Love Bug 2010--now online

Bart Cusick # 4, "I heart stuff!"

ink on paper, 8 x 10" unframed

$25, or any 2 for $45, 3 for $65, 4 for $85

At the beginning of August, there was a clever, interesting, and fun event that took place in City Market, downtown Raleigh. At Epona and Oak there was an Insect drawing competition and exhibition of artwork. The theme of the show and event is insects, farming, environment, etc.,and was hosted by The Toxic Free NC organization. A portion of the proceeds goes to benefit this North Carolina organization. Their mission since 1986 has been fighting insecticide pollution and educating families about the wise and discriminate use of various chemicals around the household. They were formally known as Agriculture Resources Center and Pesticide Education Project.

There is a juried exhibition at Epona and Oak that will be up until the end of August, and Toxic Free NC has recently posted the art work online for the public to look at and purchase. The work is divided up into two groups.

One group is the artwork that was produced on the spot Friday evening in the Love Bug draw off. Artists could sign up for the draw off via the Toxic Free NC's website by the deadline given (which was around the end of June)---(so keep this in mind if you want to participate next year). The artists sat around a table and drew various sketches of insects. There was also a children's drawing competition. You can view pictures from that evening at their website here and you can see the grouping of the drawings here. All of the work is for sale and they have a shopping cart set up so you can purchase online.

The second group are images of the pieces that are now on exhibit at Epona and Oak. You can view these images here. Bruce and I both have a couple pieces represented. One of Bruce's spider cups sold, but there is one left. We posted the images of the pieces that we sent in an earlier post here.

If you would like to see the show in person, Epona and Oak is located in downtown Raleigh, City Market on 329 Blake St. Their hours are Mon-Sat 11-7 and 9-7.

We have picked out a few images to show you the range of work that was exhibited and created that evening.

Denee' Black

Bees at Work II

approx 1.5 ft square

$150

Elizabeth Niemeyer

Grasstachio

approx 1.5 ft x 1.5 ft

$200

Chris Norris # 4

ink & watercolor on paper, 5x7" unframed

$25, or any 2 for $45, 3 for $65, 4 for $85

Wesley Hare # 3

ink and watercolor on paper, 8x10", unframed

$25, or any 2 for $45, 3 for $65, 4 for $85

Handling a few pitchers

We are finishing up our functional pots and getting them ready for a round of glazing with our Moka color combinations. The Mint Museum's "Potters Market" is around the corner and we are wanting to have some of our crystalline vases ready as well. We have been steadily working in the studio.....more throwing and trimming than fixing up the studio right now.

We did buy some new wire shelves on wheels to place against the windows. They are really tall so we split them in half and have shorter ones to wheel around and fixed ones below the windows. We had originally planned to have our pottery wheels right up against the wall, but then we realized that it would be harder to open the windows, and there is the issue of reaching over a table full of wet pots.

I like throwing these smaller pitchers. They are a great size to bring OJ or water to the table when there is company.

Working away while the garden grows

Bruce is working on his flying saucer shaped covered jars. He mixed up his porcelain body from his shino years. I think we see shino in our future? Very exciting.

Yes, we have been working in the studio this past month. We have been enjoying showing you images of what is outside our studio. We think it is time to show you what we have been up too inside the walls at Bulldog.

We are getting ready for the Mint Museum's Potter's Market and also fixing up our new studio ..... one little step at a time. We think about how to organize while we are making pots. We are figuring out what kind of shelves and tables we would like and their arrangements.

A Star is Grown

We have been eating tomatoes everyday for a couple of weeks. We have had some worm issues this year, but there are plenty tomatoes to go around. This particular worm decided to leaves us a thank you for planting all of the delicious tomatoes for them and their friends.

We could not help ourselves, so Mista Tomato engages in a photo shoot.

Mista Tomato on top of Max's soccer ball. The soccer ball lasted all of about 2 minutes. It was Max's first and last soccer ball.

He loved the chartreuse zinnia. "Anything green", he says.

Mista Tomato and the Marguerite Potato Vine.

TT saw us walking around the property from her perch on top of the old chicken house. She wanted a picture with Mista Happy tomato.

Maxwell was not going to let TT gt away with being on the blog with out him. That is the way dogs are when it comes to cats.

Maxwell convinced me that it was my turn too.

Mista Happy Tomato in the tree. He sures does get around.

We found him hiding amongst Bruce's "found" buried goodies. It looks like the picnic table has seen better days. Maybe it is time to replace it?

Mista Happy Tomato is back home. The plums & onions not from our garden :) :)

Mista Tomato was not harmed during any of his modeling career here at Bulldog Pottery, but he did age out of modeling fairly rapidly, and has gone into retirement at Casa Composta. We are sure he will be very influential to many future veggie models that may have a seasonal career here at Bulldog Pottery.