Beautiful Light

It's times like these that I wish I had a better camera and knew more about photography.

The light this evening, as the sun was setting during a rain storm, was absolutely stunning.

My camera doesn't do it justice, but I went ahead and snapped some pics around the studio and gallery.

 The big news of the day is that Jeff cut the rest of his hair off! He had 12" lopped before the S. Korea trip, and today he went short...

If your are on FB you already know this, because it's been decided that this haircut will be the new trend. :-)
Last week I had about 6" cut off of mine... does this mean our hippy days are over?

nah... I don't think so. We still own a school bus.

We Celebrated Spring in Seagrove

The Celebration of Spring Studio Tour in Seagrove was a great success. Saturday was super busy with non-stop people from 10:30 in the morning until 5:00 pm. We worked all day on Friday, in very muggy weather, cleaning the gallery and studio. After all that work I would have been disappointed if it didn't get seen by the masses! Sunday was slower, but pleasant just the same.

We unloaded the kiln on Saturday morning so there were lots of new, and still warm, pots. These are Jeff's teapots that are headed to S. Korea with him tomorrow. I wanted to get a quick photo before they were gone.

My round butter dishes were successful...

and here is one of the new flower power pigs!

Rather silly, isn't she?

The tree limb project

Last winter when I was visiting Danielle in Connecticut, we visited a gallery in the Yale shopping district that used painted tree limbs throughout the gallery. Theirs were painted light blue, but immediately I thought limbs painted white would look cool hanging from the rafters of our pottery gallery. The rafters are dark and we have white lights strung on them to create some interest and tree limbs would lighten it up even more. 

Last week I finally got around to executing my plan. Jeff did some pruning and saved the limbs for me. They had little berries and pods on them, and I was really happy with how they turned out. On the down side, I bought the cheapest spray paint out there and my fingers were killing me after emptying 6 cans of paint onto those limbs. Of course when I was done, my facebook friends let me know that there is an attachment to put on top of the cans to make it more comfortable. I am definitely going to get one of those gadgets.

Jeff helped me get them into the rafters and trim whatever was looking too crazy. It was hard to photograph, but I think you get the idea...

I didn't waste a thing. I used the clippings to do some funky stick arrangements in vases...

I need to paint a couple more limbs to fill in some bare spots in the rafters, but I think I will wait until my fingers feel better!

24 hours

Our friend Rob was visiting from Murfreesboro, NC and asked us if we would go to Asheville with him. His friend Leigh Anne has a solo exhibition of her paintings at the Flood Gallery and the reception was last night. We really had no business leaving town, with a big show coming up, but with this oppressive heat who could say no to a trip north? and I had NEVER been to Asheville!
Rob (also a potter) generously helped us out in the studio for two days so that we could hit the road. At 2:00 on Saturday we packed our bags, closed the shop, and we were off on an adventure.
The gallery is on Roberts St., next door to the Wedge building. This old building is home to various artist studios, as well as a craft brewery. So of course the first stop was for a couple of beers on a hot afternoon...

Rob, Leigh Anne, Shelley - a fun group to hang with!

very cool railing along the walkway, leading the Wedge Brewing Co....

and look... Rob found Element Ceramic - Design Studio!

Mexican Style Korean food?

Back at the Flood Gallery... Floor to Ceiling - Leigh Anne Chambers

All of these works are painted on linoleum... as in linoleum you would put on your floor! Leigh Anne incorporates the imprinted design of the linoleum in these paintings. In some, the linoleum was left uncovered in areas, I think if you click on the photos to enlarge, you can see how well that works into the painting. Most are VERY large, although I do think the grouping of six is my favorite. The show runs through July 31st. If you have the opportunity to visit Asheville, you really should check it out.

Then it was time for a night on the town. We started off with a yummy dinner and drinks at The Market Place... then a walk through the streets.

 we looked in the window, but didn't go in... maybe Rob did.

(but only to buy a lighter)

 I think Jeff is explaining the wonderful qualities of Himalayan salt to Rob

The shop window was filled with salt lamps

Next trip we will do breakfast here, heard it's really good.

 We wanted to go to Jack of the Wood to hear Shovels & Rope but couldn't get in. We ended the night with music and drinks at Tressa's instead. After a few hours of sleep at the Holiday Inn we hit the road for home. 

It was a whirlwind 24 hours, but man did we have fun!

