The man behind the lamps

Mark should be known as the reclusive potter.
His reluctance to be in the spot light has always been very clear between us.
Some potters seem to need a big light shinning on them at all times, as if that is more of the focus than the work.
 We would rather have the pottery speak out.
We are now at an age when we just enjoy the process of making and selling but don't need a spotlight to hit us.
I am always impressed by the many potters I meet that just have a need to create.
I married one of those.
So when I had the camera out yesterday I asked that he just work and let me take some pictures.
And, that is what we did.
Mark working on lamps:

 Thanks,
M

Caution: detour ahead

 I went to see the doctor and I have massive, deep bruising on my lower back.
I will be going to have an x-ray done in the next day or so- depends on when they say come.
It is like I was body slammed by the deck and, now, I am loopy.
I have never been a person who could take massive amounts of drugs.
Even ibuprofen makes me loopy.
I am a two beer, two glass of wine girl.
I am the cheap date- unless there is lobster----
So when the doctor said I am prescribing pain pills I thought I might not take them.
Wrong- they do help the pain.
But after just two I am wondering which is worse.
Pain or not being able to think straight or nodding off while sitting or standing still.
I know these are why you take the pain pills so you will rest and do nothing, but I can tell you now
I would be a terrible drug addict.

So my life the next week will be to tackle some of the mounting paper work and
Keep on top of the Clay and Blogs show.
If you are coming- let me know I am looking for rooms for those who are in the show and if there is enough interest I think we could get some discounted rooms in Asheboro.


Fetishghost left a comment on the nibbles I have been posting about the show. He liked the quiet format I was using. I picked this because there I think the blogs and work speak for themselves. They have a better voice then I do about who they are and their work. I do hope you have been reading them and will check back on Friday for more.
One of the reasons I chose this way was after 15 years of working on The North Carolina Potters Conference I was most impressed by a slide presentation done by Clara Couch, know to her friends as Kitty.
Kitty put in her slides, turned off the lights, turned on a tape of some sweet music and carefully went through all her slide, without saying a word. The room was completely quiet of talk and I was mesmerized. When it was over the lights came on, she stopped the music and stood up and said thank you.
Lord, it was so sweet and well done it still pulls at my emotions.
Kitty is no longer with us and I still miss her energy and those beautiful forms.
I think of her often she was so unpretentious.
I have tried to keep that in the back of my head and remember to let the pots and the makers have their own voice.



I just have to share this because even in my loopy state I find this funny- well even if I was not loopy, I should say.
Written on the back of a post card announcing the opening of a play:
"......already sold out, and once word gets around about this delightful romp,seats will be in short supply."

Come again?
what do you mean by that.
Does this mean they will start doubling up and we can sit in each others lap?
If so I will wait I would much rather have a top seat.

With that said I am off, yes I am, to make myself useful.
Mark, meanwhile, bless his pea picking heart, is picking up my "slack".

He cleaned and froze blueberries, made tomato sauce and is doing all the dish washing and picking up that I can't do. You know the drill- you drop every thing when it is not in your power to bend over. And when you do you just stare at it as if you could levitate it off the floor.
Plus, making sure I am okay.
Good man that one is.
Cheers and Peace-
M

there are good things about july-

and there are still more...........

Caution: Potter Bites

I always wanted to place a sign in the shop saying cation Potter bites.
The other sign I never made was, wake me when you want to buy something.
We found that on Saturdays if we sat in the shop while waiting for and waiting on customers we would fall asleep.
This had nothing to do with the customers and more to do with sitting still.
We move so much that we found when we sit still our eyes get heavy.
Yesterday I was able to creep up on a certain potter and take some pictures.
I need a camera that makes less noise ...since I was caught very quickly. Here is what I was able to get with the request of no head shots please.I am throwing in the please I really don't remember it being used!

About the clean studio space.
We are rather clean in our spaces but we have times when we are all over the place and rather messy.
We found early in our potter lives that we both needed things to be cleaned on a regular basis.
We both were trained to clean our spaces, wheels and tools at the end of the day.
The reason was that another student would be using your space when you left for the day.
Now it is nice because it helps to go into the studio and have your wheel waiting for you.
When it is not cold out I like to dump and have fresh water and a clean wheel.
Now you are wondering if this carries over to our house.
Come on people- you can write your name in the dust- we do clean our house - but not every day!
We spend most of our time in the studio.
Also- when we had the fire we tossed out 26 years of things- or the fire ate them.
I am still amazed at how much space we gained after the fire.
I don't recommend cleaning that way but for us it was a help to rid ourselves of some of the clutter.
We still have not covered the walls and I have some wall space I would like to cover.
Our son gave us world maps to replace the ones burnt up but I still have not put them up.
Maybe this weekend would be good!
Time to go spend too much time getting those contacts in my eyes.
Cheers!