a fond farewell

The west coast pottery gals, as Whitney likes to calls us, the Pottery Posse, had a farewell dinner for our friend and fellow potter Christa Assad.

me (left) and whitney (right) enjoying dinner

Our gatherings are always fun and we all have a chance to catch up with one another. There is always plenty of wine to drink along with a homemade meal by whomever is hosting the party, this time by the ever beautiful and talented Sara Paloma.

Sara lit just about every candle in her Ikea tea lite bag though most spectacular was Sara's Disco Ball, it sparkled and gleamed and cast spots of light all over her beautiful home making it seem like we were having dinner in the stars! (see my last post for a picture of the Disco Ball)

We bounced Sara's beautiful daughter on our knees and talked about all things pottery and as usual, boys. It never changes does it!?

Rae bouncing Sara's beautiful babe

talking shop left to right; Sara, Whitney, Rae & Christa

Christa is off to the Kansas City Art Institute to teach ceramics to some very lucky people. Christa is an amazing potter and well on her way to the Pottery Hall of Fame.

We are all so very happy for Christa but also sad as it is never easy to lose one of the Posse. Best of luck Christa, knock 'em dead! We sure will miss you! sniff, sniff.

Diva Dinner

Last Sunday night (a week ago already!) I hosted a dinner at my place for the ladies I like to call the West Coast Pottery Diva's. Seated at my dinner table were four amazing, talented, gorgeous women; Sara, Christa, Whitney and Rae (and myself, guess that makes five). A couple times a year one of us hosts a dinner at our home. It is a chance for us to catch up with one another, eat good food, drink wine and to use all the lovely pottery we have collected from our ceramic making friends. It is also an opportunity to exchange hot tips like, how to pack ceramics efficiently with corrugated cardboard (fascinating, I know!) and where to get the best deal for boxes. I know I am making you jealous with all this cardboard talk. We talk about other things too. Sarah has a brand new baby, (she was filling a one hundred piece order right up until she went into labor!) and well okay, we talk about boys… but not too much, well maybe a little more than I am letting on. Through the ups and downs of life, baby having and boy drama, all of these ladies never stop making their work AND they support themselves solely with their Art. Very Impressive! I feel the cross connection between Artists is essential to survival in a profession where one must carve out their own path. There are times, serious times, when I have wanted to throw in the towel and say “I give up, it’s too difficult, I am poor, I am heartbroken, I am overworked …” then one of these ladies will simply say “you can’t give up.” They understand how hard it can be but they also know that the benefits far outweigh the hardships. I know that I am not alone and so what I do becomes something larger than myself and the work I make. As a group we share common agenda; to make our Art, to make a living with it and to enjoy our lives while we do it. Without these ladies (and many others) I don’t know if I would have lasted as long as I have as an Artist. It’s because of people such as them I am able to feel validated and that the so called impossible task of supporting oneself with their Art actually is possible, very possible. Thank you ladies, I am humbled and inspired by your talent, your passion for your work and your downright loveliness!