Janet McGregor Dunn

Busy, busy, busy....bzzzzzz

2015-05-07T10:00:00.001-04:00

When I was a child I would complain to my Mom that I was bored. She would hand me a broom, a duster or similar and put me to work. I learned real fast not to ever complain about being bored. I also became one of those who never stopped moving.

Life has always been a never-ending place of discovery for me. I'm curious about everything and hope when I'm laying on my death bed that I'm puzzling over something interesting. I can't imagine, despite those young years, ever being bored.

I certainly have not been bored in recent months! Non-stop shows, lots to do with the charities I support, my wonderful family, creating new pieces of art, my art group, and on and on. One of the things that always seems to slide is marketing my art. Sigh.

I haven't blogged or updated my website in eons. Double sigh.

I am also, luckily, selling my new pieces fast enough that I'm not even bothering to post the photos anywhere ---- except when I take a quick snap as I take them out of the kiln. (The photos I included in this post are the exception...I have to take a few photos so I can apply to shows!)

My list of to-dos always has "photograph new work", an "update website"and "do a blog post" on it...always. Perpetual.

This weekend I'll be at Barefoot in the Park in Duluth. It will be my first time at the show but I have heard great things about it. It's Saturday, 10 - 6, and Sunday, 10 - 5. I have perused the list of artists, checked out some of their art (many I already know) and I guarantee that you will love the mix and talent.

I'll also have some art in Peachtree City at Saville Studios this weekend. Kate is holding a "Starving Artist" sale this Saturday (9 - 1) and I've put in some pieces. All of the art will be under $100...all of mine will be under $50 (yep, typical me, I misread the dollar amount she suggested...).

Weekend after next I'll be at the Hilton Head Island Art Festival. It's another first for me. The location is fantastic and I'm excited about this new show. May 23rd & 24th, 10 - 5 both days.

Then I get a little bit of a break as my next show won't be until the end of June (Old Fourth Ward Art Festival --- one of my favorites).

I'm considering having an open house / studio early June. We'll see if I'm up for it or feel the need to take a break...

Top photo: History Written in Rust
Middle: I Can Handle It
Bottom: Trifarious

(I've been on a basket kick lately. I started with some smaller baskets and they have gotten bigger and more complex over time. I keep thinking I'm done with the phase but new ideas just keep popping into my mind.)

Making an art show successful

2015-01-29T08:02:00.002-05:00

I do a lot of art shows. Most are successful, some are so-so, a few get bumped from my list. I have often pondered what makes a show successful. Better minds than mine have written volumes on the subject. However, I have a few thoughts.

There are countless factors that have an impact on a shows success or failure. Is it a good area? do the promoters advertise well? is it a good mix of artists? is there good parking? is it easy to find? Weather is always important and unknown at the time the show is set. Even really good weather can decrease attendance, especially if it is right after a spate of bad weather.

One consistent thing that I think has possibly the biggest impact on a show is the artists self-promotion. What? The artists? We are paying to be in the show! Our art is supposed to be the draw! It's the job of the promoters we pay to bring in the crowds, to choose the right mix of artists, etc., etc.

Why artists?

One-on-one and word of mouth beats any form of advertising.

If every artist collected emails, was active on Facebook, promoted the show to their respective crowd (friends, customers, church groups, social groups, civic groups, etc.) via whatever methods make sense to them then we'd have packed shows.

Note the word "every" in that first sentence. Many of us are great at spreading the word. Many of us, maybe more than many, aren't. We never think about it, see it as the job of the organizer, aren't social, don't see the importance and on and on the list of reasons goes...

Think about a show with 100 vendors. If every participant put out flyers, sent out emails, posted on our fan pages, sent out photos via Instagram, mailed post cards, etc., then we could potentially reach thousands...and thousands. Combine that with what the organizers are doing and you have a real crowd of interested buyers.

My neighbor at the last show I did sent out post cards. I was amazed at just how many people mentioned they'd received the post cards. Some bought, some didn't. I noted that some who didn't had art they'd purchased from other artists. I didn't get a chance to talk with him but I'd bet he has lists that are organized by city and simply pops something out to that list.

These days a snail-mail card can have a lot more of an impact than emails! You don't even have to mail them if it's a local show. Hand them out. Put them on bulletin boards at your gym, etc. Make them on your computer, print them on your home printer to save money.

I've heard some say that they don't want to keep asking their friends to come buy their work, they already have enough. Tell them about the other artists. Yikes, promote someone else? I want them to buy from ME, me, me. But you've already said they're overloaded with your art. But if the artist across from you did the same thing then maybe their friends and customers would buy from you.

I love looking at other artists work. I love it when I hear that one of my customers also bought from someone else. I love it when I hear that a fellow artist recommended my art.

Many have a difficult time patting themselves on the back. It's easy to talk glowingly about another artist. We've often joked at shows that maybe we should all switch tents, sell for each other! I'm not saying to send a jewelry buyer of yours to another jeweler (although sometimes that is good), but you can sure promote a painter or fabric artist.

Our outreach and involvement in selling our art is very important. Simply being a fabulous artist isn't going to move a piece from your studio to a new owner's home or office. We have to be pro-active.

Side note: Choosing the right show for our art also falls on the artists. A show can be great for one artist and horrible for another. We learn from doing shows or doing good research prior to choosing a show. A show that turns out to be bad for us doesn't necessarily mean the show is bad or the promoters didn't do their job. Sometimes we're just not doing our homework...or maybe we did and the stars just didn't align for us.

Thoughts on Organizers / Promoters

It is true that the promoters or organizers should advertise. There are many ways of reaching out and the show organizers I know do an outstanding job of marketing their shows. It is essential that they do as much as they can. But if you really think about how you look at advertisements you'll soon realize how difficult that task might be, especially if you start adding up the cost to advertise.

Newspapers --- how do you scan the paper, if you read it at all these days? How many ads do you see? News articles are the best, especially if they have photos. We tend to look and read those with pictures.
On-line --- do you look at those Facebook ads along the sidebar or that are in the middle of your news feed? Do you see the ads that are at the top or on the sidebars of the news site you view? If they pop up do you immediately click that little x to make them go away?
Billboards --- do you drive the route where the billboard happens to be? Do you ignore them on your commute? If you happen to see them how often do you manage to read the info? write it down? remember it when you get home? Do you even live anywhere near the route?
Mailers --- these might be one of the better methods if it's a stand-alone postcard. But who should the promoter mail the cards to? the area around the venue? their lists (probably)?
Email --- nice as it goes to those who've signed up, have an interest. But if the list is the same one that received info about the last ten shows how likely is it that they'll buy your art this time if they didn't the last time.
TV --- costly. Not to mention it's almost impossible to figure out which station to advertise on...and when. For many those 3-minute ad breaks are for making a drink, running to the bathroom or switching over to another station to see what we're missing.
Radio --- how many stations are there these days? do you push the button on the radio to another station when an ad comes on? or tune out?

I didn't list all the methods organizers use to get the word out. Given the overwhelming numbers of ways to advertise these days you can go broke trying to reach "our" market!

My main purpose in making that list of ways to advertise was to get you thinking about what kind of advertising reaches you. You might scan the newspaper from cover to cover but your neighbor on the left who is an avid art buyer trashes them along with every other piece of advertising that comes in the mail. Your other art-loving friend only does Facebook and social media but ignores the ads. Some never watch TV. Some only listen to one or two radio stations. You get the idea. Ask ten people what reaches them and you'll get a wide range of answers including "nothing".

That's why I think it's up to us to do our part. We can't sit back in this world where we are bombarded with ads and simply leave it up to the organizer.

5th Annual Art with Heart Fine Arts and Crafts Show, February 7th in Peachtree City

2015-01-19T19:27:00.001-05:00

Members of the Fine Arts and Crafts Entrepreneurs (FAACE) group and other artists will be giving demonstrations and selling stained glass, paintings, ceramics, jewelry, fiber art, wood and other beautiful pieces at the 5th Annual Art with Heart Fine Arts and Crafts Show. Over thirty fine artists and crafters from across the state will be showcasing their talents on February 7th at the Show which will once again be held at St. Andrews in the Pines Episcopal Church. Art with Heart is the perfect place to find a one-of-a-kind original Valentine’s Day gift.

