Juried In

 

My platter, medium serving bowl, and pitcher were recently juried into "Dining in V: An Artful Experience" to be held in Houston at 18 Hands Gallery. I am so excited as all three entries were accepted!

From the gallery's website: “Dining In V: An Artful Experience,” a juried exhibition that will run the month of August 2012 (opening to be held in conjunction with the Houston Heights White Linen Night celebration.) The exhibition will feature handmade items for the well-appointed
dining table. This includes plates, chargers, bowls, candleholders,
tureens, ladles, centerpieces, spoons, forks, knives, drinking vessels, etc.  

The Houston White Linen Night Celebration takes place in the Houston Heights, Saturday August 4th, 2012. Merchants stay open late, food, drink, and music abound! 

Sounds like a fun time, too bad I cannot be there in person. 

Home Studio Photography Set Up

One of the first things I did after the semester ended in May was to make my own photography set up at home. I had an order of pots that needed photographing, and I was tired of lugging work back and forth to school or trying to share the photo studio, where it seemed, I always needed help setting up the background paper.

Since I would be using this in my home studio, which is too small to have both my work space and photo area set up at the same time, I designed it to be easily moved and stored. After a trip to Home Depot for the supplies I didn't already have on hand, I was ready to build.

Beginning the lightbox, seal your cardboard box on one end. Measure so that you have a one inch ledge to support your drop ceiling tile. Cut using a box cutter.

Cut the drop ceiling tile with a plexi glass cutter to the interior size of the box, minus a little. You want a snug fit. I placed the textured side up. It does not affect the quality of the light this way.

 The lightbox sealed with the clamp light and bulb enclosed. I used a  porcelain socket clamp light and a 120 watt daylight fluorescent.

This is the support for the paper. It is seven feet tall. To secure the posts to the walls, I tacked strips of fabric to the wall. It works better than I expected. If I had had the room for two buckets of sand I would have used that instead.

Here you can see both support systems. The front support holds the lightbox and is six feet in height. Here, too, you can see the bucket of sand I am using to support the PVC pipe.

Here you can see that I used a zip tie around both the pipe and the clamp light so that my light will swing forward or back according to my needs. There is also heavy duty Velco on the back of the box for a piece of black matboard that I attach so I can create a gradient background.

A better picture of the whole workings. Everything is designed to come apart so that it can be easily moved into and out of my studio space.  I have left the background paper and support in place as it does not interfere with me making my work. A piece of plastic wrapped over the paper protects it from dust.

All ready to go.

Update: Winterfest 2011

The exhibition I am part of at Baltimore Clayworks is now online. Work can be purchased, although I am not sure of their shipping schedule. My platter made the title wall! Here is the link to the online gallery.

http://www.baltimoreclayworks.org/images/exhibition/11/winterfest/Winterfest_2011/index.html

Remember, support artists by buying handmade.

Update: Winter's Florifertum

The exhibition at Red Lodge Clay Center is now online and all work is available for purchase and immediate delivery. Support artists and Buy Handmade for all your gifts!

Red Lodge Clay Center | Winter's Florifertum: Annual Holiday Invitational

www.redlodgeclaycenter.com

Winter's Florifertum

I am excited to be included in Winter's Florifertum, December 2-23, 2011, at Red Lodge Clay Center. According to the exhibition card, Molly Hatch will collaborate with other elaborately ornate varietals of function including: Jenni Brandt, Michael Kline, Melody Tiemann, Julie Johnson, Diana Fayt, Elizabeth Robinson, Sanam Emami and Michelle Miller. The loft gallery will bloom in excessive, celebratory holiday abundance.

Winterfest 2011

These salt and peppers are an example of the work I sent to Baltimore Clayworks for their Winterfest 2011 exhibition and sale. The show runs from November 19, 2011-January 6, 2012. Other invited artists include:  Lorna Awalt (MD), Ingrid Bathe (ME), HP Bloomer (TX), Jeff Campana (VT), Josh Copus (NC), Marty Fielding (VT), Janelle Gang (MD), Daniel Garretson (CO),  Andrew Gilliatt (LA), Lynne Hobaica (NY), Mike Jabbur (VA), Tom Jaszczak (MN), Brian Jones (OR), Christopher Melia (TX), Sebastian Moh (KY), Lindsey Oesteritter (KY), Debra Oliva (MI), Doug Peltzman (NY), Melody Tiemann (MS), Jeremy Wallace (MD).

