Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Work and Play



I can’t believe this is the last day of July. Where did it go? I look back and see a blur of hot days where working in the studio, especially with clay is hard. With no air conditioning and dry weather, clay can be cranky. 


Ok, so can I if it’s too hot. In spite of it all, I’m surprised at what I did get done. And how much fun it is to share my studio with emerging artists. 


Meet my young visiting artists. 



Meyer is 8 years old and a very busy girl with gymnastics classes, horseback riding and many family vacations. Her summer is booked. But I was so happy to have her visit my studio 2 weeks in a row. Here she is doing watercolor painting which she loves. 



The newest visiting artist was Madden, age 18 months. This is his first visit to my studio. We see him every week, and we go to the park, play with toys and books. But he’s not been ready to make his mark in the studio until now. Here he is concentrating on his art. 


Playing with a new idea. 


I don’t know why I started making these new pieces. Just one day, I took out the clay and a tower appeared. I didn’t even know what to call them. Or what they would be used for. I showed them to my daughter and she immediately said, “It’s a fairy house.” 



So there you go. I’ve now made four fairy houses which are slowly getting a paint job. Will I make more? I have no idea. Just like I had no idea I would have a cast of weird animal characters appear in my studio. But, I think, maybe that’s what creating is all about. 


Rolling out clay. 

Not thinking or planning or designing.

Just putting my hands in it,

Letting it take shape

And letting it shape me. 

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