What I learned from farming…. diversity

There were a few years in there between making pots and having babies where I farmed.  To survive as a farmer I learned a lot about diversity.  Not just to grow one crop,  but to grow many, including flowers (lots of them).  I learned to stagger my plantings, to have different markets, from wholesale to a CSA, to have chickens for meat, eggs and manure… etc.  It was a learning experience I now bring into my pottery. 

I laughed today as I photgraphed my tiny little garlic grating dishes.  Two days ago I photographed my large 12lb urns.  I thought man…. people who look at my blog must think I’m all over the place.  Well,  in one sense I am.  It’s the diversity thing.  The different markets… wholesale, retail, studio sales, galleries, web sales, farmers markets. The teaching… classes and workshops.  The making…  larger sculptural pots, to tiny dipping dishes, teapots, mugs, butter bells.  True utilitarian pottery, to pots that sit on a shelf, or at a memorial service for your loved one.  The one common thread is that they are all functional even those that hold flowers… (lots of them).

I’m sharing a photo of my finished garlic grating dishes, and another photo of them in process.  They are not yet on my website as they are quite new to me.  I made my first ones for my May studio sale and I having been making them for the farmers market.  I pretty much sell them as quick as I make them. They are a pretty neat item. The bottom of the little dish is a rough surface, (I use a colored slip).  You grate your garlic clove on this surface then you add olive oil, salt and pepper and wa la, instant delicious dipping oil.  I hear you can also grate ginger then add soy sauce for a sushi type dip. 

    

Making Cremation Urns

I started this blog back in Febuary, and have yet to talk about an important part of my business…. Urns … yes the kind you use for ashes of someone you have loved.  I have been making urns since 2004, in 2005 started my web based business.  Sales get better each year.  Take a look at my new page on my blog for more info, or go to my website for purchasing.

Here are some images of “pieces of new urns” as most potters, I love the pots in that leather hard stage.  I could not resist sharing just a little unfinished work!

      

Summer Distractions

 

The swimming hole… my sons… the friends.

My pottery………………  half done…

Here are some new trays I am working on, the size is approximately 5″x5″.  They are partially made from molds that I made and partially hand built.  I am very interested in patterns, (which I have be doing on my pottery for years.)  For a stamp, I use a metal bit which was discarded from the old Tap and Die industry here in Greenfield, Ma.  I impress the diamond or cross shaped bit into the leather hard clay. I repeat this over a number of times to create an overall pattern.  As you can guess this is quite a time consuming process, so I have made a mold of the patterns created.  I will glaze this in a green celadon glaze, where the transparency of the glaze will highlight all the detail.  

 

Transition Time

As a mother and a potter sometimes pottery takes a back seat.  Summer vacation is starting my boys are keeping me busy.  The last couple of weeks have consisted of lots of baseball games, field trips, end of year farewells, etc.  I always find it difficult, this transition time from kids in school, to summer vacation.  My work is a constant interruption.  Yet I know our children grow all too quickly and someday I’ll wish I could be sitting at a game!

As for the pottery I hope to have my new work photographed soon and up on my website.  Here is a sneak peek of my latest mugs and a very good baseball player named Luke Toritto (my oldest son)

Start of Summer at the Market

Last week I did the farmers market for the first time. I went with my berry bowls, garlic grater dishes, butter bells, flower vases and a sampling of my work that you can find at gallery/shops.  I would say garlic grater dishes were the hit of the day.  Sorry to those of you who expected me there today, but severe thunderstorms wind and heavy rains were predicted for the whole day… wouldn’t you know it, not much happened till later in the day….oh well live and learn, next time I will not listen to the weather reports and brave it out like the farmers!  Here is a photo of a customer checking out one of my sunny day mugs.

Thoughts on Pottery Workshops

 

I have been thinking about workshops, as I am preparing to teach workshops this summer.  Even though I have taught pottery for over twenty years I am just branching out to the workshop scene.  Workshops are a great way to get charged up… you walk away from an intensive couple of days, your mind filled with ideas…your just ready to make the most creative pots imaginable! 

I have been to many pottery workshops through out the years. The most recent was with Val Cushing. Val was one of my Alfred teachers… the man who taught me how to make good functional pottery.  When the Asparagus Valley Pottery Guild brought Val here for a workshop I couldn’t pass up the chance to sit with him again and soak in some of his wisdom and knowledge.  Well it ended up that I was his assistant for the weekend just like the old days at Alfred.  Back then I had a great work study job as Val’s glaze calculations lab tech.  

I have not seen Val in more than twenty years, never did I think I would be assisting him again. It was an blast from the past!  And so nice to be with this gentle, articulate and talented man again!

 

Pottery Buzzing

 

It’s been awhile since I last wrote…the studio is still a buzzing from the Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail.  I have been busy filling orders and restocking my supply of pottery.  This past two weeks I made more butter bells, berry bowls, garlic grater dishes, mugs, and vases.  Most of these items I will be selling at the local farmers market.  My friend and fellow potter, Tiff Hilton sells her pottery each spring/summer/fall at the market.  She asked me if I would fill in for her once or twice a month.  I thought that would be a great place to sell my farm related products such as butter bells, garlic keepers etc.  So my first farmers market gig is the next two saturday mornings, May 24th and 31st at the Greenfield Farmers Market, Main St. and Court Square.  Here is a photo of my butter bells… to find out more detail about these little wonders visit my website.

The Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail

The Trail was a great success!  My studio was a buzzing…hundreds of people visiting, asking questions, looking at the details of my pottery studio and buying pots.  One of my favorite things about studio sales is the very fact that a buyer can see how things are made, see an artist’s surroundings and ask questions.  It brings a little extra home with you….a little reminder of the experience every time you use the pot!

An exciting thing about the trail is building community.  We are nine potter’s living fairly close to each other living our separate lives, making our individual work (and our very different work). We come together for these couple of months to meet and plan for the Trail.  It’s not a competition, it’s really about cooperation.  I direct my customers to Tiffany’s for the stoneware dinnerware set, or Molly’s for the whimsical story pots, or Tom’s for the wood fired pots, and so on.  We really work together to make the whole experience for our customers a easy-going, fun-filled day!  

For those of you who came for the tour I hope you enjoyed it!

 

Crabbing in South Carolina

Yes, yes, it is crazy the week before the pottery trail vacationing in South Carolina, but heck, the kids were on April break and family lives down south.  So I finished all my work for the Pottery Trail and set up my studio as if the trail were last Saturday.  When I get home Friday I just have some last minute touches to do and I will be ready to greet people in my studio Saturday morning with a smile on my tanned, happy face!

 

 

 

 

Sunny day mugs

                                          

I’ve been making some new, very happy mugs to start your day on a happy note!