passion

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the ways and means

July 25, 2011 in art, events, life | 1 comment

As I write, I’m sitting in my very warm studio firing a bisque.  The AC is set at 90°.  An occillating fan is moving the air about a little (it helps).  My kiln is old (read: not computerized), so I’ve got a few more hours in the studio while I turn up switches.  Once I get them alll on ‘high’, I’ll head home – only to return at the approximate time and temperature the witness cone should drop.

My faith in the kiln sitter has been shaken since I had a pyrometric bar fuse to the sensing rod on the sitter.  Overfired the load and warped shelves.  Created several redundant shelf sculpures that took endless hours to chisel apart (no fun).  So then, I make every attempt to be back when the witness cone goes down.

This firing is the first I’ve done since May.  Feeling a bit unproductive during these sizzling summer months.  Nevertheless, I have lived vicariously through a few ceramic artists’ blogs – people that seem to have more creative energy than I ever will.  They are not just productive, but prolific.  (Wow, feeling tinges of guilt…call me a slacker)  I guess I should be doing much more.

But, the day only has so many hours.  And, frankly, there is a correlation between the dry summer heat and clay work.  That delicate balance to successfully deal with handles without them cracking (tea bowls vs. coffee mugs)…or the precise hour available to trim when the clay is still cooperative (light, well designed work vs. paperweight).  If you do any decorative surface work early in the process, your window is shorter still.

Excuses? eh….

What I’ve taken away from those prolific producers of ceramic wares is that I’m not them.  Ceramics.  Clay.  Art…is what I do.  I love what I do.  Create.  On many levels it’s how I communicate – through process, image, surface and occupied space.

However, it is not who I am.  If I were to make a list of roles I fill, ceramic artist would be but one.  Those roles will change over time.  But, who I am will remain constant.  I am a child of God, a follower of Christ.  That doesn’t change.  Yet, it drives the ways and means of the things I do.

Fabens

What I do is secondary and clay would follow things like wife, mom, friend, chief cook and bottle washer, preferred human obsession to our quirky dog (seperation issues), et. al….

I suppose until clay makes it’s way closer to the top of the list, I will never be as productive as some artists.  I think it important to keep perspective.  What I do is not necessarily who I am but an avenue to be myself.

(Man, it’s getting hot in here!)

 

Mark Your Calendars!  Plan to Attend!

Cap, Cup and Mug Sale, Show and Trade

October 7-8, 2011
Friday, 6-9pm
Saturday, 9am-4pm

dessadog studio
1410 W. Guadalupe Rd, bldg. 1 ste. 103
Gilbert, AZ 85233

~a sale of handmade cups and mugs by more than 30 local artists.
~bring in a new knit cap or socks for Set Free Ministries and receive a 10% discount on one cup or mug.

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life markers

June 2, 2011 in art, life | 2 comments

Lately I’ve been thinking about life markers.  Not milestones so much, but life markers.  Milestones seem to imply happy ‘firsts’, like a child’s first steps, a first kiss, or a first job.  It’s a reference mark of completion; signifying distance traveled in a general forward direction.  Accomplishing a task that leads to the next logical step.  Children walk, then run, then they ask for the keys to the car.  Milestones.

~sketch detail

However, life markers don’t always seem the result of a happy first; not always moving forward.  Sometimes they make me sit still (if just for a little while), maybe even turn away.  Perhaps semantics.  But, that’s sort of how things roll around in my head.

Visually, I see milestones marked with a gold star, an endearing awkward photo, a framed dollar bill.  Whereas a life marker might be denoted by a wrestling of wills, vulnerable prayer and petition, revelation.  One might lead to the other – a first job develops character and independence.  They sometimes cross each other – the accomplishment of graduation and the beginning of a new reality.  Despite the fuzzy edges, they feel so very different.

As this semester was coming to an end, I was fielding a lot of student questions.

  • What next?
  • What do I do with this passion?
  • Where do we go from here?

Common queries as students begin to look ahead.  The questions, answers, and discussions brought me back to a languishing photo I had taken for a drawing.  The image is one of struggle and determination; an altar.  A marker as a reminder that God has revealed Himself  – at this time, in this place, for His purpose.

Once classes were finished, I started a bit of research and began a little ear bending (thanks, Monica). The dialogue continues as I consider those times in my life that have brought about a transformed vision; revelation.  The tumbling of the idea of life markers is distracting, sometimes painful.  The struggle is part of the process.  Apropos.

In the works!

The Cap, Cup, and Mug Sale, Show and Trade
October 7 and 8, 2011

~ a sale of cups and mugs from 30 artists (and counting) from around the valley.
~ the collecting of knit hats and socks for Set Free Ministries.
~ more specifics will be available as we get closer to the event.

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going incognito

February 22, 2010 in art | 6 comments

The studio is open Monday through Friday by appointment as stated on the door front.  I need that flexibility to be able to attend to life.  Besides, the nature of the job requires that my hands be in things that most people wouldn’t care to touch…it’s dusty, messy and a little smelly.  If you breathe deep, you can catch that damp earthy aroma…mmm, clay.  If you slip your hand too far into a slop bucket – disturbing the organic material settled on the bottom – you’ll note a shift from wet dirt to “something died in there”.  It can bring tears to your eyes!  Mmmm, the smell of plastic clay.

wedged clay

~wedged clay

So then, the studio is open by appointment.  Nonetheless, I get a few persistant sales representatives knocking at the door.  Just what I need, 1500 magnets with my name on them.  They take a try at the locked door; not noticing me through the tinted windows, I continue working.

Recently another office supply sales rep came by.  After the second knock, he rang the bell.  So, I thought I’d poke my head out the door, reveal the nature of my work and send him on his way.

“No, thank you.  Really, I don’t need wholesale value bulk pens in three colors with my name on them.”

I open the door to a Vin Diesel look alike.  Not the Pitch Black Vin Diesel, more like the Vin Diesel from The Pacifier except younger with an ill-fitting suit.  He gave his schpeel and I explained to him that I was an artist, not in need of office supplies.  At this revelation his demeanor changed.  He told me that he was a 1999 BFA graduate from a New York art school associated with Pratt Institute.  He asked to see my work.  He shared about his work in sculpture and neon.  I mentioned a couple of foundries in the area.  He told me about his stint with one foundry – loved the work except summers were brutal.

He had come to the conclusion that he should focus on making a living – putting money aside every month until he had enough to live on so he could later concentrate on making art.  Not a bad plan.  In fact, he had developed a time line.  After so many sales in an X number of years, he felt he could live modestly off the interest to do what he was passionate about.  To make art.  When he left, I apologized for the non-sale and encouraged him to keep working toward his goal.

I’ve often wondered how many artists are out there in the world working incognito; putting off their passion for another day.  The thought occurs to me, what would the world look like if everyone pursued the work they were passionate about, the thing(s) they were called to?  I believe we would find ourselves in a very different place.

~Make Plans~

studio tour 2010

9th Annual Ceramic Self-Guided Studio Tour

9th Annual Ceramic Self-Guided Studio Tour
February 27 and 28, 10am to 4pm.

  • 16 studios with more than 50 artists will be represented
  • in-studio demonstrations at each site, throughout the weekend.

~make a note on your calendar:
Ceram-a-Rama: A (really) Progressive Clay Affair.  Saturday, March 6th. Silent auction and gala. RSVP: March 1st.

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