Thursday, November 27, 2014

2014-11-27 - Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a safe, warm, and happy Thanksgiving.  We are blessed to have the whole family together for this holiday and we are NOT planning on shopping today.


As long as we're talking about shopping...

... the Goneaway Pottery Holiday Sale is coming up on Saturday, December 13 from 10 am to 4 pm.

It's a perfect chance to pick up that special gift for that special someone.  I will be showing my latest work and we will have several guest artists showing theirs.

Click on the picture for the PDF.




If you'd like to sign up to get emails about Goneaway Pottery sales, please click here.  Don't worry, I only send out a few emails per year.


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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

2014-11-15 - Saturday - Clayworks fundraiser

Saturday was the annual Clayworks fundraiser.  An Evening of Earth & Fire was hosted for the second year by Elder Gallery thanks to Larry Elder's generosity.

It was a fine night with lots of people in attendance.  There was a lot of beautiful donated artwork in the silent auction and it sold well.  Thanks to all the generous donations and bidding Clayworks will be funded another year.

Afterwards several of us went to Akahana Asian Bistro for a late supper.

A good night.







Gary Knight (our board chair), Larry Elder (gallery owner),
and Adrienne Dellinger (our executive director).

After the bidding.

Me, Ju-Ian Shen, Rob Russell, Susan Hughes,
Kimberly Tyrrell, Adrienne Dellinger, Greg Scott,
and Rich Meredith at Akahana Asian Bistro.



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Wednesday, November 19, 2014

2014-11-18 - Tuesday - MAJOR Catch-up Part 4

More catch-up...

November 3 - Binkley's trip to the vet.

He's fine, just wanted to check on his hip problems and get some advice.  At thirteen he's doing very well with a lot of energy but has some hip problems.  He loves to put his nose out the window for the 2.5 mile trip.



November 5 - Pots from the church.

On November 2 I threw pots at the Light of Christ United Methodist Church during the service.  My friend Roger asked me to fill in for him since he was not feeling well.  It was a great experience since it took me out of my comfort zone and the folks at the church were wonderful.  On November 5 I trimmed the pots.




November 6 - Fired pots.

I got my pots back from the recent firing.

Fired pots


November 8 - Indian Trail Cultural Arts Center sale.

I participated again in the second year of the sale and had a really nice time and a good day.

My booth.

Hey, there's a single red leaf.

Yup, it is the only one.

Sunset on the ITCAC.

More impressionism across the street.

Sunset a few moments later.  Nice.


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Monday, November 17, 2014

2014-11-17 - Monday - MAJOR Catch-up Part 3

October 22 we left the Grand Bohemian Hotel and I took a few photos before we left.

Breakfast water carafe with ice
grid in the neck.

The lobby fireplace.

Some carved chairs.

Another view of the fireplace.

Chairs with the flash.

Chairs without the flash. (Liked both effects.)


October 23 - new garlic pots.




October 24 - Ballantyne Village - added shelves.




October 26 - Glazing



It always takes three times longer than I think to glaze my pots.


October 27 - Front yard

Front of the house in Autumn.

This shot looks like an impressionist painting.

October 29 - Stuff

I have three American Hazelnuts in the back yard courtesy of my friend Nick.  I call them Manny, Moe, and Jack for no apparent reason other than there are three of them.  Every autumn they turn in a wave, starting with Manny and every year I find that interesting.

Binkley with Manny, Moe, and Jack.

Sunset at Harris Teeter.
I love sunsets, but if you've been reading this blog for any length of time you knew that.


October 31 - More autumn sights.

Nice color on a tree I noticed at a traffic light.

Sunset anyone?




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Sunday, November 16, 2014

2014-11-16 - Sunday - MAJOR Catch-up BREAK

This is a break in the catch-up proceedings.

On October 21 after lunch, Greg and I took a walk to take photos at a church near the hotel.  It was a great church and I took way too many photos.  I am going to post what I consider the best of the bunch.














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Saturday, November 15, 2014

2014-11-14 - Friday - MAJOR Catch-up Part 2

More speed-blogging to catch up to the present.



Spider housing

On October 10 I grabbed this video of a really nice spider web on the front porch.

Here's another favorite photo:



On October 19 Karen and I went to Asheville for a couple of days.  She had a planning retreat for work and I was her plus one.  We enjoyed our stay at the Grand Bohemian Hotel and Greg (another plus one) and I went out to see the sights.

Before we left I saw this shadow of
a steel sculpture we have in the back yard.

Geometry.

Turns out it was from the floor lamp
Karen was using in the hotel room.
I try to be receptive of light and shadows that I might otherwise miss.


October 20

View out the hotel room window at 7:45 am.

Greg and I went to visit Akira Satake to pick up his donated piece for Clayworks annual fundraiser, An Evening of Earth & Fire.  It's always fun to talk to Akira about his art and it was amazing to see so much of his work in one place.  I was so overwhelmed I forgot to take a photo of the other 75% of the room which was filled with his work.

An Evening of Earth & Fire postcard on Akira's refrigerator.

Greg and Akira discussing one of his latest pieces.


October 21 trip to the park

Sculpture in the hotel courtyard.

Autumn stream.

Anglers in the catch and release section.

Autumn.

Country path.

Greg and I took a drive out to the North Mills River Campground to get some autumn photos.

We had just arrived at the park and were standing on a bridge when a volunteer fireman drove up in a pickup truck and asked if we called 911.  We said no, he got on his radio, and drove up one of the roads.

Not two minutes later another volunteer drove up and asked if we knew where the sick person was. We said, "No, but another guy went up that road there."  He said, "Ok, I'll go up this other road."

About three minutes after that an ambulance pulled up and asked where to go.  We told them where the first and second guy went and they chose a third road to go searching.

Five minutes later a sheriff's officer pulled up and we told him where everyone had gone.  He thanked us and drove away the way the ambulance went.

I guess it was good timing that we were there to let everyone know where everyone else was going.

We took more photos and soon it was time to head back to the hotel for lunch.  As we were driving out of the park we heard the helicopter coming in.  Someone was having some major problems and I hope they got the help they needed.





After lunch we took a walk around the hotel and took many photos of a nearby church.  I have so many favorites that I am going to have to make a separate post for them.

Next, it was on to the Biltmore Winery for a tour, wine tasting, and then dinner.  Good stuff.


Shadow on the ceiling of the
hotel room through the plantation shutters.
Reminds me of an apartment building.

After the winery tour but before dinner.
Did I mention it was a beautiful autumn day?




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