September 7 - Saturday - The Potters Market Invitational at the Mint Museum

Saturday I attended the Ninth Annual Potters Market Invitational show at the Mint Museum.  The show is a treasure consisting of North Carolina potters invited from around the state.  It's always an exciting time for a pottery nut like me to hobnob with the stars.  Everyone is so friendly that it takes me a long time to get around the tent.  It's held in a huge tent on the lawn that's large enough to hold 41 potters displays and still have plenty of walking room.

There was also a demonstration tent out front where several of my friends were doing demos.  It was good to catch up with everyone.

Potters working in the demo tent.

Potters talking in the demo tent.

Donna Craven.

Jim Whalen (right) with friends Diane Davis and Bill Chris.

Akira Satake with our own Jan Anderson.

Jan with Ben Owen.

Michel Bayne.

Alex Matisse.

Smantha Henneke.
Bruce Gholson was unavailable to join us.

Greg Scott watching Adrienne Dellinger's booth.

Julie Wiggins.

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2010-06-26 Saturday - Julie's Seconds Sale

Karen and I went to Julie's Seconds Sale on Saturday.  It was another hot day in June, but Julie had set up several tents and there was an electric fan in each tent that really helped make it cooler.  I was amazed at how much of a difference that made.

Ju-Ian was there when we arrived and it was good to see her too.  We enjoyed checking out all Julie's work and she gave us an inside tour of some of the pots she'd collected.  I purchased a nice bird dish that I plan to use for serving.

Karen, Ju-Ian, & Julie.

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2010-06-04 Friday - Clayworks, Gallery, Home

This month has been so busy that it has been almost impossible to keep up with the blog.  I will do some quick catch up as time permits.


Friday we had a party to wish Julie well with her new home studio.  Unfortunately she had to resign as studio manager to pursue her new endeavor, but she will have more time to explore her work now.  The party was quite the gathering and while I arrived late, there were still many people there.  We all signed a poster for Julie and there was food and hula-hoops.  Good times.

After the party some of us headed over to Shelley's 360 gallery for the gallery crawl.  She had a good turnout and sold several pieces, including a painting to Becky.  Afterward some of us hung out on the front porch and visited for a while.  Kim and I helped Shelley put away the food and drinks and remembered that Greg was going to unload the kiln so we rushed back to Clayworks at 12:30 am.

There was a lot of trouble firing the kiln so the results were a mixed bag, with some of the pots oxidizing and some reducing.  The kiln is going to take a bit of maintenance to get back within operating parameters, but should be running again soon.

Julie's party.

More revelers.

Everyone was catching up.

Julie's "card".

Let the hula-hoops twirl!

At the gallery with Amy and Becky.

Becky admiring the aprons.

More artwork upstairs.

Conducting business in the bathroom.

(That was where the painting was hung.)

Becky, Shelley, and Kim.

The artwork (right) changes hands.

Mary, Dean, Shelley, and Michael.

Kim's taking it easy on the floor.

Some of my pots from the kiln unload.

A casserole that is half oxidized and half reduced.

(The white part is oxidized and the brown is reduced.)

My tumblers.

When I got home there were some creatures hanging around the back porch light and I had to stop and snap a few photos.

This beetle was about 1 1/2 inches long

and had the prettiest golden "fur" on his belly.

This spider was about 1 1/4 inches long (leg-wise)

and was kind enough to sit still for a portrait.

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2010-04-09 Friday - Clayworks Spring Sale

Friday was the annual Spring Sale at Clayworks.  It's a venue for studio artists and teachers to sell their wares and have a bit of socializing at the same time.  I always love to see how well everyone cleans up since most of the time we see everyone in their clay clothes.  I still wear my clay clothes at the sale since I am generally there to demo.  I love demoing at the sales since it's a chance to have some fun on the wheel and talk to everyone while I'm doing it.  Imagine that.  (It has a lot to do with that extrovert thing.)

During the height of the sale it got pretty crowded up front by the pottery but I was in the back doing the demos, so my pictures are all after the crowds had dissipated and I had taken a break.

After the sale I went over to Twenty Two to meet Elaine, Paul, Scott, Will, and Barbara.  It was very nice time and I had my first Ellie's Brown Ale on tap and that was quite nice too.  I would like to go back there soon.

Amy Sanders and Greg Scott.

People shopping and chatting.

Julie Wiggins' work.

Go team celadon!

Tomoo Kitamura's work.

Paul, Steve, and Michael.

Joe and Julie.

Fred and Becky.

Kim, Shelley, Nic, and Tomoo.

Paul, Elaine, and Steve.

Nic enjoying the spinach dip bread bowl.

Paul, Nic, and Becky.

I was trying to get a picture of Nic and Becky talking

and Paul absolutely stole this picture.

Elaine's pottery.

Pretty flowers in a pretty pot.

Quite an impressive list of artists on name tags.

2010-02-26 Friday - Empty Bowls 2010

I finally attended the Empty Bowls luncheon this year (thanks Becky!).  I met Becky, Elaine, and Susan there for a fine time of charity, fellowship, lunch, and art.  We saw several other people there from Clayworks, some of them working in the lobby doing demos.  There were great conversations, door prize drawings, a silent auction and lots of hope.

First, you pick your bowl.

  

Gosh, you never know

who's going to show up at these things.

  

More bowls from which to choose.

  

Adrienne was demoing at the wheel.

(Elaine was kind enough to hold my bowl

(in her left hand) while I snapped some photos.)

  

 Julie was there too.

Demoing and answering questions.

  

 Hands in clay.

  

 The buffet line.

  

 Some of the buffeters.

  

 Elaine, Becky, me, and Susan.

  

 Kathy and Ann.

  

 Andrew from Pottery Central was also demoing.