2Make1Thing

2011-02-08T09:57:00.003-05:00

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

2010-01-27T22:53:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-18T22:17:00.005-04:00

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

2009-08-03T18:18:00.006-04:00

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

2009-07-07T15:52:00.005-04:00

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

2009-07-06T09:46:00.008-04:00

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

2009-04-27T11:06:00.008-04:00

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.

2009-04-22T21:12:00.007-04:00

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

2009-03-03T12:04:00.004-05:00

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.

2008-09-02T08:56:00.003-04:00

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.

One try at making baby booties....

2008-07-08T00:16:00.005-04:00

As I have mentioned in the past, I really like the magazine CRAFT. The last issue had a fun contest for the cutest baby booties, the Michael Miller Baby Bootie Contest . There are some really great ideas here, as at Flickr in general. And the best thing is, I finally have something posted at Flickr... now for those works of pottery I have promised for the past year. See my Flickr photstream at http://flickr.com/photos/2make1thing/.

Fun website

2008-05-02T10:00:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone-- I just found a really cool website, for Hermes:
http://lesailes.hermes.com/us/en/.
It is just simply fun-- you can even make your own Kelly Bag-- OK, it's paper, but cool.

Very Busy Holidays

2008-01-24T16:45:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone who actually makes it to my blog. I have had a busy fall and holiday season, happily making a few pottery pieces for a holiday show Wyandotte, Michigan at the Biddle Gallery and making a few gifts for family. The most fun was making fuzzy toys, monkeys and monsters, for my kids, my niece and my nephew. I also beaded bracelets for my mom and my mom-in-law. I hope to have pictures of the monkeys (patterns were from Aronzo Aranzi) and the monsters here this weekend. The monsters were my first shot at a design-a-softie-toy.

(added monsters, which no matter where I upload these they come out sideways. why??)

I came across a cool website, buyhandmade.org where thousands of people pledged to buy handmade gifts for the holidays. Lots of interesting links there to be found as well.

Before Christmas we (my family) went to Japan. This is a culture where people make things, a lot. I didn't get to go everywhere I wanted, but I got to a few places. I visited the beading district in Tokyo (great buys, great things) at the Asakusa Bashi subway stop. I stopped at one of the smaller Tokyu Hands in Ginza, and wish I had more time there. I went to Maruzen bookstore across from Tokyo Station-- I recommend taking ISBN numbers for Japanese titles from amazon.co.jp to get the crafting books you want from a very, very, very helpful staff. I went to Nomura Tailor in Kyoto (got a few cute fabrics), but did not get to the fabric district in Tokyo.

Just another quick note-- if you go to Tokyo for any extended period of time, and you love Ghibli films, go to the Ghibli Museum. It is a thing of beauty.

Links to interesting fabric crafters

2007-09-20T15:16:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone,
I have always thought that people who have the patience to work as quilters, as fine seamstresses and seamsters, and as fabrics crafters are amazing. Maybe this is because of hours spent watching my grandmother craft clothes and toys for us as children-- in between games of Scrabble. Today I am including some sites I have found over the past few months. Not ceramics related, but still the joy of making.

http://www.heatherbailey.typepad.com/ "Hello my name is Heather"

http://www.jmurphybears.com/home.html "Jennifer Murphy (bears & other silly things)"-- Look at her process and studio photos for inspiration. It just shows that having a creative physical space makes a difference, and I mean not just the space in one's own little head.

http://rosensweet.com/sarah/index.shtml "Sweet Things Designs"

http://softiescentral.typepad.com/softie_awards/

Still Backlogged Getting Pictures and Esty Shop Online

2007-09-14T08:49:00.000-04:00

Hi to the few who get to this blog!

I had hoped this summer to get my links set up for Flickr and Etsy, but it will be a bit longer as I am now getting the kidlet's school schedule started. The last month has a been a bit more busy than I thought it would be. Oh well.

Thank you to the person who bought my work at the Ceramics Market! --If you somehow find your way here.

Ceramics Market - Diverse and Fun

2007-07-29T17:02:00.001-04:00

The Ceramics Market at the Detroit Artist's Market opened on Friday and was beautiful and had a diverse range of work on display. It is highly recommended. The DAM is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00AM to 6:00PM and is located at 4719 Woodward in Detroit-- see map below. The show runs through August 25.

For now, these are some images of my work. Sorry about the quality-- the opening was crowded and I only got a few shots. Hopefully I will be able to update these soon.

DETROIT ARTISTS MARKET * Summer Ceramics Market

2007-07-25T12:11:00.001-04:00

Hi Everybody! Opening this Friday, July 27-- the Detroit Artists Market is holding a Summer Ceramics Market. There are several curators, a few of whom are from local ceramics programs at Schoolcraft College and the Center for Creative Studies: Robert Beilat, Mark Chatterley, Frank James Fisher, John Albert Murphy, Tom Phardel, John Stephenson, Susanne Stephenson, and Marie Woo. I looked through some of the pieces on Saturday and it is a varied and interesting show. There are sculptural pieces, useful pieces, amazingly well crafted and more informal works. If you are looking to purchase work there is something for every taste. If you are a potter looking for a wide variety of inspiration there are kindred spirits at work here. I will be participating as one of the Schoolcraft people, studying currently with Frank James Fisher and having studied with John Albert Murphy.

The opening is 6:00 - 9:00 and refreshments will be served. The Detroit Artists Market is located at 4719 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Michigan.

2007-07-12T20:34:00.000-04:00

A Great Web Site for Japanese Ceramics
I find the web site eYAKIMONO to be an incredible resource for the various types of Japanese pottery. They also have many related links.

2007-07-12T14:03:00.000-04:00

Glaze Recipes from the Smithsonian Archives of American Art
This year I was lucky enough to visit San Diego and visit the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park. They had several works by Laura Andreson on display. I loved the glazes and wanted to find out more about them. It turns out that some of her glaze books are in the collection at the Smithsonian Archives of American Art-- see http://www.aaa.si.edu/about/contact_us.cfm. This is a great resource. By another stroke of luck, I was able to visit the Archive in April. They allowed me to digitally photograph all of the pages available (one book was elsewhere). While I cannot share the images due to copyright, etc., I can share the information. There are some interesting glazes of all types and temps but many of the lower temperature glazes contain lead. If you can tell me what interests you I can get back to you. However, almost none of the recipes are in the standard 100 percent format. You will need math skills :)!