Who wants machine made?

I walked in to my kitchen this morning to discover this lovely collection of cups from last night sitting on our counter, bathed in sunlight. I will admit to taking some license in moving an actual glass out of the way for the photo, but I loved seeing our collection of handmade objects along the counter. The tallest tumbler in the back was made by the man who taught me pottery for two years at Montgomery Community College, Mike Ferree. He's a phenomenal craftsman, and this shot totally blocks the beautiful salt-glazed texture, the use of gold slip and green celadon, and the slight carving Mike added to keep the cup from getting to slippery when condensation formed on the outside. The two yellow and ones with black stripes (really, they're green) are from my dinnerware set. The back left tumbler is a wood-fired one I purchased at the American Craft Council Baltimore craft show last year. I used to have trouble buying pottery, since I figured I could make it myself. But, the longer it's been since I've turned or fired anything, I've decided supporting other artists (craftsmen) is more important than my pride. The tumbler closest is my lovely roomie's--a fellow potter! Her's is wood fired and has some awesome zig-zags running down the side for a fantastic visual and tactile texture. The coffee mug is my coffee mug. My constant morning companion. The little piece that gets me going in the morning. It probably should be washed, but that can wait.

Bonus pottery: There is a utensil holder behind all of this, made by my great friends at Whynot Pottery. I spent 2 (or 3?) lovely summers working for them in their fantastic shop. If you're headed to NC and near Seagrove, pop by and visit them. They have beautiful stuff. And the drive up to their shop is one of the most beautiful vistas you'll get.

Ceramic Sentiments

In my past life, I was a potter. Not really my past life, but the life I had before finishing college and venturing into the "real world" and having a "real job" and then leaving all of that behind to pursue a graduate degree. I actually have a degree in pottery, and I spent 3 summers as an apprentice at Whynot Pottery and DirtWorks Pottery. I also worked for one summer at the North Carolina Pottery Center, which is responsible for my foray into the museum world.

I miss being a potter and am always keeping one eye open and an ear to the ground to find a nice part-time apprenticeship in the Alexandria area. I keep nosing around the Torpedo Factory, but nothing turning up yet.

A while ago someone friended me on Facebook and asked why there weren't pictures of my work on there. Good question. I don't have any digitally. Bad, I know. But, I'm working on that! I will slowly begin taking photos of my work in my possession. Some pieces were sold and I don't have photos, but if they turn up, I'll be sure to share.

We'll begin a coffee mug. This is my absolute favorite, do-not-touch-it-or-I-will-hurt-you, coffee mug. It is the coffee mug all I made after it aspired to be, yet each mug after failed in some small way or other. The shape is perfect for keeping the coffee piping hot for a long time, while also holding a good one-an-a-half to two cups of the liquid beauty I consume each morning. The handle was pulled perfectly with a small ridge down the center, and while skewed a little to the right, it was attached with precision and blends smoothly to the body of the mug. The opening lip is thin enough to break the elixir of life as I drink, but angled just-so to keep me from spilling it on myself. (A problem I often have with other cups and containers.) The glaze is one of my favorite Cone 10 cobalt-based glazes, Seager Blue, with enough iron to create rings of orange where it breaks in thin spots or over the perfect finger ridges running up the sides. The rounded sides also fit nicely into my palm to warm my hands on cold mornings. I love this coffee mug. I will love it until I die. And the best thing about it--ceramics last practically forever so loving it until I die is actually an option.