The weather is changing and I have been trying to fire the raku kiln as much as possible. Once the temperature during the day drops below 50 degrees, the raku results are not as good. Last week was so beautiful that the results were some of the best I have ever had. I am getting ready for my last two shows of the year, Seagrove, NC Nov 20 - 21 and Greensboro, NC Nov 26 - 28. It has been an exciting year with many new ideas for form and structure. I am going to post some pictures of the new form for 2010 and review the direction I have taken with my work next week. Then I guess it is time to look towards the future, 2011,

Fall pumpkins are a symbol for the season. At the farmers market, I saw a display of pumpkins and they were all sizes, shapes and colors. Why not copper raku pumpkins, I ask myself. So, here they are, full of those inspired shapes, sizes and colors.

Fall Schedule 2010

Fall Schedule: 2010

Sept. 25 - 26 Art on the Square - Matthews NC

Oct. 1-3 Art on Main - Hendersonville, NC

Oct. 8 - 10 Fall Foliage Festival, Waynesboro, VA

Oct. 14 - 17 Craftsmen Classic, Chantilly VA

Nov. 20 - 21 Seagrove Pottery Festival, Seagrove, NC

Nov. 26 - 28 Craftsmen Classic, Greensboro, NC

Raku with lid

This raku piece is 14" high and 10" wide. I love to make containers with lids. Some how them seem complete. The color of the copper raku is rich and the textures move the eye through the piece. I think of my pieces as three dimensional compositions.

"The Dancer" was rakued fired and then cleaned with SOS. Here is the finished piece. I was excited with the final piece. From the concept and first drawing to the forming of the piece, drying time, bisque firing, glazing and then raku firing, the process took about two weeks. I love the short turn around time from concept to finished piece.

This is a photo of my newest piece, "the dancer". If you look through the arm, you can see the drawing that I started with. She has been bisqued fired and I have applied the glaze. She is now ready to be rakued.

After the endless winter, I am able to raku fire once more. The colors of copper are back in my vocabulary!

Spring Schedule 2010:

March 5-7 Columbia, SC State Fairgrounds

March 26-28 Chantilly, Va Dulles Expo Center

April 9-11 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum

April 10 Greensboro, NC State Street Celebration

April 23-25 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
Seagrove Pottery Festival

May 1-2 Richmond, VA Art in the Park
Byrd Park

May 8-9 Bethesda, Md Bethesda Art Show
Bethesda Arts District

May 15-16 Norfolk VA Stockley Gardens Art Show
Stockley Gardens

May 28-30 Charleston, SC Spoleto Arts Festival

These pieces have been made and are now drying on my kitchen counter. In the winter, many times I bring my finished work into the kitchen for several day of drying before the first firing (bisque firing). I will glaze these pieces after they are bisque and then raku fire them. It is always a guessing game in the winter for a firing day. I like it to be in the mid 50's and those days are few and far between. I will post pictures of these pieces when they are finally fired. I will also post my spring schedule soon.

These are two new pieces that are part of a gallery show in Winston-Salem at the Gallery of the Arts. It is a show that features work that is 10" x 10", and under $100.00. The first piece is a Locked Box. If you lift the piece on the front the box will open. The second piece is a new concept, Raku Canyon. I love the southwest landscape and have done many painting from that area. I have never created the love of those rocks and canyons in clay. Why not?