narrative notes

Ceramic art / pottery — artist statement:

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:18:00 +0000

snack defender

I'm a narrative artist, I attempt to shape metaphors in clay of fictional ideals to communicate a microscopic and imaginary story about the balance of living creatures.

The pod series are about people and food. A simplified personification of "you are what you eat." They are plant-critters, they seem to be about living things, plants and animals at the same time. I often mix the two ideas rather than realistically render animal forms or pure plant shapes, because human beings are omnivores. I also am obsessed with our symbiotic dependent relationship with the microscopic world because we attempt and fail to sterilize our food, in spite of the fact that we can't survive without beneficial bacteria in our own bodies especially for digestion and the upkeep of our fragile cellular chemical balance that is needed to maintain our life energy and to fight disease.

detail, inside of snack defender

Because of the oil age post industrial generation's seeming obliviousness to our connection and dependency on our environment, the pod series has evolved into the defender series. The pots are like cacti monsters, and I've been having a lot of fun naming them with puns according to their symbolic usefulness.

Spiked & twisted beverage defender mugs for the post oil age, to serve as weapon in hand if scarcity of clean water and resources knocks civilized behavior down a few rungs. Gravy boat to protect and serve good sauces. Punch-cups, and "platelets" Shaped like natural killer cells, white cell or giant blood platelets.

Alternatively if the green revolution is a success and we don't sink into a new dark age when the earth runs out of oil, then the defender series are science fiction props. I love science fiction. I'm rooting for the diversification of renewable energy, smart micro grids, small local eco-conscious businesses and global internet communication to change our world for the better, post oil.

technique' - I throw forms on the wheel (spheres, bowl shapes & cylinder ) to have sturdy thin compressed shapes that I can stretch, alter and add pulled handles and spikes to.

materials - I prefer stoneware and earthenware over chemically white "clay" because it is the natural local stuff the earth is made of in North America and it generally fires at a much lower temperature by a few thousand degrees, than porcelain. I enjoy the dichotomy of both the permanent and breakable balance of fired clay.

defender mug & platelet waiting to be fired at Berkley Potters Studio

creative process - I work slowly, I'm not a production potter, nor the type of artist who quickly covers a surface in one pass. It takes me easily three or sometimes four times as long to build the ceramic art than it does to throw the original forms. I strive to have the first layer of the pots surface fired on the raw clay. I like to apply some pigmented slips into the surface of my raw clay to react to glazes fired on top of them in the final firing. I glaze with a brush, in a very painterly style. I have a series of glaze bases that I'm constantly testing to keep a full pallet of hues that work together. There are multiple glazes on all of my pots. Each surface is at least two layers, sometimes three layers of fired on color and texture.

Peace - make pots not war, or plastic, or trash the earth with toxic chemicals etc..

☮ + ❤ Uva Be Dolezal

giant white & cobalt speckled defender mug

one down — many more to go

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:53:00 +0000

As many of you know. I've been writing and posting a scene everyday. What you may not know is that I usually write something everyday, and have been doing so for years. Also, I'm not going to continue to do this, writing most every day — yes; posting of my working draft, no. The 'Ode to Impossible' posts stop December 31, 2011. The working draft with it's errors and typos was to prove that I'm a writer. The professionally edited finished e-book 'Code of The Fates' Is simply a finished book 1 of many. Tho admittedly there are only 2 books in this Ode to Impossible series. After I get both e-books edited and published. Then it's on to paper books, and after the paper books is the next four book series. etc.. etc...
For 2012, one way or another, I'm going to return my public posting focus back to art. But, as I mentioned above, I'll still be writing, just on my own, not attempting to prove it to anyone. I hope this makes sense. Seems simple enough. Time will tell better then I can explain.

"The proof of the pudding is in the eating." — Don Quixote

Quote from a novel written by Miguel de Cervantes.

