All My Eggs in One Basket (or kiln as it were..)

Day; 52. It's Spring! Or it just feels like it! Temperature on outside kiln; 55

Firing; Unloaded two! glaze kilns and fired up another image transfer kiln, 8 hours total to Cone 02.

Full tilt boogie to the deadline on Wednesday. Everything needs to be out of kiln, sanded, priced, and packed carefully into my trusty Tacoma. Good thing Pepe is coming to lend a hand on Tuesday.... I have put almost all of my eggs in one basket and am just now turning the kiln on at 7pm on a Sunday night....

 Not everything fits so I will sneak in one more leftover firing tomorrow....After 25 years I am still cutting it close, down to the wire, you'd think I would have learned by now....

 Love this big white bowl with very large bird and flowers, sure hope it makes it....







Turned the clocks forward last night to spring-time and a bit screwed up today. I missed 60 minutes entirely thinking it was earlier than it was.. sun is going down at 7 now instead of 6! Ate dinner at 4 in the afternoon because I missed lunch and was starving. Guess I will have cereal for dinner later around 9!?
 Good Night Eldorado!

Glaze Olyimpics - Day 3

Day; 51. Sunny, spring-like. Temperature on outside kiln; 50 degrees

World's Messiest Glazer Rides Again...

While I made a big mess, my Virgo husband created order out of the last remaining wood for the winter. You know it must be spring when we are burning coyote fencing to keep warm! 5 cords of wood up in smoke!...

Glaze Olympics- Day 2

Day; 50. Sunny and Warm. Return to spring.Temperature on outside kiln 49.

Ditto yesterdays post I'm afraid.... another long day of standing on cement. Nothing interesting about pouring chemical soup onto bisqueware...
Did get out for an hour and hike with dogs in the Galisteo Basin mid-afternoon.  We went in t-shirts it was so warm and beautiful. Trying out the new training collars for the puppies in the hopes that zapping them occasionally, like when they run off and disappear for 5 hours, will discourage them from doing so. So far so good, of course it could have been the doggie  treats in our pockets, but whatever works.....

The highlight of the day however was dinner in town  at a Brazilian restaurant with our friend Brian Wyngard playing his sax and singing in the background. Really, really good musician and wonderful singer. If my musician husband considers him "world class", it must be so. This was a continuation of my birthday celebration which started on Monday and just ended tonight, on Friday. I think perhaps all birthdays should be a week long...

Off to bed at 7:38, alas another long day of standing on cement and glazing tomorrow, and it is  followed by a masked dinner/dance tomorrow night. I was sure to get Dave a Darth Vader-like mask and myself a girly princess mask complete with rinestones for the evening festivities. If I can possibly manage a photo with my cell phone I will certainly post tomorrow... goodnight all!

Glaze Day Once Again

Day; 49. Sunny but cold. Doesn't feel like spring is any time soon! Temperature out outside kiln; 25

It must be in the air; all the potters I follow on Instagram are glazing today as well! Dozens of worker-bee potters mixing, stirring, pouring, dipping, painting.... I guess it's good to know that I am in good company. I suppose this flurry of glazing  is due to  so many of them  sending work next week to Rhode Island for the gigantic clay conference starting at the end of this month. I glazed my last two pieces for NCECA today myself,  so.... it's up to the kiln gods now.....
I love being in such good company at the annual La Mesa/NCECA  show put on by Santa Fe Clay. All of my ceramic heroes will be showing there and then there is me, little ol' Maggie Mae from New Mexico... It's like showing your paintings with Matisse and Picasso, a bit intimidating. On Instagram today I saw Sue Tirrell's submission; all I could think of was "please don't put my work next to her's, it is too good!" Just now I looked at her website in order to activate the link to her name and Jesus, I am sorry I did! It is really spectacular.! The carving on her pieces is so wonderful, I actually would love to have one but am like the cobbler who has no shoes, I can't afford  my own work or anyone else's at the present moment.

Today was actually only day 1 of three days of glazing to do, I will finish up the load going into the big kiln tomorrow and then continue on Saturday for the third and final day with the last load for the small kiln. After both cool for 15-20 hours, I will have one more image transfer  firing  to complete  for all the pieces. I hope to be done by late Tuesday so I can sand, price and load the truck on Wednesday. I do not want to be unloading kilns on Thursday, the same day I have to go put up the show in Albuquerque. I am hoping Pepe the intern will be assisting me with all these duties....
My usual studio assistant Oso is a bit clumsy and tends to get distracted.....

