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.

Working late on a beautiful night

The air is cool and thick with that humidity that hangs in the air in central North Carolina this time of year, its cooler than usual for a late August night. A night like tonight just made me want to savor every moment while the crickets and frogs music kept me company as I worked to well after midnight. Under the glow of a bright moon you can feel the calmness of the night, there's something about it that centers me in the moment.

Turtles!!

OK so I know they don't look like much now but they are in fact turtles. When I make them they are all up side down then after there bellies are on and they dry a little bit I can flip them and do the carving and sculpting of the faces. They are so much fun to make!! I feel connected to every one the make. They make me feel like a kid again. I think thats why I make them, Im smiling inside when Im working on them, that and I think in a past life I was a turtle....
I'l post some more pictures as the progress continues.

Mixin' clay

I spent the day mixing clay. I usually use my blunger, make slip then let it dry in wooden forms with wire mesh on the bottom in a cloth sheet. Then it takes two to four weeks until the clay dries out to a workable constancy (this depends lot on the wether). But I'm in a time crunch with the Mint Museum Pottery market approaching I needed some more clay and I needed it now. So I am again so glad I live here in the Grove with helpful neighbors willing to lend there clay mixer. This morning I loaded up my truck and drove on down the road mixed about 800 pounds of clay some for tiles and some for throwing. And now Im set for a bit. I'll mix slip in the next few weeks so I can stay on track and a little ahead so then maybe I wont have to take my clay for a drive around the neighborhood!

In print

The new book by Angelica Pozo Surfaces Glazes & Firing is out and there is a nice image of my work in it!! I called the grouping of bowls "mess of bowls" its in the slip gallery.
I used to do quite a bit of slip trailing, lately I have been painting more and more but looking at this image I have a hankerin' for throwing some slip on some pots! I thing I need to get messy soon with some wonderful fluid slip trailing, boy do I make a mess when I work with slip and its so much fun too!

Potters for peace

The sale for the Seagrove Potters for Peace was on saturday, I made 25 tea mugs I still have several left. I will have them in the shop until the are gone. Check out the website to find out more and if anyone would like one I would be glad to ship one or more. Just give me a call or drop buy the shop if your in the area. This is a great cause so do what you can and get a great mug for $20 and help the cause.

Seagrove Potters for Peace

I along with twenty four Seagrove area potteries will be hosting the Seagrove Potters for Peace a fundraiser for Greg Mortenson's Central Asia Institute. Which builds schools in remote, impoverished areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan as a long-term solution to terrorism. Each pottery has produce a unique item, specially signed for this event. The pottery will be for sale at the individual shops on Saturday, August 14 from 9am to 5pm. Some potteries will also have copies of Mortenson's books for sale.

For the event this year I have made 25 mugs that are inscribed, "SPP"(Seagrove Potters for Peace) and stamped with a peace sign. The mugs are $20 each of which 50% of the sales will be donated to help Greg Mortenson build schools. There will be no early sales, but any remaining items can be ordered by email or telephone on Tuesday, August 17.