The 'Code of the Fates' e-book is now available on Google Books and smashwords.

toast

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:07:00 +0000

I love writing, but editing and formatting the final book for publishing, I wish someone else was doing it. But, that's not the way the cookie. Well I don't have any cookies. Here I've got 386 pages and black beans with habanero salsa and cheddar on toast.

It's on smash-words now. I wanted to have the e-book published by the Wed. before Thanksgiving and I kept to that date. But, that didn't leave time for the very last go over. My beta reader who is a much finer editor than I is going over it now (11-28-2011). She says, there are a few typos, one misspelling and one missed homophone. I will get these fixed as soon as possible. I've kept it quiet. Three people have bought the book. One was my cousin and he told me that when I uploaded a newer version he was able load that into his kindle no problem.

So? soon I need to make noise, sell myself, peddle my soul and all that. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Some people are natural marketing types. I just keep writing. I need to make a plan. I should have a plan done already. I can write a plot that spans thousands of years, but, making a simple marketing plan is .. I'm fool enough to think my work will sell its self. That if people read the story they will want to know what happens in the end.

All I know is that I want to return my focus to my art in 2012. I think it will be illustrations and outlines for my writing. Unless we move someplace where there isn't a two year waiting list for a pottery space or two bridges to cross. But, as we all know there are no excuses in life, and time continues. So one way or another, if I plan to make art in 2012, I'll figure it out.

Novel One is a wrap — Now what should the title be?

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:11:00 +0000

Hi, everybody

I'm writing this post today in a very good mood because I wrote the last scene of book one, last night and have now posted the entire working draft as a sample to promote my writing. See blog: 'Ode to impossible' if you would like to check out this story for free. If you prefer to read the edited novel, my e-publishing goal for the finished book is for November 2011.

I plan to continue to drafting up book two a page a day, starting the second book of this 2 novel mini-series, tomorrow August 26. I will keep all the pages I post this year, up on my blog until January 1 2012.

Meanwhile — several of my friends have been teasing me that 'Ode to impossible' is possibly the worst title for a novel. In this day an age where people read tweets and flash fiction, and poetry, prose and short story blogs get ten times as many hits as longer fiction blogs, my working title sounds like it means the story is so long it's 'Impossible to read. Bummer, I want a title that is as good as I feel the story is.

I confess without any hesitation — I'm terrible at names and titles.

So? Do you think 'Ode to impossible' is a terrible title for book one?

Please choose a title and tweet @Uva_Be or leave a comment here if you read some of the story. and have a better idea for a title to book one that is better than "Ode to Impossible."

A. Code 'E' the Lost King.

B. Code of the Fates

C. Ghosts of Fate

D. Ode to Impossible

P.S. Thanks everyone who read with me as I wrote out the draft of this story in 2011.

as always — grand art and writing to you ~ Uva Be

P.s. Please vote by leaving a comment or go to footer of writing blog.

starting to make plans for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:58:00 +0000

I know it's only August 2011, but it was about this time last year that I decided I'd write 365 and see if I could finish a novel in a year. If you have been following my work in 2011, thanks very much & there is a couple things I should mention before I write more about my goals for 2012.

1. Is that it turns out the 900+ pages screen plays I wrote in 2005-2006 as a TV series, translates into two novels. I should have known that, but I didn't. I've had similar surprises translating a screen play into a comic book or 12 graphic novels - but I digress and I'd rather show you when those dreams get done not ramble about them at this moment.

2. The 2011 writing goal is for a FINISHED novel, and I am writing and posting the 'working draft' — BIG difference. Again, I will have to prove it to you by showing you. And I will, I promise, because I will settle for nothing less than a finished novel. "e-hem.. two finished novels."

So before I did this little ego ramble, my original thought for posting here on my art blog is, my goal in 2012 is going to be art again :) like it was in 2010. I like these yearly goals, they seem to be working out well for me. If you just read this, thank you for listening.

note to self: I think I'll save this to draft and make up my mind if it's worth publishing later.

