Peg's Pots

Touting a friend's work!

2012-03-15T11:22:00.001-07:00

Our world has been blessed with this new book that was illustrated by my good friend and amazing illustrator, teacher, mother, wife, etc, etc, etc, Jamie Hogan, written by Caroline Arnold. Jamie's link will connect to her blog and you will have the joy of knowing all of what she is up to. You won't be disappointed, I promise. No moss grows on this girl.

Jamie recently gave me a copy of "A Warmer World" and I was so taken with her beautiful pastel illustrations that just sent me over the moon. If you need an idea for a special gift for a young friend or relative, please consider this lovely book. Also share this information with your friends and family and let Jamie know if you have any interest in using this book to introduce global warming to children. Enjoy!

Delights and disappointments

2012-03-15T10:42:00.002-07:00

Here is Missy at her show at the Little Dog Coffee Shop at 87 Maine Street, Brunswick, ME. Her show continues until the end of the month. Be sure and go if you can! Here is some more of Missy's art.

Portraits at Little Dog Coffee Shop in Brunswick.

Missy's mosaic which won a prize!

Missy's doll sculpture

Above, portrait of Chena

Missy's sculpture

As you can see Missy crosses all boundaries and creates all kinds of amazing art. She inspires me!

Hippo has arrived, made it through all the firings and is ready to go to a new home. Great fun for a first. There will undoubtedly be more of the same with the wisdom garnered from the first one. I am thinking pig, elephant, panda. We will see what comes next. Great start though! Thanks Sheila for the inspirtion and the trade. I like that we both feel we got the best deal.

rear view

note the serendipity heart on hippo's cheek!

More new work.....the agony and the ecstasy

A wonderful form that came together like a dream and meant to be a donation to ILAP's Cele Soiree fundraiser. Sadly it was loaded in the kiln upside down so it got stuck to the kiln shelf whick took the bowl of the drum out of round. You can see the difference from a previous posting showing it bisqued and ready to be glazed. I learned that if I made one, I can make others.

After grinding the top, maybe I should put the skin on it and see how it sounds. Maybe it has a voice worth hearing and knows it is supposed to "be". We'll see. It is against my nature to give up on things.

Lovely teacher Lori Watts showed her classes how to make some covered butter dishes. The variety of each person's style has made these a big hit. I love making them and the response has been great.

More of not the same. Cute, huh?

So there it is, more Missy, Hippo survives being a prototype and new work, the agony and the ecstasy.

Life is good.

Happy Birthday Missy!

2012-02-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

I am an ardent admirer of Melissa Capuano and her art and today is her 40th birthday.
Her Mom, Kathleen is a friend, fellow potter and classmate of mine at Portland Pottery.

I don't have lots of pictures but wanted to share some images with you along with information on Missy's solo show March 2-31, 2012 at The Little Dog Coffee Shop, 87 Maine Street, Brunswick, Maine 04011 and some information on the non-profit Spindleworks where Missy creates and sells her art. Of course there is a Peaks Island connection! Our friend, Madeline Gielow of Peaks works at Spindleworks and is also a friend of Missy and Kathleen. Small world, huh?

Spindleworks was chosen by the Maine Arts Commission to design and create Maine's ornaments for the 2011 National Christmas tree display. Here is Missy with her ornament. Her moose is inside the globe ornament that went to Washington, DC.

There was a workshop at Spindleworks and Missy created this wonderful wooden peacock. I believe it was sold before it was finished. Isn't it just wonderful? I love, love, love the energy of this piece.

This piece came about in a workshop about paper sculpture. Pure delight!

You can see why I admire and am so inspired by Missy's work.

Missy loves to make portraits and here is a recent one - Kermit - our favorite frog playing the banjo!

Missy's show at The Little Dog Coffee Shop is portraits from Little House on the Prairie.

Here is the press release on the show:

While modern TV dramas such as CSI, Law and Order, and Parenthood blanket the air waves and shape our understanding of modern society, those of us of a certain age are still informed by the TV shows of our youth. In her homage to Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Capuano puts us face to face with the characters of this memorable drama. Front and center in each frame, Laura, Albert, Pa and Doc Baker bring us back to a “simpler time” but when the issues faced were just as important as they are today. Drawing parallels to the current day, Capuano states: “they talk about real issues like drugs, death, friends, family, and supporting each other”. Her paintings reveal the larger than life part these fictional figures can play in our lives. Fourteen of the legendary T.V. show characters adorn the walls of the Little Dog in March. Come get a cup of coffee and have a sit down talk with Laura, Pa, Nellie, and remember the life lessons learned.

Here is Missy and her pal "Duke" raising money at the spring 2011 Ride-A-Thon at "Riding to the Top" in Windham, Maine.

Two good friends riding off into the sunset.

Happy trails to you and Duke!

Happy 40th Birthday Missy!

Moments of Brilliance

2012-01-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

To me life is full of "moments of brilliance". You know, when you just about levitate out of your body with awe and delight. Recognizing those moments is not difficult and delighting in them is the easiest thing I have ever done. For me these moments are usually surrounded by magical events that you suspected were such but could not be sure "if" or "how" until you are blinded by the light (so to speak).

