I don't know why but I decided to revisit and dust off my blog only to find out the last time I posted was in August 2013. So here I am again a year later. Maybe I should just make this an annual blog!

Along with seriously working and practicing my love of the clay arts, I went back to school last summer to pursue my dream of completing my degree. I got my AA  in Liberal Arts many (ahem!) years ago. Now I'm working towards a BA in Art History at ASU. I was never a very attentive student of history but am finding Art History quite interesting. Maybe it's because I have a different perspective (being "older") on history or because I've purposefully released the long suppressed artist in me, but I am finding the history part so much more interesting than I think I would have had I even considered this in my 20s. Without question there are areas of this study that I find a bit "pretentious". Art historians have their own language, which I find a bit much at times, but am required to learn it nevertheless, especially if I want to do well on papers. Sometimes the art we study in these classes is so over analyzed when all I want to do is just enjoy it for its beauty and to appreciate the skill of the artist.

I really wanted to pursue a degree in something related to the art world as that is what I am drawn to now and because it is about as far removed from the analytical health insurance industry from which I gratefully retired after 25 years. I am able to pursue the degree online which allows me the freedom to work on my assignments and in my studio on my own schedule. I couldn't imagine doing this if I had to be in the classroom several times a week. I have considered changing my major to Art Education since I love teaching others about the clay arts, but it would require a portfolio and actual attendance in the classroom. Both sound a bit daunting. I admit it. I fear having to prepare an actual portfolio, but would do it if I didn't have to go to class. Oh well, the point is to accomplish getting my BA. Something I put on hold years ago as I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. My career in the health insurance industry came along by accident, (as do many careers) and so that is where I stayed. Along with my husband and his career in the banking industry it allowed us to put all three of our kids through college. I can't complain.

Now I am joyfully retired and for the first time ever, consider myself an artist pursing my passion for clay and all things art related. I find myself picking up my pencil and sketch pad whenever I can and last week for the first time in years I painted in acrylics. It just makes me feel so good to create. It is almost a compulsion. When I was much younger and in college I wanted to pursue art as a major, but lacked the confidence. Plus, I just didn't have people encouraging me at that time in my life. So, instead I chose Liberal Arts. Life happens and you do what you need to do. I am on a different path now for what I hope will be many more years to come. I have no regrets. I am thankful and feel incredibly blessed.

It's December already

Here I am in December and unprepared as usual for the holiday season. You'd think being semi-retired I'd have all sorts of time on my hands, but I just keep filling my day with activities. It's not quite as enjoyable going out to the studio to throw when it gets cold and my pieces take days to dry unless I put them in front of my space heater. I'm also teaching a few ceramics classes (mobile paint-on-pottery) for Seniors, plus tutoring elementary kids once a week in the afternoon at The Rock at 32nd Street Community Center AND taking online classes through ASU to finally finish my degree after all these years.  I have to have projects and things to do, it's just part of my nature.

A couple weeks ago I finally took an afternoon to photograph some of my more recent pottery pieces and have posted a few. I am running out of room to store my pieces and really need to get serious about selling them. I find that part of this business to be the hardest. Promoting your own work is hard and goes against my nature. There is always the fear of being rejected and the work is so personal. I just need to put myself out there and do it. Why is it so hard. I have never been good at sales of any kind. Well I need to get over that, so today I finally had business cards made. It's a first step.

Been prolific lately in the studio and trying some new decorating techniques. I can't seem to settle on one path that I like when it comes to ceramics. I'm always trying something new. There is just such a huge learning curve when it comes to clay and so many ways to go. I haven't found the path I love the most. I enjoy the wheel and hand building and alternate both as I feel inspiration.

I recently made a large fish platter and left it on the mould too long so it cracked. I've spent countless hours fixing it with paper clay and finally had it bisque fired knowing it would crack again, which it did. I've been sealing the cracks with paper clay and plan to glaze and fire it. I am determined after all the work I've put into this piece that it will survive, even if it is only in my kitchen.

What's happening in the studio in 2013.

My last posting was a year ago and I wasn't consistent even before that. Now that I am not gainfully employed and am able to devote more time to my passion for ceramics, I am hopeful that I will be better at journaling. We'll see!

So what's been going on for the last year in my studio? I glazed my sculpture and am pleased with the way it came out. I posted a photo to compare with the before and after glazing. I also sold (actually donated) a dozen pieces pieces in a fund raising event at my church. It was exciting to see others enjoy my work and to know these favorites of mine are now being enjoyed and used by others.

