Poodle on a pillow for Meredith

One of my potter friends injured her back and refers to herself, during her healing, as a "poodle on a pillow" since she's not able to work non-stop as before.

Big shout out to Meredith Heywood of Seagrove, NC! May your poodle-pillow days be over soon.

In reality, poodles (at least our two large beasties) don't spend much time on pillows.

This is "Champ," in a rare moment of rest. Most of the time, he and his cohort, Mae, are full-blast boogie.

Mae and Champ

Hippity hopping into a new week

Big shout-out to Dixie, who sent me this pic of one of my pieces in her home. It's great fun seeing the pieces being used and enjoyed.

Thanks Dixie!

Happy Monday everyone!

Summer colors

These pretty celadon glazes make me happy. I just tried them out on some small little dessert bowls. Yummy, I think!

The Socolofsky Family, Donna Billick and Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

The Socolofsky Family and the Amazing Small, Small World in my Studio!

You all know that trivia game, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon based on the concept of the small-world phenomenon?... Well, here's one for ya:

Kathleen Socolofsky from this awesome place at UC Davis, visits my studio the other day with her sister, Mary Sue Ingraham, from Phoenix, and parents Esther and "Soc" Socolofsky from Baton Rouge, La.

Kathleen is the director of the UC Davis Arboretum in Davis, CA. It's a wonderful, magical place of more than 100 acres with some 22,000 trees and plants.

After Mary Sue and I talked about escaping the heat (her from Phoenix and me from my former hometown of Bakersfield, CA), we chatted about the more pleasant aspects of Kathleen's domain – the wonderful UC Davis Arboretum.

They are launching a big project there at UC Davis called the Art/Science Fusion Program.

Through interactive lectures and studio time, students learn scientific concepts and turn them into works of art. The class schedule is amazing... Why didn't they have this when I was in college? Perhaps science would have been a lot more palatable for me!

Here's the amazing thing: The sisters mentioned ceramic artist Donna Billick, explaining that she is one of the founders of the program. Donna has pieces in major collections, created big public art projects, teaches workshops at her own place in Baja... You know, she's a big deal.

Many years ago, Donna was living on "The Farm" near Davis with a bunch of my husband's friends and they were all buddies "back in the day," as he would say.  (This is waaayyy before I hooked up with him, which was, in fact, 29 years ago this past Sunday - yes, it was my anniversary... only we forgot until the next day... That's a whole 'nother story!)

We have a Donna Billick original in our front yard here in Cambria, CA. We've carted it around with us, giving it the star position in our landscape for three decades! The hubster talked her into giving it to him when years ago. It had broken in the firing and he convinced her that she couldn't sell it broken like that and that she should give it to him. (He's pretty convincing, that guy.)

Here he is with the piece in our front yard in Cambria. It's had a bit of "wear and tear" through the years, but we love it!

I heart school principals!

Yes, I do. Love 'em.... It's my new target market.

In beepops three ladies to my studio gallery yesterday. They have a great time chatting about the work and it's obvious they're having a fun time in the charming artist colony of Cambria.

Purchases are made and then the camera comes out. Theirs and mine. We snap photos of me at work. I want to get one of them for the blog. Pretty soon they've got me staging photos out in front of my place. Then, they want one of them by the sign. Then, they want one with me and them by the sign.

You know how it is when good friends are relaxed and joyous around one another? That's how this was. Totally a fun time.

Thank you to Paula Pitlick from Yorba Linda and Gaye Bisler and Helen Kinsey from Costa Mesa. (And congrats on your retirement Gaye!)

In addition to the bevy of school principals, I had a steady stream of visitors all day. In fact, when I returned from the photo session, above, another customer was patiently waiting with some pieces in hand. Flowed like that all day, and I was able to keep working and visiting with people. That's been my challenge, balancing my talky nature with my desire to keep the flow of work going.

I must confess that I did not set up my photo cube. I had made a pact with this awesome lady – Linda Starr, who is a pottery blogger extraordinaire. We were both going to set up our cubes. Her's at her place in Florida, mine here in California. And I blew it. (Hangs head.) I got home last night, after an incredible day, and there it was. Big stickie on my computer. DON'T FORGET TO SET UP CUBE AND TAKE A PICTURE (to put on the blog so everyone would know that I did it). Oh crap. OK... Today is the day!

Here's a factoid: Saturday, July 17, was a Gold Star Day in the studio and gallery... Best Day EVER for sales. From the time I arrived at 10-ish to turning off the lights at 6, it was a steady stream. Am going in early today to get some throwing done before visitors arrive. Happy me.

Off to good homes

Every now and then I'll ask a gallery visitor if I can take a photo of them with their purchase for the blog. The criteria for the "ask" are:
1. If they seem like they'd be willing...
2. If their purchase is not for a surprise gift...
3. If my camera is with me at the time and handy...
4. If I'm not covered in clay and already fumbling around...
5. If it doesn't seem like they're in a big rush...

In all cases, the people have been pleased to have their picture taken. It's fun for me to look back on some of the pictures and see who my pots are with now.

Here is customer Jennifer Benjamin from Upland, Ca., with her purchase. She likes to buy pottery and other art when visiting the central coast, especially when she can meet the artists. Great to meet young people with that kind of sensibility.

Kitchen Tour pieces

I got a few quick shots of pieces going to the Kitchen Tour in Cambria here on the beautiful Central Coast of California. It's an annual event with proceeds going to help maintain our open space and walking trails.

These quickie photos leave much to be desired, but I had to take a snapshot before handing them off to the organizers.

I will, will, will set up my photo cube and start the learning curve to take better product shots. It's way past time. The photo cube has been sitting in the box in my studio and has become a piece of furniture that I walk around every day.