Showing Up.

  

As an artist and writer, I thrive on quiet. Looking out the window. Staring at the sky. Watching the dogwood bloom and the birds fly by. Today, I saw a pair of geese herding a large brood of fuzzy goslings from the grass into the lake at the park. 

These are small, everyday things in and around us all. Things I know we see but maybe, don’t see. Like flowers and leaves and birds, they’re all part of our daily life. But somehow, they stick with me and show up in my studio. 

Flowering. 

When I pick up a lump of clay, I don’t always know what I’m going to make. I’ve made many vases, bowls and plates but in the last year or so something has changed. 

One day, I rolled out clay and out came a face. I wasn’t sure why or what it was going to be, so I set it aside. Another day, I walked into my kitchen and saw a vase of sunflowers. Next thing I knew, this is what appeared in my studio. 

Then, on a walk I collected oak leaves. And this appeared. 

Another day, I bought some poppies. And this showed up.  

On a fall walk, I picked up some of my favorite ginkgo leaves. And this happened. 

And they all seemed to have a ladybug nosing around. I do love ladybugs. 

Now what?

Shelves in my studio began to fill up with flowers and leaves and ladybugs. Some had faces and some were just birds or orchids or tulips. I thought the bigger ones could look nice on a wall. But the squares seemed to need something more. 

But what? 

I finally figured out that a frame was needed. This is definitely not my are of expertise, so I asked for help. My daughter in law had the idea of shadow boxes. My clever husband figured out how to mount and hang them. 

And it all worked! 

Now a few of them are on their way to a local show. 

Who knew that a sunflower, some leaves and a ladybug would show up on a wall?

About Faces

‘Prologue’ Mask, porcelain, $300

From our very awakening at birth, life is all about faces. Seeing, knowing, loving begins with the faces of those around us. It’s not only a survival tool, it’s our very nature. 

I’ve written about this before. I see faces everywhere. It’s called Pareidolia. So I’m not alone in what I see, it’s an ability we all as humans, share. 

Whether I’m in line at the grocery store, watching clouds in the sky or touching the bark of trees in the woods, faces draw my attention. Happy or sad. Young or old. Spirited or wise. I find meaning and messages and connections and stories in each one. 

‘Healer’ Witch, porcelain, $50

Meeting new faces. 

I just delivered a new group of sculptures to the gallery, Art On Broadway. It’s been a little scary and at first, I wasn’t sure why. I’ve been in many gallery shows, local shows, regional invitationals over the decades as a working artist. 

I realized this week, it felt different because this is the first non-group show I’ve done in quite a while. It’s a dual show with printmaker, Beate Scheller. Her work is lovely in black and white and she, too, loves faces. 

We met on Saturday to hang our show. Again, not something I’ve done in a gallery show. Usually, that task is done by the curator or gallery owner. This time, Beate and I cleared the space, dusted and arranged the pedestals. While Beate hung her prints, I unpacked my new work. Yes, that’s it too. All of these sculptural pieces are new this year and this is their first show. 

Facing my fears. 

Showing my work in a group show is fun and relaxing and easy. My work is on display alongside many other artists’ work. I can hide in plain sight. In this show, I am the only ceramic artist. So not only is my work on display, so am I. 

In this group of work, I started with my love of nature. 

My simple leaf form became a cloak for a group of fairy witches. 

Tree bark inspired a pair of nature goddesses dressed in a combination of natural elements, Celtic symbols and feminine details. Shapeshifters appear again in my work in new forms. 

This group of work has sat around in pieces on my studio shelves for quite a while, staring down at me. I stared up at their faces, wondering. And finally, listening. 

They finally told me their stories and I did my best to bring them to form. But these are not just my stories, they are yours, too. These are stories we have all understood from our first look at the world around us. 

It’s all about faces.   

Playing with clay - In the Studio

I love working in clay. It's soft and cool, so it's very soothing. It's flexible. If I don't like what I've done, I just spray on some water, smooth it out and start over. Above is a picture of the one I started today.

First, I cut off a slab and knead it(called wedging)to remove any bubbles, then I roll it out until it's about 1/4 inch thick. I add newspapers to the back of the slab to support the facial structure. Then I start sculpting. I push, pinch and add to the clay to form the eyes, lips, nose and the rest of the features. I've used this technique to make many of the faces in my mixed media pieces in the past.

Today, I'm starting a new series. I'll be sculpting clay faces, bisque firing them and finishing them with paints. Here's a picture of one with paint.