It has been over a year since I last posted. Yikes. I am in the process of deciding what I want to do, now that the kids are in school full time. If I go back to teaching, this would probably be the best route back.

I have been resurrecting a love of reading by giving myself small reading marathons, delving into one author at a time. At the end of 2010 I finished my Jane Austen marathon: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion. I am now reading Dickens, and have finished Bleak House, Little Dorrit, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol. I am currently reading Oliver Twist, with The Pickwick Papers and Our Mutual Friend to go. Next up, Thomas Hardy, George Eliot, or Henry James (probably James).

I have had some change in direction for making things. I have taken up knitting. This has been a relaxing change, and it keeps my hand and arm muscles in shape. May sound like a joke, and it is funny, but I need to maintain a certain level of fine motor dexterity.

Editing

We finally moved some of my last ceramic pieces, from summer of 2008. Hard to believe it has been that long since I did any clay work. As soon as I get a chance I will get photos online. I did delete my last two posts. I am almost sure nobody read them, and they focused way too much on my health, or lack there of. All is well enough, now, so it's best not to worry.

Renovation

We have been busy renovating a house we bought at the end of July. We did not expect a few of the hidden problems (rotten sub-floor under the vinyl flooring in the kitchen...) and it is taking a while. On the plus side the health problems I had this past year have become manageable enough to paint and grout tile.

I am looking forward to getting a few fruit trees for the backyard, transplanting some perennials from our old yard and getting a real crafting room in order. Also looking forward to writing more. Maybe I'll actually blog more as well...

Avedon at SFMOMA

About two weeks ago I went to the Richard Avedon exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). I highly recommend this show if you visit the area. It was a bit like reliving the images I grew up with, remembering the politics and the artists of an era. I especially liked two images, which I'm not sure I'm allowed publish here: the photos/triptych of Stravinsky and a portrait of Samuel Beckett.

The Stravinsky photos are especially brilliant, the first with eyes lowered, second eyes slightly raised, and finally fully looking at the viewer. As the photos progress a light seems to come to life in his face. It is a genius's look at another genius, a recognition of inner fire. Amazing.

Water clock gear, Seville

Water clock gear, Seville Originally uploaded by 2Make1Thing

I just uploaded a few pictures to flickr: trip to Spain, garden photos and a few pottery pieces. I am trying to finally get my web sites integrated a bit.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2make1thing/

Trip to Bay Harbor and Petoskey, Michigan

We went to the Inn at Bay Harbor for a little vacation last weekend. My husband travels way too much, but the benefit is that we have loads of Marriott reward points and airline miles. This helps when we need to get away. Our trip to Spain (Marbella and Barcelona) and this resort were all on points.

While we were at Bay Harbor there was an electric car parade and a classic car exhibit. The electric cars were displayed as a triumph of green technology. The classic cars, not so much. The thing is, both shows were dependent on trailers to bring the vehicles, so green is as green does, I guess.

The little red Corvette is being given away by Art Van, Hopefully, the contest is still on if you are interested...

And finally, a little mail box that was so abstract and beautiful.

Quick garden photos

The weather was too hot and windy for the tulips to last much longer, so here is this year's record.

Violets and angelica, under less threat...

Finally some photos of previous work.

Here are a few images of stoneware vessels I left out over the winter. Some have water and leaves in them, others I emptied.

These were simple thrown "cones" shaped into eliptical forms, with a nod towards shell forms and eroded rock. The glazes were a combination of iron saturated clay slips, thick celadons, and a few basic Rhodes matte glazes with oxides. This was a limited series from the spring of 2005.

Updates, travel to Spain

We just got back from Spain. and it was a welcome change from winter, grayness, and cabin fever in general. The mountains of north Andulusia are so beautiful, and the Alhambra is as amazing a built place as has ever been. The city of Ronda has a view worth the drive. The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona has made a lot of progress in the past eleven years, and is glorious. In Tortosa I found a small cypress pinecone, which I discovered Gaudi used as the basis of his complex crosses at Sagrada Familia. Of all of the things I have collected, this pinecone is a tiny design treasure.

I had a chance to revisit the Miro museum and foundation in Barcelona. His work is inspiring, and I found myself needing to find a new level of production, of creativity that works for my new circumstances. It has been a very long time since I have updated my blog, as per usual. While my condition is improving, it turned out I had a long undiagnosed condition called Sjogren's syndrome, which is an autoimmune disease. Almost nobody has heard of it. It has annoying aspects, like a decrease in saliva and tear production. In my case there are some neurological aspects which have been more difficult. It will take a few more months for my medications kick in, but so far between physical therapy and medications I am beginning to feel better.

I will assess what I will be able to do in a couple of months. I doubt I will work in pottery again working on any large pieces. At the same time, I need to find an outlet as an artist, to work on larger pieces.

Sometimes life slows down a bit.

I found out about a month ago that I have cervical spinal stenosis, which had left me in enough pain and numbness to finally see a doctor. I knew I was having trouble with throwing pots, and tried throwing smaller pieces, but the whole process was getting to be too much. I am taking a break, and my blog, which has been sporadic at best anyway, will be either focused on other activities-- or maybe I will finally catch up with photographing my work.

I am reminded more and more of Chuck Close's comment, after his paralysis, to the effect that we are all just temporarily abled. Yep.