Snake Jar

The battery in my camera is dead and between here and Montgomery we can't find the charger. So, I've managed to capture a few photos on my laptop using Photo Booth. These are a couple of new pieces I am working on, covered jar type forms.

Where there's clouds don't mean there's rain,

Tears in my eyes don't mean there's pain.

SNAKE JAR

etsy site launch monday

This cup, others like it, bowls, pitchers, drawings on paper, and a whole multitude of other new work from the studio will be available for sale exclusively on etsy for two weeks from Feb. 14th thru Feb. 25th.

on to the next one.

12 X 12

Well, I have spent the morn getting settled into my temporary home at Fork Mountain Pottery. This morning I decided to do a little 12 X 12 action...that is, 12 pots by Noon 12.

These were thrown off the hump (I don't even have an electric toothbrush, its good to have one if you are trying to throw off the hump...trust me) and they will be trimmed and a trigger handle will be put on them.

ROAR

Brick Clay

This is a picture from summer 2010 when Naldo and I were getting brick clay at the now shut down brick factory, General Shale here in Johnson City. It takes a lot of clay to make bricks.

Marketeer

Set up and ready for the market tomorrow in Marshall.

Thanks Michael for the 'peds'.

Books!

Newness

each working cycle produces new drawings, new forms, new ideas, a lot of new. After a good day at MK's I'm back home and trying to get through all the new work grading it, wet sanding, and pricing for the market this weekend!

From angry dogs to four-wheelin', this batch of pots have been interesting.

More photos later!

The Bear

Well, the firing went off last night about 9pm and I am hoping for good results! The pots from all the effort, concentration, and wanderlust that went into the kiln hinge on the final firing. It seems to me that a lot of people who work with clay like to have complete control of every aspect of what they make. I am no exception. However, when you fire, a kiln unfailingly takes on a personality of its own.

Unloading a kiln is similar to meeting a new and interesting person. There is a sense of familiarity, intrigue, and newness. Best analogy I've got for today.

Most importantly, this weekend is The Marshall Handmade Market! Come, chat, visit, and buy some of my wares, books, drawings, and other things.

First Bisque

Today was a flagship day! I loaded and started my first bisque in the new studio in preparation for the Marshall Handmade Market. My making has stopped for the next glaze firing, except for a few flasks I need to finish up tonight and get dry for the next bisque. Two bisques should be a good load for The Bear.

Wednesday I go to work for Michael as he is gearing up for a Thanksgiving firing with fellow Snow Creek potter, Courtney Martin in her wood kiln.

Then Saturday I fire The Bear.

Love and Peacefrogs,

John

Making

There is a chill in the East Tennessee air, the season is changing and the ground has been wet for several days. The only good thing about the temperature getting colder is that it indicates football season. I am making a lot of pottery and starting some new drawings and paintings for a (flat, 2D) show I have scheduled at the Millennium Center here in Johnson City come January (more to come on that).

I heard back from a couple of juried shows I entered recently. I got a piece in at Cape Fear Gallery in Fayetteville, NC - and I got 4 small bowls in a show in Bemidji, MN. YEAH!

In progress new work:

bowl me over

Bowl themed exhibit I sent this bowl to.

Lillstreet International Juried Exhibit

Lillstreet Gallery

Chicago, IL

CLICK HERE to see the rest of the show!

Kiln Build

A lot of long days and the kiln has been built and filled with eager pots from everyone on the crew. Now we fire!

Soda/Salt National

Summertime Slip

Master Mugs

In celebration of my recent graduation I decided to do a series of mugs honoring the grandfathers and grandmothers of art. There are about 30 mugs that feature famous paintings, drawings, sculpture, architecture, and photography. I call the series Master Mugs.

Artists in these pictures include: Dorothea Lange, Edouard Manet, Georges Seurat, Jacques-Louis David, and Paul Gauguin. This first collection of high art mugs ranges from the Venus of Willendorf to Jasper Johns. I was not interested in "copying" the images completely, some of them are cropped, edited, combined, and altered. The exciting thing to me about this project is that I can pick and choose how I want to show these masterworks...on a coffee mug.

Bikers

Canked is set up, I am happy with how everything came together... now getting ready for the opening reception this Friday from 6-8pm, downtown Johnson City. I have exciting news that there will be approx. 1,000 bikers on main street friday night, main st. runs perpendicular to the arts council.  At 5:30 they are doing a "blessing of the bikes" THAT IS CANKED! I can't wait, and hopefully a few leather-wearing folks will mosey into the arts council to see the show.

Other news: I dropped off pots to be on display at the Penland Gallery. This is big news for me, as I am thrilled and feel honored to have work represented in the same building as some of my favorite artists and potters.

Other other news: I received word that I will have work featured in the upcoming 500 Vases book. Look for it at your local booksellers in Fall 2010, then buy it and put it on your coffee table.

I feel very blessed for the good things that are happening and new adventures to come. His banner over me is love.

side project of the day: Kiln tear down/rebuild/excavation

Fangol

The exhibit of my pottery called Newfangled will be up at the Reece Museum until April 22nd. Then my paintings will go up. The painting show is called Casual Geometry.

I just got back from NCECA and had a great time!

Children are like Arrows

Me speaking to a group of 5th graders from a local public school in Johnson City at the Reece Museum last week about my pottery.

The other side of this pitcher pictures a quiver full of arrows. This piece is in response to the Scripture- Psalm 127:4-5:

4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are the sons born in one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man

whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame

when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Like a lot of Scripture, this can be interpreted in different ways, but it is powerful to me because it is such a lucid analogy. Also, if you take another step, you could imagine filling your quiver with different sorts of things like being prepared, taking care of business, being on time, having positive words, having initiative, being dependable, etc.

As long as you don't fill your quiver with negative things, then blessed is the man whose quiver is full!