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Saturday Morning Video

AKAR Featured Artist Show

Bruce and I have a Featured Artist Show opening today at AKAR Design Gallery.  The pieces will be available online later this morning.

Help for the Big Push

Ed and Gloria helped in the studio last night. The Potter's Market looms ever closer and the last firing clock is ticking down. We have never been very good at scheduling and timing, and have found ourselves in this crush once again. Bruce and I glazed some of our pieces while they washed the dust off of the pots. It is great to have them living here in Seagrove. They have been so busy since they moved here last year. Between making decisions about our new house and studio, working in the garden, and beginning to learn some of the processes in the pottery studio, they have had no time to sit down and relax. They are enjoying all of their activities. I believe they have both lost some weight to boot. Bruce had to keep punching another hole into dad's belt this summer and he bought some suspenders. Just the other day he finally bought some new jeans that fit.

Streetcar Art in New Orleans

Paulette Lizano's Perley's Barnyard Party
Location is Canel Place One at 365 Canel Street
This streetcar has 5,274 pieces of glass

I met Paulette Lizano a couple of weeks ago when I was at the beach with my family. We all rented a beach house together on the Outer Banks. She is from New Orleans and was visiting my brother's wife's sister. She talked about her hometown New Orleans. The city and businesses sponsored a streetcar art project of fiberglass streetcars decorated by different artists to put around the town. Her parents were beginning to install the streetcar while we were all together in Corolla. Paulette is a fused glass artist living in New Orleans and works with both her parents at their business called Lizano's Glass Haus.

I found an article in NOLA ( The Times-Picayune ) about the streetcars, "The name 'Perley' is from Thomas Perley, who designed the New Orleans streetcar in the early 1920s and the barn is the place where the streetcars are stored when they are not in service," Lizano said. "This project is a labor of love for me," Lizano said. "I wanted to give something back to the city and the streetcar is a vital part of New Orleans' history."

As the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches we want all to know my heart and thoughts go out to all whose lives were so drastically altered by this catastrophe.

Lots to Do / Crunch Time

We are trying to get the last of the pots finished up and hopefully dried and in the gas kiln by this coming Monday. We are really behind. There is so much going on here in our town of Seagrove right now that it has slowed us down. We try not to think about it when we are working but it is nearly impossible. I had a dream last night that I was walking down this really huge steep hill almost like a mountain and the whole time thinking and feeling what a struggle this is, I remember being really exhausted and then thinking what is it going to be like when I have to walk back up it? I never got to find out because Moka woke us up to go outside. Just about every night he needs an outdoor trip. Our boy is getting old and just can't seem to be able to make it through the whole night. Bruce is very in tuned with Moka and does the honors of getting up and taking him out.

Sinatra Squirrel

Saturday morning video.

North Carolina Pottery Center: Squirrel Bottle

This is the beginning of the series I was mentioning, that Bruce and I are going to do about some of the pieces you will find in the Pottery Center. Nothing compares to seeing pottery in person so if you get the chance to come to Seagrove check out the Center's collection.

This is quoted from the North Carolina Pottery Center booklet we purchased the other day, "The Moravians are a Protestant sect founded in the German regions of central Europe. During the 1730's they began emigrating to America, first to Georgia and Pennsylvania, and then to North Carolina."

You can find more examples of these at Old Salem, Winston - Salem. Has anyone ever been there? We have not, and really want to make a trip there some time soon. There are a couple more examples of the animal bottles pictured on their website.

This Squirrel Bottle is attributed to Rudolph Christ from Forsyth County. The dates are c 1800-1825. This is lead glazed earthenware and is on loan from Old Salem, Inc.

This piece looks like it was press molded to us.

Help keep the Pottery Center's doors Open !
Become a member today!

Luck's Legacy a Seagrove Pottery Annual Event

Sid Luck and Matthew Luck between stokes of their groundhog kiln

Sid Luck and his son Matthew operate Luck's Ware.  They are our neighbors around the bend from us, on Adams Road.  They are busily getting ready for their upcoming annual event this Saturday, August 23, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.  He will unload the wood kiln he fired off last night this Saturday morning at 11:00 AM.  Sid will be joined by 20 other potters from North Carolina.   There will also be bluegrass music and barbecue.   We found someone reminiscing about Luck's Legacy on a blog, written by a fellow who now lives in California.  He says, "If you are anywhere in the area get your tail over there! "

  Good Luck Sid!   Have a great day!