P.s. reply to self three minutes later "I haven't got time for blogging psychobabble like this everyday, so I've written it, I mise-well add some photos, post it, and get back to work.

here's to grand writing & art for everybody

sincerely @Uva_Be

transition, again? — neither here nor there

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:03:00 +0000

The reason for this blog post is I haven't updated my art blog in a while, and this is why. Writing has won for my attention right now. Also, we are in San Francisco and we haven't been here a year yet and we are already contemplating moving out of town where we can have more space to make art.

In spite of this conflict of time and space :) today I thought about using clay as a printing plate. I didn't get very far. It's a puzzle that's going to take me a few runs through the press to figure out.

These two pots, the owl like tea pot and the 5 legged vase are fired now. I'll be taking a break from ceramic art for a little while, mostly to edit for a couple months and self publish my science fiction / speculative fantasy novel before my goal, of Thanksgiving. But, having a space to play with art set up in case inspirations strikes, or when I need a break from editing, is very nice. It's all just looking ahead to the future, as is my usual mode of existence, when I feel like I'm neither here nor there.

Meanwhile, if you enjoy science fiction / speculative fantasy please follow my writing blog. Ode to impossible :) Thanks

slow but sure progress in my ceramic work

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Fri, 06 May 2011 21:11:00 +0000

In spite of the fact that I've been writing everyday on a serial fantasy novel, working title 'ode to impossible'. I still find comfort and unwind by working with clay.

So far I don't consider any of the pieces I've fired to be anything more than funky test tiles. (Not talking about the raw clay, I'm talking about the test tiles with glaze in the 2nd slide show on this page.) So, I've thrown some WIP (work in progress) photos up on the web as evidence that I have fired something. So far, so good, as the cliche' goes. I admit enjoying the luxury of cone 10 again. Now, back to my writing I go.

clay echoes of a battle

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Thrown clay parts stacked on bats, pushed into a corner, ignored for a week.

The battle is me fighting to stay alive. To find purpose in this short fragile human life I create art.

I feel guilt for not having the defender series in a gallery. But, this year I'm writing a novel. I have yet to earn my own clay studio. It's just that simple.
There are no excuses in this life really.
What happens, happens.

Battle onwards.

art versus fiction writing in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 20:32:00 +0000

If it is a battle for my time and attention, then my writing is the clear winner so far this year. I had hoped I could do both. It was sort of too easy to write on my own, and post a doodle a day for 2010. I joked about feeling schizophrenic attempting to make the daily mental leap from the mind set it takes to create fine art, especially ceramic art sculpture, and the deep imaginary almost delusional sea of thought it takes to write a science fiction / fantasy story. Worst of all the 365 page a day science fiction fantasy story I'm writing / redrafting, clashes mercilessly with my art.

I have several competing ideas about what series of art I should attempt to complete next. But, the truth is, last year turning 40, my biggest midlife regret was the case boxes of manuscripts I've been moving around with me. These boxes of drafts weigh more and more ridiculously on my conscious, as we continue to hunt for a place where we can survive; if I was a published author, then it wouldn't matter where we lived. .. It's not that I didn't periodically submit stories, search for a literary agent, and editor etc.. I've gotten a few very nice rejection slips over the years. I can be remorseful all I want at the plight of the publishing industry. But, I don't think that is my problem, especially since in our current social networking / digital age, any writer who wants to be read can just publish themselves.

It's the divide in myself, a choice I have to make. Artists and writers are not often the same person. I don't mean illustrator / writers like Dr. Suess or other children book artist writers, who seem to be a third species. I've attempted to combine my cartoons and writing over the years, all it takes it a quick look at my tumblr blog 'the many paths to failure', to see, clearly, I am not an illustrator / cartoonist type of writer + artist. Warning these art derivative sarcastic cartoons that are way too bitter for any children's books.

