Considering candlesticks

There are less then two weeks till the Craft Boston Holiday and I ran out of clay. It is the clay goddess that is constantly teaching us potters patience. But clay is what I love and the amazing part of it is it can be found right outside my door. Well almost.

It comes in these neat 50lb boxes from Sheffield Pottery Supply. 

And then strewn into my vehicle.

It does actually start from here. Cool eh?

Of course I couldn't resist the colors.
And I do have a thing for those little orange sponges. 

Actually, it's a long story, but sponges are a slightly annoying part of my process. Those of you who have taken my workshop will know what I'm talking about.

Candelabra found on This Next. 

As we get closer to the Holidays, I have been trying to come up with something new and fun to make and new fun to buy this December. At the beginning of the month of November many of us lost power due to wet heavy snow on trees that still had their leaves. My roommate was prepared with candles, but we ended up rigging ways to keep the candle sticks upright. So I have been thinking about making candle stick holders. Whether this actually happens now in the frenzy of holiday making or later in the darkness of our January and February winter, here are a few that I have found so far.

Candle sticks by potter Emily Reason that I found on Ceramic Arts Daily 

These Candlesticks from Ross Emerson an artist from the UK.

Scandinavian design from The Deco Spot : a blog about interior design and beautiful things in general. I love that!

Open Studio at the Arts & Industry building in Florence

Open studios at the Arts and Industry building gave the opportunity to stop, clean up, put out some food, and display some work. The last pieces I will have finished for open studios are these sugar jars. I love making these jars. I like the opportunity the lid provides to create hidden designs underneath that are discovered as you use the pot.

I have been thinking about how to bring the colors, patterns, and layered effects that I use in my work from my interest in textile design into the forms of my pots. I've been making small bisque stamps out of antique buttons to use as details on pots. Here I am using them on the finials of these jars.

Thursday

One of the things that I wrestle with, that many of you can relate to, is the amount of time that I spend on the computer. I have to admit that I like figuring out stuff. Like now for example, I am working on this blog. The same post that I was working on last night. I have to admit that I am enjoying this. Although I know that anyone out there with some design knowledge is shaking there head right now, I am enjoying messing around with background colors, fonts, and pictures.

This effort is part of my plan to work on internet marketing. As I write and rewrite this, I know I'll have to be careful, as I may end up with a great blog and no pots. To think positively about this, It's good to mix things up. The seesaw weighing heavier on the studio side then the on the computer side.

I have started posting work on my Etsy page. I plan on posting new pieces every week. I will keep you updated on new postings, and talk more about my ideas behind the patterns and colors as well.

I moved to the Arts and Industry building in Florence, MA this fall. It's a beautiful building. I'll post pictures later. After moving a studio twice this year, I have spent a lot of this fall catching up with work for galleries. I now have a decent display at the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts online store, Pinch Gallery in Northampton, 13 Forrest Gallery, and Decordova's gift shop.

I love my studio. It's a beautiful space, with windows that look over a river. Come visit me and check out my new studio at my next show which is an open studio at the Arts and Industry building, November 12 and 13th. It will be a great time.