Last Night, While the World goes Mad

Bruce and I are squeezing in some night time studio work. I have been working on putting handles on mugs, finishing touches on the pitchers, and throwing bowls. Bruce is working on the additions to his new leaf vases. We are getting ready for two shows at the same time. The Potters Market in Charlotte and then a couple of weeks later we have work that needs to go to Raleigh. For the Potters Market we are going to fire a reduction gas kiln of our functional works as well as have some of our flowing glazed decorative pieces. For the Nature Art Gallery exhibition we are going to show our ceramic wall pieces, vases, fossil fish, and insect jars.


I bumped into a blog entry by Brian Fields yesterday. The title attracted my attention, "Has the World Gone Mad?" The title struck a chord and as I read it, I found out why. He spoke of the North Carolina Pottery Center and now with the additional news added about Arrowmont. Arrowmont is an incredible arts and crafts school in Gatlinburg, TN. I received an e-mail yesterday from Kristen Kieffer. She has a bit of information on her website/blog and a link to a petition that needs to be signed before August 22.

It never ceases to amaze me of how the decisions and acts of a few people can affect so many.

Rain, Rain please don't go away

We had a little rain on Sunday. We sure do need it. A little is better then not having any at all. Our garden appreciates it, and so does the smaller majority. A friend of ours introduced a book to us a few years ago called The Smaller Majority. Very amazing images and such a clever title. Discovering insects for me has been a real joy. I have been referencing them on my work for some time now. I think working in the garden has much to do with this, as well as, the focus for the exhibitions we have had at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. Bruce and I are getting ready for another show there for the month of October. The exhibition will be on display in the Nature Art Gallery.

Inside the North Carolina Pottery Center

The above image has two women pictured. The woman on the left is Nell Cole Graves and on the right is Dorothy Auman

We are planning on doing a series of what one may find inside the North Carolina Pottery Center when they visit.  There are many people that may have heard of the Center but have not had the pleasure to see it in person yet.  I wanted to show everyone what a fine place this is and what a loss it would be if it was forced to close its doors.   Please take the time to visit the Pottery Center and discover for yourself what a wonderful facility this is for learning about North Carolina pottery, and the rich history of working with clay.  

Bruce and I live around five miles from the Pottery Center and have been visiting there a lot more recently.   The Pottery Center is needing to raise $100,000 in order to keep its doors open. So far around $32,368 has been donated, and $10,000 more will be donated when the $90,000 mark is reached.   There are more fundraisers in place with some of them detailed at NCPC's website.  I wrote about Mark Hewitt's fundraising raffle previously, there is still time to enter.  You can find the appeal letter in its entirety at Michael Kline's blog, Sawdust and Dirt.  

You know the saying, "You don't know what you have until it is gone?" Well I feel that way about the Center. Let us not make this saying true in regards to this wonderful place.

Together we can help by joining the North Carolina Pottery Center.  Every little bit counts! 

The pictures below are an overview of the permanent display.

Groovey Girl

This video makes me happy everytime I watch it. Fun! Bruce wishes it could be speeded up one more notch.

Throwing Again

It feels really good to begin throwing. We have been busy making clay and doing other studio stuff the past couple of days and finally yesterday we were able to get our hands wet again. Above are my pots that I am starting on. I have started a few covered jars, vases, pitchers and mugs.

Bruce is busily throwing large bowls.

AKAR helps to keep the North Carolina Pottery Center's doors open

 AKAR's homepage 

 AKAR Fundraiser for the North Carolina Pottery Center:

AKAR writes, "After receiving an email from our friend Mark Hewitt, we decided to do what we could to help the dire financial situation of the North Carolina Pottery Center. Ceramics marked by the logo of the NCPC are being featured on our homepage. 100% of the profit from the sale of these pieces will go directly towards benefiting the Center and its mission to "showcase the remarkable history and on-going tradition of pottery making in North Carolina."

AKAR Design located in Iowa City, Iowa has extended a hand to the North Carolina Pottery Center.  A big thank you goes out to this gallery.  Bruce and I have been following AKAR for sometime now.  They have a great web presence and it is the place to go to for a sense of what is happening in functional ceramics here in the United States and Canada.  They also represent many North Carolina Potters.  Michael Kline from Western North Carolina is currently showing there now.  AKAR has included Bruce in two 30 x 5 shows and one Yunomi show.  The 30 x 5 show has an interesting twist in that AKAR invites 30 artists to send 5 pieces each.  The Yunomi show is around 150 artists sending 3 - 5 cups.  What results is an eclectic group of quality pottery all in one place.  

