Listen.

This past week has been a whirlwind, a good whirlwind. I shared time out of the studio with friends and future family which directly impacted the rest of my time with clay. I’ve got lots of ideas and projects in various stages of production for an upcoming group show and a wonderful shop in the South. Special orders were finalized and shipped, new ones were begun.

I received two surprise and considerate gifts this week. My former neighbors were in town visiting and stopped by. They now live in Arizona and brought me a mug from my favorite coffee shop! They know me well! The hat/scarf set was sent to me by a friend from Hilton Head. We have spent yarn time together stitching and talking. Her out-of-the-blue gift and note were so thoughtful! 

When I work, I generally listen to programs on National Public Radio. It’s a habit that started in my first home studio when Diane Rehm (now retired) was on the air daily. I learned something each time I listened to her broadcast. This exposure introduced me to other interesting programs offered by Public Radio stations across the country. 

I revisited this stacking bowl set based on a request for an upcoming group show. I really like it and am glad to have the opportunity to make it again.

Sometimes I listen to music when I work. It’s easy to play what I like on my ITunes playlist. Emotions, memories, sing-alongs and occasional dancing break out when music is my studio background. 

Do you have a listening suggestion for me? What song inspires you? Have you read a good book lately? What other listening opportunities am I missing? Any podcasts you'd recommend? Click on the photo to tell me your suggestion!

Occasionally, I’ll listen to a book. My friend Whitney has offered to help me with a sewing project. We spent an afternoon at an incredible fabric shop in Virginia picking out material and a pattern for me to make.  While we were together, she suggested  I read, The Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (who also wrote Eat, Pray, Love). I downloaded it from the library and listened throughout the week. It’s about the concept of creativity and creative thinking. It resonated. I’m going to listen to it again. I know I can learn more from a second ‘reading’. 

Look who else was attracted to this coneflower in my garden. The beauty and colors of nature often stop me in my tracks. 

I think I’m a good listener, but I know I can improve my skills. When I listen, my mind sometimes jumps around and I lose concentration on what is being shared with me (especially if I'm multi-tasking). I could blame some of that on my creative mind getting sparked as information is fed to it, and fear I’ll forget those inspirations if I let go, but strong focus while listening is important too. 

With A Nod To Mother Nature

The winter weather we experienced this past weekend along the Eastern Seaboard is one of those storms that is hard to fully appreciate until you are living through it. I’ve weathered snow, rain, blizzards, a small hurricane and even a derecho in my lifetime, but the appropriately named Blizzard of 2016 called Jonas – has been jaw-dropping. So what does this have to do with art or clay? The simple answer is: nothing and everything.

I finished one mitten and have begun the second.

The storm did not deter me from my regular routine. I was able to continue to create in my studio and sit by the fire and knit even while three feet of snow (give or take) fell and the winds whipped outside for about 36 hours straight.

When the sun finally came out, and we could venture past our driveway (which has been continuously shoveled by my husband and ‘snow-blowed’ by our next door neighbor throughout the storm), the reality of limited movement in deep snow was quickly evident. Even snowplows were getting stuck so only a patchwork of moveable paths are available for maneuvering. It’s going to take days to dig out completely. During this sort of crisis, people –-neighbors –- band together and the community spirit is in full force.  Walking the dog has led to numerous conversations with neighbors I’ve never met before.

So back to the connection between nature, art and clay.  I have an affinity for achieving an organic feeling to my clay creations. When I first learned to throw pots on a wheel, I worked to eliminate any evidence of finger marks on the clay. There was rigidity in my pieces. But I liked the more natural shapes that I saw and aspired to interpret that in my own pieces. Once I began hand building and loosening my stringent tendencies, I’ve begun to achieve a more natural feel for my finished art.

I've been in the studio working on a new tumbler shape for an upcoming yarn pop-up show in a few months. Here are two prototypes I created based on an idea I had. Once I glazed and fired the one on the right, I realized I wanted to tweak the design. The newer model on the left has a narrower base (easier to hold) and a button on the middle (instead of the top) to act as a thumb rest.

This week, I’m reminded of the power of nature in our lives. It can disrupt our routines and shake us out of our habits. It can help neighbors meet new neighbors. It can band people together with a common goal. Nature is powerful, beautiful and sometimes unpredictable. Reflecting those attributes in my clay art is an ongoing practice.