Back yard after snow

Way back yonder , in August, I met a gal at my open studio that asked if we could barter for a commission. We had been talking for quite a while and her energy was lovely as was she. We made a deal and the piece is now out of bisque. I adore it and now am thinking of the glazing hoping to bring out the best in this lovely, sweet piece. I will keep you informed about how it goes but I still wanted to share and delight you with the process and albeit a lengthy one, it is filled with delight the whole way.

hippo planter

Everything has two sides and it's difficult to capture it in it's entirety with one photo so.....the other side.

hippo hinie

Isn't it wonderful! I am confident that any plant would be delighted to live and thrive sandwiched between such a cute front and back side. I may be just a bit prejudiced but then.....maybe not.

On Friday, March 30th, 2012, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project will be having it's 8th annual CeleSoiree: Celebrating Immigration through the Arts at The Portland Company. If you have not been, you really should go! It is a great party with food, art, music along with a noble cause being supported at the same time. For the past few years I have donated drums. Having just agreeing to donate I wanted to get started on my drum for the cause. I just put the pieces together Tuesday and am thrilled witht the results. Throwing caution to the wind, trusting that it will make it through all the firings and that my glazing choices will do it justice here'tis. I'm grinning from ear to ear!

drum in the raw

Any artists who would like to donate art can get in touch with ILAP through the link above. A donation includes a ticket to the CeleSoiree, a wonderful party not to be missed. DONATE! It will be one more of those moments of brilliance in your life!

The phonebooks are here! The phonebooks are here! and other stories

2011-12-06T07:58:00.000-08:00

We were just swimming along and we were blindsided by an invitation to present a paper on the Southwestern Sumatran beaded baskets we collected while in Inddonesia at the 2nd Borneo International Beads Conference in Kuching, Malaysia! Food for thought as we swam along.

I went to Texas in September to see my family. My Dad has done a lot of woodwork over the years. His Dad also did a lot of woodwork. It seems to run in the family. We often talk shapes and decorating methods and ideas because ceramics and wood are very similar in those ways. This was the latest of his efforts and made me very proud. As you can see Mom & Dad have a table full of everyone's favorites.

The Bead conference was going to be October 7-9, 2011 so we really needed to make up our minds about throwing caution to the winds and go or say no.

Our precious niece Tracey was getting married to Philip Aus October 1st and that was the kicker. We wanted to be there so....the rest as they say is history. We were lucky to be able to make it not only to the wedding but had a chance to participate in helping with the details. We are so proud of and happy for Tracey & Philip. It was a wedding that was all about friends, family and love. It was a gift to be present.

We now had a ticket to the moon and needed to do what we needed to do. We wrote the paper, made the plans, got the tickets and tried to get ready. We would be gone over 3 weeks and there was a lot to cover and take care of before leaving.

Kuching is a beautiful and very livable city. It feels so nice and the people are friendly. A river runs through it with a beautiful walkway with food stalls and beautiful plantings all along the river. Lovely night or day. It reminded us of our time on the east coast of Borneo. Strangely familiar was the feeling. It was so easy for us to be comfortable even using our rusty Indonesian. That language was based on Malaysian so it is easy to be understood even though there are differences.

The Bead Conference was held at the Grand Marguerita Hotel on the river. It was an international group of stunning people who all love beads. We made new friends and enjoyed ourselves thouroughly. We learned a lot about beads from our new friends and shared that love for a few days. We look forward to deepening the connections with this amazing group of people.

We simply could not go that far away and be so close to our buddies in Bali to not pop over so we did. Our dear friends Nyoman Suradnya and his lovely wife Rai blessed us with their amazing and comfortable homestay as our base. We had to visit our carver friend I. B. Oka in Mas which we walked to from Ubud. A great distance but our way took us through many acres of rice paddies and was more like we know Bali from the old days. Turns out Oka and Nyoman know each other well but do not see each other very often. We had a good reason to get them together and we got to watch them connect again after a long time, just like we had done with each of them. Magic!

Spent a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur because we had never been. Found our old friend Geoff in town working so met him for dinner and caught up. Small world!

fun little pitchers

Salt, peppa & tray

At Last! The 2012 Island Directory is here! This week was the launching along with a Craft Fair at the Inn on Peaks. Wonderful!

Magic!!!

2011-08-11T13:10:00.000-07:00

Just a quickie to tell the world how much fun I am having with the bluebird. It really is magic. Thank you Blair! Thank you Jo!! Thank you Laird & Claudia!!! Life is good and so is the studio. Yipee!

The Bluebird has landed!

2011-08-07T19:21:00.000-07:00

Another title might be: "Dreams can come true with a little help from our friends!"

Ok, another hiatis, another great story.

Clay entered my world in a wonderful way about 10 years ago. In that time I have become 10 years older and hopefully a little wiser. Over the years I have thought a lot about pug mills and how they might make my life a lot easier. A few years back I met an incredible woman that I knew was a kindred spirit right away, Jo Israelson. Her energy is contagious and dynamic and I love time with her. She knows everyone and one of her many strengths is connecting people, something I have dabbled with in my past and I can truly appreciate it's value. So, a year and a bit ago, I told her if she heard about a pug mill, to please let me know. I heard from her the following week! (She's good!) She told me she had found one for me. I was excited. She then told me it was free. I was in an incredulous state! This is beyond I told myself. She then told me it was in Colorado. Being a terminal optomist, I was sure it was a gift from the universe and a little distance could certainly be overcome. Well, in July, the "Bluebird" landed on Peaks Island. A million thanks to Blair Meerfeld, the chairman of The Art League Ceramics Department in Washington, DC whose generosity of spirit is very much appreciated.

