More new work, finally

New work from June, July and August... I finally had time to photograph!

President Jimmy Carter!

So, you are all aware that the DNC is happening in Denver this week. And if you aren't, open a newspaper, please.

Anyway, so one of the dignitaries that is making an appearance is President Jimmy Carter. I'm bringing this up, not just because I like peanuts, but because on Wednesday, Carter, his wife and a few other delegates are taking time out of their busy schedules to plant some trees in Aurora. Specifically at Bicentennial Park, home of the Bicentennial Art Center where I teach!
No, I won't be able to go as the Secret Service is closing the center for safety, but if you watch your local or national news, I'm sure you will see some footage of Carter et al. planting trees and if you look carefully you may see the BAC, a small brown building with perhaps a mural on the side, which is where I work!

So stay tuned and keep your ears open! Its day one of the DNC and things are already crazy!

Abject loathing: a story of my feelings

So again, no posts for a month and then this.

Today was the worst day of retail I've worked. It was our 'Denim Event' with low low prices and even lower customer IQ's.

My question is this: What is so hard to understand about '3 pairs of jeans per customer'?

No, you may not get in each line and buy 18 pairs of jeans. No, you may not have 3 boys, 3 girls, 3 mens, and 3 womens jeans. No you may not give the lady behind you 20 bucks to buy your 4th, 5th and 6th pairs of jeans.

And finally, when I call you on cheating (ie breaking the rules and in essence stealing) don't call me stupid, interrupt me and talk down to me; don't glare at me and keep insulting me because I didn't let you get your way; and you better not lie to me and tell me 'I'm just holding these for a friend' when I saw you buy them 20 minutes ago in another line.

I'm not stupid, and telling you the rules is not a sign of stupidity. Your refusing to listen to them and interrupting me and shushing me and treating me like crap is unacceptable.

Hi there! I work retail, but I'm still human and have feelings. Calling me names and treating me poorly is not right. Part of me wants you to come back to the store, just so I can so everything in my power to give you as hard a time as you gave me today... oh yes, karma's a killer, and you will get yours!

Can you tell 9 hours at The Shirt Folding Store took it's toll today?
Maybe I'll get some photos taken of my recent-ish work and get those posted later this week. That will at least be happy!

Month off

ok, so I've been slacking, but at least I've come back with some fun stuff!
More to come, as soon as I search the internet in all my free time...
:)

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?

I liked Feist before, but this...
Genius, simply genius.

Vacation

finally a week off
i'm very glad, and ready for a change of pace
can't wait to see the kiddos in Chicago
hooray!

one year!

I've been in Denver for one year now.
Kinda hard to imagine, but it's true.
It's been good. I've learned a lot about myself. Got a decent job. Found out that the mountains look pretty in the snow. Found out that I love clay more than I thought. And made some good friends while I was at it.
Now, at one year, I realize that I also have some goals that I need to set, like a timeline for getting back to grad school. But that too, will come.

more new work...

more new stuff that I've made in the last two months....

Shino Tumbler: 1 of a set of 8

Set of 8 Shino glazed Tumblers... really happy with how the set came out.

Silhouettes: a raku piece, incised design with white crackle glaze on the background
heavy reduction with shredded newspaper (gives the best blacks I've found)

Alexander: another raku piece... not sure though about this one. the text at the bottom reads 'When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept... for there were no more worlds to conquor'

Bracket Fungi II: stoneware with glazes... like this one, but I think the fungi are too glossy... not natural enough.

Bracket Fungi III: porcelain with iron oxide rub exterior and mason stains, and glazed interior
I kind just wanted to see if porcelain would be able to make it... and I do like it.

Bracket Fungi III: stoneware with oxide and stains, glazed interior
like this one a lot... I'm happy with the amount and flow of the lines of the fungi...

Bracket Fungi IV: stoneware with oxide and stain exterior, glazed interior
This is the tallest of them so far, and I did barely oxide on the exterior, but I did add the mason stain to the fungi... I like the look of it, but the only down side is that there is almost no differentiation between the vessel and the fungi... I think that it has the cleanest lines of all so far, and looks closest to what I was going for.

Bracket Fungi IV: detail

saddness in my heart

I just heard about this. It makes me sad.
I know his work was kinda out there, but it was very influential and new and interesting.
And I got to install the Rauschenberg show that came to Calvin's gallery. So I guess there's a little extra connection there.


procedural stuff

So today I have an appointment with the city nurse.
This is one of a few steps in being hired by the City to teach ceramics classes.
I'm not worried about it; apparently its a hearing test, a check to see if I can lift 50 pounds, and I get to pee in a cup.... woo.
But at least I'm on my way!

hmm

I have a giant puffy lip.
the upper one to be exact.
it is swollen from some unknown cause.
Bee thinks it may be an allergic reaction from something I ate.
but that's my only symptom, nothing else.
Just a giant, puffy, upper lip.
I took Benadryl in the hope that it would deflate.
I look like a doofus.

