New Books

These are the ceramics books I got this Christmas:
From Mud to Music, about ceramic musical instruments.  From flipping through the pages, I can already tell that it has the luscious photos and informative descriptions I was hoping for.  It reignites my interest in Xun, which I found during my trip to Taiwan in July.

Paperclay by Rosette Gault, which I will probably read through and then put aside until I have the time to devote to exploring this alteration to the ceramic medium.  Is it possible to slipcast with paperclay?

And last but not least, the Prop Builder's Molding and Casting Handbook.  I have found that I need more than the book I already own, The Essential Guide to Mold Making and Slip Casting, which is a great introduction to plaster mold making but which doesn't quite answer all of my questions.  The Prop Builder's book supposedly has a lot of information on casting not only plaster but also other materials, so I hope coming at the process from another angle will help me design and build the molds I have in mind.

Disappearing in Similarity

Whenever I see everyone doing the same thing, I withdraw emotionally and turn into an observer. 

For example: This weekend the Northeast, and especially the DC area where I live, got a huge snowstorm that blanketed the region with well over a foot of snow and closed roads, businesses, airports, etc.  This precipitated (no pun intended... well, yes it was!) the expected blog posts and facebook updates about the snow, how much people got at their house, how it interrupted all their plans, staying inside and warm and drinking hot cocoa... you get the idea.  Since I was also seized with the impulse to let everyone know how magical I thought the snow was, I understand why these posts are everywhere.  However, when I got online to write my own comments, the sameness of everyone's experience stopped me cold.  I realized that my banal comments offered nothing new, and signed off in dissatisfaction.

I realized this morning why this was happening in my head: I wasn't sharing anything personal.  Everyone can write that the snow was beautiful, or that their dog wouldn't go outside until they stamped out a path.  People who stand out share themselves rather than just what they are doing or seeing.  They share a moment in time and what it means to them.  Or they delve into their particular emotions or thoughts, their own personal way of dealing with an issue.  The rest of us disappear into the weave of our common cloth because we try to sum up our whole lives.  And the truth is that by and large, we are all the same. It is only in the details, the tiny thoughts and reactions and desires, that we differ in fascinating complexity.

Please note that I am not devaluing all those posts that I read.  I enjoy reading them.  They are comforting and entertaining.  It is my own reaction I found interesting.  I--just like everyone else-- want to be unique.  And I am, in my own small ways.  But it is harder emotionally as well as more time-consuming to share the small thoughts and impressions and experiences.  I hate the idea of people I know reading my posts and reacting in a way I can't control.  So I have only written status updates, and have deleted any comments that leave me feeling exposed.

These thoughts have led me to what will probably be a New Year's resolution: Put more of myself into my work.  This will mean taking the time to be thoughtful and thorough, as well as being courageous enough to share my emotions and perspectives.  To stop disappearing in my similarities to others, and start illuminating the treasures in my heart and head.

"Shaping Sound" by Cameron Petke

I had the opportunity to visit the MFA show of Cameron Petke, a fellow Hood Ceramics Program participant. His opening reception and thesis talk was on the same night as the Curious Creatures reception, so I wasn't able to attend. With the gallery empty of people, however, I was able to take in the art quietly and I actually prefer that to a room full of chatter. His polished porcelain bells give a long clear tone when tapped by the mallets he set around the gallery, so I went around the whole gallery and rung all of the bells in turn. Beautiful!

Since I missed Cam's talk, I appreciated that he set out his artist statement and short explanations of his thesis goal, process, and results. Cameron's website says "The ringing of a bell clears the mind, signals the time for tranquil thought and contemplation, and reminds us of the transitory nature of life (as it rings, rises, and fades). Throughout the history of humankind, bells have marked beginnings and endings, times of war and peace, and for me they have become symbols of things lost and periods of self-discovery."

You can see more pictures and read about Cameron's work at his website for Baked Clay Studio.

Panels to the Rescue

The wire-mesh panels I bought in August for Artsfest were very useful once again. I am lucky enough to have a mother willing and able to sew me some panel covers, and the panels provide a good professional background for our work. Just imagine if our art was trying to compete with the brick wall behind them!

We also brought in our own shelving units and plinths (pedestals) for our display. Most galleries are set up for paintings and photography, so we came prepared with everything we need to set a ceramic sculpture show.

Thursday at the Gallery

It was very nice to have a couple of days away from the gallery, but we are back in Frederick for one last weekend! The picture shows some of the built-in shelves in the gallery, which we filled with lower-priced lovelies like flying pigs or stoneware coaster sets.

Weekdays are generally slow, so today Callie and I will be taking some clay and making small items in the gallery. I haven't had my hands in wet clay for weeks--I had to cut myself off and glaze all the work I'd created, but I really love the wet clay work the best.

Snowy Reception Night

For those of you who don't live in Maryland, snow in early December is pretty rare. So Callie and I were shocked to see big fat beautiful snowflakes falling yesterday morning. The snow continued all day, and unfortunately caused most people to stay at home.

It was lovely inside and outside the gallery, though, and a bunch of people braved the weather to come see our show. We had a great time meeting new people and greeting old friends, and sold a fair amount.


We felt like sponges, soaking up the nice comments people made and storing them up for the months of creating ahead. Thanks to everyone who came out!

Setting the Show!

Callie and I have been working hard the last two days, setting the Curious Creatures show. My sister helped us out so much that we have given her the title Most Valuable Minion, a coveted position. And one that came with a free T-shirt this time!

The gallery looks wonderful. We have two rooms two work with, looking out on the main street. One room is set in a way we think of as "gallery-style", with white plinths supporting a few carefully chosen works. The other room has shelving and our wall panels and has more of a shop feel, with spaces for holiday ornaments, gift items, and lots of smaller sculptures and wall pieces.

Here is a picture of my Woodland Imps. Pictures of the gallery will come tomorrow!