all set up and ready to go!

All those long days and sleepless nights paid off because the Des Moines Arts Festival was a major success! It turned out to be a beautiful weekend despite the gloomy forcasts. We only encountered a few sprinkles on Friday morning while unloading the car and then again on Sunday evening while loading up the car for the final time. It might have been a different story had we had the storm roll through the area that was expected, but luckily it all worked out swell.

I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to showcase what I have been working on. It was an amazing weekend. For as exhausting as those three full days were, I enjoyed every minute of it--even the stressful set up on the first day. From the conversations with visitors and other artists to the required demonstration and the unexpected amount of sales--it was all good!

5 weeks ago, I sat down and said, "okay, I have 10 weeks until the Des Moines Arts Festival. Let's do this!" Thinking about the long list of things to do in that time, I tried to plan accordingly.

In a fantasy world, I figured I could manage one firing per week if I was a full time potter. This would have included one week to get the kiln set up and fired with just posts and shelves as recommended (and required for waranty purposes) by the manufacturer, and then several bisque firings, a glaze test firing, a couple 'real' glaze firings, and a wood firing in Minnesota at Jorgenson Pottery.

But alas! In reality, I have a day job which translates to just a couple productive days per week. Fortunately, the mantra "all in good time" has been ringing in my ears for more than a year, so I've learned not to get too discouraged with slow progress.

There HAS been progress though! The kiln is firing to bisque as the rain pitter patters outside today. Inside the kiln is a slip casted turtle (our mascot?) from Paintin' Place Ceramics and plenty of test tiles and other goodies to keep it company (did I mention that I'll be working with two new clays since the most local supplier doesn't carry my favorite Standard #266?). 

With five weeks to go, the pressure is on! I'll be working less in Des Moines and surely keeping busy in the shop, making as much work as I can, mixing glazes I tested in Virginia, and firing as much as possible--only 8 more to go to get back on schedule as "planned"!

so shiny!!

Earlier this month, we made a trip to Omaha to pick up the kiln. It was quite an exciting feeling just to have it in the shop, but I was only able to look at it while I waited for a couple of weeks to actually set it up.

Now, we are getting a little closer to actually firing it! Uncle Mark came out earlier this week to hook up the electrical--a task that seemed a lot larger than it actually was once we got started.  This lit a fire under our behinds and we bought some quikrete the next day to make a step-up from the wood flooring. 

Once that cures completely, we can move the kiln back to its spot in the corner and get the enviroVent set up. Hopefully that will be just as smooth as the other steps in this long process, but time will tell!

Soon to come: a test firing with just shelves and posts (as suggested by the kiln manual). Time is ticking: 9 more weeks until the Des Moines Arts Festival!

a sample of my work

A friend forwarded me an Etsy link, sharing an artist working in a similar style as me. Not only was it great to see what someone else is doing with slabs and lace, but it was also helpful in another way: realizing that Etsy might be a great way to kill two birds with one stone!

I have several friends getting married this year, all interested in my pottery as either bridal party gifts, guest gifts, or personal belongings. So while I can fulfill the first two of those requests in a typical commission format, the last request seemed a bit more tricky. Not anymore!

A lot of people think of the typical gift registry as a wishlist to places like Target for towels and small appliances. But why not register via an Etsy shop? Here is an example of a registry for plates and bowls (similar to my style!). DEFINITELY food for thought! So, by the end of the summer, expect to see an Etsy shop set up with pieces for a few of my soon to be newly wed friends! I picture the traditional plate set as well as cups, mugs, platters, napkin rings, picture frames, and whatever else may be requested.

From the beginning, we knew that our studio would be part woodshop, part clay studio, and hopefully one day, part artisan consignment shop. Over the past few days, we have had a taste of the balancing act to be faced with such a shared space. Fortunately, it came at a time before the kiln and crazy pre-art festival production.

Tom loves his granny dearly and when told her time was near, he took on the amazing challenge of building her casket. In just a few days, a stack of wood became a box, and with every nail and brush stroke, it slowly transformed into a beautiful casket.

