Tricky Arbols de Vida

Making leaves quickly...

They have to be dry-ish in order to use them...

Building flat is important...

Wet clay has to be added to wet clay...

Both pieces are still wobbly...

They firmed up a bit over night...

More steps ahead...

Have a Heart

These are for the wall piece cabinet...

Starting out with balled up clay...

These are simple, decorated pinch pots...

Using some tools, stamps, and sprig molds...

Making some flowers...

Made another little head, while the hearts firmed...

All done, just more drying needed...

Thomas Hardy Odyssey

Thomas Hardy is one of my favorite authors. But, I haven't read any of his books for quite some time. So, this school year, I'm going to revisit a Thomas Hardy novel each month. One day, I hope to visit his home, Max Gate, in Dorset. Sounds like a great field trip for next summer, or the summer after. Think of how amazing it would be to sit in Thomas Hardy's study! Here is the preliminary reading schedule, subject to change or to random whim, of course:

September: The Woodlanders

October: A Pair of Blue Eyes

November: Far From the Madding Crowd

December: Tess of the d'Urbervilles

I'm hoping to continue on with my usual book club, as well. We'll see if I'm up to the task!

Farewell to the Booth Babe

Our neighborhood is full of recyclers...

I've made a decision that I am not going to sell my work from an outdoor booth anymore. I had a very heavy and cumbersome booth set up, once upon a time. It looked nicely rustic, and involved a combination of real furniture display cases, and sawhorse and plank tables. The real furniture is now in my home. The display cases are full of books and nick-nacks. But, the planks and sawhorses, and the ginormous heavy standing panel, were in my garage. I have not used them for about six years.

In order to clean out the garage, and to make room for my car, scooter, two bicycles and the kiln, stuff has got to go. So, I lugged out my booth pieces, and set them out on the corner lawn sweet spot. These set a speed record. Within 42 seconds, a man named Juan drove up. He owns an auto repair and restoration shop. He asked if he could go get his pickup truck and take everything. I offered to stand out with the "stuff" while he was gone, so it wouldn't disappear before he got back. When we loaded the heavy panel board into his truck bed, it was a perfect fit! It was meant to be. Juan gave me his card, and told me that he'd happily detail my car in exchange, at any time.

And, now it's off to get making, out in the shed, feeling lighter and more free! Juan's happy (although he did have to see me in my pajamas with bed hair), and I'm happy...

Eugene wants no part of this activity...

I've given away so much stuff from this very spot...

Juan finally arrives in his truck...

Look! A perfect fit...

Saved this lady from off of the panel...

Nepenthe Afternoon

Spent the morning and afternoon at Nepenthe, Big Sur...

Had a great day of conversation with Liz Crain...

The Pacific fog moved away and back during lunch...

It's nice to talk about art, and making in general...

It's good to mull over what we're doing with clay...

My Dream of Heaven

Johann Sebastian Bach

Last night, I attended a chamber concert as part of the Carmel Bach Festival. I got there a little later than I would have liked, and my seat was located midway down the nave. Because I couldn't see the musicians up close, my mind started wandering. I started thinking about a dream that my dad had last week, which he shared with me. The dream was long and complicated, but he saw my mother. Everything was white, and my mom looked like she did when she was 25 years-old. She was dressed in white.

With all of the Bach playing, I started imagining what my personal version of heaven would look like. It definitely wouldn't be a white room. My heaven might be designed by Antoni Gaudi, or by artisans from the Byzantine Empire, or by the Moors in Southern Spain. My vision of heaven would be definitely colorful. And, there would be music by Beethoven, or Handel, or Bach. Or, better still, Dvorak, and Brahms.

There would be dogs and other pets. There would be other animals who had passed on, too. Especially squirrels and birds. And, there would be loved ones and family everywhere. All of the people that we ache for and miss, who have passed on before would be there. And, they would be their best selves. Alberta, my grandma, especially.

When I was in second grade, my teacher read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl aloud to us. I liked it so much, that I bought the book, and read it at home, too. I remember thinking that the description of the large room with the minty grass meadows, and the chocolate stream, sounded heavenly. It was my favorite part. A landscape made entirely from candy is certainly my childhood version of heaven. 

After these rambling thoughts, I started paying closer attention to the music being played. The group was fantastic. They were feeling the music. Bach's work seems like decorative lace, with repetition and delicate pattern. I am grateful to the city of Carmel for presenting such a soul soothing festival each year.

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Basilica San Vitale, Ravenna

The Mezquita, Cordoba

Call Me.

Percy took an all-day nap...

I started cutting out some slabs from a pattern...

There are a lot of pieces...

And, the handsets will be tomorrow's project...

Construction starts on the telephone bases...

The new awning provides some shade...

Assembling the rest of the pattern pieces...

I added the rotary dials, and some features...

Priorities

Sometimes it's hard to decide what matters most in life. There doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to get everything done. I'm knee-deep in my primary summer job: preparing art work for Open Studios in October. There are suprisingly many demands on my time during this summer season. Usually, I ignore most of them and power through, in order to get the work done. Also, it feels enjoyable to make things. There is a pleasurable creative flow.

But, many things get ignored with this compulsive behavior. Ah, the cares of daily life, they are many! The backyard is like a jungle, and this year, I've tried to start attacking the blackberry brambles. Boy, do I wish that I'd chipped away at the weeding all along. My friendships suffer during the school year, and now they're suffering during the summer as well. I need to try harder with friends and acquaintances, but it's tough to schedule activities, while keeping the flow going.

Creativity needs to be fed. Sometimes I get busy and forget this. Conversations, day trips, museum visits, and other activities are important to me as a creative person. I guess that the "B" word needs to come into play here: Balance. You probably thought I was talking about the other "B" word...

Clay Newbies

These guys are being told to behave their best...

My niece, Erin, teaches her kids a new topic each week. So, this week, they studied about sculpture, and visited my house. We learned about the ceramic process, and made some small projects. Afterward, we went to the park to unwind. It was a treat to work with all of them. They had surprisingly long attention spans and interest levels. I can't wait to fire their work, I know that they'll be excited to see the changes that happen to clay when it's fired.

Tried to set up little work areas for Gabe and Andy...

Ben is almost one, and didn't sit much...

Andy asked really good questions about clay...

Gabe liked glazing, and visiting the park...

Ben seemed to enjoy the dogs most of all...

We made rattles, pinch pots and glazed plates...

At dusk, I started back in on the awning project...

And, these guys cleaned up...