The mission of FAACE is to promote and encourage the appreciation of fine arts and crafts, and to support, educate and empower the artists who create them to earn a living wage from their production and sale. FAACE also supports local community charities at each of their public events. Art with Heart will benefit The Children’s Village at Christian City through voluntary donations from artists and attendees and a silent art auction.

Christian City has been caring for abandoned and abused children in a family centered residential setting since 1965. Over 1,000 children have called Christian City “home.” If you would like to learn more about The Children’s Village or ways you can help support children in need, please call 770-703-2636 or visit www.christiancity.org.

FAACE meets on a quarterly basis and holds a number of art shows and workshops throughout the year. They also host a variety of art-related educational events.

The show is free and open to the public. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

St. Andrews in the Pines Episcopal Church is located at 316 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree City, GA 30269. For more information on Art with Heart or FAACE please call Janet McGregor Dunn at 404-290-3638, email Noel at lucas2gilliam@gmail.com or visit the FAACE website at www.FAACE.org.

Photo: Some of the artists and volunteers participating in the 2015 5th Annual Art with Heart Fine Arts and Crafts Show. L-R: Janet McGregor Dunn, FAACE President and ceramic artist, Roger Sibaja, Gobi Photography, Tonia Mitchell, T.Rific! Tonia Characters, Karen Slimm, painter, Lynn Cordner, original watercolors, acrylics and mixed media, Honey Corbin, painter, Clenette Todd, FAACE Board and fabric artist, Cathy Spitz, Glass God’s Garden, stained glass artist, Vicki Turner, FAACE Board and painter, Ann Marie Hendry-Hinson, artist and interior designer, Heidi Becker, representing Christian City.

Two shows in the near future!

2015-01-03T10:46:00.000-05:00

I'm looking forward to 2015. Last year was a great year for the most part...a few little bumps as always but nothing to mar the overall goodness. I think 2015 is going to shine!

This year I'm adding some new shows to my line-up, venturing a bit further out more often. I'll be sharing more about those shows as the times come closer but will let you know that I've already been accepted into two shows in Alabama that I applied to for the first time! Nice.

I have two shows coming up right around the corner. One is new for me, the Callanwolde Arts Festival (http://callanwoldeartsfestival.com/) January 23rd & 25th. There is a ticketed preview party on the 23rd, then the actual show on the 24th & 25th. Sat hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. & Sun hours: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

I went last year to check it out and was impressed. Great music, great art, excellent venue, easy access and parking. It's a very well-run event with top-quality artists. I'm proud to be included in the line up and am looking forward to seeing many of my art friends.

The next event is a local show that I help run through our art group (FAACE - Fine Arts and Crafts Entrepreneurs, http://www.faace.org). It's held the weekend before Valentine's Day every year in Peachtree City, GA.

Art with Heart Fine Arts and Crafts show will be Saturday, February 7th at St. Andrews in the Pines Episcopal Church, 316 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree City, GA 30269. Hours will be 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

We have some outstanding artists who will be selling their art just in time for Valentine's Day shopping. It's indoors, too so weather isn't a consideration. Hope you'll come see me and all the other fabulous artists at one or both of these events.

Are you coming to my Open Studio Event?

2014-12-12T07:15:00.001-05:00

Saturday (tomorrow) Dec. 13th I'm having my first annual Open Studio Event. 10 - 5 drop in at my studio. Food, beverages, some clay to play with and plenty of pottery. Three of my art friends will also be joining me: Steve Boykin, painter, Noel Gilliam, painter & mixed media-ite, and Helena Marette, jeweler.

Luckily the weather is supposed to be beautiful! It will be sunny and reach 60 degrees. The studio has heat and the tent we're putting up will also be heated so it'll be toasty in the morning, too.

I have a kiln load I'm waiting to open...I did sneak a peek yesterday and all that I could see looked good. I can't wait to see all my friends and maybe make a few new friends.

The photos are a kinda-sorta "before" of the inside of my studio. I cleaned it up recently for our annual Southern Hands Artist Studio Tour (SHAST), messed it up a bit (but not much) to make and finish a few pieces, then cleaned it up again for you. It went into shock the first time, now it's in total denial. I'm going to have to have a therapist stop by and talk with the studio.

If you'd like to see a view of the outside of my cute little studio you can either find me on Facebook (Janet McGregor Dunn Hummingbird - friend OR Janet McGregor Dunn LLC - fan). or you can come by tomorrow.

I've run out of things to write to fill up the space. I could ramble some more but it would be meaningless drivel and I know you are already pumped about coming to see me tomorrow so there's no point in dragging this on any longer.

Let me know you read this tomorrow (only) and I'll give you 10% off your purchase of my art.

Details:
Janet McGregor Dunn Studio
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
614 Lester Road
Fayetteville, GA 30215
(Open by appointment only on other days)

Flipping back and forth...

2014-03-09T13:07:00.001-04:00

Still Standing. Mid-Fire. Note the lip at the bottom. I added that to give a lip that
didn't have to be glazed, and would catch any drips. I was working with all new
glazes so wasn't 100% sure they wouldn't run. I would have made the lip even if I
planned to use low-fire clay as it "worked" with the overall piece. However, I
would have glazed the bottom of the pot if low-firing.

In recent months I've been experimenting with a variety of clays, flipping back and forth between low-fire (cone 05) and mid-fire (cone 6). Both have a whole lotta pluses and a few minuses.

I like the way low-fire majolica clay handles and works with my highly textured pieces. It isn't brittle when fired and doesn't form as many sharp edges as some other clays. I love the way the red clay marries up with various glazes, too.

However, there's a lot to be said for the wonderful glaze effects when working with mid to high fired pieces. I've found a couple of beautiful brown clays that I am enjoying working with.

I do find that my mind doesn't flip quite as easily between the clays. I'll start working on a mid-fire piece only to realize part way through that I really, really need to be able to glaze the bottom. There are options for glazing the bottom with mid-fired pottery, but if you don't plan ahead it just ain't gonna be possible sometimes. I sometimes squash the piece, rework the clay and move on to something else... or go grab some low-fire clay. Sometimes I'll adapt it.

Ramblin' Blues. Low-fire. Note how the glaze goes all the way under
the large, textured bowl. This piece sold.

Low fire has the advantage of easily being able to stilt works when they're fired. Being able to stilt a piece means it can be glazed on the bottom and it won't stick to kiln shelving. I've talked with some artists who have had success with stilting cone 5 and 6 glaze firings but I've not been brave enough to try. There's always the possibility that the piece will just slump over the stilts and be ruined. Not to mention it'll ruin my kiln shelf if that happens. Those things aren't cheap! I think I'd be more upset over losing the pottery than the shelves, though. I never do anything twice, just not in my makeup to be able to repeat myself.

One of the things I love about clay, one of the many things, is that it's a never-ending experiment. I can't get bored. In fact, my biggest challenge is not going in a thousand directions.

Thank you to a whole bunch of people!

2014-02-09T07:53:00.004-05:00

We just finished up our 4th Annual Art with Heart Fine Arts & Crafts Show. It is entirely run by volunteers from top to bottom, members and friends of our art group, Fine Arts and Crafts Entrepreneurs (FAACE).

We had members who didn't have a space volunteer at the front desk both days of the show. We had members who did have art doing all kinds of extra things... laying out the booths, clearing the room of tables & chairs (then putting them back out after the event), handling refreshments, getting sign permits, playing beautiful music, taking care of all the details of the fund raiser for The Children's Village, bringing food for the reception, dealing with the money we raised... the list is LONG.

All of the artists donated a piece of their art to help raise money for The Children's Village, too. We raised $1,000! Everyone pitched in to help clean up.

Very special thanks also to St. Andrews in the Pines Episcopal Church. They graciously allow us to use the space each year for the event. We know it disrupts their normal activities and that it is a huge gift they are giving to support not just FAACE, but The Children's Village (which benefits abused and abandoned children). The members are extremely supportive.

Artists and their spouses, significant others, friends, are such wonderful, giving people. At least all the ones I know fit into that category... I'm grateful to be part of such a super community of people.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who supported the show from the volunteers to church to the visitors who came to buy and donate.