 The World's Messiest Potter calling it a day and jumping into a hot bath to soak, dark beer in hand. 

Is this dangerous? To be continued.... 

Singing with the Girls and More Birthday Fun

Day; 48. Looking like it could rain or snow again. A bit chilly and breezy. Temperature on outside kiln; 39

Another Wednesday afternoon with the girls singing and working on the dance set list. I just love singing "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5, it is just so fun with all the harmonies and background vocals. I noticed however I am really having trouble with my vocal cords, they get really raspy and sore after only the first hour, got to figure this out. I think I am going to go back to using a microphone, I believe I am straining to be heard over the 3 guitars, Uke, and trap set drums. Duh.... ! I kinda love though just singing without it, just more casual and fun, but I don't want to damage anything, so.. back to vocal exercises as well.

The Girls Band also sang me happy birthday in 5 part harmony, which was very special indeed. After tuna sandwiches, chips, brownies and chocolate cake, I am surprised I could sing at all anymore but we did soldier on for another hour on some up-tempo numbers. I love these women so much, so willing to share, experiment, sing, play, be goofy together. I am really appreciative of them.

When I came home my sister showed up with flowers, hand cream for a needy potter, and a gift certificate for a full body massage. Additionally, on Facebook and in my personal e-mail account were numerous b-day greetings; brothers, ex-husbands, close and not-so-close friends, nieces, nephews, colleagues, etc... it was like a rampage of support and love. And I needed it. I have been feeling -lessthan recently. Not sure why, but there it is. Today however, whoever is in charge of things in this world decided to shower me with love and kisses and I received them. And I never stepped into the studio today,  I will start again tomorrow, I am 58.

Birthday Girls

Day 47. Some sun/some cloud. A little chilly. Temperature on outside kiln; 38

I missed writing a post last night, shame on me. I felt a little guilty, I should have completed it in the afternoon  knowing that once I started doing this.......                                        

And oh yes this....

 with......

And......

...that I would never get back to writing after the fact, and I did not. The Moscow Mules were just too good..hey I only drank 1.5 but still.... my girlfriend Christine Drumright makes them strong I am telling you. 

 I realized that for me it has been far too long that the four of us have sat and shared out lives, no one's fault but my own really, I spend wayyyyy too much time in the studio pushing clay around. But I am changing that scenario this year, my year, 2015, and anticipate with excitement more evenings akin to last night.

It is easy to reflect on how one spends one's life, especially  as you turn 58 in my case and approach the completely unbelievable number of 60. And to admit how right our parents were, that yes, the years are sprinting by now, more quickly even with each year. We consoled ourselves however with the fact that 60 is the new 50 and that we are living very different lives than our parents did; so much more active, less health problems, more connections  within a broader world.

It was such a much needed break for me! May I spend many more evenings in 2015 drinking vodka with my girl buddies... thanks ladies!

Getting Myself Organized, Not my Strong Suit...

Day; 46. Cold and snowy again in the am. Clearing up late afternoon. Rain?! last night and this morning. Temperature on outside kiln; 36

I was supposed to be in the Railyard selling work again today it being Sunday but I cancelled last night as it was raining and snowing and cold. I just couldn't imagine anyone coming out and shopping today with half a foot of snow on the ground. It felt so good to stay home and organize my files, office and studio, all the little details of running your own business that I never seem to get to.

As it turned out and my day unfolded, I had a nice couple from Canada who had been here during the studio tour come by and buy several mugs. The best of all worlds; I stay home and don't have to load up heavy ceramics into my Toyota, and customers come to me. I love it... It makes the marketing part so easy, more please Universe!

Spent some more time on my Etsy shop making sure it looked full and organized, with new pieces listed. I'm inspired to spend more than just two months of winter paying attention to it.

I also got copies today of the images Margot of Geistlight took last week during our photo session; she is a magician with lighting and a camera.. I uploaded to my website immediately, I am determined to keep it updated with recent work; here is what they look like;

I was really pleased. A lot of artists don't like a heavy shadow in their product shots, but I do. I like the drama of it. I added these to two others  and an updated booth shot and sent it off to Crested Butte last week. They better let me in their show or I will... hmmm,  what?, show up  anyway!? After getting in for the last 10 years I am trying not to be complacent and assume, so I did my best on the application.

 Now I have to wait a month to find out...