Here it is missing it's cover that says "BLUEBIRD" on it. This was the beginning of getting to know each other. There was a lot of cleaning and tampering to do before calling her ready to rock and roll.

Here she sits awaiting our work together - several five gallon buckets of clay to be recycled and made ready to be made into pots, plates and other functional stuff! Tuesday we have a date. Thank you Jo! Thank you Blair!

Just a few of the latest stuff to come out of the kiln at Portland Pottery. We were away for a wonderful wedding in Northampton, MA this weekend and when I got back I went into the studio and found one of my favorite new plates had spontaneously combusted. I will need to look into this as it did not seem like there would have been enough of a temperature change to cause it so....I'll look into the possibilities and correct from there.

So sad! Luckily I have others ready to be glazed.

This sea grape plate came out well with the same glaze but a clay body that is the same color but has more grog in it. I love the difference!

This clam shell came out great and I suspect there will not be another like it since this was from a mismixed bucket of glaze that a few of us around the Portland Pottery studio love. I noticed it is getting low, boo hoo.

If you live in the area and want a treat, come to Peaks Island on August 14th for "Art on the Porch". This is an annual craft fair at the Fifth Maine Regiment Museum starting at 10am. A huge variety of talented artists and craftsmen and their wares. Good food, too! I will be there, too!

Ciao!

Delight!

2011-05-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

In and amidst the days as they fly by are moments of incredible delight. It is those that I choose to commit to memory because at the end of the day, at the end of my life, they are what remind me of what it is all about. The sources are endless and varied. It might be an image you have seen, an amazing meal someone has made with “love” as the main ingredient, a puppy you can’t find words to describe the feeling you get when you see and smell them, the art of a dear friend that shows you the sweetness and depth of their soul, a chance meeting when you KNOW someone sees you for exactly who you are (and loves you anyway), the tender touch and lack of words when you find a compassionate compadre in your walk, love in a look, something that opens your heart like nothing else-all delightful, worth remembering and if you are lucky, common in your experience.

Rogers, the artist of this drawing, was a self taught petroleum geologist who mentored my husband. I got to know him, his wife and family, all a gift of cosmic proportions. There was a book written, “This Day so Sweet”, which if you are interested, is available through http://www.awingandaprayerpress.com/ about Sally, the Mom and Sue, the daughter. Rogers had started out as a draftsman but was always drawing something, mostly hysterically funny. Long after he died, his daughter showed me this drawing named “Broken Wing” that I keep near for its magnificence. You can easily see why. By the way, it is Rogers carrying his own broken wing.

A friend brought me this card, created by another friend, because it screamed my name at her. I am a potter, love making bowls and I love to bowl (ten pin) with my buddies every week. When she blessed me with it, I smiled so hard my head hurt. This was double the pleasure, double the fun, (you know, the spearmint gum) on so many levels. I loved it - one friend’s art, another friends love and the opportunity to smile from my heart each time I see it. Also notice the heart bowl in amongst the others. I make heart bowls and love them. The artist has one and called to thank me, telling me how she loved to have her cereal out of that bowl because when she was done with the cereal, she would tip the bowl to the point and the milk went right into her mouth. YUM! “Art from the heart” is this story.

Just so you can see for yourself. Doesn’t it make you smile?

Although this is what I affectionately call “brown and white food”, this is brown and white food at its best. There is a group of us that loved to take a trip to Boston periodically and that always included “Casa Portugal” on Cambridge Street. We ordered by number, loved our waiter and always left happy. If you get a chance, don’t pass it by. The food is made with immense love and is like nothing you have ever had. What is not to love?

Back in 2008, my friend Stephanie and I made this quilt to show at the “Art from the Heart” in conjunction with the American Cancer Society's Annual Living with Cancer Conference. It was made, in a hurry, with great love. It always touches a place deep inside and delights me to no end.

I must say I love having a puppy in my life. It makes me softer and delight is around every corner. I want to experience that sweet puppy smell every chance I get. I love, love, love all the antics that never cease to delight. It is short lived so especially important to savor each and every moment. Those moments are each truly a delightful gift. Have you ever noticed that people who are not normally soft, soften up around a pup?

Hope you have been delighted! The studio is calling me home.

3 months worth!

2011-04-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here is my family working hard in January to keep the decks clear and paths open for our fuel suppliers. Art shovels and Sadie supervises while eating as much snow as possible to help out! The booties are not just a fashion statement but a practical matter for sheepdogs who love the snow. Sadie is in that category.

Some old and new work together. Classes started again at Portland Pottery in early January. However, they were still in the midst of enlarging the high fire gas kiln. Got it completed and now work is sailing through as we all get accustomed to the changes in the kiln. Check out teacher Lori Watts blog. Strictly fun!

More old stuff, new stuff.

Heart bowls that I got too late for Valentines Day but thank goodness love is a year round thing! Perfect for cereal since after you finish the cereal, you can tip the point into your mouth and there goes the milk!

