Weight of the World

Sometimes I just feel like the weight of the world is bearing down on my shoulders.  I'm surprised that a little over a week has past since my last post because it feels more like a month.  I have felt like I should blog but have just not wanted to.  I have had too many other things on my mind.  My time here at Penland should be bucolic, however, the outside world, personal priorities, and family responsibilities don't just disappear like I somehow miraculously thought they would for two months.

Last Monday I had to head back to Asheville for a whirlwind trip home to California to take care of some business.  I tried everything to get out of it, including trying to Skype in to a meeting but no go.  My face was required in person for a one hour meeting.  Sheesh!  It was necessary, productive, and I benefitted from it but it took me all day Tuesday to travel home, I was there on Wednesday and then had to turn right back around and travel back to Asheville and Penland all day Thursday.

By today I finally felt like I was really back into the swing of things in the clay.  Actually better than before.  My back has been killing me for the last three weeks and I just realized tonight that it has hardly bothered me all day.  Last night and today I mixed up glazes and tested about thirty color variations.  We had an experimental cone 6, oxidation, soda firing going today, thanks to my fellow studio assistant and incredible hard worker, James.

I am continuing my exploration in pots that have some kind of movement.  I made these trays before I flew home and finally got around to putting the legs and handles on.  I really like the form and the red clay by themselves.  My idea was to keep them bare, fired clay and then have porcelain cups sitting inside.

Put then I decided to try wrapping my silkscreened design around the wall of the piece.  I'm not sure yet, if I embrace the end result but it is great to try new things.

Ok, as much as I want to update all y'all on everything I simply cannot keep my eyes open which makes seeing what I've written virtually unintelligible.  Does that make sense? Of course not, I'm already asleep.

Have a great week and get lots of sleep!  I'll be needing to catch up, for sure.