Full Circle Inspiration
Chandler Romeo's ceramic cityscape featured in "11.11.11" at Gallery Nord in San Antonio, TX. Photo Credit: Steve Bennett / SA
A funny thing happened late last fall during a field trip for a class I took called “Field Books”. For this class we kept a “field book“, or sketchbook as a tool to map, make notations, sketch, journal, and analyze a site over the period of a semester as a generative process to document and as a way to make an intelligent design leap that an aspiring landscape architect might utilize when beginning a new project. Artists, use a sketchbook regularly to keeps notes, and to test potential design ideas – and this is very much a similar creative process. Historically, a field book has been used by scientists, cartographers, and others to document notes and imagery of the flora, fauna, and physical landscape of areas visited which was used at a later time to further research.
I LOVED this class and imagine my surprise when the instructor took us to an artist’s – a ceramicist’s – studio no less, to check out her clay work. I was slightly nervous since I know quite a few people in the local clay community, and had actually been introduced to Chandler at Plinth Gallery by my friend and ceramic’s mentor, Mary Cay, last summer during their Colorado Clay show – which incidentally coincided with the Marvelous Mud show at the Denver Art Museum (you can read the review here). It was an incredibly exciting summer for clay enthusiasts last summer! But I digress….
Of course, she didn’t remember me – nor did I expect her to after a brief 10 second chat 6 months prior. At any rate, the purpose of the field trip was to look at Chandler’s ceramic landscape installations through an alternate lens and as a way to begin to “sketch” landscapes in 3D. I am enamored with her work and pine more than just a little for some clay to squish between my fingers. Luckily or perhaps wistfully, school leaves very little time to think about any extracurricular projects beyond school. The memory of the trip to her amazing studio, that she shares with her artist husband, has stayed with me through winter break and I am am beginning to start imagining when I can get back in my studio on a regular basis. With less than 4 months until graduation, I feel energized and ready to craft a new creative career bridging art + landscape. I don’t know what it’s going to look like, but I’m ready.
*As a side note, I believe that Chandler’s ceramicscapes are handbuilt using slabs of clay, rigorously laid out using a map that she creates so that when an installation goes to a gallery, it can be installed as she originally envisioned.
Making connections
Handbuilt Bowl with text stamped glazed
Is it really Friday already? Time seems to be set on fast forward right now, ‘cuz it’s really flying! This bowl is from the archives [well sort of] - late January, I made some slab built projects inspired by a Bill Van Gilder video I watched. Simple projects that aren’t too difficult to reproduce.
Hand built bowl with text stamp
This bowl was basically constructed using a slab of clay which I draped over a wood block and allowed to set up before removing the block. Any type or shape of support could be used for different types of plates, bowls or platters – more infinite possibilities.
Side view of bowl
I was a little worried about the very wide rim slumping in the glaze fire, but was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t. I did use a ^6 white stoneware that I purchased from Mile Hi Ceramics called “Ash” that I like a lot. I use it for almost all my hand built work now a days. I don’t like to throw with Ash, however because of the extra grog. I suppose I’m spoiled by silky smooth porcelain clays I’ve been using.
Me on left and Deb Babcock in her studio/gallery
While I was in Steamboat Springs, CO last week, I arranged to catch up with Deb Babcock – fellow Etsy Mud Team Member and potter. Last Thursday, after skiing in the am and needing to rest my burning thighs thanks to 17″ of new powder, I took the afternoon off and went into town to meet Deb. She has a great studio space that also serves as gallery/shop space in a strip mall enroute to the ski hill. I was impressed with how bright and spacious her studio is compared to my dingy garagio. She works right in the middle of her shop, but keeps it very tidy due to the retail aspect of her studio. Very cool and creative use of space. It was interesting to learn that 33% of her income comes from Etsy sales and the rest from her shop and local shows. Her busy time is surprisingly Summer/Fall thanks to the enormous snow drifts piled high in front of the shop – but not so surprising since my favorite time to visit the mountains is in the summer!
I really enjoyed meeting a fellow potter and learning how Deb makes it work. And, I am enjoying my new hand built Blue Sky Pottery mug that I purchased from her shop – the photographs in her Etsy shop don’t do her work justice.
Have a great weekend,
~Cynthia
P.S. I’m not sure I like the new WordPress Theme or not – but I was getting bored of the old one. I’m still adding stuff to my side bars, including some music that I’m really groovin’ on right now (that’s coming, I have to reduce the file sizes – so nothing yet). It looks pretty good in Firefox (my browser of choice), but like crap in Internet Explorer. So, if you’re reading this in IE, my apologies – I need to get under the hood and mess with the coding a bit to clean it up. What the hell – why can’t code look the same accross all browsers? That’s hooey.
Live Music in Snowmass & Misc.
One of my favorite signs
Anderson Ranch shares a parking lot with the Snowmass Chapel and Community Center which is tucked into a wooded area near the Brush Creek Trail. I’m sure it’s no hardship for the Ranch since I’m assuming services are held on Sunday with evening community meetings scheduled sporadically through the month when demand for parking at the Ranch is low. There is only one parking space that is verboten to all but one person – and that is the minister’s space. Ya gotta love his/her personalized reserved space!
The chapel is a short stroll over a quaint bridge and Brush Creek
Snowmass Chapel and Community Center
Frogs, Snakes and Lotus Flower
14 new porcelain boxes and counting…
I had a pretty relaxing past few days over the long Memorial Day Weekend – hope you did too. I managed to squeeze a little work into my weekend, but not much. I recently discovered that I can download audio books onto my iPod Nano and that my local library has audio books for download. I’ve temporarily grown a little weary of the music I’ve loaded onto my iPod and have taken to being read to. I’ve also become a podcast junkie. I’ve been listening to Oprah Winfrey and Eckart Tolle’s online workshops covering Tolle’s new book, A New Earth while I work. Hours pass, and I’m transported to a different place. Now I need to buy the book so I can really follow along.
Cherry Blossoms and Frog
Here’s a few of my newest creations that are almost created stream of consciousness as I listen to all of life’s true possibilities. I’ve made a list of themes and have even invited others (mainly my daughter, husband, friends and sil) to weigh in on other possible trajectories. I have repeated a couple of boxes that have already found their way into the world outside of my studio.
Meanwhile, I drove up to Evergreen, CO to pick up remaining work from the Fine Art of Craft show that closed on Friday. I sold a few pieces which made me happy and I transported the rest home which will be added to my inventory for the Summer Art Market in a few weeks. I agreed to donate a piece of my work to be auctioned off this summer at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in August. Wouldn’t you know it, the piece I planned on donating (see below) is one of the pieces that sold! So now, I need to make another or donate something else.
Sand dollar and Snake Boxes
I spoke with the owner of CO/RK Gallery in Denver last week who saw my work at the Potter’s Guild Sale in early May. She’s interested in carrying my work, however, I told her it could be awhile before I have some available. I was also introduced to the owner of the Evergreen Gallery by my friend Mary Cay at the opening of the “Fine Art of Craft Show” who was interested in carrying my porcelain boxes. So, I have a few things to follow up with in the next month or so. Funny thing is as I listen to Eckart Tolle and some of the things he talks about, I find myself feeling a little disenchanted with selling stuff. I know I need to reconcile this with myself before I end up selling everything I own and running off to save the world. 
My husband’s waiting in the wings for the computer – so must go. Plus it doesn’t help that he keeps interrupting my train of thought.
~Cynthia
