Perspective

There was a time when I didn't know how vanishing points and horizon lines would enable me to make a scene, or a house, or even a box look realistic.  I wonder which art teacher gave me this gift, and how old I was.  Perspective was part of my life at least by 6th grade, when  I do remember seeing the Raphael painting of The School of Athens, with all kinds of lines showing how perspective was easily defined scientifically.  Art and science are definitely in bed together, snuggled up tight and loving lots of it, even if not every minute of it.   

3d video Hubble Deep Field galaxies

if you haven't seen this yet, prepare yourself for a nice surprise.  I watched it twice in a row.  It is worth the minutes to experience so many light years of our universe.

It sure puts things in perspective!

More chalices

Here are the other ones...including one that was just for the fun of it...not meant as a real serious chalice that someone would use in ritual thinking of their higher power.  Unless they were the mythological trickster, the coyote, or the woman who brings giggles for you (I think Baubo is her name)

This is obviously a candle carrying chalice, not one to consider drinking wine from.

 A more conventional shape for a chalice...view one and...

 view two - of the more conventional chalice.  It is discounted since there's just a bit of tilt to the top edge.
  It is wheel thrown, speckled brownstone stoneware clay, with HR Satin liner and Eggshell and Persimmon glazes outside.  The medalion is a celtic cross.

This little chalice is sweet, and has 4 directional lips for pouring if there were liquid inside...but of course it works very well with a candle.

We are each other's harvest; we are each other's business; we are each other's magnitude and bond.  Gwendolyn Brooks

In her honor

A young woman lost her life Sat. night, Dec. 3, 2011.  She was a friend of many of my friends, but I don't think she knew me well.

However, her loss is being felt by many of the members of my church, because she was talented and shared her musical abilities with us all.  So she was known to many who are aware of what a loss her life is to all of us.

Her family of course is stunned, and especially her brother.  I won't go into any details, because this isn't the time or place.  I just send them hopes that they can cope and find peace through this terrible tragedy and come out the other side with some sanity.

It is hard.  I've been angry today, and definitely thought the divine plan had a glitch for this to happen.  I've also sung to Emily that she is continuing her existence without the body in which she was living  for such a short while.  There is such a sense of unfairness for this to happen.

I'm reminded of Ram Das who said we each chose this lifetime to experience these relationships, to help each other and to grow through the difficulties that are presented.


Of course when our community met for church this morning, many of the young people were there with parents, trying to come to understanding of this tragedy.  I am sure this is where they will start to have individual definitions of what happens at death.  It was a good thing to be considered, because we all are going to die.  It wasn't good in that a beautiful innocent girl actually died.

Holly Jolly pottery

This will be a record of the day, in spurts of what was happening at BMCA Friday, December 2, 2011.

Early in the day, the sales area has tables and table clothes, and Charles and Gale work on the lighting.  (The gallery had already been set up, and looked great, but I missed getting a picture of it, which is ok, because the display will be there for a couple of months.)

 Pat and Gale think seriously about who's pottery should go where to the best advantage for all.

A lot of the studio people did talk with each other throughout the evening.  Here from left to right are Marsha, Travis (back to camera, then his wife Crystal), Sarah and Charles.

 My section of display has me clowning around posing as my Blue Lady is posed (right in front of me).

Blue Lady

The Average Joe entertaining duo gave us cheerful background music for the sale area.

 The cornucopia in the gallery exhibit...

Our community project was to make ornaments and sell them to benefit the Center for the Arts.  Here they are!

I also got a shot of the ceramic tree with some ornaments hanging on it. 

This is the ceramic tree with my angel ornaments hanging from it.  The angels were changed right after this shot to have ribbon necklace hangers...so they are very different looking by the time they were sold or given away.

Or here's the tree by itself.  Some of the branches were made big enough to hold tea light candles, so I hope to show it that way when I bring it home (the battery operated kind of candles).

 "Fly Like an Eagle" is also on display in the gallery.

Marsha and her ginko leaf mug and bowl in gallery.

Marsha and her big slab built vase.

 Molly playing around with her pottery in gallery.

Sarah and her jugs on a limb titled "Appalacian Pride".  Charles's canisters are to the right.

Sarah's teapot in the gallery

Ryanne and daughter Zoe, who is super darling and walking now!  First birthday this week!

Another little elf who came to the sale...dressed for the holiday!

Pottery chalices

A chalice for a minister...or maybe your altar at home?

 

I'm honored to make a chalice as a gift for a visiting minister.

Just start...

There is no large and difficult task that can’t be divided into little easy tasks. - Buddhist Saying

 The journey of a thousand miles, begins with one step...

Gotta get those shoes on first...

Travel by land, sea, air or fresh water?

For me, I'm in my imagination, but need to start moving into reality.

My calling

Love, yes, love your calling, for this holy and generous love will impart strength to you so as to enable you to surmount all obstacles. St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, Embrace the World

My calling includes a couple of creative media...pottery and clay sculptures, and these photos, and perhaps even the blog postings.  The calling would be sharing my vision with others, to put it more precisely.

Have you ever seen a grandmom/grandson with more similar smiles?  What a riot, since we couldn't see each other while we did smile at my son taking the picture!

I'm back home again, so will enjoy reviewing my trip pictures for the next month or so.

Today I want to remind my friends to put something on their calendar.

THIS FRIDAY IS HOLLY JOLLY IN BLACK MOUNTAIN.  An evening of festivity in the shops and the streets, food and drink upstairs in the gallery of the Black Mountain Center for the Arts...and a GREAT SALE OF POTTERY by students of the clay studio.  I hope to see you there!

This is actually the last of our retail opportunities until next spring...so we're really hoping not to have to pack up anything much.  The other good thing about purchases at Holly Jolly is that they have a portion donated to the Center for the Arts to help our clay studio have good equipment.

OK, now I'm off my soap box.

I had a great but long ride home yesterday with my friend, Sarah.  I'll post pictures tomorrow about that.

Thanksgiving Friday

 Wonderful Florida weather brought the Sandhill Cranes out for a stroll along the street.  It reminds me that these ancient birds return to their same lands even though people have planted their homes and roads right on top of them.

The majestic cranes just ambled away towards the water which has been reshaped to include a golf course.

Will had some fun with french fries and the illusions of two dimensional pictures .

Marty and his son, enjoying lunch with me.

Then a great treat...a canoe ride on the Hillsborough River with these two gentlemen.

Yep, me in the bow with the camera. 

The Holiday sale

At White Horse, Black Mountain...

A very cold beginning for a Tail Gate sponsored holiday market...

We were the MudBuddies, situated outside while many other vendors were inside the White Horse.

We set our our pretty wares, all kinds of different beautiful works in clay.

And each of us waited around, all six of us...waiting and waiting...

Bette and beautiful works...

My little half table's worth of pottery was at the end closest to Montreat Rd.

Tricia and Marsha listen to something Bette is sharing with them.

Wendy has a nice vertical rack for her painterly cups

Tricia and Marsha have another vendor behind them selling produce...on the other side of a little fence.

And of course the Seven Sisters mountains are smiling down on us...

It was a moderate day for sales for most of us...and we were grateful the sun came out and it warmed up by noon.

Cathy shares her special decorative pieces.

I'm happy to be a MudBuddy.