Awesome.

OIL & WATER DO NOT MIX from Happiness Brussels on Vimeo.

Benefit Auction at Charlie Cummings Gallery

You should all check out the Charlie Cummings Gallery website regarding a benefit auction for Drew Johnson now being previewed online. Drew Johnson is a student attending the University of Florida ceramics department that lost a foot in a motorcycle accident where the driver of the car wasn't able to pay for the damages. This auction is a way to raise money to cover some of the incurred medical costs. I am proud to be involved in the auction as well as being connected to such a wonderful and incredibly generous and talented community. The auction will run from September 21st to September 27th. The following is the list of participants...this is a great way to collect some great ceramic work as well as donate to a great cause. Good Luck!!!

(The above plate is up for auction as is one other. Get em now!)


Participants:

Heather Alexander, Dan Anderson, Linda Arbuckle, Posey Bacopoulos, Tiffany Bailey, Marian Baker, John Balistreri, Tom Bartel, Deborah Bedwell, Curt Benzle, Sandy Blain, Catherine Boswell, Joe Bova, George Bowes, Bob Brady, Lucy Breslin, John Britt, Sally Brogden, Bill Buckner, Richard Burkett, Jon Burns, Larry Bush, Doug Casebeer, Donna Causland, Ceramics Monthly, Eva Champagne, Andrew Cho, Linda Christianson, Autumn Cipala, Naomi Cleary, Meridith Coen, Nan Coffin, Elaine Coleman, Tom Coleman, Jim Connell, Pat Coughlin, Charlie Cummings, Malcolm Davis, Chandra DeBuse, Josh DeWeese, Eddie Dominguez, Lynn Duryea, Thaddeus Erdahl, Mark Errol, Jana Evans, Lauren Faust, Kathryn Finnerty, Yoshi Fuji, Erin Furimsky, John Glick, Raymond Gonzalez, Heidi Grew, Chris Gustin, Holly Hanessian, Molly Hatch, James Herring, Pam Herring, Jennifer Hill, Anna Calluori Holcombe, Niel Hora, Ayumi Horie, Steve Howell, Matt Hyleck, Sarah Jaeger, Jeremy Jernigan, Drew Johnson, Mark Johnson, Garth Johnson, Brian Jones, Kristen Kieffer, Michael Kline, Phyllis Kloda, Alix Knipe, Lebeth Lammers, Sandy Lance, Martina Lantin, Fritz Lauenstein & June Raymond, Mary Law, Jim Lawton, Simon Levin, Jenny Lind, Suze Lindsay, Matt Long, Jiri Lonsky, Tyler Lotz, Scott Lykens, Andrew Martin, Missy McCormick, Nancy McCroskey, Kent McLaughlin, Joe Molinaro, Mudtools, Kate Murray, Richard Nickel, Kevin Nierman, Richard Notkin, Kelly O'Briant, Mary Obodzinski, Dandee Pattee, Anne Perrigo, Chris Pickett, Don Pilcher, Elise Pincu, Pete Pinnell, Pottery Making Illustrated, Rainbow Gate Pottery, Jeremy Randall, Beau Raymond, Scott Rench, Lee Rexrode, Lindsay Rogers, Chloe Rothwell, Nigel Rudolph, Cheyenne Rudolph Chapman, Cassie Ryalls, Shoji Satake, Kristin Schimik, Mike Schmidt, JoAnn Schnabel, Bonnie Seeman, Nancy Selvin, Leland Shaw, Jane Shellenbarger, Marge Shore, Sandy Simon, Gay Smith, Nan Smith, Collette Smith, Keith Smith, Kevin Snipes, Jane Spangler, Chris Staley, Studio Potter, Stephanie Stuefer, Sarah Tancred, Shoko Teruyama, Julie Tesser, Diana Thomas, John Tilton, Sara Truman & Naomi Mostkoff, Tom Turner, Rimas Visgirda, Mikey Walsh, Wynne Wilbur, Lana Wilson, Varian Wolf, Stephen Wolochowicz, Jenchi Wu, Rosie Wynkoop, Gwendolyn Yoppolo.

The beauty of Machines

Zimoun : Sound Sculptures & Installations | Compilation Video V1.9 from ZIMOUN VIDEO ARCHIVE on Vimeo.

