Shout out for sister Lee and Tony Colon

City of Raleigh Arts Commission Accepts Donation of Red Wolf Ramble Sculpture

The City of Raleigh Arts Commission is pleased to accept for its permanent collection the sculpture "Howl The Gilded Moon." The artwork was created by Antonio Colon and Lee Lewis in 2001 as one of 100 fiberglass wolf sculptures exhibited throughout the city as part of the Arts Commission's "Raleigh Red Wolf Ramble" public art project.

The Raleigh Red Wolf Ramble was inspired by other public art projects around the country featuring such creatures as pigs, cows or fishes. Selecting the red wolf as the theme resulted in partnerships with local organizations, including the North Carolina Wildlife Federation. The project created a fun environment while offering educational information on the red wolf's plight as an endangered species.

During 2001 and 2002, the completed wolves were showcased throughout the city in parks, campuses, museums, shopping malls and other venues. Howl the Gilded Moon was exhibited at Crabtree Valley Mall. Following the exhibition, the wolves were auctioned, with proceeds benefiting the Arts Commission's public art program.

Howl the Gilded Moon was donated by former Raleigh residents Steve and Julie Joyce, who relocated recently to Utah. The sculpture can now been seen in the lobby of Marsh Creek Community Center at 3050 N. New Hope Rd.

"We appreciate the Joyces' generous donation, and are excited to add Howl the Gilded Moon to Raleigh's art collection," said Kim Curry-Evans, the City of Raleigh Art Commission's public art coordinator. "The Red Wolf Ramble was a very popular public art project for the City."

Many of the wolves can still be seen "roaming" the city in venues such as the Avery C. Upchurch Government Complex and Sertoma Arts Center.

For more information, contact Kim Curry-Evans, public art coordinator for the City of Raleigh Arts Commission at 919-996-4688.

Established in 1977 as the official advisory body and advocate for the arts to the Raleigh City Council, the City of Raleigh Arts Commission holds the distinction of being the first municipal arts commission created in North Carolina. Serving as the leading force to champion the arts with Raleigh citizens and their representatives, the Arts Commission's myriad activities foster, support, and promote the arts in the Capital City.

 http://sjoyce.blogspot.com/2011/06/howl-gilded-moon.html

The fat and skinny of it

I gave up the studio for a few days to work on things like the house, gardens and paperwork.
It happens.
Sometime I think I can do it all and I am buzzing right along and then I have my very own little meltdown. I do this in private because it is cute when you are two, but not as cute when you are well over the age of two.....
Then I need some time to regroup and step away from the clay and breath some new thoughts and get other things done.
I find I have to set time lines for myself. Otherwise being self employed can eat you up.
It eats away every second and stepping out and away gives you back some focus on other things in life.
Not that I get it all done on those days because I can distract myself very easily as well.
Hey- what's over...squirrel...
What was I saying???
With me out of Mark's way for a few days he worked all alone and could listen to his music and be loud or not loud and make some vases.

I love the fat one.
This is a shape he does not make as often as he use to and there is something about a fat pot that just draws me in and makes me want to hold it.
Maybe it has the same effect that chubby babies have on me...must squeeze....

There there are the tall ones- Noble and proud.

And a new handle going on there.... It will be interesting to see this one play out.

I was up way too early this morning and could not find my camera.
 I finally remember where I had left it.
As I was walking back from the studio the moon and 1 single star were just hanging in the muggy air
( it's going to be a hot one today) and I had to see if I could get a picture.
My camera doesn't do great pictures in the near dark but I did get one that shows the moon.

I am back out to the studio today so if you need me.....I'll be working.
Cheers!
M

A day for sweetness

I am working on Sugar Jars.
What is it about the wee jars that we love to make, well, me anyway.
Sometimes I hit one just right and it all looks great and other times I am a hair or two off- that elusive shape of just round enough and just the right opening.

Then there is the lid....
I like to make this lid that we learned from Virginia Shelton that is common for this area.
It is a right side up lid that is opened all the way to the bat, thrown and closed up at the top to make the knob.

I really like this lid but there are days that I go too Tall and it is toooooooo much for the jar.
I like them better when I keep it lower to the base and have a nice balance in the lid to body.
Can you see the one in the middle here? Not my favorite lid to body.
I prefer the one on the left .
To me it has a better balance.

Yesterday we had a nice rain or big storm depending on where you were.
We don't know we slept through it all and woke up to puddles.
The wet seem to bring out some of these animals that have been hiding form the dry heat.
This toad was happy to hang out all day.
He would give me a bit of an eye but he was not willing to give up his place.
I suspect that there was some good eating going on here.
I hope so since I was bitten by black flies when I went to get water for throwing- little buggers.
It itched for hours!