Art Studio Tour 2013

2013-11-05T18:51:00.002-05:00

A group of ten artists in my county have teamed up for an "Art Studio Tour". We're going to open the doors of our respective studios and let the public come in.

The Tour will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16th, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. We'll have food, beverages, plenty of art and we'll be on hand to answer questions. Some of the artists are going to do demonstrations.

There is more info and a list of the artists, locations, at www.design29.com/tour2013

We're hoping it will become an annual event and that we'll add more artists. We're dreaming big!

When my friend Andrea Boswell first proposed it I jumped on board enthusiastically. I'm still enthusiastic. However, it's a bit daunting at the moment!

I walked outside today and tried to see my yard, the outside and the inside of my studio with "new" eyes. Yikes! I have a LOT of work to do before the 16th.

I just finished up my last outdoor show of the year and everything is still stacked in the garage. I broke some bones in my foot. My shop-vac broke (of course).

I have this long list of things I want to do before weekend after this one comes around. I want to put up some signs, organize, clean up the yard, trim some trees, set up my tent, figure out which pottery I want to put on sale, advertise the event... that's just a broad overview. I'm figuring I'll get maybe a tenth of the list done.

Oh, yep, there's some pieces I want to finish up, too.

And I'm taking a painting class so I want to set up a corner for my paints.

I thought I'd show you some "before" pictures today.

Truthfully, those pictures were taken after I'd done a bit of cleaning. They aren't current. You can see the now-broken shop-vac in some of the pictures...

The studio needs to be pressure washed.

I keep adding to the list.

I won't bore you with all the things that have popped into my mind.

Come see my cleaned up, spruced up, prettified, studio on Nov. 16th. I will even wear my non-clay-stained clothes for you.

The Wishing Tree

2013-10-31T07:50:00.000-04:00

When I started on my Wishing Tree it was simply a tree-to-be. It was not yet a wishing tree. My cousin, a fabulous painter, came to visit, walked in and saw the tree before I had glazed it and said it reminded him of the book about the wishing tree.

After I did a bit of research, looking for the book, I realized that the tale he told me was for The Giving Tree. Knowing the way my brain works, he may have said giving instead of wishing. However it happened, as I layered the glazes onto the bisqued clay it I thought of it as a wishing tree.

There is a book titled "The Wishing Tree" by Marybeth Whalen about divorce, reconciliation and such. That is not what MY tree is about!

And there's an older children's book titled "The Wish Tree" by John Ciardi (1960s). The Wish Tree, children's version, is about the responsibility of wishes and taking care of gifts. The words carved on the tree are "Take Care of Your Wish". I may have to do another tree in honor of that book!

I found the poem I posted below on a poetry site and it seemed perfect for my wishing tree. I tried to find a way to contact the author but couldn't. I did post a link below that was on the page so you could read more of Reshika Ramprsad's poetry. He is from South Africa and writes some nice poetry.

The Wishing Tree (mine) stands roughly 7 inches tall and will hold water so you can start your own wishing tree (or just put a nice floral arrangement inside). As always with my pieces, the inside is just as important to me as the outside thus the roots travel into the interior of the pot. It will work just fine with absolutely nothing in it.

The piece was glaze fired multiple times with sand, matte and gloss glazes, glass additions and at least 12 or so contrasting glaze colors to attempt to give the appearance that Mother Nature does in her glorious works!

The Wishing Tree

Be fore warned and
Do not be mistaken
For many have
For this is no ordinary tree
It is but the wishing tree

Listen and pay heed
For this tree is the bearer of hopes
Dreams, wishes and desires
Give to it a little
And you will receive exponentially

For it has been bound together
With the strength and hard work of
Mother Nature herself
This tree listens and listens
Only to your heart desires
So wish upon this wishing tree

For its time too will approach for it to wither and pass
But know this much
That the wishing tree existence
Is beyond its physical state

For once you have wished upon the tree
It has been heard, registered and now nurtured
So wish upon your wishing tree

~ Reshika

Click here to visit VoicesNet.com to read the poem called "The Wishing Tree" by Reshika Ramprsad, South Africa

Playing those head games...

2013-10-28T20:49:00.000-04:00

A few years back I decided I was going to do some faces, some figures, some people. I did two. This is one of the two.

I sold the other one --- it actually won some awards before I sold it. I was rather impressed with myself.

This one, I'm not so sure about.

I made it with a white clay, something I've discovered I do NOT like to work with.

I played a lot with the features but never quite felt like I captured the look I wanted.

After I made it I let it sit, unglazed. I didn't want a flesh colored piece. I didn't want to have the face one color and the hair another. I wasn't sure what I wanted.

I would pull it out on occasion, take a look, pull out my glazes and spend time trying to get just the right look for my girl.

Finally, I opted for a very translucent flesh-toned color. Almost a tan I guess.

I still wasn't happy.

It sat for months again.

Ultimately I got tired of looking at the face. She stared at me saying with much exasperation, "finish me, do something, anything!".

I was digging around in some old glazes and found a rainbow clear finishing glaze. It was so old I wasn't even sure if it would work. They no longer make the glaze and I didn't have instructions so I had to do some digging around on the Internet to find the right cone temp.

So, here she is in all her glory.

She's empty headed. I intend to fill the head with things. Not sure what kind of things yet, I'm still waiting on inspiration. Then again, maybe I'll just call it a day and pop her out at a show to see how she's received. She's waited a long time.

On my list of things to do someday is to take a few pottery classes that focus on the human form. My list of to-dos is a very, very, very long list. Usually the way I get to something on the list is a class or opportunity will drop in my lap, get in my face or I'll trip over it.

Due to the type glaze I used it's almost impossible for ME to get a good shot. In the last picture you can even see my old light box. I've moved on since that box. Yes, she's been sitting again for a while!

Searching for Atlantis

2013-10-26T20:11:00.000-04:00

Waiting on the first glaze firing.

Making my sculpted sea pieces is a fairly long process. Searching for Atlantis is a rather tall "bowl" of sorts...it's not functional, definitely decorative.

I start by rolling out the clay, then tearing it into strips. Usually I shoot for a triangular shape if I'm making a bowl shape.

Each of the "flukes" (not sure that's an accurate term, but it's what I call them) is torn, textured, then rolled to form the funnel.

The "bubbles" are each individually hand-formed. Sometimes they take forever! Good music playing in the background makes the time zip by...

I usually use a form to semi-hold the bottom shape as I begin. Sometimes I just use clay to prop the pieces up for a bit. After I've been working for a while the clay holds up by itself to some degree.

I have gotten ahead of myself before and had the piece collapse! Not fun.

Atop the kiln, after first glaze firing.

The inside of my creations is just as important at the exterior. Even if I'm not making a sculpted piece I try to make sure the inside is interesting.

With these sea pieces the interior is often more important than the exterior. I want the eye to travel into the piece. I want to mimic the idea of looking down into the sea. Thus I leave spaces where you can look into the bowl from the sides.

When I've finished forming the bowl I start placing my bubbles. Again my goal is to leave the viewer thinking about the ocean, the sea. The bubbles need to float upward. It's not possible (without using wire or other mechanisms) to have the bubbles truly float, so I attach them on the sides of the walls in various positions, hopefully giving the idea of motion.

Side view after first glaze firing.

I want the piece to undulate like the water is moving it, hence the wavy motion of the flukes & sides. Sometimes I'll add extruded strings to further give the impression of movement.

After I complete the piece I let it dry for a week or so. Then it is bisque fired. The bisque firing takes roughly 12 hours. The kiln then has to sit for about three times that long to cool. I'm sometimes a bit impatient and can't wait... that doesn't matter much with the bisque firing as long as I don't open too soon. Open a glaze load too fast and the cold air can crack the glaze or even crack the entire pot.

After I finally unload the kiln, I rinse the bisque fired pieces, let them dry thoroughly, then begin the glaze firing process.

I glaze fire each of my sea pieces multiple times.

Searching for Atlantis has at least 10 - 12 shades of layered blues, greens, turquoise glazes. I fired the piece, then did it all again adding some glass on the second go-around, popping certain colors that I wanted to be predominate. As you can see in the various stages, the red color of the clay shines through. I wasn't quite satisfied so I did it again.

