Here’s the monthly wrap up of everything going on at the studio…
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the dirt
Curiosities of Clay Comes Down
Just a reminder that today is your last day to see Curiosities of Clay at Stripe Design Group’s Men Store in downtown Santa Cruz. The show, which showcased work from the Specimen Series comes down tomorrow and the unsold pieces will return to the studio.
Can’t make it to see the show? Don’t worry, all the remaining available pieces will be up in the online shop or feel free to make an appointment to come by the studio and see them in person.
Thanks for supporting independent artists!
Thankful…
I love spending time outside in nature, it recharges me with creativity and clears my brain of all the daily clutter. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful that I can sleep outside under the stars, make food on a fire and walk miles with a pack on my back just for the fun of it all. And I am taking a moment today to send thoughts to those around the world that are doing it to survive.
Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving and hoping you get some time out in nature this weekend too!
New Work Available!
New pieces from my Rock Candy Series are now available in the SHOP! These were first exhibited at Open Studios this fall, now there are only 6 of these beauties left and at $125 each, they are priced to sell! The ceramic rock forms are affixed to locally found driftwood in intriguing compositions. Small enough to fit anywhere and big enough to make an impact in your space! The driftwood has a small hanger on the back so indoors or out, they can be displayed wall mounted or placed on a table surface to create a fantastic centerpiece. If you’re local to Santa Cruz County, order online and pick up at the studio for FREE!
You know that person in your life who is always collecting rocks and shells at the beach? They need one of these.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT ARTISTS!
Studio Pets…who keeps you company?
Artists spend sooooo much time alone working in the studio, so studio pets are essential for helping keep your sanity! I’m sure that I talk to our husky Indigo more than any human over the course of the day but that’s OK because she’s a fantastic studio companion, even if she drinks out of the clay bucket every once in a while. Our old dog Jack would spend so much in the studio being as close to my work area as possible that his black fur would look white by the end of the day with all the clay dust dropped on him. Our chickens have also grown up in the studio from little fluffy chicks until they’re ready for the hen house. They have provided for lots of inspiration to make clay chicken sculptures and get so much loving attention from all of my students. We also get visitor studio pets too, Francine the French Bulldog is Indigo’s best friend and she visits the studio weekly plus she likes to eat the clay too! So grateful for all these little creatures in our lives. Who keeps you company in your studio?
New Video!
I’ve just launched a new video on my You Tube channel! I’m making these pieces for a custom order and thought it would be a great opportunity to share the process. This is a quick time lapse video of me making a sprout form in the studio, the video is less than a minute long but the piece took about a 20 minutes to make. The next steps are for it to dry completely, be fired in the kiln for about 10 hours, then glazed and fired once more. I’ve made hundreds of these little sprouts to be used as the inside pieces of my Nest Series. A few of these pieces were also featured in the Fire & Water In the Field Series. I hope this helps you understand all the work that goes into making even the smallest of pieces. Enjoy the video and let me know what you think!
Why do I teach community clay classes?
I was recently asked why I teach community clay classes, as opposed to university level instruction. Well, one big reason is I don’t have the Master’s degree, so I actually can’t teach at universities. In the beginning, I thought I would go for the terminal degree for fine artists and get my MFA but after a few attempts in that direction, I finally made the choice to not pursue it. I realized that I really wanted to be my own boss, make my own schedule and share my clay experience with everyone, not just in an academic environment and I’m really happy with that choice. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve taught everyone from seniors to pre-schoolers how to make a pinch pot, roll a coil or add texture to a slab cup. I’ve worked in mobile classrooms in under-served communities and private classrooms in private schools. It’s been an amazing way to piece together an income for myself and I have learned that no matter what your background or experience level, everyone leaves clay class feeling pretty good about what they did.
As my own art career has launched forward, I’ve cut back on the number of classes that I offer at my studio but I know that no matter how busy the art world gets, I will always teach. Each week I welcome some of the most amazing and talented people into my studio space. I love that they are passionate about being creative and intrigued enough to try something new. What I hope that they take away from their time spent in my studio is an appreciation of what it takes to make something with your hands along with the confidence to try it, compassion for others creative ideas and a respect for the vulnerability of making something with your heart. Some of my younger students tell me that they are going to be artists when they grow up, which is sweet to hear but of course most of them will go on to do other things. So I’m not churning out the academic artists of the future here but what community clay classes create instead is art enthusiasts, supporters and collectors, and the world needs a lot of those kind of people!
Seed Pods for the Gardener on your List
Only 6 seeds pods remain in the shop (3 large and 3 medium) and they are the most unique gift for the gardener on your list. Let them dream of all the new spring growth with this perennial sculpture that will keep them inspired through the cold winter months. These pieces were inspired by the seed pods that I find while exploring the forest near my home studio. I like the idea that they seem to be hatching an unidentified new life form.
The surface of these pieces has been decorated using a wax resist process which enhances the depth of texture. Each piece is made from stoneware clay, hand-built and unique.
Work in Progress: New Shapes
I encourage my students to doodle with clay, especially when they’re stuck on an idea or just starting out with a new project, observers think that they’re just wasting time fooling around with a piece of clay in their hands but they’re not. I believe that three dimensional doodling is one of the most important things to do as a sculptor, it’s like sketching for sculpture. It’s when you go through the problem solving stage of making art, figuring out what you are doing, how you are going to do it, what surface treatments will be the most successful and maybe even start to figure out why you’re making these pieces. So I’ve been doodling these small smooth shapes for a few weeks now and the first batch just came out of the kiln. I’m not really sure what they are or what I’m going to do with them, they seem familiar yet are unidentifiable. The forms remind me of plastic toys, weird fruits or even microscopic sea creatures, I’m enjoying the bright color palette that they seems to be calling for too. They feel nice to hold in your hand during the making process and the final product, like a smooth stone. I have been thinking about creating multiples, boxing them up organized by shape or color like boxes of vegetables- all the same but each unique. I don’t know where this will lead, but let me know what you think and I’ll keep you posted on their progress.
Special Orders Coming Right Up!
I love making custom orders for clients because they get to be involved in the process of making the piece too. A lot of times they are asking for pieces in a style of work I’ve stopped making in my regular studio time, but I’m happy to revisit these styles- it’s like meeting up with an old friend. These two pieces just came out of the kiln and are from the Sprout Series I made in years past. I had a few people request them for custom work at this years Open Studios event, so I get to have fun making a few more.
If you saw something in my studio that struck your fancy, but maybe it was a little to big or the wrong color, let’s make one that’s just right for you!
Start by filling out a custom order form and we’ll go from there. I’m happy to work with you to make the perfect piece for you or a gift.