Tom and I made a trip out to Omaha on Friday to check out Paintin Place Ceramics. Their name pretty much says it all: they're a big paint your own ceramics place (with a massive inventory of molds to chose from). While not exactly what I'm in to, they have quite an impressive set up and are a distributor for anything clay related and the closest of such thing to Stuart. 

So, a Skutt Kiln, Minnesota Clay, glaze ingredients, and a few other miscellaneous studio start up equipment/tools are on the order form. With a $1,000 down payment, we are ready to roll! In about a week or so, we'll make the trip out again, with a checkbook to pick up the tab and a truck ready for haulin!

<iconceramics.com> Pintz shows his terra sig test tiles on his 'technical' page of his website.

I am signed up for a workshop at CASA (Creative Artist Studios of Ames) this coming weekend. Friday evening will be the mixing portion of the workshop and Saturday morning and afternoon will be the colorant adding and application portion of the workshop.  

I am always up for learning something new, but this particular opportunity is exciting because it marks the first of many clay functions for me in IOWA.  Of course, I am still in the process of getting the studio up and going, but hopefully being in a shared space with new information will help jump start my own production in my own space. 

In search of some inspiration to make a few vessels to take to the workshop (to practice terra sig application techniques), I came across Joseph Pintz's work at iconceramics.com. He has an interesting philosophy and style. I especially like his 'troughs'. I made a few pinch pots and shall leave it at that for now--tests don't need to be anything fancy, right?

I do believe I will be doing a lot of research in the coming year. Hopefully this will not only involve web searches, but also meet and greets of other local artists...

The Center on Sustainable Communities is having its second annual fundraising party on Thursday, November 11th. Although I was not a part of the event last year, I am very excited for this year's Evergreen. As a new intern for COSC, I am looking forward to seeing what it's all about and how I can get involved with the organization. Last week, I ran around town hanging posters and asking for donations for the event's silent auction. Since a few other art pieces were donated, I figured why not donate something of mine?? So, a set of four tripod doily cups signed with an "LP" will be up for auction later this week. We'll see if anyone likes them enough to bid on them, but all in all--every little bit counts and I'm glad to participate!

It was a celebration as we unloaded Joy's kiln and instantly saw signs of a beautiful firing. We had a little trouble with the wind during the firing, but all in all, it seemed like we did a pretty good job of keeping the temperature fairly even from top to bottom and front to back.

Here are two good-looking plates of mine that we pulled out from the first stack. Each were pressed from leaves or pine needles from Joy and Daniell's property and fired with other plates wadded on top of them. The glazes used are apple ash (left) and yellow salt (right).

I'm all done at La Capretta Studio, but before heading home, I'm making a little pit stop at Joy Bridy's in West Virginia to help with her wood firing. Here I am shortly after finishing up the loading process and before heading in for dinner on Wednesday. The firing will start at 4am on Friday and last 'til it lasts on Saturday afternoon/evening. I'm on all the 10-1 shifts, opposite of Joy on all the 1-10 shifts. It's bound to be a blast!

The Studio Tour has come and gone with great success!! I was very pleased with the number of visitors to the studio and enjoyed the wide range of conversations they brought.

It was quite the task to get the studio cleaned up and rearranged, but it was worth it! I had a table filled with little plates and cups, a mini installation of keyholes, two shelves of pots, and a demo table. 

Now it's time to pack up and head out to Joy's to help with her firing!!

The 3rd Annual Clarke County Studio Tour is this weekend! I've been counting down for weeks now, making sure I stay on schedule with production. So far so good as I get ready to load the kiln for the first of two firings this week! It'll be a quick turnaround to unload, glaze, and load again while also getting the studio ready for guests!

My first reaction when I opened the kiln was 'oh no!', but I guess that is a pretty typical response for me. I try not to have expectations when glaze testing or trying something new, but sometimes it's unavoidable. So, when I unloaded the kiln, I was feeling a little disappointed with the results. But, I've learned from experience that it is best to just set something aside and then come back to it a few hours or a day later to reassess. Turns out, these glaze tests aren't half bad! 