Below is the finished piece. You can still see some of the clay tones but the turquoise tones and the glass are stronger. The interior has even more glass to give the appearance of water.

I named the piece Searching for Atlantis as it something that people have dreamed about, believed in (or not), searched for and sung about. It's a place of mystery and, if legends are true, beauty. I truly hope you'll think that Searching for Atlantis is worthy of the name.

Though Gods they were
And as the elders of our time
choose to remain blind
Let us rejoice and let us sing
And dance and ring in the new
Hail Atlantis
Way down below the ocean
where I wanna be, she may be

- Atlantis Lyrics, Donovan

Birth of the Blues

2013-10-25T10:54:00.000-04:00

Birth of the Blues has been sung by greats such as Nellie Lutcher, Louis Armstrong, Keely Smith, Shirley Bassey, & my favorite: the trio of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr & Dean Martin.

If you haven’t listened to the Rat Pack with Johnny Carson (subbing for Joey Bishop at the time) go search it out on YouTube.

This trio of pieces shouted out the name they wanted! The Rat Pack was larger than life and the blues speak of the ups and downs of life. Hopefully my three pieces pay worthy tribute to both.

Multiple blues, hints of green and some tan tones on the patchwork of majolica clay. The tallest piece is roughly 10 in. high.

I hope you'll come see them in person at one of my upcoming shows or studio tours. - Janet

Oh, they say some people long ago
Were searching for a different tune
One that they could croon
As only they can
They only had the rhythm
So they started swaying to and fro
They didn’t know just what to use
That is how the blues really began
They heard the breeze in the trees
Singing weird melodies
And they made that the start of the blues
.
And from a jail came the wail
Of a down-hearted frail
And they played that
As part of the blues
From a whippoorwill
Out on a hill
They took a new note
Pushed it through a horn
Til it was worn
Into a blue note
And then they nursed it, rehearsed it
And gave out the news
That the southland gave birth to the blues!

Why you should NOT buy a Fitbit Flex...

2013-09-12T12:57:00.000-04:00

I know I usually write about pottery but I'm as into fitness almost as much as I am the creative arts so I wanted to share a bit about my experience with Fitbit. Many of my friends have been considering getting a Flex so writing here is easier than talking / emailing eac.

The Fitbit Flex is a tracker you wear on your wrist that keeps up with your steps. It syncs to the computer & you can compete with your friends, keep up with your diet, calories and much more. (www.fitbit.com)

Fitbit has a number of products. I started with a "One". The One clips to your belt, pocket or bra and does pretty much the same thing as the Flex, just not as conveniently. The Flex is waterproof so you can shower and swim with it...the One, not so waterproof.

The One has some advantages. It keeps up with floors, which is kind of fun. It gives you the time. You don't have to be near the computer to see your steps / miles walked as it has a display screen. The Flex lets you tap it, shows series of lights so you have a really broad idea of where you are in reaching your goals. However, most have the Fitbit app on their phone so that's not a biggie for many.

Anyway, as said, I started with the One and loved it. For my birthday my husband gifted me with the Flex, something I had wanted badly. Had to wait two months as it was back-ordered so the anticipation was even greater due to the wait.

I noticed immediately that my step count dropped. I "assumed" at first that the One had been incorrect. Not so. I was consistently off up to 4,000 steps.

After much back & forth with the nice folks (and they are) at Fitbit they sent me a replacement Flex. Told me to toss the old one. Wow, nice, didn't have to hassle with sending anything back & I ended up with some extra arm bands. Woo hoo.

However, the problem wasn't fixed.

I kept playing and finally figured out the Flex doesn't like treadmills.

My options, per Fitbit support, were to manually enter my steps (why have a Flex if I have to manually enter??? and calculate what I did, plus what wasn't counted, or take the thing off...) OR wear it on my waist-band. However, I wear sweats, no hooks for a band, no way to attach it.

So, I'm back to the One. I love the One, but hate that I just blew $100. That's a lot of clay!

I really, really want all my friends to avoid the Flex & please spread the news. If the Flex was off by a few hundred steps, no problem, I'd just make myself work a bit harder to reach my goals knowing I was actually going over. My goal is 15,000 steps a day, that's close to 7 miles. Sorry, hard enough to reach that without adding extras (although when I can I bump up to 20K).

I was going to try their Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale (need a new scale) but nope, not going there. Will have to see if I'll replace the One if it goes out on me. Love competing with my friends, kind of addicted to keeping up with my steps, too. Maybe by the time I need a new One I'll be over the burn from this experience.

(Just in case your curious, right now: Flex band shows 7199 steps, the One shows 10627).

One more comment: I spent some time on the Fitbit Community dashboards before sending something to Fitbit. I'm not the lone stranger on this one, lots of others having similar issues. I think they need to do a bit of tweaking, maybe allow for some user-defined adjustments...

----

Here's the entire exchange we had just in case you want to see how they tried to work with me (until it bombed & then it's gee sorry you wasted $100). You'll have to start at the bottom & read up to get it in sequence...

Hello Janet,

Thanks for your time and patience with the Flex.

We appreciate you have checked the device setting in your account and we hope you keep enjoying your Fitbit One.

Feel free to contact us back if you need more help in the future.

Sincerely,

Flor M and the Fitbit Team

Reply directly to this email, or click #805383 to update your case via our online support portal.

I think that being off by 3,000 to 4,000 steps is excessive, especially
since I have it on my dominate hand, set for non-dominate & I make sure
to keep that hand moving.

Hope your feedback dept. will read through all of the exchange below,
not just our current conversation.

I have nine-ten friends who were following my experience before they
decided to go with the Flex... love the One, can't recommend the Flex.
Gave you high marks with them re: customer service, attempting to fix
(although ultimately, no fix, just a waste of $'s for me).

Janet

Hello Janet,

We appreciate your patience with your Flex.

We are always striving to improve the Fitbit experience. We have forwarded your feedback to our product department. Sometimes we will have to manually log some activities since all Fitbit trackers are optimized for walking, running, and general household and lifestyle activities. It will not be as accurate for activities like walking on a treadmill, but will record that your were active if you wear your tracker during a non-walking or running activity.

Though your body is in motion on exercise machines, these motions are not recorded as accurately as your tracker records running or walking. That is why we recommend to log manually your activity.

Feel free to contact us back if we can be of more assistance.

Sincerely,

Flor M and the Fitbit Team

Reply directly to this email, or click #805383 to update your case via our online support portal.

Thanks, but I don't have a way to hook it on my waist when walking and
it defeats the purpose of having the Flex to hafta manually enter
activity. I walk at a pretty good clip (3.5 & up mph) so slow walking is
not part of the issue.

Janet

Hi Janet,

We're sorry to hear that you're seeing a difference in how many steps your Flex is tracking comparing to your One when walking on a treadmill.

Fitbit's trackers can potentially miss steps if the user is walking on a treadmill desk at a very low speed. Our engineers have determined that Fitbit trackers will provide greatest accuracy if the user is wearing it clipped on their mid-section and walking at least 2 miles per hour. However you may still miss some steps.

Also, keep in mind you can manually log your activity, this will provide a most accurate information. To manually log your treadmill activity please do the following:

1. Log into Fitbit.com.
2. Click the "Log Activity" circle near the top of your Dashboard.
3. Click the blue "Browse" link to the right of "Find an Activity to Log".
4. A window will open. On the left side of the window that pops up, you will be able to search for an activity by category. More specific activities will then appear on the right side of the screen. Scroll to the desired activity, then click it once to add it to your activity log.
5. Once you enter the duration and start time of your activity, click the pink "Log Activity" button. Your activity details will be added to your logged activities.

Thanks for your patience with this and do not hesitate to contact us back if we can be of more assistance.

Sincerely,

Flor M and the Fitbit Team

Reply directly to this email, or click #805383 to update your case via our online support portal.

Been using the new Flex for a week or so. I am giving up on it.

