Hello November...

mid range electric flamingo fantasy...

I've been taking a bit of a break. That doesn't mean the rest of the world has, quite the contrary. In the past couple weeks or so since my last blog post a whole lot has happened. We have elected Mr. Obama back into the White House, which I am very happy to say, "I voted for him". I just could not relate to Mitt the corporate goon and his anti arts and education, conservative, republican agenda. After all, that's what I do...art and education...in fact that's what I have been doing in one way or another for a long time now and I could not sit back and simply NOT cast a vote against his politics. We also had a doozy of a storm not that far from me..."superstorm Sandy" was devastating to many, many people and I feel fortunate to have been just at the ends of its reaches...Pittsburgh was spared the major destruction and power outages. Besides these two major events, I have been busy packing boxes and shipping out pieces....numerous pieces to California ...they must really be into Etsy shopping...also had pieces go to New Mexico, Montana, Wisconsin, Louisiana, and even a couple to my friend in Norway! I love the fact that people will be drinking from or using my work in so many far away places. Heck, I even sold a 300.00 sculptural piece from a local gallery. Keep it comin' folks, there is plenty more. And, and this is a big AND, I am patiently(not really) waiting on my first ever brand spanking new kiln. I have had other electric kilns and they were either junkers or well used pieces of equipment that I acquired for cheap or free, but this one is NEW. Never been used... a KM1027 digital Skutt. I can not wait. This does mean a lot of changes to my work. I have always produced mid range electric fired work on the side but mainly concentrated on the wood fired pieces, well that is going to flip flop. The electric kiln will be used to make my main body of work and wood firing will become a luxury for me. I have included a few images of mid range work that I have produced in the last few years to give you some idea of what is to come.

damn fancy high ball cup...

large cone 5 landscape platter

Speaking of things to come, I will be showcasing a new "feature post" on my blog...interviews. These will be interviews with ceramic artists and potters that are flying just under the radar, not the big names or the trendy clay hipsters, but people who are consistently producing solid work or whom may be just on the cusp of something big. I am finishing my first set of questions and sending them to an artist that you should see...that you will see here and I am certain you will see way more of later. I will not reveal this person's name quite yet...lets let the anticipation build.

I hope you will embrace my new work the way you have supported the wood fired work...enjoy the images and I hope they give you a better idea of what I will be making. While I play the waiting game, I am throwing so that I can be ready with a kiln load when it arrives! In the mean time, I hope you are all safe, warm and dry out there.