Photo by John Morrill Read, (website under construction), friend, human being and artist extraordinaire! Art turned 60 and we had to celebrate. Great time of year for the party, everyone was tired of wintah, and we had a Texas theme with Ronda Dale along with Kevin Attra and special guest Nina, all delighting us with Texas swing music. Everyone participated in the amazing food and a good time was had by all from what we hear. Never saw so many cowboy hats in Maine in one spot! Boots, too! Art was certainly feeling the love that afternoon. What a nice way to usher in the 60's.

March had it's supermoon and we went backshore to see it rise up along with lots of other Peaks Islanders. Truly a sight to see! Thankfully the weather cooperated with a clear evening.

Maine weather always reminds me of when the cowardly lion wakes up in the field of poppies after the snow saying, "Unusual weather we're having!" We had a beautiful surprise snow after a 68 degree day in March. The pair of cardinals we have around made it even more of a stark contrast by hanging around in the bushes we can see near our birdfeeder that they love so much. Cute couple although he steals the show with his looks.

Having lived in Maine for over 16 years, we decided it was time to experience Maine Maple Sunday. We went to Merrifield Farm in Gorham. It was wonderful! The reason we chose that farm in particular was they had maple soft serve ice cream. It was amazing and the people were so nice. I recommend it to anyone.

New Work-Found a new fish plate for this year and I really like them a lot.

Still making wool bowls. thanks to my cousin Julie and her knitting group in Trinidad, CO.

Cushing Matte Blue if you can imagine!

Fun with Cushing Matte Green and wax resist.

Well, that was some of my new work and this season I will have some of my Father's work to share and sell at the open studios on Peaks this summer. Can't wait to share his work and I love having his energy in my studio. I also have a new "claymate" in Justin Palmer, an islander with a degree in ceramics from Bennington, VT. The studio is alive and well!

NEWS FLASH!!!

The cork bulletin board is finished! Looks great and thanks to all my pals who have been saving their corks for me so I could finish. Mucho appreciate y'all drinking all that wine to help me out.

There you have it, 3 months worth. Enjoy! I am headed for the studio. Happy creating!

"Art Roamings" in The Island Times January Edition

2011-01-21T08:58:00.000-08:00

Suffice to say that I am over the moon about this lovely article about Peg's Pots, etc. that came out in January Edition of The Island Times. For you lovers of Peaks Island, I suggest you subscribe by sending your info and $25 check to The Island Times, 120 Brackett Avenue, Peaks Island, ME 04108. Such a special treat and keeps you up on what is happening on the island while you are away! It has taken me a while to get the copy from the article to share. Here it is:

Earth, Wind, and Fire

By Jamie Hogan

“Peaks Island is the belly button of the universe,” said Peg Astarita recently, one of her many signature quips. Peaks is a community with unpredictable connections, no doubt. And a creative one, at that. The Art Walks have established over a dozen studios open to the public, allowing visitors to see where art is made. But only one welcomes people to create their own work. Peg Astarita’s website (http://www.pegspotsetc.com/) says “open for fun” and that sums up her approach.

“I try to be flexible for whatever people’s needs are,” said Peg. She’s hosted mosaic parties, ornament making, held outdoor barrel firings in her yard, and joined figure drawing groups with wet globs of clay. While everyone else’s pencils are shading the form on paper, Peg is fingering a form into being.

A native of West Texas, Peg and her family moved every few years, with her father in the oil business. “It’s the nature of that field, they’re always looking for new resources. I was always saying goodbye to friends,” she said.

Peg earned a business degree from the University of Texas in Austin and met her partner, Art Astarita at Sun Oil while both worked in Dallas. During the hot summer of 1980, they moved to the east coast of Borneo, staying for four years before returning to Texas for a three year stint. They lived and worked in Jakarta for the next seven years.

Art told Peg stories about Peaks Island, where his family had summered for decades. In October of 1994, the pair moved directly from Jakarta to Peaks Island and cleared land on the northern tip of the island. They camped on the land and began building a geodesic dome house.

“We were doin’ the dream thing,” Peg said.

In 2001, she took her first pottery class at Portland Pottery with two other island friends.

“I’ve been there ever since,” she said. “I take classes to have access to 50 pounds of clay and a high fire kiln, and to see other people’s work. It’s a wonderful deal. Seeing what other people do is very stimulating. You see it all there.”

Two years later, Peg and Art finished a spacious room over the garage. She received a free pottery wheel from a friend in Portland, Oregon about the same time that a kiln came her way via another friend’s uncle.

“It was divine intervention. I heard every word Divine was telling me,” said Peg. She established her pottery studio, Peg’s Pots, etc. in 2003. She began participating in island craft fairs and finding buyers for her earthy bowls, mugs, and butter dishes. She delights in all natural shapes, creating functional ceramics with an embedded spirit, such as birds, whistles, drums, fish vases, goddess figures reaching to the sky.

About five years ago, Peg started teaching a group of homeschooled children in her studio, and hosting parties. She has on hand a variety of bisqueware pieces, clay slip that has been formed in plaster molds and fired once. Visitors can paint these with glazes, and Peg fires them again after giving them a clear glaze.

Recently she hosted a dozen 13 year-old girls for a birthday party. Eda French of Portland said, “I loved working at Peg’s pottery! It was sooo much fun! Peg was super nice and very helpful. It was nice that I could choose a piece of pottery and paint whatever I wanted. I also loved Peg’s doggy!” (Peg and Art’s English sheephound, Sadie, makes regular and exuberant visits to the studio.)