The time has finally come! (It feels like I've been waiting and planning for this round of glaze testing for weeks!) Last time I tested glazes, I did a tri-axial blend of three glazes I already had mixed up (28 tests). This time, I started from scratch--measuring all the glaze ingredients (thank goodness I had help from Kate!!), and added varied amounts of rutile and red iron oxide (39 test!). The whole process was very time consuming, but as far as I can tell, a good learning experience. 

Now, it's the waiting game. All the tripod cups and stamped plates are glazed and loaded in the kiln! Hopefully the firing goes well and I'll open the kiln to see beautiful reds and oranges. That would be SUCH a great birthday present!

With just a few weeks left, the studio shelves are filling up! There are pieces at every stage of the drying process as well as fresh out of the bisque!

Pictured here are coiled keyholes, leaf tiles from a plaster mold I made a few years ago, a vase and a planter.

It's the final count down here at Smith Meadows and I feel like I still have a lot of work to do! I'm hoping to keep busy and to make it through my lengthy 'to-do' list, including gifts, commissions, and items to sell during the Studio Tour. Will I finish it all? Only time will tell...

I had so much fun glaze testing last month, that I've decided I should do it again--this time with rutile and red iron oxide. The blues and greens are great, but not entirely my style, so I'm really looking forward to a new set of tests. It won't quite be a tri-axial blend, but I plan on setting up the tests similarly and with different variations again.

So, step one: make lots and lots of cups... complete! I went for an even smaller size this time--more of a shot glass or votive candle size--and I think the doilies turned out the best yet so far.

The next step is to fill up the kiln and bisque fire. Then, the glaze-mixing-fun begins!

The three corners are the three glazes I blended: Spearmint,  Slate Blue, and Bone (from the book Mastering Cone 6 Glazes). Each of the cups are a slightly different blend of the three, showing off a nice range of blues and greens. 

I have been asked to make another planter for a wedding gift. The last time I attempted such a task I came up a bit short on the size requested. I threw two on the wheel and I also made two tripod planters much like my doily tripod cups, but bigger--but not quite big enough. So, this time, I'm making slabs and will be building a square planter. This clay is from Joy Bridy and will be fired in her first wood firing in her new kiln in West Virginia!! I'm crossing my fingers that it'll all work out!

Oh yeah, and scratching my head, trying to figure out what I will be making for my gift...

...one must first make a whole lot of pieces. Here's a whole bunch of mini tripod cups, pressed with doilies--of course! This is the dark brown, Standard #266 clay. Next is the white Little Loafers clay...

I placed the cups in this formation to visualize my future testing of three glazes: bone, spearmint, and slate blue. The glazes you see in my gallery are 'text book' glazes--recipes I pulled out of a popular electric kiln firing book. They look great, but they're not really mine. So, I'm going to do a bit of work and see what I come up with!

I submitted 54 pieces to the Fire House Gallery and Shop in Berryville, VA, just in time for their summer open house. It was great to meet some of the other artists with work in the gallery, including Nancy Bishop, a local potter. 

A few of my pieces are here and there throughout the gallery, and I'm told they move things fairly often as pieces get sold and/or to freshen things up (this picture shows one of the shelves under the cash register table with four of my cups and two tea bag plates). While I was at the open house, a couple bought one of my tea bag plates: my first sale! 

In order to bring artwork to the Fire House Gallery and Shop in time for their open house, I was quite the busy bee in the studio. I made work, loaded and bisqued, mixed glazes, glazed, loaded and fired again, as well as helped Joy on her kiln two times, all in about a week.

Everything worked SO smooth: the kiln cooled while I was out at Joy's on Monday, Derek's schedule worked to take pictures on Tuesday, and I was able to bring a boxful of work to the gallery on Wednesday before working in the kitchen and going to a concert on Thursday! Pretty amazing if you ask me!

As you can see, I was pretty proud of my packaging job:

To get ready for the open house, I had to mix up a few batches of glazes. Here are three, all measured out, ready to be dry mixed and added to water. Then of course mixed again and sieved before my pots could go for a quick dip. We'll see how they turn out!

