Fall Kiln Opening

So if you haven't heard..... October 16-17 is my Fall Kiln Opening! Here's the link to the email I sent out the other day to my mailing list.... and if you haven't signed up for you mailing list please do. There's link on the right side of my blog, and you'll get a few emails a year, find out about things going on like special events, sales and advanced previews before openings. So what are you waiting for? Go on and do it you know you want to!! You wont regret it, I promise!!

Finding Your Self

I got back from the mint the other week had a great show but got into a funk with a bit of a cold. But there's always a little bit of a let down no matter how great everything goes, the kiln firing, the show and the end of a work cycle. I think its just the artists critical eye, over thinking, being a little to critical of ones self and the ending of a cycle and beginning another. It happens every time I finish a big work cycle but give me a day or two and Im back on track. I think i just need time to process everything and not let the few little things that didn't go just the way I wanted to overshadow a great firing (I think its the best I'v had) and a great show at THE MINT put on buy some great folks!

In other news I found myself the other day!!! Drove out to BLAIE North Carolina its right next door in the uwharrie national forest. I just had to take a picture growing up I never new anyone else named Blaine always liked my name but on the rare occasion ever Id meet someone I was so amazed and thrilled now it seems Im almost home. :-)

See You At The Mint?

Check out this wright up in the charlotte observer
N.C.'s finest potters will show and sell
Market is fundraiser for Mint Museum, which is hosting Saturday event.
I'll be there amongst the finest!!!

A little late night decorating

I've been working late every night this week decorating. Here's a litlte bit of what I've been up to,


Rabbits with an attitude, I think there up to something!


Dancing turtle platter, this ones in porcelain been working with some lately.


Bull bowls in process, their sort of like a batik outlined it in wax, then I apply colored slip the bull and carve the detail. The one on the left is the before and the one on the right is the finished colored and carved


Long nose gar fish decorated with the same process


I've decorated so many pots this week this just a few. This last one was so much fun it just hit me from some where in the back of my mind. (I love the refined clean lines the dot in the middle is a new glaze and red! Can you fell me?) I didn't have to think at all it just flowed out from my hands to the brush, freely in an instant. It feels so good when the creative process happens that way, It made me think of the earlier post and what Elizabeth Gilbert had to say on the subject. Was I in control with past experiences and thoughts all coming together in an instant with my mind working freely with out thought? Did I have control of it at all? Or is there a greater power working through me or with me when an experience like that happens? A muse maybe? Well I already have one of those, I'll have to ask her!
I love the design its so simple yet refined I think it may be reminiscent of some native american anasazi pottery but I didn't think that while I was painting it was only until I stepped back moments latter that I saw the connection


Thats it for now. All these pots will be going in the Salt kiln over the weekend fired then packed up and heading down to Charlotte for the Mint Museum Potters Market Invitational. I'm going to have some great ones!! Hope some of you can come out to this great event.

More about the turtles...

So there all put together, carved sculpted and drying I had so much fun making them! I started making turtles years ago when I was teaching children they inspired me to. As a matter a fact the kids I was teaching were exactly the same age my son Judson is now. Those kids inspired me to think about my work differently. I was always so serious and didn't have fun with my work, I did then and still sometimes take my work a little to seriously. This is something I am always trying to not do to much I mean yes you have to to a point but if your not having fun with your work than what's the point? I always said I would rather pump gas at a gas station if I couldn't do what i loved (so forget for the minute that all the gas stations are self-serve and there's not future there for me) I guess my point is there has to be a little playfulness and fun in what I do too to make it the thing that gets me out of bed in the morning excited about what the day will bring. But back to those kids that helped me step back and look at creating in a fun care free way. Well now I got one of my own and he inspires me every day and makes me think about art, life and the way the world works. He dose all this just buy getting up in the morning, questioning things and going at life in a free way never saying i can't do that. Its more like this is how Im going to do that and make it work no mater what and all the while enjoying every minute. I love what the brings it to my life it reminds me not to take me, my work and life so serious, know its going to be ok, it will all work out and have a little fun along the way knowing that. Hey there an art to having fun and fun in creating art too.

One of the largest turtles will be going up at the live auction at the Zoo to Do on Saturday September 11th, so go out and bid if you can and bring some of the care freeness of the intrepid turtle home with you. He's at home where ever he is he carries it on his back where ever he goes, I like that about him too!
And yes all my turtles are sticking their tongues out, turtles have then you know....

6th Annual Potters Market Invitational

I've been getting ready for this show for the past few months check out this article on the Potters Market Invitational on the Carolina Arts Unleashed wedsite I am so looking forward to going back there this year. The market is the best place to see what's going on in North Caroling pottery today. it is the finest cross section of the diversity we have in this great clay state. Hope to see you at the Market!

Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity | Video on TED.com

Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity | Video on TED.com
I really liked Eat , Pray, Love OK there I said it! and I'm a guy I know but I like the way Elizabeth Gilbert thinks and writes. I also enjoyed her thoughts on creativity in this short monologue.