Matt Barnes, who once ran a professional tile-making studio, said, “I don’t know an islander who smiles more. Peg is generous with her time, opinions, and honesty.” Matt will be using Peg’s studio to complete a recent commission for ceramic dinnerware. Now that he’s pursuing an education degree, he needs access to pottery equipment on island. He said, “A lot of people say they’re happy to help, but she really takes you up on it.”

Peg’s studio is hidden down a bumpy dirt road, not on anyone’s regular orbit. Tall pines sway around the startling architecture, guarded by a pair of Indonesian sculptures that line the driveway leading to the garage. A collection of clay masks from many cultures hangs by the front door, signaling your arrival at a place where any sort of spirit might move you. As the winter deepens with cold and snow, consider seeking out this rare haven, in which art is not just an object or product, but an experience to be shared, shaped, and given the test of fire.

Y'all come now, y'hear!

Bisqueware for the Gallactic Star Gazers has been postponed until Wednesday January 26th at the Peaks Island Children's Workshop

It is a beautiful wintery day with a snow storm that has been blessing us with snow since sometime last night. Sadie and I had a ton of fun this morning through the deep snow. Great start of the day for both of us. She is now seriously napping and I am catching up, feeling very cozy since the snow covers the windows of the dome and it feels like you are in an igloo. Off to make a cuppa hot chocolate. Ciao!

An auspicious day

2010-12-26T13:34:00.000-08:00

Any day is a great day to celebrate a birthday! So it was at PPE Studio December 11th. A dozen lovely gals came to celebrate, create and have some fun. Daisy was the guest of honor, celebrating her 14th birthday. Mom came along to play as well.

After the short "speaking with hands" demo and a few tidbits about getting the most from your bisqueware, we were onto the fun stuff. Each of the gals picked out their pieces and we were off and running!

Tender care was taken and lots of time used to create the best pieces possible. The communal piece for Daisy was worked on by each of the participants as they finished their own. The time blew by and before you knew it, it was time to move on to the next phase of the birthday party. They left as quickly as they had come and the rest was left to me.

One of the things I love most about bisqueware is the variety of designs you will get with any group. Just goes to show that each of us have our own creative way to play and express that creativity. The glaze and firing went well and within a few days, the pieces were ready for viewing and distribution.

Dream Indeed! They are all at that perfect age for dreaming.

Daisy's keepsake from her lovely group of friends that helped her celebrate on this auspicious day says it all. Thanks to each of the gals for their creativity and beautiful energy they blessed my studio with! Many thanks to all who came and to Jamie, Marty and Daisy for making it possible.

hiatus

2010-12-26T13:17:00.000-08:00

1) an opening; a gap;a chasm

They happen!

Enjoying the Process#@%*&!

2010-06-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

May was a blur to me and I love this "one of many" art pieces in the NYC subways which I call, "Whoops, I almost lost my head!" The month of May felt like that to me.

Whoever said "Be sure you enjoy the process", must have been an incredibly wise soul. Life is mostly about the process, not necessarily any particular destination. That is the way I have experienced life and now, life with pottery! I believe that is where the "time" goes in that $64,000 question - "where does the time go?"

I had a great winter with all kinds of stimulation from workshops and classes that I took as well as DVD's I enjoyed. I don't have much to show for it at this point but there is a lot happenin' behind the scenes in preparation of bursting forth and I can't say exactly what or when. One example that recently was birthed is this vase with a sprig attached. SPRIG-You take anything buttons, toys, jewelry bits, anything small that you think would look nice on a piece of pottery and make a mold of it. You bisque fire the mold and then take a small ball of clay, push it into the mold, lay it on the pot and pull away the mold leaving a dot, button or bit of clay in the shape of your mold on your pot. It was part of the process of "sythesis" of what I learned and the opportunity to make it real!

I like the simplicity but also the detail and the way it messes with the glaze in a nice way. That is one of a million options for surface decoration. I went to a one day class on surface decoration and it was 9am to 5pm with a 1/2 hour brake for lunch and my head was spinning long before 5pm. So many options and so little time. Suffice to say I am exploring some of the possibilities and yes, enjoying the process. You may or may not incorporate the options you try into your work but by learning them and working with them you will know for sure.

As a reference for the talented artists I took workshops or classes with this winter, just click on the name and you will be taken on a magic carpet ride to see lots of beautiful work.

Aaron Sober, Patti Sandberg, Peter Jones, Kari Radasch

Also, if you get a chance, the DVD on surface decoration from Kristen Kieffer, it is great, as is her work!

For the last few years, I have done the "craft night" at TEIA, an organization on Peaks Island. We have "painted" bisqueware for the last few years and the crafters wanted something new this year so I have stepped out into the world of enamel painting on glass to see what it is all about. I have wanted to try it for some time and am pleased with the results and the possibilities are many. First I took glassware that I had to experiment on and tried to start with simple designs.

It has been fun and hopefully will please the crafters desire for something new. Then I started painting and splatting with great results and now, I am afraid I have created a monster - me! So many possibilities to personalize gifts and capture moments in time on a plate or glass or bowl.

As I have mentioned before, sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Good for the soul. Also make sure, at some point, that you take the time to sythesize what you have learned into your life, your soul and even sometimes your work. It takes time and it is all part of the process.

Namaste!

Is Art everything or is everything Art?

