip with me, exchange recipes, make plans. He really was a Dr. Seuss-like character (not my original observation, but totally true). Malcolm Davis was a great man, and I consider myself really lucky to have known him.

Malcolm and Ellen, Itsuko behind camera!

Blizzard of Activity

Potters in panic mode!

Well, I just returned from dropping of a small number of pots for a wonderful craft sale that we are lucky enough to be able to participate in at the Belskie Museum.

The four of us - Cynthia, Itsuko, Sandy and myself - are also members of Underground Potters, a group of potters formed while studying at The Art School at Old Church, in Demarest, NJ. We have been showing together every year since 2003. We have really grown together through the years, and it's a great pleasure to be in such a wonderful group.

So from November 13 thru December 11 our work will be for sale in the Belskie holiday craft show.

But wait, that's not all! The four of us are also members of the Potters Guild of NJ, and our Guild's semi-annual show in Mountainside, NJ takes place this weekend. I think that Cynthia, Itsuko and myself will be there, but I'm not sure Sandy can make this one.

And yet another wonderful show! Sandy is at the Leonia Library, with her brother Ron Pancrazi, for the month of November.

Oh, yes, I will also be participating in a craft sale at the Unitarian Church in Ridgewood, NJ on Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19. This sale is for the benefit of a Youth Camp in Patterson, NJ.

Wait, wait, one more - Itsuko will be at a sale in Westfield, NJ on Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19.

And finally, you have been reading the words of Miss July, in a 2012 Potters Council calendar, available here.

Happy Family

 I just fired a kiln of Earthenware pots that I had a lot of fun making. I am still working on a clear glaze I can make myself but for now the commercial clear is working well enough.  These little guys looked like a Mom and Dad and baby and I think they look adorable in their family portrait.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

ONE OF LAST YEAR'S PUMPKINS

THIS YEAR'S PUMPKINS!

My family is not quite up to decorating plates, but every year the "kids" come over before Halloween and we carve pumpkins and roast the seeds together. Starting from the left, the first pumpkin was carved by my daughter Tessa; next my daughter-in-law Melissa; my son Zach and that's mine on the far right (don't ask me what it's supposed to be).

ANOTHER ONE OF LAST YEAR'S PUMPKINS

Bevy of Beauties

'Bevy of Beauties' circa 1980 - Grace, Mary, Peggy & Ellen

I am lucky enough to have three sisters very close in age - maybe my Mom didn't feel so lucky delivering four girls in five-and-a-half years, but she did call us her 'bevy of beauties'.

With four girls that close in age there were some very passionate likes and dislikes, with alliances changing daily. There was certainly a pecking order, but time and faulty memories has softened the hard edges, and our shared experiences have kept us close.

We all have busy lives, and I have to travel a bit to see them, but now that the car-pooling days are over we are trying to carve some time out to spend together, not related to the holidays or birthdays, just simple 'sister days'.

Our most recent get-togethers are usually a nice lunch, followed by sitting around a table, drinking some very civilized cups of tea, and painting plates!

Around the kitchen table - Grace, Peggy & Mary

I pack up some bisqued porcelain plates, colored slips, and brushes. It's a great way to settle in for quiet conversation, a bit of gossip, and lots of laughing. There is nothing serious going on here, just allowing ourselves this time to remember how much we love each other and enjoy each other's company. And there is the great excuse of delivering the fired plates, to get together again!

At left, Grace carefully composes, on the right, Peggy consults

Mary on left, her completed sunflower plate on right

Grace likes to work in themes

This last session we were joined by my nephew Harry, who painted a plate with the image of his current obsession, driving his car - he just got his license!        

After a few sessions of this, we are ready to try out small bowls. And I'm guessing the curved painting surface will be a bit challenging, so maybe I'll pack some plates!

-from my iPad

Location:Highfield Ln,Nutley,United States

My Friend 'KALO'

circa 1982

When I was an art major in college, back in the '70's, I made a life-long friend, Paul 'Kalo'. He is a wonderfully talented artist, with a way of looking at the world that is so happily peverse, so obsessive about the details of his work. Every day with him was fun, and I will always consider him one of my closest friends, although I never get to see him.

The photo strip on the left is 'KALO' as he appeared (sort of) in 1982 - on the back he calls himself 'Stan Koolski - Polish hipster'

For the last 25 years or so, my family has been lucky enough to receive his Holiday greetings. We get together on Christmas day, and it's always the first thing my sisters and I say to each other...'Merry Christmas! Did you get Paul's card?'

And the Halloween cards, some very special Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, the list goes on.

He recently designed a wonderful coloring book. As soon as I saw it, I thought of using the images as decals on cups, and we now have a great collaboration. I tried to keep the cups as simple as possible, because his artwork is the star of this production.

I am now selling these on etsy, and really encourage you to check them out, even just for the entertainment factor. I have a wonderful postcard that Paul sent me in 1981 that I modified to be a signature decal - me as Humpty Dumpty, from an antique German postcard, I think. Look for it on the back of the cups.

-from my iPad

Getting busy!

I know that my bisqued pots are happy that they are finally getting their coat of glaze:

spot left on table by my wet pot!

So hopefully the pots will all be ready to show off at Peters Valley! Hope to see you there...