So ? that is what 2011 is about for me, I have a goal for both, a page a day novel, redrafted from a screen play for a TV series and an art goal related to a couple possible series of art, my spiked defender macro-cellular inspired ceramic sculptures for the post oil age. And only time will tell what will be.

1st spiked platelet*; back in the clay

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:32:00 +0000

up-dated blog 02-19-11, just not enough significant clay work for a new post, yet.

From raw clay art work in progress 01 - 2011

This 60 grit cone 10 stoneware looks like chicken to me. I'm returning to the clay by making a small pile of platelets to test new studio glazes on, just a few thousand degrees hotter fire and a few thousand miles and I'm the same, but I've got a bit of adjusting to do. Vitrification, and shrinking is not the same as cone 6, so I'll have to carefully learn the new limits to how far I can push the surface textures and the spindly legs on my forms. But, unlike many things about moving, I'm very happy to be getting lost in the clay again.

From raw clay art work in progress 01 - 2011

If I write & draw 365 will my brain get severed in to bits ?

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:24:00 +0000

This is what I was thinking today, on the
19th day since I quit. #draw365 for my page-a-day 365 sci-fi novel writegoal.

I am both, I should do both. I had another goal in mind for my art in 2011, and it was to start to sell it. That is the hurdle that made me stop my daily art posts more than anything else.

Why is stepping over that line from sharing an idea to selling it so nauseating ? All the art I've sold so far has been in the comfort of a friend's gallery.

I thought since I hadn't sold any paper before, I'd make up a Certificate of Original Art, out of my own, old 1995 insane printing stationary. Designate my fingers 0 - 9 and "number" the certificates in my bloody fingerprints. Actually I was thinking ink would do better than blood, but the idea didn't squeak by that sensor that attempts to determine what is funny and what is correct. So I just tried to lose myself in writing for a bit.

But, it seems writers don't art, and artists often don't write novels. Both are false over all, but for the main part it seems true, and it may indeed be what is wrong with my art. That slick IT factor I've never found, replaced by the creepy depressed writer reaching its mental tentacles physically through and through my work. Nope there is no point in fighting - 18 day gap in my #draw365 or 16 year gap between pottery wheels, I just have to keep moving forward, and I'll know what that means when I get there.

Happy New Year 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 17:42:00 +0000

I make art. I do what I can get my hands on, based on where I am. There is over a two years waiting list for both of the pottery studios on the side of the water where I currently live, we may move before I get in line to get a spot that limits my ceramic art work to under 12" in any direction. So while I mourn this loss, I don't really have time to consider it any more than it is, it's a change in course not a death to my art. I'm going to write and work in 2D on paper or in paint for a while.

My 2011 resolution is a page a day science fiction novel.

ceramic art 09 and 10 - 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 23:35:00 +0000

My usual bi-monthly post of ceramic art may be held up a bit, by a combination of a cross country move and getting set up in a new place to work. Also, I plan to add descriptions to this last wave of pottery as I unpack them and make sure what survived the move.

From Be's ceramic art Sept. & Oct. 2010

Be's ceramic art Sept. & Oct. 2010

There are 29 photos in this web album, I thought a slid-show might be too web heavy, click on any image in my art blog to see all the photos.

Be's August ceramic art

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:05:00 +0000

This test tile represents a series of glazes that I've been working on / testing, to better understand glaze chemistry over the last year or so.

Also I've been adding to my 'thought books' book-arts web photo gallery lately. Since I have been packing, I took photos of some of my older bound books, and I am binding more new books as well, as I find it relaxing, meditative to fold and sew the pages.

photo gallery of Be's books

July Pottery

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:46:00 +0000

3 June vases 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:45:00 +0000

From 3 June vases 2010

β-tubulin‎ vase

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:47:00 +0000

06-29-2010
Originally uploaded by UBD J.M.Clay

I'm very happy with this vase. The first glaze I ever made, back in 1989-90 was a white egg shell glaze with hints of purple and brown speckles from the manganese in my home beach's sand. This blue, the speckles are fired into the clay, and it's just an adjusted classic matt glaze, but it feels like home to me, even with the olive green significantly more fluxed than I'd planned, I'm very happy with the organic texture of the finished results.