It's Been Awhile

To keep it brief a lot has happened since my last post over a year ago.

I moved to Mississippi to take a teaching position at Mississippi Valley State University last Fall after my time at the Appalachian Center for Craft was over. I had three fabulous and enriching years as the Resident Artist in Clay at the Craft Center, and miss it still.

I am currently teaching five courses a semester ranging from foundation classes to art history. It has been a wild ride, but so worth it. In addition to teaching, I've been making work. Most recently for group exhibitions and sales at Red Lodge Clay Center in Montana, Balitmore Clayworks, and the Appalachian Center for Craft.

I am also in the process of updating my website so until that is complete please excuse the down site. I will keep you posted, a little better this time.

Decals

I've been thinking about decals for a while now, and wondering how to incorporate them into my work.  In trying to eliminate a few steps of the process, namely a third firing, I've played with the oxide decals you can buy from Chinese Clay Art. I like the process and results of using the oxide ones, but am limited by the types of designs commercially available.  So in order to create decals of my own designs/motifs, I dusted off my rusty screen printing skills (a big thank you to my fellow AIR, Jess, who made sure I was doing it right) and made my own. The results are not too bad (see mug above). I think I might need to put a binder in the oxide mix so that it doesn't flake off the paper once it's dried. Other than than, I won't know until I fire the mug if it will be successful.

A Friendly Fellow

This morning I had a visitor to the studio.  He appeared over by the mailbox and slowly kept walking up to the studio sidewalk.  I've noticed him before, but this is the closets he's ever come to the studio and to me. I think we were separated by about 15 yards. The campus shuttle pulled up and he dashed off back into the woods.

Upcoming Events

Evening Workshops:  Tonight the eight-week evening workshops come to an end.  We will have potluck and ohh and ahh over the finished work.  This is my favorite part of the workshop, when the students see the rewards of their hard work.  I am so proud of them. 

NCECA:  Next week, March 31-April 3 I, along with several thousand other ceramics professionals, professors, students, hobbyists, wholesalers, and enthusiasts will descend on Philadelphia, PA for the Annual National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts Conference.  The city's galleries, store fronts, coffee shops, etc. will be filled with ceramic art.  In addition to all the art on display, the conference center will host demonstrations, lectures, panel discussions, video screenings, and a huge room filled with vendors, schools, and non-profits.  Throughout the conference an atmosphere similar to a family reunion will prevail as old relationships are renewed and new ones are made.  I can't wait!

AIR Opening:  Just a reminder that applications for the Clay Artist-in-Residence position are due at the Craft Center April 1, 2010.  You can find the particulars here.  It is a great job in a beautiful place.

Summer Workshops:  The Appalachian Center for Craft has released their Summer Workshop Calendar.
They have a new schedule for this Summer.  In May the workshops are weekends (Fri-Sun) only.  They will be taught by Marc Barr, Nancy Jacobsohn, myself, and Susan Smith.  June will be a three-week intensive that can be taken for college credit.  In clay, Suze Lindsay will be teaching! July will consist of three one-week (Sun-Fri) workshops featuring classes taught by Gay Smith, Kristen Kieffer, and Aaron Lee Benson.  I hope you can join us for a lot of workshop fun.

Clay AIR Job Opening

My time here at the Craft Center is coming to an end in August and the search is on for the next clay Artist-in-Residence.  I believe the deadline for applying is April 1, 2010.  So if you are interested or know of anyone who might be, please send in your applications.  Full details can be found at https://www.tntech.edu/jobs-cs/artist-in-residence-clay-appalachian-center-for-craft-684010/.

My Statement for AIR 2010 Exhibition

The artwork presented for this exhibition is a sampling of my explorations in clay over the past few months.  The questions, "What happens if . . .?" was a dominant aspect in the creation of the work.  It factored into almost all formal decisions, including whether the pieces were for the wall or pedestal, size, color combinations, use of materials and techniques to create the designs/patterns, and the forms themselves.  Through this the work became a study of form, composition, color, materials, and technique.

To keep from limiting myself in the discovery process, I used a variety of construction and surface decoration methods.  I borrowed techniques from industry in the creation of form through the use of molds and templates, and from printmaking for ideas about applying surface.

While the formal elements of the works were carefully considered, I allowed the conceptual aspects to evolve in a more intuitive manner.  The imagery became reflections of my moods and inner thoughts about relationships, transitions, and memories.

