October 29 - Big Day part 1

Saturday was a huge day with lots of activities, all involving good friends.  The first thing was the Wells Fargo Community Cultural Celebration.  Clayworks presented a booth downtown at the event.  Our dog was kind enough to wake me up at 5 am and I couldn't get back to sleep so my day started even earlier than I had planned.  I was going to get up at 6:30 because I had to be at Clayworks at 8:30 to load up the equipment we would need for the booth. 

Thanks to Binkley, I got there with time to spare.

I achieved an item on my bucket list that day thanks to Adrienne.  I always wanted to do a raku firing downtown representing Clayworks and she got us approved for one at the festival. 

The firing went well and we also had throwing and hand building demonstrations.  We were right next to a stage that had various musical groups playing so it was quite festive.  We were there from 10 am to 4 pm and we laughed and danced all day.

We had to fire on plywood so we didn't damage the granite patio.

Adrienne, me, Becky, and Rich.

Jaime and Becky.

Rich gets ready to throw a 25 lb. bag of clay.

Centering.

My friend Divakar's daughter Taige was dancing in the atrium, so I took a few minutes to go see her dance.  It was amazing.

Divakar and Sonya.

I only had time to watch one dance since I had to get back to check the kiln and see what Rich was up to.  I dashed back to the booth.

Opening...

A bowl!
Bravo!

This was on the beginning of my twenty-two hour day.  Stay tuned for Part 2.

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October 19 - Lunch with Joe and making raku pots

On Wednesday I had lunch with my long lost friend Joe Fox.  (Yes, he still strides the earth!)

Joe has been absent from Clayworks for quite a while now since he's been going through a major conversion at work.  We anxiously await the day (or evening) he returns and it was great to have lunch with him at the Vietnam Grille.  Come back and see us, Joe.

That evening I went to Clayworks and cranked out some pots for our upcoming raku firing downtown(!) at the Wells Fargo Community Cultural Event.  I need to make a bunch of pots so we have enough to raku for six hours of demoing.  "Get that wheel spinning!"

I think Joe might need a vacation...

Trying to do some pots with a bit of formality.

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