β-tubulin‎ vase is 12.5" x 6.5"

Be's ceramic art May 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:10:00 +0000

After feeling like it was taking me forever to finish anything, I'm very satisfied with having completed this set of modular vases in May. My ideal is for the spiked pods to work both individually or stacked. I am attempting to glazes my art in a thin color pigmented "skin" so that each wheel throwing finger ridge and contour of the modulating surface is contrasted. I chose blue and green because they are inspired by the micro cellular universe, specifically the human immune system and I didn't want them to look too brown or earthy.

P.s. If you would prefer to view photos of my art in a gallery rather than a slide show click on any image in my art blog. Thanks

Defender mugs in the mudfire gallery shop

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:55:00 +0000

Today is a show opening at www.mudfire.com/ and a few days earlier I'd been having a conversation with one of the owners, I'm not in the show, it's a Bi-annual American Master Potters extravaganza . But, what timing for my simple spiked and twisted defender mugs to be in the shop !

If you are in the Georgia area check out this show, if you are thousands of miles away there is a video of the gallery on youtube - it's not the same as seeing the ceramic art in person but it's very worth a look through, to take a couple minutes and see some great art.

raw clay art work in progress May & June

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:46:00 +0000

I

If you have seen my art thought a day 2010 photos then many of these are repeats.

Some weeks everything feels in-progress. Today 5/25 I've got 4 bisque' pots waiting for me to finish glazing them. The only ceramic art I've fired in June so far is two test tiles.

May was a strange month for my art, I made some functional gifts. Strange because it turns out I would have better spent my time making art and buying other's functional pottery for those gifts. This is a good thing in that I like my art, and that I now like other people's functional pottery better than my own. Still, it was just a shock to get a mug out of the kiln and think. "it's okay ? why did I glaze it like a sculpture ? and strange handle - what was I thinking ?" So I haven't taken any photographs of these semi-functional pieces and as a result it looks like I didn't make anything in May.

There is one exception, I set it on the shelf behind me so I don't have to look at it. It is the first large piece in a couple years where I really, really hated the glaze. I keep hoping that I'll get used to it, because I'm not the re-fire or spray paint type of potter.

When people ask me "what is it ? or what are you making? "
I joked "It's a monster cookie jar to scare children away and defend the cookies. " In this respect the scary glaze does work perfectly. 13.25" tall by 11.75" wide (or metric H 34 x 30 cm)

spiked vase and cellarium stand

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:53:00 +0000

raw clay art work in progress

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 18:26:00 +0000

I've been taking photographs of my pottery before it drys since the 1st 18" tall footed pitcher went into the kiln. (pictured in 2010 blog header half in the kiln / half after the glaze fire.) I wasn't sure if would make it though the fire. Now, I know they make it even if they have to be fired upside down, but I've continued photographing raw clay because I like the temporary state of the unfired pieces, before they are set in stone. Last mentioned but not least, seeing my ceramic art through the eye of the camera helps me better understand my progress and over all artistic goals.

Be's ceramic art January & February 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:01:00 +0000

2010 resolutions so far so good

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:38:00 +0000

I've set an art thought a day goal.
This is my fun resolution.
I post something from the day before, everyday.
It's been interesting, starting to see patterns in the days.

Share
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Be's ceramic art November & December 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Uva Be Dolezal) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:05:00 +0000

Very happy to have survived 2009 - have set some resolutions for 2010. 1. to post an art "thought" in an image of some sort every day. 2. Share words & research to work out my angst for the impending post-oil-age, forget peak oil that was in 1995, look up sour oil if you don't know what is giving me nightmares.
Peace & happy New Years everybody