First Show together as 'Tomo Potters'

Well, it's been a summer of earthquakes, hurricanes, power outages, and vacations. But we are now gearing up for our first fall show together as:

We have been accepted into the Peters Valley Fine Craft Show, and we are very excited about it. All four of us have participated in this show before with the Potters Guild of New Jersey, but we decided to do a booth of our own, and have had a wonderful time planning.

We hope you can stop by this wonderful craft fair, say 'hello', and enjoy all the beautiful work shown each year at this fair, my favorite.

Tomo Potters will be at the:

Peters Valley Fine Craft Fair

September 24th and 25th, 2011
Building 5, Booth 109

Almost Famous...

On the morning my new issue of Studio Potter Magazine arrived I was in the process of recovering from a bout of food poisoning or an evil virus (it didn’t matter which – the results were the same). My husband brought it upstairs to where I lay like a rag doll with no stuffing, as if to offer a cure for what ailed me. I spent the next 20 minutes fighting nausea, chills and a pounding headache as I sobbed over a submission by Vince Montague, “Every Pot is a Test Tile.” Granted I was feeling sort of vulnerable at the time, but his story about the loss of his wife and how the very thing she loved (being a potter) helped him with his grief was so touchingly poignant. Kudos to Editor Mary Barringer for this issue; if you don’t subscribe to Studio Potter Magazine now is the time!

http://www.studiopotter.org/pubs/?view=current

This issue is special to me for many reasons. It is entitled “The Uses of Failure,” a subject that I am not unfamiliar with and I imagine others feel the same way. I too submitted a story for this issue and, much to my amazement, was accepted. At the time I sat down to write it I remember thinking “Failure; now there’s something I can sink my teeth into!” Failure and I have been dancing in the dark since I was knee high to a dragonfly. I knew it was time to shed some light on this tedious Tango. I’ve heard it said that a writer’s voice is usually aimed at one person (an old friend or perhaps a ninth grade English Comp. teacher); well this piece was written for my younger self. Maybe she’s out there somewhere, ready to turn her back on something she’s unsure of when her Studio Potter arrives. As she flips through the pages it dawns on her “Hell, I can be good at failure too!”

This is one of the first pots I made after 25 years of not touching clay

Oh, and guess what else arrived the same morning as my Studio Potter Magazine? My rejection letter from the Strictly Functional Pottery National… I’m so proud of me!

My Haystack Adventure

photo by Nancy Merrifield

So, a dream for a long time, for me, was participating in a workshop at Haystack School in Deer Isle, Maine. I had heard for years about the beauty of the location, the wonderful, inspiring workshops, and the food!

I always hesitated, feeling I wasn't quite ready for it - honestly, I'm just not that serious a person, but I am passionate about ceramics. So I have been waiting, watching the workshop offerings, looking for a good fit. And, lo and behold, the year 2011 offered a perfect fit for me - 'When Animals Go Tactile' with Bernadette Curran, an artist I have admired for many years. Her work is so fresh and alive, it seemed like a perfect tonic for a potter who wanted to recharge and refresh. Lucky me, I applied, a place was reserved, and I just finished with two very inspiring weeks there.

Bernadette demonstrated some wonderful techniques - more, really, than I could keep up with. So it was a relief to get the assignment to design a 'setting'. I designed a breakfast set, for one, maybe two...salt&pepper on a tray with a jam pot, a plate, a cereal bowl with an egg cup for a knob...you get the idea - me going a little too far, but having a great time! I tried to bring the animal imagery into my setting, with the tray having a fence in the middle, the salt&pepper as chicken &egg,




the butter dish as a barn, which was a direct copy from Bernadette's demo (yellow birds courtesy of Nancy Merrifield!)...I made sure everything was labeled 'Haystack' so I will keep it as my workshop 'notes'.



                                                                                

I would recommend that anyone looking for a two-week immersion of studio time check out the current offerings for Haystack, and I think that next summer's offerings will be announced in January.

photo by Marsiella Catanoso

I'm totally a ceramics person, but I have to say that a visit to the fiber studio was magical! Each participant had built their own little kingdom, and produced some awesome work. And a highlight of the visits to other studios was the blacksmith's shop performance of 'inflating' their pieces.

And one more note - I think that the people who make the long trip up to the coast of Maine, to spend two weeks immersed in their personal passion, whether they are teachers, studio artists, or someone with a very serious 9-5 profession, are a charmed group. Everyone seemed totally delighted to be hanging out with each other. Everyone had an interesting story. Many were able to find someone with a very specialized expertise that could help them through a tricky technical problem. And the geographical diversity of the participants was amazing! It was all I thought it was going to be, plus more. I'm very glad I stepped outside my comfort zone to attend.

our wonderful group of potters!       photo from Terri Alexandra 

On to Earthenware. June 14, 2011

                      

Well, in real time I have finished forming 62 mugs.  I have glazed 28 of them. Some I am happy with and some I am  not.  Some will have to grow on me or maybe not.

The bisqued mug above is a delightful shape.  It is so nice and round and sits up on its three feet so proudly.  I love the bare earthenware color and its smooth surface.

I have many more mugs to decorate but tomorrow I am going to Cape May for some sun and sand and great food.  Back to mugs on the 10th only three days from my birthday.  I think it is enough that I finished throwing ( and hand-building one) all the mugs.  The stoneware mugs won't be glaze fired till
August.

Glazing on the kitchen table

One of my favorites

Underglaze on Earthenware

The turquoise is yummy.