I figured out the problem --- the Flex doesn't like treadmills. I'm off
by thousands of steps consistently & by comparing both accounts (One -
janet... & Flex - janet....m) I've been able
to pinpoint that even through I make sure to swing my arms, pump them,
make sure not to hold onto bar with the Flex arm, steps just aren't
being counted when I'm on the treadmill at the gym or at my home.

So, I'm going to stick with the One and give up on the Flex.

Really frustrated because I love the idea of wearing it on my arm as
opposed to having to clip something on a belt or bra.

Janet

Hello Janet,

Thank you for providing us with your information.

Your replacement black Flex is now being processed. Your confirmation number is 2TNKCWV.

Once your order ships, you will receive a shipping confirmation from our order system. You can view the status of this order by clicking the View Order Status link in the confirmation email. This link also provides your tracking number. You can expect that your order will arrive within 5 - 7 business days from the date of shipment.

Once you receive your replacement, please go to the following help article for instructions on how to set up your replacement device:
https://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/articles/1186076

Please recycle your defective unit through a local electronics recycling program.

Let us know if you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Flor M and the Fitbit Team

Reply directly to this email, or click #805383 to update your case via our online support portal.

Thank you very much. Yes, that is the correct information.

Janet

Hello Janet,

Thanks for troubleshooting this issue with us.

We are sorry to hear your Flex is not tracking your information properly. We would like to get you back on track with a complimentary replacement.

We see that you purchased your product from the Fitbit.com Store. Please confirm the following details:

.....

Once we receive your response, we'll be able to continue with the replacement process.

Sincerely,

Flor M and the Fitbit Team

Reply directly to this email, or click #805383 to update your case via our online support portal.

3rd reply (in case you need to look at other responses /connect the
info). Currently my One account (Janet McGregor Dunn2 /
janet.... shows 12,643 steps while the Flex account (Janet
McGregor Dunn / janet@.....) is only reflecting 5,946.
This is AFTER I did the restart of the Flex per instructions below.

I tested the Flex on the treadmill this morning. I walked 2 miles
exactly. I came home from the gym, logged in --- it shows I have walked
1.28 miles this morning (which includes all the extra walking to /from
gym, etc.). I am resetting the Flex right now but wanted to provide that
info before doing so. The One shows 2.52 miles walked. (5768 steps vs
2936 for Flex).

Janet

I just set up an account for my One. It's janet..... Janet
McGregor Dunn2. I'll keep it going for a while. Today have only walked
4001 steps per Flex, 4675 per One. That will increase just as soon as
they both finish charging...

I'll reset my Flex when I go to bed. Am a little competitive & my most
competitive friend is kicking my butt at the moment, can't lose a step :-)

Janet

Hello Janet,

We are sorry to hear you are still having issues with the accuracy of your Flex.

We would like to know if you have a second account paired to your Fitbit One. If you do, please provide the email address linked to that account so we can check both information.

You can restart your Flex, this should fix any issue it may be experiencing. To restart your Flex please do the following:

1. Plug your charging cable into the USB port and insert your tracker into the charging cable.
2. Insert a paperclip into the small pinhole on the back of the charger.
3. Press the pinhole for 3-4 seconds.
4. If you see lights on your Flex, let it charge for a few hours.

Flex will count your steps when you're walking with your arms stationary, as we do want to give you credit for this activity. This includes walking while pushing a stroller or shopping cart, or holding on to a treadmill. That said, because your hands are not moving, your step count may be a bit lower while you are not moving your hands but you are moving your body.

Let us know if you have additional questions.

Sincerely,

Flor M and the Fitbit Team

Reply directly to this email, or click #805383 to update your case via our online support portal.

No, not resolved. We're still communicating.

Hello Janet,

We are sorry to hear that you are still seeing a difference in how many steps your Flex is tracking comparing to your Fitbit One.

We would like to check the account associated with your Fitbit One. Please provide the email address linked to your Fitbit One account. If you do not not have a second account we recommend to open a temporary account to set up your Fitbit One. Once you have both account please wear your trackers for at least a day and compare the information on both Dashboards.

Flex is a motion sensor on your wrist. There are many instances where your hands may be moving, but your body may not be, such as playing the drums, cooking, or even burping a baby. Flex may count some extra steps here and there to give you credit when it thinks you are active.

You can improve the accuracy of your Flex by changing the Dominant Hand setting on your Devices page (http://www.fitbit.com/settings/device), which can be found under the gear icon in the upper right corner of your Dashboard. Changing this setting to "Dominant" will decrease sensitivity of step counting and should reduce the over counting of steps when your body is not moving. Using the "Non Dominant" setting will increase the sensitivity of step counting, and can be used if your Flex is not counting enough steps.

Please let us know if changing these settings doesn't improve the accuracy of your Flex, and we'll be happy to continue investigating the issue.

Sincerely,

Flor M and the Fitbit Team

Reply directly to this email, or click #805383 to update your case via our online support portal.

I've been wearing the One on my wrist next to the Flex for two days.

Yesterday:
Flex 10003 steps
One 13716 steps

Today
Flex 9609
One 14049

The One is consistently giving me way higher steps than Flex --- also
fairly consistent with what it was doing when the One was on my waist &
Flex on wrist.

Tomorrow I'm going to wear them both on my waist next to each other.

I will do the 100 step test a few times to see if they're close. Given
that's not really going to be the way I walk, run, move through the day
I'm not sure that's really a good gauge or accuracy, but will try to do
a number of different tests, some running, some with more hand motion, etc.

Janet

Hello Janet,

We're sorry to hear that you're seeing a difference in how many steps your Flex is tracking comparing to your Fitbit One.

Flex has been tested extensively against our clip-based devices like the Fitbit One and Fitbit Zip. That said, because Flex is specifically designed for your wrist, if you move your body a lot and not your arms (or vice versa), you may get a slight difference in activity than you would see on your clip-based trackers. Additionally, since you’re more likely to wear Flex 24/7, you may count a few more steps.

This is no different than any wrist-based tracker on the market. For most people, there may be no difference at all between clip and wrist based trackers or it may be within a few percentage points difference. That said, if you have a lifestyle where you move your hands a lot such as playing the drums everyday, you may see a few extra steps on your Flex as we do want to give you credit for this activity.

Thanks for checking the settings on your Dashboard, this way you can select which hand you want to wear your tracker. Also, you can perform a test. If you'd like to test your step count, please do the following:

1. Put your Fitbit on your hip or torso.
2. Pause for several moments. (We want to make sure that the mounting of the tracker is not affecting your step count. Pausing should prevent this).
3. Walk 100 steps, making sure to count a step each time one of your feet hits the ground).
4. Pause, then check your tracker to see your step count.

Fitbit trackers should be at least 95% accurate for step counting, which allows for a 5 step margin of error for every 100 steps.

In regard to the Fitbit Connect Software, we believe this issue should be resolved uninstalling and reinstalling the software. You can do this following the instructions available in this link: https://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/articles/1084265-how-do-i-uninstall-reinstall-fitbit-connect-from-a-pc-

Please let us know if these steps did not resolve your issue, and we’ll be happy to troubleshoot further.

Sincerely,

Flor M and the Fitbit Team

Reply directly to this email, or click #805383 to update your case via our online support portal.

Original message

I have had my Flex for a week or so. I had/have a One. They are WAY off. I've been wearing both & today they're 4,000 steps apart. The Flex is consistently 1K or more steps less, is not accurately keeping up with steps. I often forget to put the One on when changing clothes so the discrepancy is even further off.

I've been tracking & commenting on the Community board here: http://www.fitbit.com/forums/topic/GN77LDH3XFY2B.

I put it to sleep & wake it up simply by tapping my hands to music when I'm driving. It turns off & on (sleep tracking) as I toss & turn.

I don't really care about the sleep tracking so no biggie. However, the difference in tracking steps is really frustrating.

I've tried changing hands, putting it on my dominate hand while having it set for non-dominate (which got me a bit closer), but I don't want to wear on my dominate hand due to the work I do.

I updated it to see if that might help. No luck. Suggestions? I'm getting ready to give up on it & just go back to the One. It's fairly accurate. I wouldn't mind a few hundred steps off, but this is way, way too many.