Bruce and I want to personally thank AKAR Design for reaching out to the North Carolina Pottery Center and helping to keep its doors open.  The Pottery Center is a wonderful place to visit.   I have been there several times this past month, and at each visit the Center has been crowded with people all looking and learning about historic and contemporary pottery.  This place truly is a gem and needs all of our support to help it through this rocky period.   Please consider joining as a member and helping out the Center.  Every bit helps.

We are proud to announce that we will have a  featured artist show opening on August 29 at the AKAR Design Gallery.  We will keep you posted when this show opens up!

Celebration of Seagrove Potters

Yesterday Bruce and I joined a group of potters and their families to help clean up around the front of the Historic Luck's Bean Plant to get ready for the Celebration of Seagrove Potters.  It was a fun and invigorating morning for all of us.  The potters on the publicity committee had a wonderful sign made and it was erected by noon.  Bruce and I are excited about getting out to work with our fellow Seagrove Potters.  All of us can get so busy in our day to day lives, keeping our studios open, and making pottery, that we don't get to see much of one another.  During this process we have met potters for the first time that we have not had the pleasure to meet, even though we have lived here in Seagrove for over 10 years. 

  Working together to make this festival happen for sixty of the local potteries has been a very uplifting community experience.  Also, I want to say "hats off" to the steering committee and all of the other potters for all of the hard work they have done to make all of this a successful and positive experience.  

 

Celebration of Seagrove Pottters

The Celebration of Seagrove Potters has recently updated their website.  It now has the current list of potters that will be participating in the upcoming show,  history about the Luck Bean Plant, and a little about Seagrove as well.  Also more information will be upcoming about the Gala Friday night, and auction on Saturday afternoon.  I will let you know more about these festivities when the details are confirmed.  The Celebration will be held in the Historic Luck's Bean plant just a short distance from downtown Seagrove.  The potters that will be participating in the Celebration are all living in the neighborhoods close by the quaint town of Seagrove.   We live in the corner where three counties come together : Moore, Randolph, and Montgomery.  

Crab Ballerina

When we are not looking the crabs do a bit more then scurry around.

YouTube - Crab Ballerina

Crabs, Crabs, Crabs

I went out on the beach this morning to observe the sand crabs. If you go out early enough in the morning you can see them walking all around their holes. As soon as someone walks by they will zip back into their holes and wait for a handful of seconds.....and then back out again scurring around their holes.


The Other Side of Life

The best meal during the week at the beach, is the crab feast. This is something we look forward to all year long. Yummm.

Drip Sand Castle

I am actually on vacation with the family! We are in Corona which is the northern most point on the outer banks. These pictures are close ups of a drip sandcastle I made yesterday. I love making these. I can do it all day long. They remind us of Tanguy and Max Ernst's paintings. Unfortunately Bruce was unable to come with us this week. Boo Hoo. I will miss him very much this week. We all will. He stayed home with our boy Moka. Moka is getting old enough that Bruce does not want to put him in the kennel. Moka had a hard go of it at the kennel last X-mas. So Bruce is foregoing the week at the beach so Moka can remain comfortable on the couch. We love Moka.

Don't you just love these shapes and how they mold over one another!?!



Moka.

North Carolina Pottery Center: Mark Hewitt Pottery Raffle

Mark has announced a raffle he is sponsoring in order to help raise funds to keep the doors open to the North Carolina Pottery Center.  Each ticket is $20.00 and the drawing will be for this wonderful salt glazed storage container.  The winner will be announced on Sunday, August 31st.  For details about the raffle, how, and where to mail the check to go to their website.  Oh yes, did I mention Mark is having a kiln opening at the end of August?  He has all of the information at Mark Hewitt Pottery.  

Wet Dog Glass

This is our local newspaper for Montgomery County. We get it once a week on Thursday. Yesterday afternoon we sat down to catch up on what is happening around here, low and behold an article about our new friends in Star. They moved into Star Works : Center for Creative Enterprises. Cool!
Eddie and Angela moved here recently from their home town New Orleans. They relocated their Wet Dog Glass furnace business. How did we get so lucky? They now have 5 employees. All from different parts of the U.S. Pretty exciting, if we do say so ourselves. We can't wait for those lessons in casting glass. Bruce and I have ideas stirring already.

To Read the complete article : Montgomery Herald.

Hot Water Solar Panels

Our solar panels were set up yesterday. These two panels will be for our hot water. The company that we purchased the system from is Patton General Contracting and the company that installed the panels and will hook up the system for us is USA Plumbing. We are very excited about being able to do this. These two panels will generate enough hot water for our two family dwelling and studio.