Made From Mud

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-18T06:18:00.000-08:00

Well here we are, it is the Christmas season again and most people I know are just completely surprised this event is happening next week. I guess I have spent the last few months completing projects and selling pots and the time just flew.

These pictures are from the last show of the year at the "Kids Work Children's Museum" in Frankfort Il. This show was kind of a celebration of the museums first weeks of being open. Downtown Frankfort hosts a "midnight madness" shopping spree and all of the stores stay open until Midnight.

This is some of my display. I was in a potted plant mood, something about all of the white snow outside made me want some colorful little plants to sell. Both of the pictures of this show have a little speak peak at Sweet Jessie from www.sweetjessie@com . Can you find her?

I received my latest email from my friend Cleetus over at www.CityProvisions.com announcing the next supper event at his space on January 14th. The next event is a cocktail party themed event highlighted with spirits by "Death's Door Spirits". Every event I try to create something new to highlight the food and theme of the event. For this event I decide to create little shot type glasses. All the shots I like to do end up in Venti Lattes. I think I will do some espresso cups and some creamers.

This is one of my new sets of plates. I was thinking frosty icy winter themed plates. I think it is a little to big for a cocktail party, so I will make something new that is really fun to hold.

Happy Holidays!

Fun With Clandestino

2008-09-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday night I got to experience my first dinner with Chef Efrain of Clandestino www.chefrain.com . This supper club took over a west loop loft and served Trout (below), squash soup, pork raviolis (above), among many other things. This was my third dinner where my plates and dishes make a showing with gourmet food.

The dinner guests were communally seated at tables of ten. I got to visit with two different tables that night. The attendees were of diverse occupational back grounds but shared a common interest in food. Some guests traveled just walking distance from their homes to attend the dinner, others flew in from the east coast. The pork ravioli's were plated on my brand spankin' new 8 by 8" dishes. This is a picture of the serving line up. All pictures of the plating's meant that I was IN THE WAY. At least all of the severs cut me a bit of a break when I said "please let me shoot this".

The night ended with lots of happy people looking for the next party. My dishes next scheduled appearance will be at the Faith's Farm dinner on October 18th with City Provisions info@cityprovisions.com .

Farm dinner

2008-08-29T07:06:00.000-07:00

I think as a potter you always hope that the work that you make leaves you and has an active useful purpose in the new owners life. I love to go to friends homes and see if the mug has become a favorite or that the big bowl is setting out on the table holding that weeks produce. The Supper Club events I have started doing in the last few months with City Provisions http://www.cityprovisions.com/ is the pottery equivalent of a child's ballet recytle. Here we go, will the weeks of preperation pay off? Will it hit all the right marks?

Here is my plate featuring Faith's Farm pork chop with mash potatoes with guere cheese. It made you want to lick that lovely plate.

This was a lovely event. The next Faith's Farm dinner will be on October 18, 2008 http://www.cityprovisions.com/ is taking reservations and the plates and dishes will be there ready for their next performance.

Summer Dinner

2008-07-14T20:03:00.000-07:00

The studio has been operating at full tilt these days preparing for my first all pottery service dinner. I have been making plates, platters, pitchers and bowls. All of which I am planning to get fired in the next two weeks. It has been a long time since I produced at this volume, but after my wrists recovered there lost muscle, I have been rolling along just fine. It is really better than fine, it feels good. Right now I am truely thankful for my neighbors new pool which is keeping my kids busy and then tired.

small potted plants

2007-12-09T15:50:00.000-08:00

I thought I was really tired of gardening, but I am really happy to have a little manageable garden for my counter top. As usual the best made plans were actually derailed by the inventory of the local garden store. This was to be a Christmas display, kind of a mini spruce forest in snowy white cups. The store had a run on all the little spruce trees so I had to go tropical. The nice thing is these little plants are really inexpensive.

I have been making lots of these little pots for arranging on a these trays I have been making. I am going to throw the saucers as well. These are meant to be Christmas presents, I hope I get it done.

I am challenging myself to have a one week turn around. These were bisque fired yesterday. Glaze pictures soon!

Making Trays

2007-11-20T19:48:00.000-08:00

I have been playing with some antique wall paper rolls that I picked up at flea market. At the suggestion of my friend Jessie I started making trays and I am having a great time. These are the first out of the kiln and I am really pleased at home they turned out. My tea pots are looking great on them as well.

This is a tray with a feather print that I painted some designs over. Here is another treatment of the feather.

I took a few to the DIY Trunk show last weekend and the response was really positive. I can't wait to make another round and improve on the designed.

I think this one found a new home. I will be putting a lot of this stuff out at my Esty site. I have not add to that site in quite a while.

I am still loving my tea pots and cups, even though I didn't sell any last weekend. I think I will be throwing a tea party soon.