   

The wet ground made it soft enough for this turtle who had come up from the pond to lay her eggs. She will spend several hours digging with her back feet to make a hole deep enough to lay her eggs. She then covers it all back up nice and tight.
I went later to look and see where she dug and you could not even tell she had been there.
There you go turtles have very small carbon foot prints...!


Time to beat some heat and go place some bamboo poles for the beans to climb.
Cheers!
M

are you eating your colors?

We must be in the purple month because everything we are eating seems to be purple.
We are eating eggplant from the garden:

and we are eating purple potatoes and purple carrots.
Note- use a paper towel when you are peeling the carrots and handling them at all otherwise you get a purple hand.
The Blueberries are coming in- kinda purple.
and we are picking blackberries- well so there is some black in there- maybe we are eating until we are black and blue.

This I will tell you- purple carrots and purple potatoes cooked and mashed like mashed regular potatoes look like some one spilled grape juice in your food.
Close your eyes on this one because they taste really good but the visual is ...not so appealing.


I found this great cluster of mushrooms the other day, but being a bit cautious about eating anything wild unless I watch you eat it first, I only took a picture.
They looked good, but then again they were not purple so maybe off my June list.

Off to see what's for lunch- something purple maybe..
M

And always use a safety net

There are some things best left to the professional and we are humbled again at our attempts to shoot pictures of our work.
How hard can it be we think- we bought the cube, we bought the background, we own a camera.
Ha! We are humbled!
After a day of messing around we are back to square one.
Of the photo's we shot there was not one we felt we could use.
Not one.
We know this is a learning curve and we know we can easily set ourselves up for failure and we have .
But is there a point where you throw in the towel and declare defeat?
I think we are there.
We use to set aside a few pots a year and take them to a professional.
The pictures were good and useful.
When an opportunity came along we just pulled one from our bag of tricks and sent it along.
This only goes so far as you realize you are sending the same pictures too often with nothing fresh in the larder.

So back to the drawing board- a class maybe.
Practice - maybe.
Just dumb luck- maybe.

I will continue to just put my point and shoot stuff here and meanwhile we will work out a way to get someone else to do the real stuff.
We know a guy.....now where is that checkbook?

HAPPY FATHER"S DAY!
M

The bigger the hole the more money you can pour into it.

If you are going to call a sewage guy he might as well have a sense of humor.
After all with what he deals with all day if you can't find something funny to say then life would really be down the toilet.
We have been having "water" issues for a while.
Longer then we would like to admit and weeks where we just hoped it would flow away.
But finally we faced up to the real thing after replacing the toilet and finding out that was just a band aid to the real problem.
On Thursday these guys showed up and found the real problem.
There were broken tiles to a job done over 50 years ago.
Seems we drive right over the septic flow out area and sometimes, many times, I park there.
Also placing or I should say building a carport right in front of this area was maybe not the wisest thing to do.
But it was done and now repaired and believe me when I tell you I was so happy not to be a "helper" on this job.
And now- the toilet she flushes and you can take a shower.
These are all good things in my book and I plan to use them daily just to get my moneys worth!

This week I went straight to hand building instead of the wheel.
I am working on tiles, trays and pillow vases.
I have enjoyed a new design or two.
A Cone Flower

And these sunflowers.
I have done several of both of them.
I am trying to think in a straight line and not jump so much.
I am terrible to jump from one design to another and then wish I had just stuck close to one things and worked it out.

On another front we are trying to work out some pictures of things like lamps.
Mark makes a wide variety of accent, table, bedside and living room lamps.
It would be nice to show those on the blog or website.
I love handmade lamps and use them throughout the house.
There is nothing better for those spots that need a little light or for those spots that need a lot of light.
I just cringe when I see poorly made or mass produced lamps in a house that deserves better.
We were once asked to help spruce up an office area in Asheboro and I decided to go up and see what they needed.
I walked in and saw a 24.00 lamp from "the dime store" ( I know I am dated) I went home and picked a lamp and took it up to the office.
It made all the difference to the space.
So stay tune and maybe we can get some lamp pictures up.

Best get back to the end of the day and then maybe a beer would hit the spot.
Join me?
M

Pumpkins in the garden

I can't tell you where the last week has gone.
Then again I could and it might bore you to tears.
I had some dental "stuff" done last Thursday and it was enough to put my teeth on edge.
Why is it when you have work done no matter how small or large it just takes over all other things.
So between the pain pills and life I did shoot more pictures.