One Year Later

This month is the one year anniversary for the Co-op of Seagrove Potters. I can't believe it has been a year already! We are so happy to be a part of this group. Everyone gets along and our monthly meetings are very enjoyable (usually involving food, wine & beer). I typically look forward to my Co-op days. It's a change of scenery and pace. Financially it was a good decision. Not only do we sell work at the gallery, but it brings people out to our studio as well.
Along the way we lost one pottery due to a move to Charlotte. We were sad to see them go. The spot was filled right away with Bonnie Burns of Great White Oak. We were glad to welcome Bonnie to the group. Just a month ago we voted to increase our membership with one more pottery; Anne and Adam of Blue Hen Pottery were next on the waiting list. They are a nice addition to the group, adding to the diversity of the work represented in the gallery.
If you are in the area be sure to stop in and see what we are all about...

We are open 7 days a week- Monday through Saturday 10:00 to 5:00, Sunday 12:00 -4:00
If you are on facebook be sure to"LIKE" us: https://www.facebook.com/CoopOfSeagrovePotters

Participating Potters:
Bonnie Burns - Great White Oak
Blue Hen Pottery
Bulldog Pottery
Dover Pottery
Latham's Pottery
Lufkin Pottery
Michèle Hastings & Jeff Brown Pottery
Nelda French Pottery
Old Gap Pottery
Seagrove Stoneware
Tom Gray Pottery

transitions

the good thing about doing a show and packing up pots from the gallery and some of our display is that it gives you no excuse not to clean and dust. when your gallery is an old log cabin and attached to a pottery studio there is certainly no end to the cob webs and dust. last week we worked hard at dusting, cleaning, touch up painting and installing some more track lighting. thanksgiving night we were done and ready for the "black friday" shoppers.
next on the list was getting photographs taken and get our etsy shops freshened up... i was slacking in that department lately and i think there were cobwebs in there too!

salt glazed oval vase

salt glaze orb/rattle with tulip sgraffito design

before and after...

before...

after...

as we were painting we weren't sure how we were going to like the new colors. once we assembled all the components we were very happy with it. it really brightens up our little gallery. the first road test will be the Celebration of Seagrove Potters in November... if you read the previous post you know that these walls and pedestals are part of our booth.

gallery rearrange

after a wonderful meal with jeff's family we came and home and went back to work on our gallery space...

we set up a combination of jeff's booth walls and my abstracta shelving in the lower level

this is the view when you walk in the door... i took this shot so you could all the white lights we strung in the rafters... poor jeff had to do all the climbing while i either held the ladder or caught the lights as he swung them around the beams.
we still have some tweaking to do and couple of more shelves to put in place, but for the most part we are ready for holiday shoppers!

recovering from the celebration...

i have been an absent blogger the past few days... right after the celebration i came down with a stomach bug, therefore monday was a total loss.  here are a few pictures from the big show...

Jeff chatting with our booth neighbor, Eck McCanless of Dover Pottery

booth shot... jeff caught me texting my daughter

i sold the vase that had our flower arrangement in it... at least the buyer got to see how well Jeff's pitchers pour!

this covered oval came back to the gallery with us... it will get posted on etsy this week

a glance down the aisle on Sunday... on Saturday this aisle was jam packed with shoppers!

...back to work now.  we are COMPLETELY  rearranging our gallery today and putting up some white lights for the holidays.  we are open this weekend so if you are in the Seagrove area please stop in.

Clay and Blogs: Telling A Story

tonight i ventured out on my own to southern pines to the opening of the clay and blogs show... lot's of awesome pots and a nice turnout for the opening.  it was great to see work in person that in the past i had only seen online.  emily murphy had cups there that were very tempting to purchase.  they were sold in sets of two and i just couldn't swing purchasing two this month.  linda starr's (who i got to meet this week!) pieces were gorgeous... and of course gary rith's teapots were sweet and whimsical.  i have seen gary's work in person (i own a georges le soq mug) at the league of NH craftsmen's gallery in concord, nh some years back.
jeff's is over at the wood kiln helping to brick up the door while i am hard at work blogging with a glass of vino :-)

thankfully yesterday's crabbiness has gone away.

Message of Mud

is this blog about pets or pottery? i get a little sidetracked sometimes...
here is a link to the nh potters guild 2007 show at the Sharon Arts Gallery in peterboro, nh
there are two pages of photos...click on them to view a larger image

http://www.liz-fletcher-sculpture.com/Message_Of_Mud_Web/index.htm