wassup!
I’ve been keeping my head down. Attempting to focus. I swear, as soon as I come to the threshold of disciplined attention I feel overwhelmed; inundated with every manner of distraction to pull me away from my task.
My task. After the close of the exhibition at Central Arizona College in December, I was ready to reset during our visit with family in Texas. My thoughts ventured into those super productive studio days (more Reality TV and Reality Beth).
I am not the über proficient potter that I’ve heard about (perhaps that’s more an urban myth than anyone is willing to admit). Yeah. I’m not in the studio at the crack of dawn, working through lunch to finish a dozen or more pieces that day just in time for a little late dinner and a couple hours in the evening to run a few glaze tests.
Nope. I’m more the, drag myself out of bed at the crack of dawn to stumble into the gym (gotta do it), hoping to pull myself together enough so I can get a couple hours in at the studio before lunch. I don’t miss many meals, so lunch will happen. Then, back to the studio to work on any number of yet-to-be-completed projects hanging in the balance until it’s time to head back to get dinner going.
There have been days spent in the classroom that generally exhaust my creative allowance for the day. And, more often than I care to admit are the days that are filled with errands that have less to do with art and more to do with life. I have to accept that sometimes it’s slow and sometimes it’s slower.
By the time the new year rolled around, I found myself with a couple months to focus on the upcoming studio tour. To some, those eight weeks may be more than adequate to create a proliferation of work. My reality is that each functional piece needs three days to create; throwing/trimming/drawing (then: drying, firing, glazing and firing).
So yeah, I’ve been keeping my head down in an attempt to focus…and the ruckus has begun!!
13th Annual Ceramic Studio Tour Exhibition
February 7th – March 2nd ASU Night Gallery, Tempe Marketplace
~ this is an exhibition of 24 of the 50+ artists participating in the studio tour this year.
and…
Studio Tour Preview Exhibition
February 17th – 23rd
Art One Gallery, Marshal Way in Scottsdale
Then, of course, the great fun begins!
In conjunction with the Ceramic Research Center and ASU Art Museum:13th Annual Self-Guided Ceramic Studio Tour
February 22nd and 23rd, 10am – 5pm.
~there are more than 50 ceramic artists participating with 15 host sites throughout the valley and Phoenix metro area. Each studio will have the artists on site, work for sale and demonstrations. My studio is #13 on the tour. I’ll be hosting Sarah Brodie, Genie Swanstrom, and Sam Hodges.
**a downloadable brochure with a map and demo schedule can be found here.
This year we are partnering with St. Mary’s Food Bank to collect non-perishable food at each host studio. Those contributing will be eligible to enter a raffle for a ceramic work from this year’s juror, Emily Reason.
I look forward to seeing everyone!