I didn’t have to walk far this drizzly overcast morning before my eye was drawn to a glorious pale violet bloom bearing an intense yellow throat and bejeweled with water droplets — today’s early morning work of an iris rooted in the NC Piedmont red clay. My wife and I have been discussing the … Continue reading Cleave Dancing
On an early morning walk, the cheerful exuberance of clover thriving in the cracks of a brick stairway caught my eye. I love tracing the graceful arc of the stems and marveling at the multitude of blooms condensed into each lovely sphere of flowers. The spent flowers falling toward their stem speak of a prior … Continue reading Ground of Being
Today it was abundantly clear that the local neighborhood ants got an early start (surely even before dawn?) — for their handiwork was evident along many sidewalk crevices. I’ve been thinking a lot about detachment, since reading and reflecting on Meister Eckhart’s writings. I ponder detachment, that is, when I’m not thinking obsessively about clay … Continue reading Leaving and Cleaving
A dear friend’s Dear Son… …is incarcerated — a fifteen year-old, convicted as an adult for a tragic mistake that led to the death of another. Unjustly tried as a fifteen-year-old “ADULT,” Dear Son exists day by day as prisoner to our American corporate penal system. The prison seems intent on breaking his spirit, draining … Continue reading Ask the moon
Thursday September 16, 2021 What stood out to me this morning, was a quote from Eugene Peterson’s Introduction to his New Testament Bible translation, “The Message.” Peterson writes, “…For Jesus is the descent of God to our lives, just as they are, not the ascent of our lives to God, hoping he might approve when … Continue reading Letting Go
Alfred University Summer Ceramics, Friday July 21 This is the final day of Summer Ceramics Open Workshop. We spent the morning packing and waiting for the last kilns to cool down. Finally, by afternoon all kilns were cool enough to unload. Many of the students devoted their time this summer working on their MFA portfolio, … Continue reading Alfred Ceramics Day 26 (Final Day)
Alfred University Summer Ceramics, Tuesday-Thursday July 18-20 On Tuesday, glass artist and Alfred professor, Agnus Powers presented both the morning demo and afternoon lecture. With his wild, high-energy and imaginative personality, the demo was a spectacular display of the intricacies and closely timed teamwork needed to create an enormous colorful glass sculpture of a lightbulb. … Continue reading Alfred Ceramics Days 23, 24, & 25
Alfred University Summer Ceramics, Monday July 17th I arrived at the studio early around 7 AM to begin preparing five plates for glazing. This involves adding a “wax resist” to the bottoms of the plates to prevent glaze from adhering. The balance of the day and into the late hours of the night were spent … Continue reading Alfred Ceramics Day 22
Alfred University Summer Ceramics, Sunday July 16th On Sunday, I arrived early at the studio, before 7 AM. In-Chin and his students were busy glazing scores of pots for Sunday’s wood kiln. His output is unparalleled. I glazed and put wads of refractory clay on the base of four pieces: the three plates that came … Continue reading Alfred Ceramics Day 21
Alfred University Summer Ceramics, Saturday July 15th It’s the weekend, all greenware is in the bisque kiln, and things are slowing down in the studio. I busied myself trimming the nine plates that were now leather hard. The surfaces of the plates were rough from the trimming, so I either burnished the rough areas or … Continue reading Alfred Ceramics Day 20
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