One last thing --- for some reason the Fitbit connect pop up is not loading when I start up my computer since getting the Flex --- and every time I use it I have to log in. Then I have to log in when I get to the fitbit website.

[[3ce0fa2059ab9aba61809cadd6f86509109c6d31-141353714]]

Firing a load... pins and needles

2013-03-28T16:10:00.002-04:00

I am firing my first full load of glazed Lizella pieces. I'm on pins and needles and will be until I open the kiln. I have some pieces in there that I really love. I'm concerned that the glaze may have seeped too far into the clay, that I might not have let it dry enough between glaze coats, that the glaze may not interact with the clay the way I want, that I may have the glaze on too thick in areas...

Yikes.

I'm not a worry-wart type so I'm not going to spend the next few days fretting and worrying, but it's going to be in the back of my mind.

Every kiln load is a learning experience. I don't want this one to be a bad learning experience!

It's kind of funny. I can remember when I first moved from paint to clay. I was so timid. I felt like every little scrap of clay that dried out was money down the drain. The cost of glaze seemed prohibitive. I was amazed at the cost of kilns, brushes, tools, books, classes.

If a piece didn't turn out well I was bummed. I saved my mistakes thinking maybe I'd figure out a way to fix them someday (ha ha).

Now I have a pottery garden comprised of plants and all those mistakes, broken pieces, pots with pitted or runny glazes and other strange experiments I simply didn't like. I reclaim clay when I can and add it to the soggy area next to the studio when I can't (it's amazing how long a piece of dried clay will retain its shape!). My glaze collection, along with all the additions, is extensive and I only think about cost when I do something stupid like drop a bottle or forget to put a lid back.

Lizella is making me feel like a first time potter again. Who'da thunk it would be such a big learning experience?

This first load is low-fire. I'm working on finishing up the next load which will be mid-fire.

Breaking the clay rules

2013-03-25T10:20:00.001-04:00

I typically stretch or completely break all the "rules" when playing with clay.

I remember one of my instructors over and over correcting my tendency to paint rather than place glaze on pieces. "You PLACE the glaze, you do NOT paint the glaze" she would say in horror. I think if she could have slapped the brush out of my hand she might have done so.

I grew up painting with acrylics, oils, water color. The idea of NOT painting with glaze was completely alien to my nature.

It still is. I paint, I don't lay my glaze on pieces. So there.

Another one I was taught and ignore is the idea that you let your glazes dry between coats. Three even coats, blah blah blah. It makes sense when you're working on most pottery creations. You want even coats, you don't want thin areas, weak areas, blobs.

However, I blend and paint. I want my glazes to mix. I want uneven results. I often use 10 or 12 or 20 glaze colors to achieve the look I want. Of course, most of the time I make sure that there's plenty of coverage to protect the finished piece. Sometimes I want the clay to peek through so I deliberately expose or scrape off some of the glaze.

I don't dip my pieces. I paint and get into every little crevice with a brush or some other tool. It's painstaking sometimes but I don't want a solid color anywhere on any of my pieces. Sometimes I miss a spot because I use a lot of texture and layer my clay so there are often little areas that are hard to get into.

At times I look at a difficult piece before I attempt to glaze it I tell myself I have to think more about the glazing process when making a piece because getting into all those little creases and hidey-holes is going to be impossible. I don't listen to myself.

So now I'm working with Lizella, a Georgia clay, as I wrote about in my last blog. It is not a clay that lends itself to my penchant for glazing wet layer upon wet layer. The clay is more brittle than many (OK, all) I've worked with and it absorbs the glaze, weakening the clay. I've already chipped off some pieces while glazing because the edges were saturated with glaze and weak.

I'm learning. Luckily the pieces that have broken off weren't important to the piece and I was able to sand the edges and blend. And no, I'm not telling you which ones I chipped! You'll never know when looking at them.

I'm glad the breakage happened where it did as I can tell it would be fairly easy to have a piece break in half! Especially the way I man-handle everything when I'm glazing. I get so totally into what I'm doing that I don't think about things like fragility when I grab a piece and flip it over.

I've also had some of the additions, like the little balls I add or the flute, come off when glazing. I stick them on when making the piece with clay mixed with magic water. For all the times I've made pieces with other clay I've never had anything separate or not stick.

With the Lizella some of the pieces fall off and separate during the firing process. Some drop off when I'm glazing when they get too wet. Again, aside from one piece I'm puzzling over, all have been fixable, or leaving off whatever fell off doesn't affect the end result.

Today I'm heading back to the studio to finish up some glazing. I had to let some pieces dry overnight as they really were getting too wet to handle.

I'm not sure I'm going to survive my Lizella experiment! I love the idea of using Georgia clay, I love the way the clay is so versatile when it comes to range of firing temps. I think if the end result makes me happy I'll probably learn to adapt.

Keeping my fingers crossed that the pieces hold up when I glaze fire! I'm doing a low-fire load first, then moving onto all the pieces I made for mid-fire.

Photos: All the pieces pictures are glazed and await their final glaze firing. We'll see. The one that looks pink & gray is royal blue and black tulip --- there were a whole lot of tiny, tiny crevices and pockets so I'm kind of expecting to have to refire it.

Playing with new clay

2013-03-13T16:39:00.000-04:00

I finally got around to experimenting with some Georgia clay, Lizella. I have some favorite clays and have, over time, adjusted to their peculiarities. I had moved from mid & high fire to low fire years back because I like glazing the bottom of pieces. With higher temps you can't put pieces on stilts when you glaze fire as they slump over the stilts.

While Lizella lends itself to a wide range of firing temps from low to mid-fire, I like the darker brown-toned clay that you get when mid-firing (cone 6). I grabbed a bunch of high fire glazes when I picked up the Lizella with the intention of firing high.

One of the biggest adjustments I'm having to make is that I've grown accustomed to making low-fire pieces that can be glazed on the bottom. My designs flow down under. I keep looking at a finished wet piece and realizing I won't like it without glaze on the bottom! Habits. Ingrained.

But I do like to stretch myself so I'm sticking with it.

To semi-force myself to stick with it (cause I know I'll ultimately adjust and like), I bought a bunch more Lizella, more glazes and a couple of other mid/high fire clays last time I was up at Davens. Now I have to keep going!

Luckily for me, Lizella has a great firing range so when I "goof" and make a piece that simply MUST be glazed on the bottom, I can still fire it at a low enough temp to do so. However, I'm working hard to remember when I'm in my creative mode so I can make some mid-fire pieces.

I posted on Facebook a week or so ago that I was playing with Lizella. My FB friends are great --- a number of them who use Lizella added comments, gave suggestions and even posted some pieces for me to see. Art people are some of the nicest people in the world!

I just pulled out my first bisque fire load and will be glazing pretty soon. I learned that Lizella doesn't adhere to itself when wet as well as the clay I was working with... I have to re-fire one piece because part of it didn't "stick" to the other. That's part of the frustration and the fun of working with a new clay.

Strange day in the studio...

2012-09-03T10:29:00.002-04:00

OK, not THAT strange! Probably more of an eye-opening, reflective type day.

I went out yesterday to check on my completed kiln load and to do some glazing or maybe even creating.

Kiln was at 420, too hot to open still, but where it should have been. Hot enough to keep me from being tempted to open the lid and peek!

Walked over and looked at things to glaze. Nah, not feelin' it.

Went to my glass, finishing table, dorked around a bit with some things. Nah, not feelin' it.

Moved over to the creating area, took one look and said "yikes" in my mind. Definitely not able to feel it...

When I go through my creative whirlwinds nothing goes back where it belongs. Stuff piles up, stacks up, lands wherever and stays there. I make a huge mess. I was looking a super huge mess.

Soooo, spent the day cleaning up just that one corner.

I realized something about myself during the process --- I do need organization. I've always considered myself a pack-rat type, fine with stacks and messes. I can't even claim to know where things are like some messy people!

However, I have a breaking point.

When I'm in the "zone" nothing matters, I just go full tilt. When I stop, I must clean and organize before I can start again.

I feel cleansed or something along those lines... kind of like cleansing the palate after tasting a good wine! It's energizing to create in an area that is organized.