As I was searching through the ever expandind virtual pile of art information today, I came across this which I had seen before and lost track of. I talk to my students about the art of simplicity, and the difficulties in attainment of the simple. This work is quite complex in structure, but it seems as though the structure isn't what the artist is talking about. The sounds that this grouping of work creates is awesome. Such simplicity in individuality can create such a complexity of sound. Awesome.

These others are works by Arthur Ganson. Such playfulness, such delicacy. The mechanization of movement transferred to an object of wonder. Enjoy.

Dalton Ghetti Carvings

In starting the new semester with a drawing class, this came across my screen and I really loved it. This is a great example of common materials transcending and how concept and content can be implanted into an object. Pretty great stuff. There are more images if you google his name, and it seems to be a pretty extensive series. Something interesting.

The Pond Creek Bogstompers at Kellish

Just a couple of photos that I came across this evening of a recent show we played at Kellish Hill Farm in Manlius NY. Great time had by all, and was kind of the big debut of the band, only to find out that we are probably going to have to change the name. Were working on it now, but everyone has been shortening the name to "Bogstompers" and I'm sure that the bogstompers located in northern vermont may object to us. Ah well, we just need a name before the next booking which is on the 11th of September at the Pourhouse in Trumansburd NY. Should be a good time and the Ithaca area loves old time music and they serve good beer there. And after looking at the billing, "Pond Creek Bogstompers" is the billing so we may be sticking with it for a while. The next gig after will be in Old Forge NY and hopefully the list will keep on growing.

Anyone in the area that pays attention to this thing, you should come out and check it out...we don't disappoint. And we are the only ones billed so we will be able to roll out a night full of old time music. Hope to see you all there!
Cheers

Tarpon awesomeness.

This made my day. It's not trout, but it makes me miss my days in Florida. Having the chance in the past to cast to tailing tarpon, this gets me exited.

Conversations Show at Art Center West

Just an announcement for our upcoming show at Art Center West in Roswell GA. The press release will go out today, and the show is myself and my wife Sarah Panzarella and will consist of about two dozen pieces, focusing on the diversity of work that can be made by spouses in the same studio. I am always supprised at the difference in our work despite the close proximity in which the work is made. We freely give feedback and have an open dialouge regarding the work which is an extremely helpful tool in the studio. Sometimes I wonder what it is like to be a studio potter working alone in my studio without that feedback. Studio practice can be lonely, and lacking of outside feedback at times and there is a trend for artists to get together with other artists regularly to gain this feedback. The critiques of graduate school were always grueling at the time, but now we long for the heavy criticism and constructive feedback. I love that the interchange of creativity is a commonplace in our studio and despite the complexities of having a two artist household, I wouldn't have it any other way (even though a rich benefactor would be nice). Come see the show if you are able, and let us know what you think. Cheers.

New Cup Forms.

Thought I would post a few pictures of some new cup forms I have been working on. These will be in a show at Mississippi State University through the next couple of months. I have been on vacation for the past two weeks and thought I would actually take a vacation from the computer...it sort of worked.

"Drink" Cup show now Online

The "Drink" cup show is now online at the link above. Just click on the image above and it should take you there. Some really nice cups are included and a big thank you to A.J. Argentina, Connor McKissack and Debra Fritts for putting it all together. Enjoy

New Vase Forms in the Studio.

These forms have been pervading the studio lately, and have really enjoyed their planar qualities. I was doing some thinking about form recently and was thinking about some of the Shaker influences that I have looked at over the past number of years. I always have loved the oval stack boxes that the shakers used for various uses, and have become such an iconic image of their handcraft. The reason that they made the boxes oval were for two reasons. The aesthetic of the curve was both beautiful and allowed for less joints and simplicity in manufacturing. The other reason was so they would fit on a shelf more efficiently. I loved this idea of efficiency and had made oval forms for some time because of that. I have always been bothered by round vase forms because of the way that they orient themselves to a table. My mother loved putting large arrangements of flowers on the table, but I realize that they didn't really occupy the space fully. A long rectangular space with a round object in the middle seems odd spacialy to me now. I really love the idea of a flower brick which has been a new staple for many potters altering forms or hand-building pots. I have a feeling that these forms are going to stretch out more, giving the viewer more of a landscape view to the pot. I also love the idea of some of these industrially aged architectural forms spewing forth color and life in the form of flowers and foliage. Seems to be a nice dichotomy in the way I view my influences. I love the forms of old industry and the residue of production, but the produced materials are usually not to my liking, and detrimental to the environment. Duality is interesting.