2010-04-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

It has been a very interesting time since my last post and the title of this blog posting is the question of the month. On the one side of the question, "Is Art everything?" Off the bat, I must respond emphatically 'yes' when speaking of my dear husband, Art.

GO ART!

When art is percieved as everything, I find the "judge" comes out and makes us all critical to a fault. It brings up a lot of quesitons about how we value art and ourselves. How is success measured in the "art" world, by us, by others? By promoting our own art, is it necessary to devalue or encourage a negative judgement about someone elses art? I always ask the question about art - "why judge"? You can recognize for yourself if it is your cup of tea or not without judging and labeling. Can't the art just be? Isn't that the real beauty of life - that we are all unique and bring that uniqueness plus our own energy to everything we do, art or not? Think humanity and how everything is connected and you think "art".

Fitting in with the plunger art sign and all the questions about art, I must recommend my utmost favorite thing about art that speaks to those many questions in a magical way. I try to see this everyday and when you add the double meaning for me, it just doesn't get any better and I never tire of seeing it. I hope you like it too.

ART!

There seems to be no question in my mind that Art makes us feel differently and enhances our experience of life as a whole. It connects us on a human level regardless of time. From cave drawings to the latest and greatest art, it speaks to each of us. Have you ever noticed the difference in visiting a city that has beautiful architecture and public art? People enjoy art as they go about their daily lives and you really can feel it in the air! Art Museums and exhibits are often on our agenda to enhance our own experience and what a joy it is! But is it everything?

Who doesn't love to be delighted unexpectedly. I call this cottage on Peaks Island, "I'll see you in the spring!" Makes me smile every time I go by. Magic, huh? Maybe an artist lives there.

Art shown two ways. Is it the same? Does it feel the same? Is one better than the other? Is it simply the difference betweeh Vinalhaven Island in Maine and the NYC subway? Interesting once you "know", huh?

I really should check out this book but I simply can't resist "art" anywhere when I have my camera handy. So to the next questions, "Is everything art?" This blog came to mind when my dear friend Judy sent me the following ditty. I have no idea where it came from but I must say it resonates for me.

i think everything in life is art. what you do. how you dress. the way you love someone, and how you talk. your smile and your personality. what you believe in, and all your dreams. the way you drink your tea. how you decorate your home. or party. your grocery list. the food you make. how your writing looks. and the way you feel.

life is art.

The nose knows!

art is art. art can't hurt you. be open to art. art heals. art sustains. art has it's moments. art rocks. the art of the steal. art knows. art speaks. slave to art. good art won't match your sofa. art is. the secret of life is in art. art is what's left over after you've defined everything else. art's purpose is to sober and quiet the mind so that it is in accord with what happens. it is through art and art only that we can realize our perfection, through art and art only that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual existence.

I love Art!

Moments in Time

2010-03-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

"A scientist once said there is no such thing as time. So perhaps we do not exist in time as we know it. We cannot hold on to the past or grab onto the future, and the present is ever gone." Beatrice Wood

My standard line is that I lived a gypsy life. I have lived in over 30 houses and went to 11 schools between kindergarten and graduating high school. Most of my life has been spend in a similar climate so there was really nothing to reference time except events-moments in time. That is my life, simply, moments in time. This past month.....

We had a big storm at the end of February that would have been called a hurricane had the date been different. It continued the change of landscape that was started just under 3 years ago in the Patriot's Day Storm of April 19, 2007. Lots of trees lost in that storm set up the loss of many more in this storm. The ocean also heaves up, gets wild and unruly. It is interesting to watch the changes occur right before your eyes in a very short span of time. You can welcome the extra sun in the woods but still mourn the loss of the tall tree creatures. Clean up will be an ongoing affair for some time for all the islands. It will also take time to let the new landscape settle into our minds and feel normal.

Sadie turned 7 on the 12th. We celebrated by having some of her friends and their humans over. There was dinner and dominos. It was a lot of fun. It's hard to believe Sadie came to us at 11 months of age, just over 6 years ago through the New England Old English Sheepdog Rescue after 2 families gave up on her. Since we are all a good fit together, the time seems to fly by which makes it even more important to notice and mark the time passing - being aware, grateful and not taking it for granted. We also appreciate having wonderful and talented friends that help mark these precious moments in special ways! Posie's Mom, Jamie Hogan, gave Sadie this amazing card that speaks for itself. The best friends are old friends!

There is nothing quite like it to personally mark the moment in time!

The collaborative work got bisque fired and the base broke into many pieces with the only one casualty being the clay rope. We four got together on the 13th to underglaze and glaze. Those pieces were fired and here is the result of our efforts. We will be looking for a new base for the pieces and see what resonates with all of us. Next will be the final product coming soon!

Art bought this 1973 VW Bug 37 years ago in Sandusky, Ohio. We fell in love in this car and "Woodstock" has been like a member of the family for all those years since it was our mode of transport to work, camping, hiking, everywhere. This is a photo of it's final journey on the ferry to be transferred to a gentleman who will be giving it new adventures in Cape May, New Jersey. This was certainly a moment in time we won't forget. Lots of special memories associated with this dear, dependable & adorable car.

So you see, there are many times, moments & memories that mark time as it flies by.

Some thoughts about time and the possibilities.....

"We shape clay into a pot

but it is the emptiness inside

that holds whatever we want." Lao Tzu

There is only one you for all time. Fearlessly be yourself.” Anthony Rapp

Shake it up!