I recently applied and was accepted to show and sell some of my work at the Fire House Gallery in Berryville. They are having an open house next Friday, so it's been quite the push to fill the kiln and fire before then! 

Here are some stamped plates in the greenware stage that along with coil cups and doily tripod cups, I hope to sell--or at least show--at this local gallery.

More pictures soon as I make work, fill the kiln, FIRE, mix glazes, and FIRE again! All hopefully BEFORE next Friday!!

that bird is perched on the INSIDE

Upon my return to the farm about a month ago, I had noticed that some creature had started to make a nest on one of the shelves in the studio. Slowly but surely, it has been revealed what kind of creature(s) live there. You guessed it: birds! I'm not exactly sure what kind, but La Capretta is home to a mama, a papa, and 3 baby birds. While mama and papa go in and out through a system of holes in the stone wall structure and the rain gutter, the babies are left to the comfort of the indoors, free from predators and protected from the elements. It has been interesting watching them get used to their wings as well as observing the process of mama and papa finding where in the studio to deliver dinner. 

my unfired bowl, freshly painted with underglaze

I was blessed with another visitor this weekend: Jessie (yes the inspirer of my most recent set of greeting cards)! We kept each other occupied with conversation as well as a few crafty projects. Tie-dying proved to be very successful and time will tell how our painted pots will fire. 

Three reasons for the paint-your-own-pot activity:

1. Nancy has LOADS of blanks in the studio from her past life of majolica.

2. I need to test the underglazes for an upcoming project: a commission to make free drink chips for my mom's bar in Des Moines.

3. It's fun!!

I started this back in the fall... can you tell? When it was cut up in 5X5 squares and ready to be mailed, it definitely had a fall feel to it because of the browns. I think it's going to make some nice greeting cards, just a bit out of season for right now though. 

Jessie sure liked it, and I'm so glad! It shall take up a bit of space on her wall... at least 20X30 inches...

It's lambing season here at Smith Meadows Farm which means little lambs are poppin out all over the place. They usually come in pairs, and occasionally are speckled. Can we say "black sheep of the family"?

hibernation destination

I left Virginia four months ago, thinking I'd only be gone for two. My plans changed and I ended up being gone for all of winter. By the time I finally made it back, there were a few surprises waiting for me. While Nancy hid from the cold and stayed away from the studio, a few critters made themselves at home. First thing is certainly first before busting out the clay: cleaning!!

:) a couple of Pasuttis in the kitchen

Well, I've made it back to Smith Meadows. My mom drove out with me, making a bit of a vacation out of the trip. We stopped in Grand Blanc, MI (completely on the way) to visit some family for a few days and then headed to Pittsburgh, PA to visit a friend. We had a bit of car trouble, but luckily it was in a friendly town with good company.  Once we finally got Lady back on the road (after waiting 8 hours!), we made it to Berryville, VA. Before my mom flew back to Des Moines, IA, we put her to work in the commercial kitchen making empenadas for the weekend's farmer's market [I'm told we look like sisters in this picture].

{In addition to a part time nanny, a studio intern, and resident artist here at Smith Meadows, I put a few hours in at the commercial kitchen each week, hence the random kitchen picture instead of the studio update--coming soon. Tasks range from making ravioli, cutting noodles, peeling garlic, processing herbs, packing pasta coolers for market, and now making empenadas!}

The last time I visited friends in Minnesota, I stopped by the Northern Clay Center to check out their Holiday Show and Sale. Although I can't really afford to buy all the pots I would like, I couldn't resist these two beauties. Sandra Daulton Shaughnessy uses clay slips and brushwork for lively surfaces, as seen in this cup.

It wouldn't be winter without a blizzard of course! Thirteen inches of snow later, Des Moines is still shoveling its way out of this season's first big one. These icicles decorating my house just might be inspiration for an upcoming light sculpture...

