tea bowls & birthdays

hand pinched footed tea bowls 4"x 3.5"
available here

Starting, Monday, October 1st I will not only be celebrating my birthday but also participating in the first ever virtual street market hosted by the lovely Jan at Poppy Talk. She has invited over 75 artists and designers from all around the world to participate in the event. I am honored to be in the first round of chosen Artisans and will have a table up at the market. The market runs throughout October and the merchandise on the tables will be updated as it sells so it will always be fresh.

My tea bowls above are just one of the many items that will be available from my table. Quantities are limited for each item so check back here first thing Monday.

I can't think of a better way to start my new year!

keeping order

I am behind on everything friends. Not a good time of year to be running behind. I am doing all that I can do... My days start early and end late and still I can never accomplish enough.

I spent most of my day yesterday setting up my slab roller. After I got it up and standing I realized that I had put one part of it together incorrectly and had to take half of it apart and put it all back together again. I do all of this myself. No boyfriend/husband/partner here to help, no interns, just lil' ol' me. No need to feel bad for me, I am quite content doing things myself, never the less things seem to take longer than I anticipate and if something goes awry it is up to me to fix it.

So if you are waiting on something from me, please know that I have not forgotten about you. If you have sent me an email and I haven't answered it, I have been away from my desk most days (and some nights), but I haven't forgotten you. Really right now the only thing that is in order is the disorder of all that I have to get done. I am doing my best to keep up and stay happy and though the keeping up part has fallen a bit short the happy part is right on schedule.

Have a great weekend all!

a red & blue day

Yesterday was all about red and blue, well more aqua than blue really. I did not plan it this way. Only as I was uploading my photos at the end of the day did I realize the prevailing color theme.
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A very special guest came to visit me at my new studio. She came all the way from Vermont...My buddy Luara Zindel! She's visiting the Bay Area and I had the honor of hosting her as my very first visitor in my new studio.
(Notice my red and blue shirt-apron combination).
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The red and blue theme continues as I leave my studio only to happen upon this truck parked in the parking lot with this fabulous graffiti painted on it's side.

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I was not thinking about the red and blue theme of the day when I took this shot. I was just immediately drawn to it. Now what does the red graffiti say? At first I thought it said ROMEO but that second letter looks more like an E to me than an O. If you have it figured out please do share!

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And then last but not least this lady, who I am calling Comparative Indicator, came out of my Drawing Room yesterday. The newest addition to my collection of drawings for my upcoming show, Folklore, at the Candy Store.

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And what colors did I choose to clothe this this lovely lady in?
Yup you guessed it, red & blue, well aqua actually.

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a little order

I have spent the past few days moving into my new studio. Many thanks to my friend Cheryl for helping me with the heavy lifting and the mind bending physics it took to figure out how to get my desk through the doorway. Girls are great when it comes to moving. We don't compete for who can lift the most and when something doesn't work we use our brains (and not our brawn) to figure out a solution. Don't fret boys, nothin' beats you and your wonderful muscles.

I spent all of Saturday organizing all my bottles of glazes and whatnot, figuring out where the best place for the shelving to go, the work tables most advantageous position and coming up with space efficient solution for a casting table. I was going to have one built but after giving it some thought I figured out a better and cheaper solution. Ikea to the rescue! I will show you what I came up with once I set it all up. Whoa, and have a look at all them there molds. I made all those babies myself. I love them all stacked so neatly on my pretty new shelves. I put up my favorite picture of Ganesha who has graced every studio I have ever had (except for the one I was just in...no wall space to hang him). He is the remover of obstacles and hell, I need all the help I can get for removing obstacles in the studio. I put him over the casting area thinking maybe he might do some extra time and be the helper of lifting heavy molds as well. Beneath him is my collection of wooden paddles that I have gathered over the years and of course my test tiles hanging there on the wall like tantalizing pieces of candy.

I have tricked you a bit, only showing you the most organized corner of the studio. I still have a lot more situating to do. It it is going swimmingly though and I already feel happier in my beautiful light filled studio. I'll be back soon with more details of my progress.

For now happy Monday friends!

first class

11"x 9"
charcoal, gauche, screen printed ephemera on used cardboard envelope

I want to share you a little secret about myself with you...I have often fantasized about becoming an illustrator but have been so busy being a Ceramic Artist that I usually push those thoughts from my mind. So yesterday when this lovely lady wrote to me and said I was featured on IF, it made that fantasy real for me. Even if it is only for a brief moment. By the way thank you Melanie!


Do you do things you are not supposed to be doing when you have impending deadlines? Kinda like when you were in school and you would clean your apartment when you needed to be studying? We all know about that one. Well you know what I did yesterday...I made a pillow. Yes, with all that I am SUPPOSED to be doing I get a hair up my butt and decide, hey wouldn't it be a good idea to sew myself a little pillow... After all I have this pretty new fabric that I bought in New York when I went to visit my good friend Molly at Purl Patchwork. And that is what I did with my day yesterday friends. Really now, don't look to me for inspiration, unless it is pillows you want to be making. By the way, the pillow turned out very pretty.

Now I am really going to the studio. I swear!

p.s. Does anyone ever have problems with Blogger not letting you readjust your font? I got stuck with this italic version of my post. Did not want to deny you the pleasure of this post just because Blogger won't cooperate with me.

get in line

I wanted to pop in and show you that I am still up to ceramic no good...This little grouping is a commission that I just finished for some very lovely people in Washington State. The couple whom I made these plates for have a farm and wanted twelve salad plates that represented the farm so I did a series of fruits, flowers and branches for them. They have put together a table setting of mix and match work from various Ceramic Artists. I love this idea! For me it is like I will be sitting down in the company of the guests at their table AND also amongst peers and fellow Artists as well.

I am starting to prepare my new studio space for my big move. I have to admit that it has been difficult for me to focus on work while at my studio with my impending move. I keep catching myself daydreaming about where I will put my tables, should I or shouldn't I paint the shelves white, etc. Joy of all joy's I will finally have a large wall to hang work and put up my little bits of inspiration. I have been crammed into a very small amount of space for a number of years now. I have made the best of it but lately I have been spilling out everywhere so the extra space all to myself is not only necessary but super exciting as well. I'm gonna make it nice and organized and pretty too!

Off to work now...Happy day all!

do not bend

11" x 9" charcoal, gauche, screen printed paper and ephemera on cardboard envelope


Dear Friends,
I am afraid to admit (though I know you are all already quite aware) that I have been so very absent from my blog these days. The reasons are many and none. Changes are happening in my creative life, really nothing major, just a gentle shift that has been organically occurring in the past few months. Growing I think...yes I am growing. The new drawings that I am working on (see above) mark the transformation that has been taking place. No fears, the ceramics are still the loves of my life, I am just spending a little more time with my little kerchiefed ladies these days. I hope you won't mind spending a little more time with them too.

And on the more mundane side of things I am moving into a new studio space next weekend! It is literally five feet from my old space (through a doorway). Never the less it means a major transition and a LOT more space for me. It is bright and airy with a window, yes a window people... a very coveted commodity when it comes to studio space. So here is a before picture of the new space.

I will keep you posted on the after as well.

Happy Weekend Everyone!