2010-02-24T07:31:00.000-08:00

Wow! Already over a month since a posting. That's what can happen when you shake it all up. Along with the sweet and powerful promise of new beginnings and all that you hope for in the new year, it is necessary to change something. Remember that saying about the wind chime. If one piece moves then all the others are affected? I recently heard a friend say if you change a belief, your choices change. That is what has been happening. Changes are in the air everywhere.

It is blowing a gale this morning! Sadie & I went out for a walk and instead of avoiding the wind, we went to find it and see what was going on in the midst of it all. Sadie is a lover of the wind. Must be the great smells that it carries from far away besides the fact that she likes the way it feels going through her hair. The air is full of water from the crashing waves and the birds are playing in the wind. The gulls can stay in one place for ages but then with just the slightest shift go screaming with the wind effortlessly. Yeehah!

I started out the year changing teachers. In 8 years I have had 2 teachers, one for a very long time. There is nothing wrong with that but when the opportunity presented itself, it felt right to change for the moment so I did it. Check out Aaron Sober, known for his brushwork. He also gave a great workshop on brushwork in January at Portland Pottery. In February there was a workshop by Patti Sandberg who is known for her earthenware coil built animals. It was a fun workshop and her easy going nature was delightful to be around. It reminded me that it is all supposed to be fun as well. New ideas and ways to incorporate into my own process. All of it stimulating in different ways. Shakin' it up!

For those who are not familiar with The Studio Potter , you should really become a member of the non profit which includes biannual issues of the magazine, sans advertisements and chocka block full of great articles and information on a theme. The winter spring 2009/2010 (Vol 38, No 1) is about money. It is an extraordinary issue with a miriad of approaches and issues around trying to make a living as a potter. Is more necessarily better? So much food for thought, so many angles and so many approaches to the issue. Treat yourself and join.

I love this shot from a market in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. She is shaking up something ordinary, small red onions, with great beauty and grace, just as she does every day. A picture is worth a thousand words.

That potential is there every day for each of us!

The Sweet & Powerful Promise of New Beginnings

2010-01-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's that time of year that we greet with goals, ideas and enthusiasm. I love the sweetness of the holdays for it's "downtime", more opportunities to gather with friends and family as well as the opportunity to think about the upcoming year and all that we hope it might bring. I hope for peace.

Our Christmas tree is always one from our property that will not be surviving anyway and give it a last blast by being decorated with all manner of ornaments from our eclectic backgrounds. You can see the Old English Sheepdog along the bottom (Sadie), the "Merry Christmas" crab from my sister in Louisiana and various ornaments of the seas and the cosmos. Have you ever noticed if you have blinking lights that they always go with the music, whatever music you have on. I swear!

Just before year end, I managed to squeek out these two bean pots. One has already been tried and the other is awaiting being picked up and taken to it's new home. Winter food is truly the best! I do say that about all the seasons but... I do love the warmth, long cooking, long on comfort, food of the winter. I have the crock pot out and am trying all kinds of new recipes. So far, incredibly yummy.

A while back 3 friends and I decided we wanted to try some collaborative work between us. We made some criteria, threw around some ideas and made a date to get together to put the pieces together and see what might come from it. Saturday was the day. We had a great time, especially being together. At the end of the day this is the piece we had created. Now we will wait for it to dry thoroughly and go on from there. We all had smiles on our faces and will be looking forward to the next date to underglaze and glaze the piece. I trust this is only the beginning of more work to be birthed by we four.

Happy new beginnings and enjoy the sweet & powerful promise they give.

A Time of Birthings

2009-12-19T09:36:00.000-08:00

November 23rd, our new nephew, Colin Patrick Long was born. The entire family is appropriately elated. Congrats to Mom, Dad & brother James! Thanks to sisters who have helped out getting everyone settled in. Bless you!

The 2010 Island Phone Directory was born in early December. It really is a birthing for me since I work on it for around 9 months. I have, however, discovered it is not as exciting to the general public as it is to me. This time, I heard right away how much everyone loves the cover they will be living with for 2 years. Thank you and kudos to Jamie Hogan!

I recently had the chance to complete a commission for some friends for their 25th wedding anniversary. This was the culmination of those efforts and will continue to follow the theme which will bring forth more sculptures along the same lines. Another birthing along the love theme.

A while back several pitchers, organic in nature, came along that pleased me to no end. Recently a few more have found their way into being and there is a sense that this is only the beginning.

Somehow they end up glazed in earth tones so will try to branch out from that and introduce some color to see how they express themselves.

Compliments the theme of birthing, bringing forth, pouring out, opening.

“And what is as important as knowledge?”, asked the mind.

“Caring, and seeing with the heart”, answered the soul.

May you greet the new year with an open heart, spirit and mind.

Namaste

New Stuff Happening!

2009-11-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Oh Boy! Yipee! Hooray!! Today is a happy day with my new website just made live. Let me know what you think and I can tell you, I love it! Done by the incomparable Marty Braun! Such a great feeling after all the pondering, consternating, figuring out, deciding, changing my mind, hoping, praying, yes, I could go on but you get the jist. Marty also did my business cards (I have 8 different ones) and I chose my favorite for a logo I use in my studio and in some of my advertisements. Here it is again!