While home for the holidays, I am taking a break from clay, yet continuing to brainstorm for future projects. So far, it has been a great time to catch up with friends, family, and mentors in the Midwest. Something to look forward to within the next year or so: a firing and show for all us past interns at JD Jorgenson's!

Six months in Virginia has come and gone. Now I'm back in the Midwest for 2 months to enjoy the holidays with family and friends. I think it will be a nice break, but I'm already thinking about what I want to do when I get back to Virginia!

Check out that arch! Here's an excited kiln builder after a day's work out at Joy Bridy's. 

I haven't carved a pumpkin in years! Boy how times have changed! I couldn't help but use my carving skills to make a non-traditional jack-o-lantern.

Here's for Jolene far far away.

Another wood firing out at Mizue's, this time the sky mimicking the inside of the kiln. They say 'red at night, sailors' delight', but we'll see how delightful the firing went next Saturday when we unload....

"Chanti" K

Nancy and I decided we should make some greeting cards out of our artwork. She chose several farm photos, water color paintings and sketches to print, and I took the next step with my colored pencil drawings: using those crazy puzzle piece squares (scanned, resized, printed, cut, and bordered). I made cards from "Beth" and "Chanti" (I didn't think to scan Molly's and Karen's at the time). Check 'em out!

colored pencil (20X30")

I started this a month ago for Chanti's birthday (oopsies: just a bit late!). Busy busy I have been, but finally: I am done!

While I'm sure she doesn't need any encouragement for her firey spirit, I hope this brightens her day and keeps her burning all year long out west. :)

the back stack in Mizue's kiln

Of course neither since it's only September, but that's always the question when opening up a kiln...

The firing was a success--we made it to temperature and it didn't take as long as last time to do it. Mizue filled a lot of the gaps in the walls that we suspected held us back last time--losing heat.

I'm still working off my shelf space by splitting wood, but I don't mind too much.

The top right piece is mine...

Searching for the balance between inspiration and intimidation, Nancy and I checking out the glaze tiles at Baltimore Clayworks; photo by Genna Strauss

It has finally worked out for us to get glaze ingredients for the studio! Guided by Joy Bridy and joined by my vacationing friend, the ladies of La Capretta took a field trip to Baltimore. We filled

...our minds at Baltimore Clayworks--getting some inspiration from the studio and gallery

...our bellies at a Greek restaurant with tasty hummus

...my jeep with clay and glaze ingredients at Baltimore Clayworks and Supply, and

...our hearts with good company: strolling around the harbor, enjoying gelato, trying on hats, and slurping raw oysters.

Mizue bricking up the door.

I brought all my pots, thinking less than half would make it in; there are 6 other potters firing with Mizue this time around. Magically though, all but 6 cups made it in! Mizue is said to have eyes on her fingertips: a kiln loading goddess.

unloaded bisqueware taking up the whole table.

A first time for everything: a kiln filled with only my stuff.  stamps, tea bag plates, coil cups, key holes, bowls, slab cups. Dang. Gotta get ready for a wood firing and some glaze testing!

Still playing around with thickness, height and width, but I'm liking the form and of course the doily impressions....

I picked this book up at the library. Just like the other books in this series of "500 ---", this one is awesome!

I think my favorite is Sandy Culp's "Pear Pair" (2001). 8X12X 1 1/2 inches. page 353:

I'm still drawn to exposed coils and making them functional... we'll see how this form shapes up. I started off with a pinch pot bottom and then coiled up instead of upside down like the last set...

These are meant to be used teabag holders, but could be anything really. With my new stamps and some foam, I pressed these litte plates out of slabs. All of the stamps seem to work pretty well--couldn't have asked for more!

a few test stamps...

It's taken us a little while to make enough work to fill the kiln for another bisque since we've been so busy with the garden and what not, but FINALLY! We did it! AND: no cracks! Two sculptural vessels, some cups, and some stamps.

It's Molly Roske's birthday this Saturday and I thought it would be nice to send something down to Guatemala. Busy with the garden, this is my most recent 'art' to show off. I did make stamps last week, but I'll get pictures of those later.

How about some slab cups? They still need a little refining, but here's round 1 at least.