Enough said.

Woo!

Well, I got good news today!
The promotion I knew was kind of in the works, finally went through and was approved by the district manager and her boss (welcome to a month of bureaucratic figuring out!)!

So while I'm not sure what the entire job will entail, I know that next week I'll be opening the store by myself and trying to keep things in order while I'm in charge!

So while things will be a challenge for a while, it should be good and kind of fun.

back in Denver

Well, aside from a little bit, ok a lot, of turbulence, my flight got back to Denver ok. It is nice to be back in Denver, where I have a bed and bathroom of my own (but thanks Alisha and Chris, and Scott for use of yours!!) and there is a nice comfortable familiarity to ones own bed.

My trip was in a word, wonderful. I got to see friends that I didn't realized I had missed as much as I had. I got to see family, including Kim's new house! and hear Mike's proposal story. And I had WAY too many dinners out. :) Not that they weren't appreciated!!!

The art show was amazing, and I am so proud of all the work that the BFA grads had done. It was amazing to see all the work in the gallery and get a little glimpse into the art I've missed being made.

I also got a shot in the arm and a great pep talk and critique from Anna, and there is no doubt in my mind as to the direction I need to keep going in... back to gradschool. Hopefully it will be sooner than later, but one day at a time is all I can do.

all my bags are packed

I'm ready to go!

I'll be spending the remainder of this week in Grand Rapids.
I have lots of plans to visit friends, visit family, see some art, trade some art, and a lot more.
This is my first break from working since I started last June and I am ready!!!

I plan on taking lots of pictures, and will post the fun-ness when I return.

I am so excited!!

more work

Just a few more pieces that have come out of the kiln in the last month.

Two mugs... made 5 total, but 2 photograph better

'Roots'

Shino and Black glazed tumbler

Not sure what to call this one... and not sure what I feel about it.
I think I like it, but I'm not sure.

Faceted vase

Small Bowl with very colorful glaze... not sure I care for the glaze...
it's pretty, but not me I think

'Cells'

'Flagella'

Bowl with carved circles
looks like a chocolate chip cookie to me in this photo...

Some functional, some sculptural, some in between.... let me know what you think.

haiku

on my feet all day
now very tired and sore
glad to be back home

new work

here they are... let me know what you think... I need feedback. They are in the order that I made them...

'Barnacles' H:10 in

'Bracket Fungi' H:10 in


'Limpets' H:5.5 in


'Divide' H:10 in

'Barnacles II' H:5 in

an odd day

Talk about an odd day. Driving to work early this morning, it was raining; not a lot, but a definite drizzle. By my lunch break it was snowing just a little between the sunbeams. When I left for the day, it was sunny and warm. When I pulled into the gas station to fill up, it was snowing again, this time hard... I mean lots of big flakes, and blowing all over the place.

When I got home, this was the view from the front porch.

And taken two seconds later, the view from the back stoop.

Can you guess which way I'm hoping the weather system moves?!

[LATER] And tonight, driving home from the pet store (I was running low on fish food) there was fog. Heavy fog. And lots of it... reminded me of MI days...

Some days

Some days, I'm just really tired.

And next week, with two 4am's and a couple of 6am's will probably be just as tiring.

But that's the way it is, and I better just get used to it for a while!

Oh, and good news, in a week, after our crazy shipments are over, I'm meeting with my manager to discuss 'the next step' in his words, which means possible promotion and/or pay increase! Woo!

Enjoy what's left of your weekend... I know I will, because 4am Monday morning will come around too soon!

a list

things that made me laugh in the past few days:
- the 'ladies' at Potter's Guild on Tuesday night telling me not many men last working with them in the evenings. this after a 30 minute discussion of menopause and the temperature of the room.
- the dog last night, upon receiving new toys and a new kennel pillow. hopefully she will not destroy the pillow in a day or two.
- finding Mighty Morphing Power Ranger valentines to give to my coworkers for only $1.99. at least they were better than 'Bratz' valentines.
- the way in which the weather can be sunny and 60 degrees in the afternoon, and cool down and snow later that evening.
- Hal the cat chasing shadows.
- emailing my friends and catching up on how things are.
- attempting to explain what I'm doing with my ceramics to other people at the art center. 'But that's a lot of work for a vase' or 'How many hours did you spend on that?'