Tea Pots

2007-11-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

I decided to make tea pots this month. I didn't realize until I started the tea pots that I had not actually made a tea pot since college. I can even really explain why. I went through lots of experimental phases in my post college work and did lots of work that required combining multiple thrown forms. Never a tea pot. So strange.

I unloaded the kiln today wondering what would turn out. I was nervous. It turned out so well. I am in love with these pots and little matching cups. I don't know why I haven't been making them all along. Today I could see making tea pots with cups and trays and saucers and little necessities that all tea pots need and deserve. I was surprised at this reaction in myself.

I sense a new direction!

Collecting Pottery

2007-10-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say I have purchased other peoples work, but it feels so good to start filling up shelves with work I have completed. I made so little work over the summer I was ashamed to mention to anyone I was a potter. Now with the shelves filling up, I feel that proof exists. I am a potter see....look.....right there.....lots of pots!

Greenware small dishes.

Handle-less mugs. Don't those handles just get in the way sometimes?

Due to more poor inventory skills and lack of organization, I recently discovered I have lots of sets of bowls. I just keep putting them in boxes and forgetting about them. Look at my full shelves. More proof I am working. (note to self to analyze why I need poof, who am I proving what to, why am I proving)

This photos is called "Bowl-o-rama". I am so excited to have my camera back. I want to just publish tons photos.

After the bash.......

2007-09-17T19:04:00.000-07:00

I don't have any photo's to share but the launch party for 24 below was quite the good time. Much food was prepared by young chefs in training directed by Chef Efrain. I busied myself for the evening passing trays of food and remembering those attendees who could not eat shrimp. It is very nice to be amongst very nice strangers that at the end of the evening feel like friends. Surprisingly the BYOB part of the evening encourage bottle sharing with new friends and talents were found when that special someone could use the wine opener (Where's that girl that can open the bottle?"). Art was everywhere and the DJ kept things moving. The youth circus troop made a performance and helped remind everyone that proceeds were going to great places. I found great satisfaction in encouraging people to eat a little past their comfort zone. I will be looking forward to the next event!

Enjoying Art Outside

2007-09-08T22:43:00.000-07:00

This is a painting of some of the funky squash I grew in the garden this year. When my house became over run with veggies covering the counters I couldn't resist painting a few. The squash are are totally edible but I haven't been able to bring myself to eat them.

The paintings are resting in my barely weeded perennial bed. I don't use chemicals so I either weed constantly or except what pops up. I am going to start painting the "Creeping Charley" it's a vine like weed that would love to take over everything.

This bowl and platter are nestled in part of my lawn. Can you find the grass? It is losing the battle in this part of the yard. The "Creeping Charley" is not with out it's charms, it has the best purple flowers in the spring.

I really like this bowl, as you might have noticed since it was in my last posting. Here it is hanging out with my nasturtium, weeds, and grass. I like the idea of stoneware hanging out the plants.

Melissa

DIY Show Coming soon!

2007-09-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be in the DIY Trunk show this year. I applied for the show with the encouragement of my friend Jessie at Sweetjessie. My children have started back to school and I for the first time in seven years have every mornings to myself.

I will also be at benefit dinner and art show in Chicago on September 15th. This is an under ground supper event hosted by Chef Efrain at efrain@chefrain.com. This event is a combination of all things that I truly love food, art, performance and friends. I can not wait and I hope anyone in the Chicago area will try to attend. Check out his website.

My new marketing material is below put together by none other than Sweetjessie. I would not be getting this done with out my type A Jessay. I actually had the ax and log as left by my hubby next to my barn. I think it is funny in a way and I am not sure why. Sweet Jessie is one of my Crafty Bitches or the super cool ladies that meet at least monthly at my barn to make stuff. You never know for sure what is going to get made. Sometimes people scrape book or sew. Or making tile is always an option. The barn is kind of a confessional and you never know what will be discussed, admitted or come down the super vortex of gossip.

These are a few of the tile I made. Maybe I can tag Jessie and get her to post a few of her own.

XOXO Bitches

Free Artsy Momma Good Time

2007-02-07T20:16:00.000-08:00

It has been way too long since I have posted. I have so many excuses that I will create a list of the last month's distractions:

1) Children one 4, one 6 (this is an excuse that is the band aid of all excuses)
2) Sick Children for one week (they shared nasty school germs with mom)
3) Birthday party of son
4) Actually making some art in those spare seconds

Most of my non-blogging is child care related. No surprise. I recently heard about a very successful blogger who writes about his sexual exploits or at least the ones he had while single. I could write about Motherly exploits. Interesting adventures of children with stomach flu, mounds of laundry and distractions from friendly visiting neighbors with bottles of wine.

Sex stories are really interesting and I am not surprise to know that the most popular blogs relate in some way to this event. I have realized that I am ok with my inner gossip. But it seems the people I know have not been having the exploits that would land me any paid advertisers.

