More ReStyling...

Following up on my last post about Restyling old things, here are a few more...

Two more of the previous Drift Wood Coat Hook

Half Barrel Key Hook

Small Drift Wood Double Hook

Restoring the Beauty

Living on the Eastern Shore has seeped into my style. I fell in love with traipsing around the coast line, rain or shine, picking up drift wood and twisted, rusted shapes. My brain was going wild with ideas of picking up these great natural pieces and turning them into a classy contrast between organic and modern. After collecting from the shore, I moved inland and started seeing the same possible contrast in old pieces on trash day, at yard sales, and junk shops. By staying simple, striving toward classy not crafty, and letting the shapes dictate their use, I aim to create some gorgeous pieces. Here are the beginnings...

Half Barrel Shelves

Along the coast I found tons of these half circles. They are from the bottom of fishermen's barrels. The great smoothed wave washed wood with rust bleeding onto each shelf contrasts nicely with the black shiny boards.

Tops of the shelves

Bottoms of the shelves

On a red wall: side view

On a red wall: straight on

A drift wood Hook for the front hall or mud room!

Taking notes, drawing visions

I recently graduated from an intense 9 months of study. I spent a lot of time in class, taking notes, discussing serious and heavy issues. The following are the lighter side of class... doodles from my notes. They usually were inspired by the subject at hand but sometimes appeared from nowhere.

Click on the image for a larger view. I would love to know your favorites!

wallpaper

a restful slumber

what will spill out of you when life bumps your cup?

"Do you feel like there is an elephant in the room?"

"Flourish"

David and Sharon!

Paintings and Pots... oh my!

I blogged about an idea last year to throw pots from paintings, recreating the ceramics found in so many paintings. The idea, marinating for some time now, inspires me to draw quite a bit. Here is a painting with a great pot. If only I had the time to throw. This would be a good one to begin... the grey and blue... I think I need a salt or soda kiln. Oh the possibilities!

Truth?

"In matters of art our society has substituted taste for truth, which she finds more amusing and less of a responsibility, and changes her tastes as frequently as she changes her hats and shoes."

- Mark Rothko

Well, wasn't I mistaken! After some quality time with the afore mentioned Bernard Leach book I've realized that the drawings and verse and prose are all his own! What a prolific artist. No wonder they say he is "the greatest artist-potter-writer of our time" and "perhaps one of the greatest men of our time."

While I don't agree with his Baha'i beliefs, I think it fascinating to find someone who has beliefs beyond himself and is willing to expound on that and live by it. Believe something and live by it?! What a novel idea...

A New Book

I just found a new book by Bernard Leach (that famous potter I mention frequently). You can see the cover to the left. I wasn't quite sure what I was ordering when I presses "buy" online but the cover was enough to make me want it. Bernard Leach was very influenced by Eastern thought, both in his artwork and in his worldview. It is interesting to see how this played out in his philosophies and drawings as he brought them back and modified them to his western life style.

From what I can tell, the book is not his drawings but a collection of drawings that he either owned or enjoyed. The verse I am not sure about yet. Books are so wonderful. Full of mystery and promise. All you have to do is open the cover.

Here I go!

Space

So here I am, on the edge of the Chesapeake, learning, living, and generally loving life.

Now that the initial suspension of reality is dropping, I am settling into my artistic rhythm again. The work load at the Academy has been difficult to balance, especially with regard to artwork. I didn't expect it to be quite this hard but its a challenge that is growing me in areas of responsibility that haven't been touched. That is a good thing. You can keep telling me that, cause I sure forget some times.

Among the many things that I am learning, I've discovered that space is essential. While learning the ropes in the beginning, my mind was preoccupied and I was hard pressed to be creative. When I was finally inclined to create, I felt claustrophobic with my ideas. I had no where to give space to that creative energy. But creativity doesn't just go away. Much of it was expressed and still is expressed in daily activities, in social creativity: creatively engaging with the surroundings, with the other fellows, and adding or highlighting beauty where I can. I put clippings from outside in vases for the dinner table, decorate spaces, draw in community, encouraging others to creatively engage as well.

Recently a couple donated a bunch of freshly caught rockfish to the fellows (always wonderful to get more food!). I volunteered to write the thank you note and decided to paint them a fish in gratitude:

Meanwhile I am working to create a real creative space for myself. As soon as I've worked that out, I'll post some pictures. I am excited about the secret space I've found and am renovating.

*Close Curtain*

Well, this is it Ladies and Gentlemen. I leave on Saturday. I am completely at peace and looking froward to this new adventure. My wheel and tools, my clothes and jewelry, my sheets and books: they are all making their way into boxes. The kick off for my program is on Sunday. After that I will know my schedule a little better and thus my ability to take the time to write.

Here goes.....

Once upon a time....

...I was an apprentice in Northern Virginia. That time has come to an end. I am no longer apprenticing with my mother and my days in Northern Virginia are numbered. I will soon be embarking on a new journey come August and have decided to end my blog for now.

When I started this blog, my purpose was to educate and be educated in pottery, beauty, and life as an artist. With a clear apprenticeship and purpose, I found writing to be a wonderful way to organize my own thoughts as well as fulfill a dream of including the public in my work.

In August I will start a 9 month program focusing around leadership in arts and community. I am excited and nervous but ever positive that this is the best next step for me. I hope that my time there will foster a maturity and focus; that I will gain a depth that will give me confidence in encouraging a fresh infusion of understanding and love of art into the public's scope of life. And, while I don't know what this time will be like, I hope that my time there allows for writing. I would love to continue to share an insiders view of one artist's struggle to find a place. But we'll see.

Until then, enjoy the colors of your food, sit still and listen, touch the bark on that tree you walk past each day, smell the fresh cut grass, and notice the way an artist uses these inexhaustible inspirations to capture a moment of beauty.

Thanks for reading,
Sarah

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I just uploaded a short video of the pump action trimming wheel that I used while in Spain.

Enjoy!