Uplifting Raku

My inspiration for this piece of raku is "uplifting".  Uplifting our thoughts, ideas and feelings.  It is meant to inspire us for the Christmas Season. I hope that yours is spent with family and friends. Merry Christmas!

The Dancer

Associated Artists of Winston-Salem, NC has just accepted me as a juried member of the organization. They have a gallery in Winston-Salem at 301 West Fourth Street. I am honored to become part of this group of artists and would like to share the jurors comments about my work.

*Great sense of continuity and wonderful forms

*Use of materials is excellent

*Forms have a great sensitivity

*Very original shapes and design

*Accomplished

I look forward to participating in there gallery shows.

P.M.S. (Playful. Magical. Sensual) an imaginative art exhibit at the Greensboro School of Creativity Gallery. This unique blend of artist features painting, pottery, hanging sculpture, jewelry and more. Come see some of my new work designed especially for this show. Opening Reception, Friday, October 7, from 5 - 8pm. the show dates are from Oct 7 - Oct. 29.

Exciting news, I have been commissioned to make 5 pieces for inclusion into the art for the new Cone Cancer Center here in Greensboro, NC. I have worked to make 5 pieces that are related in spirit and composition. They will be placed on floating shelves in the Cancer Center. I hope that these will inspire and reflect the beauty of nature. I will post a picture of the 5 pieces.

This piece as well as one other is now in a art exhibit at Associated Artist Gallery in Winston-Salem, NC.

The show runs until Aug 27, 2011.

This is one of my newest design ideas. While in Utah, I found this beautiful crystal piece. The color of the crystals are an amber color and I thought would look perfect with my raku. I built this piece with a window to show case the crystal. I also added a light in the lid to shine down on the crystal to really let it sparkle.

Summer and Fall Schedule:

July 15 - 17 : Banner Elk, NC
Fine Arts Festival of Banner Elk

July 28 - Aug 2 : Abingdon, VA
VA Highlands Festival

August 27 : Cary, NC
Lazy Dazy

September 10, 11 : Alexander, VA
Old Town Arts Festival

October 1,2 : Williamsburg, VA
An Occasion for the Arts

Octover 8,9 : Waynesboro, VA
Fall Foliage Festival

October 15,16: Bethesda, MD
Bethesda Row Art Festival

October 21 - 23 : Chantilly, VA
Fall Craftsman Classic

November 19, 20: Seagrove, NC
Seagrove Pottery Festival

November 25 - 27 : Greensboro, NC
Fall Craftsman Classic

May Schedule:

May 1 Williamsburg, Va

May 7,8 Silver Spring, Md

May 14,15 Bethesda, Md


June Schedule:

June 4,5 Roanoke, Va

June 11,12 Annapolis, Md Navy Marine-Corps Stadium

June 18,19 Worthington, OH

During the months of February thru Aprril, I am having an exhibit of oil painting. This series is called "Have a Seat". I have painted a series of chairs from photographs of my travels. It was a great change of pace thru the cold winter months. They are warm and inviting and beg you to come in and have a seat. They will be in Southwinds Gallery, Kernersville, NC thru April. If you would like to see any painting in a larger format I will be glad to send it to you. They are for sale from $425 - $550.

May Schedule: May 1, Williamsburg Art Show, Williamsburg, Va . . . . . . May 7,8 Silver Springs Art Show, Silver Springs, MD . . . . . May 14,15 Bethesda Art Show, Bethesda MD

I have added a new form of raku to my spring collection called naked raku. This technique is unique because after the pot is made, while it is semi-dry (leather hard) I pollished it using old nylon hose and plastic grocery bags, spoons or smooth rocks. Sounds strange but what is accomplished is the clay particles are compressed from the rubbing and as the particles move closer together, the clay begins to take on a shine. The technique is called burnishing and takes patience and time to develop the shine.
After the burnishing is complete, the pot is dried, bisqued and then rakued in a traditional raku kiln. No glaze is added so the pot absorbs the smoke and the result is a pot with the soft black shine of naked raku.

Spring is the time to start thinking of letting the sunshine in and what could be a better place to reflect that sunshine than a piece of my raku.

Updating a space can be as easy as changing or adding art work.