repose

work in progress for my upcoming solo show

I have been hunkered down and in my own head these past weeks. With a heavy show schedule ahead of me this summer and autumn I have needed time to think, without distractions and feeling like I need to explain this process...but here I am explaining it.

In the fast paced world we live in our mental bellies have expanded beyond capacity and it seems that the amount of information out there that we consume is unending. Admittedly I am very much a willing participant in this feeding frenzy. Lately I have felt overwhelmed with it all. Gorged. Too much to talk about, too much to see, too much to know. I kind of started to feel like I was drowning and that it was hard to get oxygen to my brain so I could think my own thoughts. Our own thoughts, a key and vital element to any creative person's life.

The amount of vigilance it takes to keep myself in the mix as well as simultaneously be creative can get extremely draining. I sometimes fear I will wear my own batteries out if I don't take time to let the machinery rest. I say this here because I think this is happening to people a lot yet we continue to be pulled in even when it is too much. As much as a person such as myself depends on people seeing what I do and make and wanting to know about me there is a point in which that in itself can begin to take away from the actual thing that I am trying to achieve, which is to make art.

washed brushes

So I have spent some time daydreaming (so essential for me). I have spent time running errands. I have gone on field trips. I've started going on runs again. I have worked in my garden. I have cooked myself some lovely meals. And I have planned vacations and breaks so I can visit a different reality other than my own (also very necessary for me).

I try to keep a gentle balance in my life. I am very much a person who is motivated by opportunity and projects but when too much starts to happen I can also shut down. Keeping things at a manageable pace and not making decisions based in fear like, if I turn down that order I won't be able to pay my rent, but based on how exactly it is that I want to live and what I can realistically manage. It is what I try to do though not always successfully. It is just kind of a sticky note on my brain. It's edges are curled and there are fingerprints and stains all over it but it stays there all the time.


So here's to letting the machinery rest friends!
See you all next week.

in the news & other adventures

My new Zsuzsi vase (named after my mom) with flowers from my garden

It has been a week and half since I last posted. Some of the time I spent relaxing and the rest of it working and doing my best to catch up on stuff. One of which was answering questions from the lovely Stephanie Levy for her new Friday series feature on her blog, A Studio With A View. I am honored to be the second Artist featured in this fabulous new series which looks like it's going to be a hit.
You can see it here.

Thank you Stephanie!

Also if you aren't already familiar with Stephanie's fabulous illustration and collage work you should check it out. It's fantastic.

Canteen Vase in Australian Home Beautiful
June 2008

Plus this week store owner Olivier Dupon of Lola et Moi in Sydney, Australia who carries my work so kindly sent me an image of this lovely feature with one of my canteen vases from current issue of Australian Home Beautiful magazine.

Thank you Olivier.

Wilfredo has many talents, one of which is riding atop my cart.
He makes unloading hundreds of pounds of clay much more fun.

And last but defiantly not least, one of the many things I did this past week, was take care of my favorite dog, Wilfredo. He comes to stay with me whenever his famous mom has to leave town. He is the cutest, most loving, sweet, funny and just downright adorable creature. Everyone who meets Wilfredo instantly falls in love with him. And he is most definitely a babe magnet...I get lots of attention from the boys when I am out with him plus we have all sorts of fun adventures when he comes to stay with me. Wilfredo also writes letters and sends photos to his mom while she is away (it makes her feel better about missing her boy). For some fun weekend reading you can see them here.


See you all next week with some new announcements.

Sunny Weekend Wishes to You All.

T*H*A*N*K Y*O*U

new cylinder vases
now available here


Wow, I can't believe how many of you showed up for the fourth & clay sale this weekend!
Saturday we had non stop lines extending the length of the gallery and studios.
And boy, you cleared me out!

Thank you all for coming and a special thanks to Victoria, Ahn-Minh and Jan for putting the word about the sale and to Josie for hosting the fabulous event and including me . I was able to raise a nice sum of money (see photo of me in action here...who knows what I am saying!?) to help my sister because of all your support. All my seconds were gone by the end of the day on Saturday except for a few little stragglers.
It was an amazing weekend and it's always so much fun to see you all and to hang with my beloved pottery posse.

Now I am officially pooped.
I feel like I haven't stopped since last October and come to think of it, it's true, except for a small jaunt to L.A. in February I haven't taken more than a day off since then. It is starting to catch up to me... I have had a sore throat that keeps coming back but never quite becomes a cold (a sign of exhaustion). So I am taking today off and hopefully will do some more relaxing this weekend. I will be filling my shop all week with some new goodies (like the vases above) and some of my new small vases as well. If I owe you an email I am slowly trying to catch up but do need to check out for a bit so please hang in there, I haven't forgotten you.
Oh and I forgot to mention I did add some new canteen vases to my shop so if you have been eying one for yourself or a friend you can find a few here.

S*A*L*E

my new vaza collection
will be for sale this weekend at fourth & clay


Come on out to fourth & clay this weekend for some great deals (we are selling off our seconds) and if you want some firsts we have those too!

fourth and clay
2390 4th Street @ Channing
Berkeley, California

Saturday (10-6) & Sunday (12-5)
May 3rd & 4th


See you there!