Today, just as soon as I complete this and put on my messy clay clothes, I'm heading out to my clean corner to start the process again. Ideas were tumbling through my mind as I cleaned up and I'm going to go MESS UP MY STUDIO!!! (Oh, first, I'm going to unload the kiln ;-)

Glazed...

2012-08-26T21:39:00.000-04:00

Today was a glaze day. Lately a lot of my pieces have been multi-step processes. I've been putting one or more glaze colors on the pieces, letting it dry overnight, then wiping the excess off getting the piece totally soaked, of course. Then letting it dry again overnight... Then adding my final colors. Sometimes I do that last glaze coat and decide it needs some touching up so I let it dry overnight, then touch up. It's a long process, but I love the results when I layer up a variety of colors.

I finished up the piece on the left today, will be starting on the one below tomorrow. First I covered the entire piece in a dark brownish glaze, let it dry, wiped off the excess. Then I glazed the tile patterns using blues, aquas and other colors. I let them dry then wiped off the excess. Then I glazed the entire piece with a tan-ish glaze, making sure to leave some of the browns and as much as possible of the tile colors showing. Well, guess I'm not quite finished --- tomorrow I'm going to touch up some of the tile colors to make sure they pop a little.

I haven't quite settled in on the colors I'll use for the piece to the right. Usually I have a good picture in my head when I start making the piece but that one has been evolving. I keep thinking blacks, tan, brown but then my mind shoots over to red, yellow, blue, primary colors. I may fire the one above and let the one below sit for a while until the right colors "speak" to me...

The studio is a mess! I go like crazy for a while, then have to take a break and neaten up so I can start the messing up process again.

Playing around with a lot of glazes and using more than one kind of clay means I have a whole lotta test tiles floating around! I used to leave them laying out, grouped by color type (blues, etc.) but now have one of those plastic drawer sets where I keep them. For starters at least! By the time I've been out there in the studio glazing for a few days it looks like someone took the test tiles and threw them up in the air, let them land wherever!

Clay Dreaming

2012-08-25T07:45:00.000-04:00

I wonder if I'm the only one who wakes up in the midst of building a pot? Some good ideas have come during the night as I slept... Sometimes I simply complete a piece I've been working on during a dream. Once in a while I come up with a color scheme for glazing a piece that's been sitting on a shelf awaiting inspiration.

This morning I woke up in the process of puzzling on building a coil pot. A HUGE coil pot. I stayed with it in that quasi-half-awake state for a bit, thinking about it. Then went "eh, not gonna happen" and moved on to thinking about my day. I think that may be the first time I ever remember deciding against what my subconscious mind tossed out at me during the night or waking moments.

I believe that idea may have come from some stellar coil pieces I posted a few days ago by 童建銘 on Facebook. I guess they've been rattling in my mind. They are fabulous. I'd post them on here but I need to check on copyright issues before sharing photos of someone's work. If you click on the link in the first sentence it should take you to a photo on Facebook but you may need to be signed in.

Here's his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003955542787.

I'm going to zap him a message and get permission to post --- you must see some of his pieces.

Well, first cup of tea is complete, time to move on to the list of things-to-do that I made after deciding not to do the dream pot.

My new pottery trees

2012-08-19T18:50:00.001-04:00

In my last post I was tossing around ideas on how to show off my new series of hanging pieces. I've pretty much stayed with pieces that would sit on a shelf or table in the past although off and on have made wall pieces. Since I only had a few I usually just used a wooden plate stand to show them off or hung them on the ends of my shelf. With so many now I had to come up with a more "dignified" way to show them off.

I painted the shutters I mentioned, and the frames but it just didn't work for all the little pieces.


"Tree" is to the left, you can see the smaller one off to the right.

Cathy Spitz, who is teaching me how to do stained glass, found a couple of very cool "trees" at a local place that she uses to display her stained glass hangers at shows. It's made of welded metal, some rebar and other added metal, is slightly rusted and a creamy off-white paint. I loved her trees!

I finally took my butt over to the store a few weeks ago and... of course, they were closed. They're only open Thursday through Sunday. Long trip for nothing.

What made the trip that much more frustrating is that I got almost there, realized I needed gas, pulled into the gas station only to discover that I'd left my credit card and drivers license in my work out back-pack. I had to drive all the way back home, then drive all the way back over to learn they were closed. Ha. And yes, if I had known the name of the store I would have called before the trek. Possibly. It really never crossed my mind that a store would be closed during business hours.

I did go back the following week and found two perfect pieces to hold my hanging "dangles" (my term for the small ceramic pieces). I bought one large one and a small one. I would have gotten two big ones but didn't like any of the others.

Top of the large tree. Stands maybe 6 feet?

Turns out it's a good thing I didn't get two large ones --- they don't break down and the one I bought barely fit inside my vehicle once I've packed my shelves and pottery! Because they're metal I have to wrap the entire thing, too. Ah well, I think they look good. Usually my hubby is able to help with set up but he's been having some rough times so I had to do it alone on the way up. My son helped on the way home.

I seem to always take pictures as an afterthought and only when the lighting is bad, but I've included a few shots of my new trees. I took them while setting up for a show in Cumming, Georgia. I wish I had paid for electricity as the lighting was pretty bad. I talked with them about the lighting -- they were upset and apologetic. Someone had set the lights wrong and there wasn't a darned thing they could do about it. My pieces need light.

I put a piece of rebar between two of my shelf sets to hang some of the larger pieces. It was a happy accident that I found the bar, plan to buy another so I can do this again.

Little tree and one of the sheers I mentioned. Two shutters, too.

I backed the rebar hanging area with a stone colored sheer (straightened it out before the show started!). I backed the smaller shelf with a similar sheer to give me definition from the booth next to me. Not sure how I feel about the sheers. I like that they don't take up much space and they let light through. Not so sure that they look very professional. We'll see. Most shows I do are outdoors so they won't be needed.

I plan to paint my shelves to make them lighter as I mentioned in my last blog. I've been searching the stores for just the right color and texture...bringing home paint samples.

Anyone still reading? I was thinking as I typed that this may be the most boring series of blog posts ever! How many people are interested in the trials of getting a booth "just right"?

Changing my display...

2012-08-07T10:29:00.002-04:00

Well, it struck me that now that I'm doing more hanging pieces I am going to hafta figure out how to nicely display them.

In my booth it's fairly easy, however, in an indoor show I'll need free-standing "hangers" to display the pieces. Given they're all different sizes it's going to be an interesting challenge. For me. Maybe not for some of you!

I have been wandering through websites, booth displays, and how-to articles for ideas. I have also been looking at what I have on hand. I want a tasteful display that is lightweight, flexible (as in, fold-able, easy to transport) and a good fit for my shelving and overall "look"...

I spent the morning sorting through the things I have stashed in the garage and out in the studio. I have a number of tall and short shutters that can be connected or painted. The big ones are not exactly lightweight but they are flat. They might look good painted, standing up at the back of the booth. The short ones would work on top of a table but you can't see through them so I'm wondering if they would block too much. On the plus sides, I can use both sides, they fold flat and I could paint them any color.

I have dowels --- thinking about adding some cup hooks to the back of my shelving, hanging a dowel and using it. I would need to also hang a back onto the shelves to avoid having the hanging pieces clash with the pieces sitting on the shelf. That would also only work when I have room on the back side of the shelve for people to walk. Maybe I'll save that one for an outdoor show. I rather like that people can see my art from both sides so not sure if I really want to go that route.

I also have a number of old window frames without glass. I am toying with making a free standing contraption. Not sure if I can convey the picture in my mind but I'll try. It would have a center pole with frames branching out, hinged somehow so they'd fold together. When standing they would form a Y (well, close enough, more like an X minus one leg ;-) with the pole being at the middle. I think that's an idea I might carry up to my Dad's for some ideas and help!

I like the idea of using the frames and shutters as it kind of fits with my basic design. You can see how I've used them in the booth shots I included, but they hang from the tent frame, something I won't be able to do in an indoor show.

I have three different size shutters, that's the medium tall thin one in the bottom picture. The smaller ones are hinged and can stand alone on a table. The larger shutters are about the same height as the tent walls.

