trick-or-treating!!!

Ok so I need to post this if you get tired of hearing about the kid well read somone else's Blog!!!! look away or do otherwise, No apologies here....

So we went to the little town of Robins down the road from Seagrove. It's another one of many rural towns around here. You could find a town like this any rural area of the county. You know the story textile mill closed no jobs, yada,yada,yada... But tonight the town really went all out!!! Some of the store fronts are vacant but the town was packed trick or treaters everywhere. Costume contests pumpkin carving contests trick or treating in the shops, police station, and the firefighters giving out candy in front of there fire truck!! Well I felt like I was in a Norman Rockwell painting. It made me remember why I chose to live here, you know sometimes you forget and its always nice to be reminded.
So this was sort of Judson's first Halloween last rear he just didn't get into it but this year...... He made out like bandit!! Yesterday at daycare they had a trunk-or-treat. I had never heard of this before. Cars in the parking lot giving candy out of their trunks? Kind of weird I think but it was fun. Its sort of a POWER-trick-or-treat candy grab he got so much candy!!! And after that he knew the drill and was ready for tonight!!! We met some friends that live in Robins with their two kids one is almost the same age as Judson and he just loves her. It was so much fun!!!
Alright!! I'll leave you with a few pictures and promise the next post will be all about or at least mostly about pottery!!!!

Starworks

We had a fun night tonight. Judson and I went to starworks for their annual gathering. If you don't know what starworks is checkout their website. Its a business/arts incubator creating green jobs and promoting tourism in the region.
We had fun, had some great food met some new people and saw the usual suspects drinking lots of free beer..... AKA the Seagove potters there is something about free beer that really brings out the potters!!! But I had to leave early to get the little boy to night night. We got the hear some great music. The music was a guy named Joe Robinson from Winston-Salem man could he play the trumpet!!!! Judson was mesmerized dancing and clapping couldn't take his eyes of them. He was so cute he pulled me aside and said "hey daddy will you get me a trumpet" so I promised him i would what else could I do you should have seen the way he looked at me makes your hart melt.
Then after the food and music we went to the other side of the old hosiery mill to see a glass blowing demo. It was fun and first time Judson saw glass blowing. Nothing like hot glass, glory holes and flames to captivate a crowd! We stayed out a little late but this only happens once a year and I still had him in bed at a reasonable hour. We have to rest up for trick or treating this weekend!! I'm excited this was my second favorite holiday (if you can call it that) after christmas when I was a kid.

Claymakers Workshop

I had a great time at Claymakers doing this workshop great people!! Great place!! and I had a incredible lunch at this cafe called TOAST. I love doing these workshops there lots of fun I am planing on doing more in the future so if any one out there has a need for workshop let me know!!! and the best part is I always lean something from some of the people attending nothing like getting a bunch a of potters together to get the ideas flowing!!!! Oh and Tracey here is a great picture of a finished Bull Bowl!!

Awesome

Ok I had to link this, I taught workshop Sturday at Claymakers in Durham. I had a great time with some really nice people and Tracey Broome wrote the nicest post on hear blog about it thanks Tracey!! I have to get the images off my camera and I'lI post something myself tomorrow. And hey who dosn't like being Awesome? Flattery............ feels nice. hehe

Kiln opening

The salt kiln came out great!!!! Incredible firing, here are some pictures of the pots and turtles. It was a busy day lots of people through and some great sales. Its always nice to see some old friends and new ones.

Kilns firing

Its been a long last few days decorating, bisque firing pots, and loading the kiln. But its all in the kiln firing as I type Now off to glazes some new tiles in some of the new glazes that I tested a few weeks back,pretty excited about that!!! Some new colors bright and shinny!!! This is the fun part decorating firing, new glazes and unloading fresh work out of a hot kiln!!!

Sliped and ready to go!!

Lots of coffee today!! Long night last night finishing up things in the studio up until after 1:00am.
It's nice though when it gets dark out and quiet you start to hear sounds that you don't usually notice and when I'm focused on the rhythm of work your mind starts to wander in an almost meditative state. Some how its relaxing through all the chaos of a messy studio and pressure of the deadline. Your eyes on the end visualizing how all the pots will look fresh from the kiln hoping everything will live up to the picture that you built up in your head over the past several weeks. There's a lot of hart and sole that goes into what a potter dose, I hope people can see it in my work and connect with it on some level. you cant dictate what they will take away or see. You can only hope that feel the presence and relate to you and "it" in some way.
I got all the bowls sliped and there fast drying. Trimming some more bowls today that will be and unglazedand painted with black slip patterns and imagery animal effigies and such I love using that word "effigy" that one of those words that just fun to try to slip in a conversation, try it some time fun party game!! I may have to skip bisque firing on them to get them in the kiln for next weekend. I would rather have bisqued pots but I'm down to the wire!!
Also throwing a few mini bows to day.. crazy I know it's hard to stop and get out on the "making" mode.