In the Mail

I've been applying to shows, both sculptural and functional, like crazy this summer. The notifications have started to roll in and yesterday's mail brought a mixed bag of news.

The bad first: I was rejected from Strictly Functional. As there were over 1000 entries from 500 artists, with only 109 objects being chosen, I don't feel too bad about the rejection. There is always next year and other shows.

The good news: I was accepted to the Wichita National All Media Craft Exhibiton 2009. I entered three sculptures and Solitary Dinner was accepted. Kathleen Royster Lamb, Assistant Professor at the Metropolitan State College of Denver, was the juror. She will select award winners upon installation of the works in September. The show runs from September 4 to October 18. The opening reception will be September 4, 5pm-7pm. As much as I would like to attend, the schedule will not allow me to do so.

I'm awaiting a few more notices. When I hear something, I'll post.

Process: Beginning/Middle

I thought I would post a few in process pictures of new forms. They are sugar creamer sets with bases and a few tumblers. My roommate and fellow AIR refers to them as my Alice in Wonderland sets. They are slightly over-sized, but I figure shrinkage will take care of that issue. The challenges of these sets are numerous: lid design, handle and spout placement, and my re-occurring stumbling block, surface design. I am happy with the overall forms, but have other ideas for handle placement. As for surface, I have ideas. I'll post those results when they are out of the kiln. Until then, the pictures are of the raw forms, and then the next step with underglazes.

Update on Summer Workshops

Summer workshops are winding down here at the Craft Center, and the last two weeks of classes have been canceled for a variety of reasons, most notably lack of enrollment. It seems the summer classes are yet another victim of the economy. The good news is ACC is still accepting registrations for the September weekend classes, see catalog for specifics. The dates are September 11-13 and 18-20. I will be teaching a hand building class focusing on the drinking vessel. We will explore cups, saucers, mugs, and tumblers. Call the Craft Center today to register.

I Got In!

Good news arrived in the inbox this morning. All three pieces above were juried into the exhibition Dining In: An Artful Experience. The exhibition will be held at 18 Hands Gallery in Houston, TX in August 2009. It sounds pretty neat. Here it is from the prospectus: The exhibition will feature hand-made items that might be found on a dinner table. The final show installation will consist of 5-10 fully appointed dining tables.

Plates and Platters

I finally got around to glazing these platters. No surprises which is a good thing. They were fired to cone 1 oxidation. I am pleased with the results, especially the richness of the terracotta clay.

Updated Website

I've finally updated my website. You may notice a new color scheme. I wanted something bolder. I think I achieved that. Too, I've updated my artist's statements, CV, and links. I would love to hear what you think about the changes. Here's the link: melodytiemann.com

Playing Around

Since I taught my Plates and Platters workshop in May, I've been dying to make more. So I decided to make a few more molds, the trapezoidal and long oval ones, and get started. I am really interested in surface design and finding the right imagery for the form. As you can see, I've been playing. The tug of war is organic versus geometric. Then of course, how busy can I make the patterning. Eventually, I will find the balance. These plates and platters are on the verge of being bone dry, so maybe they'll find their way into a kiln this week. If any turn out, I'll post the finished product.