I have a maybe five or six pieces of free-standing driftwood sculptures that I've used for smaller hanging pieces. They look good but you can't hang much and they can break --- plus I've found a lot of people ignore what's hanging on them and want to buy the driftwood!

I also have some stands that my Dad made for me --- you can see one in the bottom picture next to the window frame.

I'm thinking about changing the color of my shelves, too. Right now they're black. I like them black, but black absorbs light and my pottery does best with a lot of light given the way I mix colors, add glass, etc. They used to be natural wood but they looked a bit unfinished. I wish I'd stained them, but the idea of black worked for me back when I did it.

So, I guess I'll be outside playing with displays if they rain will hold off. I'm a notorious last-minute person. My next indoor show is next weekend so for a change I'm kinda-sorta ahead of the game...

Experimenting with glass

2012-07-30T08:09:00.000-04:00

I've been incorporating glass in some of my ceramic pieces for a while. I add various types of glass to the glaze or place atop the glaze prior to firing. Most of the time I've been pleased with the way they turned out. Each time I've learned a bit more about the process.

Pieces in the kiln, glazed but not fired.

I've always loved stained glass. A friend of mine does stained glass and offered to teach me. I jumped at the opportunity (albeit slowly, it took me about six months to set aside the time!). I made a couple of small pieces and was OK with them, but not thrilled. She said I'm a natural, picked things up quickly, and all that good stuff. It wasn't the process I wasn't thrilled with, it was the design of the pieces I made that didn't excite me.

My intention was and is to do a line of ceramic pieces that have spaces or voids I can fill with stained glass.

The new "glass corner" in the studio. Picked up the glass holder under
the table at a thrift store for only $10... it was meant to be mine!

I decided to go for it in my usual manner... I bought all the stuff to do stained glass, cleared out a corner of my studio and got started making ceramic pieces to marry up with stained glass.

After being fired, waiting for glass to be added

I wrote a bit about the difference in the processes recently --- stained glass is almost instant gratification, ceramic art takes weeks. I mentioned that to my stained glass friend, Cathy, and she showed me a piece that she had already spent roughly 30 hours on and it wasn't soldered yet... However long the time, she still doesn't need to stare at wet pieces and wait for them to dry not knowing the outcome!

Anywaze, back to my travels in stained glass and clay.

The piece I took to Cathy's for a refresher. Note the larger soldering
lines where the glass meets the clay.

I made a bunch of pieces and they're sitting on a table awaiting the glass. I got nervous about the process for some reason. I kept starting, then finding a reason to go back to what I knew and was comfortable with --- my clay.

The piece I made on my own when I got home. Much happier.

Finally I kicked myself in the rear, talked with Cathy, grabbed a few pieces and went for a refresher. We both experimented as she had not tried marrying up a ceramic piece to glass either. I learned what I will be doing in the future and what I probably won't be doing. I didn't like the big soldering lines where the clay met up with the glass. Nice little lines between the glass pieces, chunky lines where the glass meets the clay.

I brought the piece home and played a bit more with it. I decided to make another small piece of stained glass to add (the pink triangle on the left in the photo above) and to add some aqua beads to pick up the aqua on the right side. I haven't attached the aqua beads yet, still playing with the layout. I also made a small clear glass triangle to use in the cord or chain that will go through the hole at the top so it will dangle.

The piece to the right is one I made on my own in the studio. I'm much happier with it! I am now ready to tackle all the rest of those pieces laying on the table! In a few days I'll be making a trek to the not-so-local glass store (45 minute drive, one way) to pick up some more glass. I'm hooked.

Cheating on my clay...

2012-07-20T09:40:00.000-04:00

I just put on my old stuff so I could go out and play in the clay, was heading out and decided to stop, share the thoughts that were rambling through my brain as I changed...

I started out thinking about the things I was planning to create. Pinterest has been a dangerous place for me as it just keeps my mind bubbling with ideas, many stemming from jewelry pieces surprisingly. I was flipping all over the place with various ideas for my day in the studio.

During the semi-planning my lips wrinkled and my nose crinkled at the thought of the clay I was using. I am cheating on "my" clay. Over the years I've settled into using majolica clay, love the feel, the way it does what I want it to do, the versatility, the way it interacts with my glazes... but off and on I get adventurous, or maybe just decide to expand my horizons a bit, and I'll grab a white or black or brown clay of some sort. I do love the look of a brown or black clay!

However, I end up disliking every one I try because it just doesn't work the way I want. It's too wet (yes, I do let it sit so it'll dry a bit), it cracks when bending or forming, it doesn't "take" my glazes very well or it simply doesn't feel right. Yet I do want to find the perfect brown or black clay, or even white clay, to break up the red run... And, to get some of the pure colors I'd like on some pieces, only on white clay will work. Unless I glaze white first, then use colors, a process that seems silly for my purposes when I could just use white clay. Some of you may be snickering at that one --- I am after all using majolica clay!

I'm determined that I'll finish up the clays I bought before going back to that stack of majolica sitting in the corner. I have even pulled out a bag before disciplining myself to walk over and grab a white or brown bag that's already open!

Don't get me wrong, I'm liking what I'm creating, but I can't do some of the things I'm aching to do from my idea book. I had great plans for the clays I bought when I grabbed them... but my fickle mind has moved on to my next batch of ideas and I'm ready to move on.

I don't think I'll be cheating on my red clay for a while after I finish up these batches!

To join or not to join...

2012-06-28T17:12:00.001-04:00

I've been debating whether there are sufficient benefits to memberships in groups like the Potters Council, etc. to warrant the costs. I was a member of some national group a while back, let it lapse. I also used to take Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated and Clay Times. I've let them go by the wayside also.

I rather liked the magazines that had how-to articles, miss them but do have the ability to go on-line and look at pretty much anything I'd like. However, there's nothing like the tactile experience of opening a paper magazine... while sitting on the throne <g> or while eating... I even read in the shower. Can't take a computer into the bathtub when soaking in those bubbles either.

Curious as to who is taking what magazine, whether you're in a group (aside from local art groups), what your thoughts are. Has it helped? Why are you in the group?

I'm in two local arts groups, one I started partially 'cause the local art group raised their noses at the idea of "clay" as a fine art... but also 'cause I saw the need for an art group that would focus on the business side of the arts (hence, FAACE.org, Fine Arts And Crafts Entrepreneurs).

So, share, spill, lemme know what, when, why... I'm staring at a screen on my other computer that's open to Potters Council membership at $52 a year...

Had an idea

2012-06-28T09:50:00.002-04:00

I had the idea that I'd start an idea book. Hmmm, have you ever typed or written a word and had it look really weird? I just typed "idea" three times (title & twice in blog) and it zipped right over into weird word territory.

Don't want to take that sidetrack (something that happens very easily when you have a mind like mine)...idea is not a weird word, it's not a weird word...

For years and years I've filled my brain with ideas of things I wanted to do in the studio --- ways to add feet to pieces, glaze combinations, structures and so on. Sometimes I'd go into the studio and so many ideas would be crowding and fighting in my brain that I couldn't do anything! Many ideas have gotten lost by the time I made it to the studio, too.

Also, over the years, I've been collecting these cool blank books. I would see one that was pretty, interesting or touched me somehow and I'd buy it. The intention has always been to use them, but somehow the idea of "ruining" those pristine beautiful books by putting ink on the pages has kept them stacked on shelves or in my bed-side cabinet.

Finally, I actually started using the things a few weeks back. I already have one about a quarter to a third filled with ideas for pieces I want to create...

Part of the jump was spurred by all the stunning pottery and art I've been seeing on Facebook. I'd see a color combo I liked and think "hmmmm, I bet that piece I'm working on would look great with a somewhat similar color combo, maybe add a bit of red highlights, or a touch of, etc., etc... I'll have to remember that". Then three days later start to work on the piece and either forget completely or not remember what colors I'd been thinking about because I'd looked at a hundred pieces since then.

So now I am carrying my idea book with me everywhere. I see a piece of wood hanging on a tree in a certain way and it sparks an idea for a handled piece... ideas come from everywhere... silverware stacked in a certain way, an old print, a piece of metal at a junkyard... now that I have the idea book it seems the ideas are popping up everywhere!

I think that if I live long enough I may just fill up most of my blank books!