Some other new fun stuff to tell you about is wool bowls. I heard about them through a friend and liked the idea. Any excuse to play, so...I came up with these. They are the small version which is adequate for a ball of yarn. You put the ball in the bowl and thread the yarn through the openings on the side. While you knit, the yarn comes out of the bowl smoothly, without tangling. I need to make some of the bigger version but at least you can see where I am headed and how beautiful they are.

Just so you can see what is on the shelf in November of 09.

And the best for last! I can't resist the sweet stuff, if you know what I mean! This fellow has been hanging out with me for some time and since it is getting colder, I felt like I really needed to get with the program and get him outfitted for the season. If you are shy, don't look. First, him naked and second, him dressed. Hope all of this makes you smile!

A trip to Washington DC is good for the soul!

2009-10-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

As Americans, we can all be very proud of Washington DC. It is an amazing city and if you love Art, it is beyond fabulous. There is simply so much to choose from and no amount of time would ever be adequate but what fun trying!

This "game fish" displayed at the Renwick Gallery was so delightful. It was fully decorated with very old toys, those from my childhood and possibly some from before that. Magic.

In one of the outdoor markets, I found these bottlecap people. Bottlecap art always intrigues me as it is recycling at it's finest and the creativity expressed is over the top. Fun, fun, fun.

Washington DC also fed me in a different way since I love food. My husband Art, does too and he had Old Ebbitt Grill on his list. It was a must because it is so old, so beautifully decorated, and so well enjoyed by so many. It has gas lamps, the real deal, everywhere with fantastic glass globes of every shape and size giving that soft glow that is so easy on the eyes. From the moment you walked in until you left, full and happy, you were in good hands.

Like the Renwick Gallery building, lots of buildings in DC have "Dedicated to Art" on the front of them, usually carved from the stone of the building. We delighted in that fact with each one we saw since I am married to Art, dedicated to Art, commited to Art, a slave to Art, etc., etc., etc. I could go on and on.

Change of Seasons

2009-09-11T05:32:00.000-07:00

If you noticed, it's been over a month since my last posting. It was a very full month, full of all the things that make life worthwhile. Saying goodbye to loved ones, having friends come to Peaks, visiting childhood friends, catching up when you can and simply living fully in each moment or you might be overwhelmed. Great practice!

Walking around the island provides scenery that fits the mood, any mood in which you might find yourself. This view from backshore is "peace as a storm passes by". Quite lovely, huh? Peaks does provide soul food.

A little further along the same walk, this part of a tree that is seemingly grounded in the rocks, that has survived many a storm and has not moved nor washed away. It reminds us that despite many changes, some things do stay the same. We are grounded somewhere, even if we cannot see it at that moment.

Autumn is here with the blink of an eye, the cool nights, the apples coming on, pumpkins too. I love the change of seasons but most of all I love the changes that occur in us, getting us ready, in this case, for Autumn. I have only experienced this as an adult and will not live long enough for it's novelty nor it's magic to fade for me. Yeehaw! Bring it on.

As you can tell this past month has been about being present, whatever the circumstances, while savoring each moment. I am all fired up, just like the sculpture to move into one of my favorite seasons, Autumn (although I love them all). I plan to make pumpkins for one of many fun, seasonal projects. Enjoy the seasonal changes wherever you are.

A wicked fun "like it hot" Saturday!

2009-07-22T10:34:00.001-07:00

This past Saturday my friend Jo and I participated in a Raku firing at Portland Pottery. Basically a raku firing is a quick firing process where pieces are glazed (using glazes made specifically for raku),heated up quickly, then taken from the hot kiln and set onto combustibles (wood chips, sawdust, newspaper, straw, whatever) allowed to catch on fire and then covered to rob the burning atmosphere of oxygen. Here's a great site to learn more about RAKU.

It is exciting, fun, dirty, smoky and full of wonder! If you ever get a chance to try it, I highly recommend it. This time I had some of my own pieces but decided to experiment with some commercial low fire bisqueware pieces (like the ones you might "paint" at a "clay cafe" where you underglaze, then they clear glaze, fire it and get it back to you). I decided to try a piggy bank, a light switch plate, a star lidded container and a round lidded container in the commercial bisqueware. I had a couple of goddesses and a few of my birds of my own work.

Jo had a bunch of her bird whistles made from Watershed clay that bisques to a beautiful red color like old native Indian pottery. She had a good time experimenting with the different raku glazes to find out what they would look like.

Here's Will, our fearless leader, with the kiln red hot, opened while he takes the pieces one by ones and sets them into the piles of combustibles prepared beforehand.

With raku, you never know what you are going to get so it is full of wondering and waiting to SEE what you get. The results were great, had a good time with my friend Jo and we had a laugh on the way home on the boat from people looking around trying to figure out where the smell of smoke was coming from. It was us!

Logo Photo

2009-07-17T08:51:00.001-07:00

Here's the new logo that Marty Braun did! Don't 'ya just love it!

Try New Things!

2009-07-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

I have enjoyed my friends blogs and decided to try something new by creating a blog for Peg's Pots. Hopefully we will go together on adventures and you will be able to see what is going on in the studio, on Peaks Island and how the creative juices are flowing. I trust this will be a learning experience for all of us in the "live" mode. I'll start with photos of some of my first work on the rocks and my logo designed by Marty Braun! Enjoy and postings to begin shortly.