The wait

When you are a little kid, waiting is impossible. That's cause in your world, what you value and need is very important. Then we grow up and learn about waiting for new important things.
For an artist who relies upon art and craft shows to pay the bills the waiting for the jury dates is almost impossible to endure. We check the online banking to see if the check is thru, we check the website to see if they started to list the artists. We hate to get a fat envelope from the art association for a specific art show, cause that usually means all your application stuff has been sent back with a reject notice.
uggg

It's spring, so I wait. I am, therefore, I await the decision by unknown folks who have no idea what it is to be me, a potter. Let me tell you, it can be extremely difficult to break into a new art show. Many tend to have the same artists year after year. That is a comfort for them, since unless you have a spouse working, or am retired, this is your only way to make it. But the outsider has a leaner time.
So lets all pray that the capricious winds of fate blow in our favor, getting us into the shows we so need to pay the bills!! Newton stated it for himself, "I think, therefore I am" For me it's "I am juried, therefore I sink or swim".

Japan Relief donations thru ETSY

The Etsy Mud Team will be promoting a charity drive set up by Leach Pottery for our fellow potters in Japan who have been hard hit by the earthquake, specifically those in the historical village of Mashiko.

So, I've posted an item for sale, please check it out. I have been without electricity for about a week due to severe storms up here. I cannot imagine being in the situation that Japan is in. My little 1994 Toyota pickup was born there. So, please help them.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/64509071/japan-earthquake-relief-donation-pottery

April, but not in Paris...

Even though the ice and snow piles are still something to deal with, today had all the promise that spring is supposed to tease us with. I allowed Tuffy the cat to go out (first time since last fall) to his leash on the clothesline out the back door. There he did cat things, such as tried to hypnotize a bird on the tree, eat grass and just stare big eyed. I think he forgot about the vast sky. To honor the morning being above freezing, I washed sheets and towels and got them out to dry in the breeze and sun. Wonderful. The bed is all made up again, can't wait. You cannot get that in a bottle.

It was an extremely good workday. I threw bread bakers, some berry bowls and mug bodies. They will get finished and trimmed tomorrow. The bisque kiln was unloaded and I was able to glaze, then later wipe off pot bottoms and reload the kiln for a glaze firing. Not too bad.

It is always a challenge to keep making stuff everyday. Like climbing up a mountain that never levels out. That's what potters do everywhere I think. Keep making stuff to sell later. What a blessing that we artists and crafters can do this.

robins

This morning Barry heard a robin singing away!!
YIPPEE