Maybe all my blogs should be title "Free artsy momma good time". It would probably search really well, though I am afraid I would disappoint many people.

Adventures in Organic Meat

2006-12-20T20:51:00.000-08:00

I have to come to terms with the fact I get worked up over pork products. I recently met Kim Snyder who is raising her own organic free-range meat. That she is less than an hour away from me means that I am now making "meat" road trips. I was struck by seeing cows, chickens and turkeys living happily together. The cows laid comfortably on a huge pile of hay in a shelter that reminded uncannily of every nativity creche I have ever seen. Evidently cows that aren't all hopped up on hormones like to sleep all day and chickens bond with the cows. Even as the cows move around and graze the chickens stay close to them.
The pigs live in a wheat field that had become stubble as they grew from piglets into full sized three hundred hound pound hogs. I wish I could say I felt bad about taking home half of a pig that grew up here, I don 't. I love delicious happy pigs. I like knowing that I am getting great meat raised in the best possibly way. I can't wait to put in my order for heirloom variety turkeys and chickens for next year.

More work!

2006-12-13T20:38:00.000-08:00

I like to glaze my peices with calculated pours. I have limmited my pallet to black, white and clear glazes.

Finished Pottery!

2006-12-13T20:22:00.000-08:00

Unexpected Delays

2006-12-13T19:58:00.000-08:00

What happens when everything is going great and your working like crazy making pottery and everything comes to a creaching halt. My incident started off with a fun Thanksgiving Holiday weekend winding down. Midway through making breakfast I decided to clean off my hand blender after smoothing the lumps out of my pancake batter. I then accidently turned on the blender as I wiped it off and did some serious damage to my middle right finger. An ER visit and five stiches later I realized I would be taking a break from throwing for a while.

Also, I quickly discovered the injured finger was responsible for the letter "e" when typing and so I laid off the typing a bit. So what can you do when your are on a forced art break? Finish a insanely complicated house for your children of course! I feel great pride in it's completion and I am posting a photo.

Fancy Skulls

2006-11-14T20:36:00.000-08:00

Halloween Decorations are taken very seriously around this barn. Friends and family made brightly decorated skulls for a day of the Dead themed Halloween party.

Vases

2006-11-14T20:19:00.000-08:00

These are some vases I threw waiting for the first bisque firing.

Getting Dirty, Thank God

2006-11-12T20:47:00.000-08:00

Everyone should get dirty as much as possible. It may seem inconvenient, but getting dirty may be the most important part of life. I am committing to myself that I will throw 200 pounds of clay per week. That is really dirty, creative and productive. I recently planted (late) many sale bulbs of flowers and garlic. That was really dirty work in this warm November, but I am so excited about what I will find next spring and summer. I just cooked my first twelve month age county ham for the last six hours and that was messy but delicious. I can't possibly imagine a life that didn't involve getting up to your ears in goo. Get really dirty today, make a mess, then take a shower and clean up.

I have been throwing with real conviction in the last week and realized I haven't lost it in my maternity break. Throwing requires complete confidence and I would say being completely aggressive is a plus. That clay spinning on the wheel needs taming and decisive handling. Throwing fast is a must. Beauty comes fast from direct knowledge. Over worked thrown pieces look bad. It is really simple.

Picture Fun!

2006-11-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

I went to take a picture of my barn and ended up taking about thirty. The joys of a digital camera. This photo includes a portion of my fenced in garden. I have to get brave and attempt photos of art work.

100_1791

2006-11-07T20:13:00.001-08:00

100_1791,
originally uploaded by melissamonroe71@sbcglobal.net.

This is where the magic happens.

Pictures Are Coming

2006-11-03T20:40:00.000-08:00

I know that I want pictures on my blog and I have set out to record what should pop up on this site. I took many pictures of my barn today. I am going to take pictures of my art as well. I hope it looks great on screen.

Ready To Go!

2006-10-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

Moving from a condo to a new home with land, a barn and enormous garden has been a exciting life change. There has been so much to learn. I have been working toward the goal of having my own studio space for my pottery. I have finally completed the build-out of my 100+ year old barn. This will be my first winter since our move that I will be able to work in the barn.

With a new heating system in place I should be ready to go for the winter. Clay and glazes have arrived and a new (used) kiln is in place. My biggest challenge for work will be keeping up with my two children and finding the time and energy to work in my space. I have not figured out how it will work.

I am actually relieved to be closing down the garden for the season. I am glad to have the reprieve from weeding, and watering. The tomato season was terrible this year. I am gardening without chemicals. As novice gardener I let the slugs, flies and beetles take over to my great irritation. It will be my winter research project to figure out how to fight these pest organically.

I am throwing again at my kick wheel which is something I haven't done since college. I am so glad that is all coming back. I just need to remember not to over work the peice as I throw them. I am attaching photos of my low fire work I made last year. I hoping to have stoneware complated in the next few weeks.