MommyCoddle

                      ::a moment of heaven for a little girl::

I went to show my pottery last night at the college. And I’m in. I’ll be able to come in at the workshop level and just do my own thing without having to take more courses. I got the studio grand tour, registered and one of the other workshoppers gave me some clay to get started with. Saturday I’m heading to Baltimore Clay Works (please, Dan?) for clay and some supplies. Today I’m dragging the girls to a kitchen store for some odd tools I use for buttons but can’t seem to find since our move. I can’t wait to get back in to the pottery studio….thanks for all your encouragement…

a bad picture. but still…it’s an endangered species. have you ever held an endangered species in the palm of your hand? a first for me.
the bog turtle. found in the valley this weekend by an amazing uncle–a walking natural historian.

more color week

i’m off to the local community college in an hour to visit with a professor and show him my pottery work. i’m trying to get accepted into their workshop program so that i can do my pottery on my own, using their studio supplies and kilns–without having to take all the college-credit courses. i feel that I have a lot of the knowledge from my other art center courses and just need the chance to try things and work things out for myself. but i’m not sure my  courses from wisconsin are high enough caliber to ‘get in’ at the college. it’s very nerve-wracking taking your work to someone to inspect, interpret and decide  your skill level based upon it. i love my work so far, but I know I have a lot to learn and a lot that I want to try. I just need the chance to get my hands dirty and try new things. The attitude at the college is much different than my arts center. At the art center they were so encouraging of trying new things, seeing what worked, failing, exploring. My instructor there was just happy to see you creating and working and being curious. Here it feels a bit like an audition, but I’m sure if I ‘get in’ it will all go smoothly from there. I hope he doesn’t think I’m some housewife home-potter. Well, I guess I am technically, but I’m not just there for a little fun on Friday nights. I really want to pursue this and try new colors and patterns, objects and techniques.
wish me luck. if this doesn’t work out, I may be back in the kiln-buying business. or else making a monthly trek to my aunt’s studio for firing.
(yuck. sorry for the lazy typing above…)

A door from the steppingstone farm museum where we went for the scottish festival this weekend. It was an odd mix of men in kilts and teenagers in gothic dress. The highlight being the scenery as the farm is perched atop of a hill overlooking hills rolling into the susquehanna river; and the potters shed–a small stone building full of kick-wheels and an old brick kiln.

A visit from my sister and some thundershowers prompted an afternoon of crafting: two long-promised turtles and some cuffs so everyone was included in the crafting goodness. I can’t stop making these cuffs. They are so much fun. A second batch is waiting for buttons and then will probably going into my etsy shop.