Artist-in-Residence Exhibition 2010

The Appalachian Center for Craft Artists-in-Residence have installed work in Gallery II for their annual exhibition and will be on display from February 28-April 14. Below is a sampling of the work.  Hope you can come see it.

Entering the show.

Jess Jones:  Fibers AIR

 Jess Jones:  folded books, handmade paper

My work: Loafing & Passing 1 & 2

My work: Installation view

My Work:  Prints

My work:  Nostalgia Series

My Work: Spring 1, 2, & 3

Sarah McClary: Exhibitions AIR

Sung-Yeoul Lee: Metals AIR

Sung-Yeoul Lee

Andrew Najarian: Glass AIR

Trey Gossett: Wood AIR

Outdoor Fun

It is a snowy wonderland outside this weekend.  Normally, that would be a perfect time to stay indoors and work in the studio, but the urge to hike down to the lake was too great.  The fresh air, falling snow, exercise, and the beauty of the woods in winter did more to calm my mind and refresh my spirit than staying indoors would have done. I ended the afternoon with hot chocolate and cookies with friends.  A great day overall.  Here are a few pictures from the adventure.

A robin eating berries.

Me on the Lake shore.

The inlet shoreline.

Winter is Here!

Winter, or at least what I always imagined winter being, is here!   I grew up in South Texas where winter usually consisted of a month or two of 40-50 degree weather, and the occasional 20-30 degree day.  Few and far between were a day or two of ice, or if we were really lucky a smattering of snow.  I'm now in Tennessee where we have four seasons that are definable, and I love it.  How do I know winter is here? Well, the temperature has been in the 20s or lower for more than 4 days AND there is snow on the ground!  I must admit I am extremely curious about the snow.  It is beautiful and romantic, but it is also dangerous, and I wonder how people who have it on the ground all winter deal with it.  In the meantime, I've been out enjoying the white stuff. Here are a few pictures from around campus.  We even had a student try to sled on a garbage can lid down the hill out back.  Unfortunately, I don't think we had enough snow for it.

sledding

Icicles

The lake, can you see the snow on the opposite shore?

More of the lake.

Me bundled up.  My fingers were beginning to get a little numb at this point.  I went in shortly after.

Welcome 2010

A new year has begun and along with it a new journey. This is my last Spring here at the Craft Center, as my residency ends in August. I am realizing that this year is to be filled with bittersweet moments alongside new experiences. Where I will be after this, I don't know. Will it be a teaching position, residency, or setting up my own studio? I am open to all these, but know I will be sad to leave this wonderful place that has allowed me to grow as an artist, teacher, and person. So many good things have happened to me here in Tennessee, and so I must believe that wherever I land, good things will happen there too. Welcome 2010.

I'm on Etsy

I've finally done it.  I've become a seller on Etsy.  It is very exciting to be selling my work to a broader audience that is available to me on the internet.  I feel like I'm an entrepreneur.  My shop's name is MRoseStudio.  Take a look and let me know what you think.  Maybe buy something.  It doesn't need to be a special occasion to purchase a piece of handmade functional pottery.  I will post new work as it  becomes available.  You can also keep up with my shop with the handy Etsy Mini to the left of this post.

It's Fall in TN!

I just thought to share a little of the beauty of Fall in Middle Tennessee.  The trees are changing color and the leaves are falling.  They make such a wonderful crunching sound underfoot.

Bowl-a-thon Update

All the bowls made during the Bowl-a-thon in September are finally fired.  They will be picked up on Wednesday to be washed and made ready for the Cookin' on the Square event this Friday.  You can read about the event in the Herald-Citizen.  I'm not sure how many bowls were made, but there were four kiln loads worth.

A New Direction?

In an attempt to add "more" (meaning, visual complexity, etc.) to my work, I decided to use my own corrupted version of printmaking on clay.  The thought process went something like this:  I enjoyed creating monotypes and monoprints in grad school, what if I took those ideas of making and used them on clay.  From there I had a liberating sense of the possibilities of experimentation.  Most of the results fall into the category of "the bad stuff you make in order to get to the good stuff."  I don't know if I would classify the plates to the left as "the good stuff" just yet, but they are definitely on their way.  I am very encouraged by these results, but am skeptical as to how well this process will translate to forms that are not flat or slightly curved.  Those experiments begin today.