Also since last May, I switched from a high cone 10 clay body to a cone 5/6 clay body. I did this because I needed access to quality, consistent glazes with  better firing results. Because I don't have my own kiln and rely on another studio for glazes and firings, I had to use what was available. I wasn't getting the desired results. Switching to cone 5 gave me more commercially prepared glazing options and I now use only glazes I've purchased or slips I've made myself. I haven't branched out into making my own glazes yet because until I increase my work volume, I'm not ready to invest in purchasing all the different chemicals and ingredients needed to make a glaze. 

I'm also still developing my own personal style. My pieces are all over the place and I keep trying different techniques not wanting to settle for one. I like throwing and hand building equally well and when I see a particular shape, whether in nature or elsewhere, I want to see if I can duplicate it. 

Anyway, now that I am not working full-time I have more than tripled my time  in my home studio. I hope for the first time this fall, I will actually be able to participate in at least one local craft show and sell some pieces.

I heard someone say recently that it takes a long time just to learn how to work with the clay; before you can ever get really good at making something. There is so much to learn first, so much trial and error. If you want to work with clay, you have to love the process. If you want instant gratification, clay is not the medium for you. I love working in clay and the anticipation of waiting to see if my next project will work. I've learned more from my failures than from my successes. 

My goal this summer is to spend more time in the studio, branch out in my decorating and glazing techniques, perhaps make a couple glaze recipes from scratch and keep my blog more current. Oh yes... get my own kiln.

My Sculpture

Here is a picture of the sculpture I did awhile back. I still haven't glazed it yet. I like it the way it is and until I decide what final glaze to use, it will stay this way.

My Studio & other stuff

I see it's been awhile since I've been here. Almost a year and I know why, because my day job has been crazy busy and I've been working a lot of long hours. As a result I was spending less and less time at my local pottery studio. So what does a busy person do... get busier setting up her home studio. 

About two months ago I bought myself a pottery wheel. Woo hoo! I 'd quit looking  for quite some time and then one day I decided to look on Craig's list and low and behold there was a brand new posting for a nearly new Shimpo wheel. Within a couple days, several gallons of gas later and a chunk of change, I had my wheel. 

My next challenge was to get it set up and start using it in my spare time.  (What? Spare time?) I've since got it up on a platform of sorts and am learning to throw standing up as the sitting part is not so good for my back. In all my business and poor opportunity to practice throwing, I seemed to have forgotten how to center the clay. I have more clay slop in the bucket than I do on the bat! What is up with this? I've decided I need some expert lessons again. All my video watching of Simon Leach have helped in many other areas other than centering. Oh how I wish I could get some hands-on lessons from him right now. He lives in the US now but I'm afraid traveling to Pennsylvania for a pottery workshop is a little out of my financial league right now.  Sigh..  

I've been alternately hand building and throwing as I love to do both. This past February I managed to take a long weekend with my friend and head to San Diego for a hand building conference. I got a lot of inspiration and ideas, but no hands on work. Next time, I'll sign up for the workshop afterwards. 

I've made a lot of progress though with getting my studio set up and organized. What started out as a decent size space seems be shrinking the more stuff I get and the more pieces I make. I'm learning how to keep track of my buckets of clay slop and recycle the clay. I made a plaster of paris form for drying out my wet clay so I can re-wedge it. I need another one now for my red clay. I've purchased tools from garage sales and websites and scrounged up pieces of scrap wood for ware board; purchased inexpensive shelving from Home Depot and even made my own shelves from the old stand by cedar blocks and pressed boards. Getting water into the studio has proved to be challenging as well. I have a sink in my garage nearby, but without a clay trap I can't rinse anything out in it. These means carting everything over to the other side of the house to rinse off what I can't from my water buckets. I did purchase a clay trap system to install myself, but of course it doesn't fit the way it's supposed to and will require a plumber to do the work.... Can't anything be easy?

Honestly, I thought having my own home studio was only a dream and now it is a reality, so I can't complain too much. I am used to getting by conserving water at the studio I was and still am frequenting for firings, so I know how to do this without the convenience of a sink and endless running water. Clean up takes more time and it is messier, but I can do it. Fortunately, being in AZ I have a lot of red rock in my back yard already so I can take my wheel tools and wheel well  and rinse out what's left into the rocks without too much problem. I recycle as much clay as possible and I'm getting pretty good at it.

Well, I will stop droning on and show you some pictures of my studio and at some of the pieces I've completed in the last year.  I hope to keep this updated a little more frequently.