I decided to take my Pumpkin jar and put a small hole near the stem allowing a place for string to come out. This I think could be useful in the kitchen or any place you might need some string.

I know you must be thinking now who uses string any more?!
But I do!

So now along with the many useful things you can do with this wee jar add string to the mix.
It can still be used for dips, coins, cotton balls,jewelry,sugar or salt.
And now that the head is clearing the the jaw returning to normal work must be done.
Cheers!
M

Production wares

I know you all think all we do is have fun here at Whynot Pottery, but we do work and work means making production pottery as well as those fun jugs from the last post.
We try hard to balance the two but sometime I feel that one takes over the other.
When that happens we have to scramble to make up for the needs of filling the kiln to make sure we have all the nooks and crannies covered.

Small batter bowls that are good for sauces and gravy too!

We were asked if we could make a shaving mug for our friend Laurie Abela to go along with a line of shaving soap she had developed for the guys.
We came up with this simple, stout mug that works very well.
Laurie has been selling them on her Etsy shop and the shaving soap is wonderful!
Mark was lucky enough to test some for her and gave it the big thumbs up.
and the name for the soap- Whisk 'er away pretty cute!
We have some listed on our shop as well but you need to go to her for the soap.
If your interested these would be great for Father's day...hint,hint!

New item being done with Abela body care.

And I have been asked so many times for berry bowls I thought- whynot!

Small berry bowls- just in time for berry season!

One of the shaving mugs

I use one of these batter bowls all the time.
With just Mark and I around it is perfect for whipping up some eggs, yes, local eggs with beautiful yellow yolks. But- the other thing I like about this small batter bowl is I use one for dips, salad dressing and GRAVY- you can put a spoon or dipper in the spout area and it works well to hold the spoon.
You know how some things will just sink the spoon and then you have to "dig" it out- not pleasant at all.
Plus, if the gravy starts getting cold- pop this in the microwave and warm things up.

a warm brown batter bowl

Better get back to work!
Cheers!
M

Gone, gone, gone and a jug by any other name is

This will be quick because for me it has been a long, hot and sticky day and I think I need a dip in the tub!
The top piece has just been packed off to Texas to a very good home.
And here are 3 jugs by Mark.
Now off to cool down and put my feet up.
Cheers!
M

It was hot and humid with low breeze

which made the conditions very good for firing the kiln.
We had one of those kiln loads that you wish for anytime you are firing.
The Pots glazed, loaded and the weather.
The weather was just right for a gas firing.
Hot, yet not too hot.
Humid, but not too humid.
Breeze, slight very slight.
The cones top to bottom, close within a hair of one another.
Unloading to continue.

Back with more later,
M

Selling Lee's tiles

Here is a link over to see Lee's tiles that I need to sell in order to settle her estate.
If you are interested let me know.
Cheers,
M
http://whynotpottery-wares.blogspot.com/2011/06/lees-tiles.html

Hallelujah and I'm a goof-ball

Say it with me!
Or-sing it!

Well I've heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord But you don't really care for music, do you?
Well, it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth The minor fall, then the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah
Your faith was strong, but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to her kitchen chair She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah
Maybe there's a God above But all I've ever learned from love Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
And it's not a cry that you hear at night It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah

Sorry once it embedded in my brain it just had to come out.
I was thinking Hallelujah the kiln is loaded and the door brick up, we have cooler temperatures then it has been all week and there is just a slight breeze Hallelujah .....
AND-AND- the plumber is here with the new toilet for the downstairs bathroom....  Hallelujah...I hear angels signing--- or maybe that is a still Leonard Cohen...... Hallelujah .
And since I love to share I have for you a Friday ear worm, on me, no, really don't thank me.
It is the least I can do for you today.
Hallelujah........
Oh, the goof-ball.
Have you ever forgotten to take the air out of your new tube of gorilla glue..... let's just say it makes it hard to use when there is a crust of caramel like substance over the glue.
Note to self: Take out the air
Peace,
M

one more rabbit for the road..............

A few tiles and guess who is still hanging out

Just a few of the tiles from the last firing in the electric kiln.

I like this wee rabbit and have just done some more. I am trying to work out color on him/her and see what I like.

I am still amazed that the Orchid is still with me.
I know that the blooms will soon drop as they have started to drop one now and again.
But I have been surprised at how long she has hung in with me considering I don't usually have good luck with these in my house.

Well its hot and we have to go load the big a** gas kiln.
We both forgot how long it takes to sand, prep and just get ready to load.
The thought is to just get the back stack in and then finish tomorrow.
So much for well laid plans.
Off we go!
M