Category Archives: Uncategorized

teaching

I have not been posting very frequently as I have been teaching more than making these days. I have taught some porcelain jewelry and hand-building classes in the past, and am now working with beginning wheel students. It’s demanding and a lot of fun! Come take a class with me at Higher Fire Studios in San Jose. In the meantime, here is a vase I did in my handbuilding class, which will be available for sale at my upcoming Holiday Pop-up Show on December 17th:

whiteslabvase

stitched

I have been playing with ways to connect wire with the porcelain pieces I have been making. Here is an example of the latest “stitched” style. Each tiny hole must be carefully cleared before being glaze fired. I have an old, tiny drill bit that is helpful. There are a few of these in my store. Pop on over if you haven’t been there in awhile!

nck-stitchedhemisph-purple

BAMS and more

My mother often describes the early fall period as the downhill slide into Christmas. I can feel the pull these days as I prepare for various shows, but it is a challenge I enjoy. As many of you know, I am all about deadlines. Being accepted off of a waitlist a week and a half before the Orchard Valley Ceramic Arts Guild’s Art in Clay Holiday Show and Sale has propelled me into action to see what else I can complete in a short space of time. Thanksgiving will be here soon, then two shows in December, means inventory, inventory, inventory! Here is one of the Big Ass Mugs I have in stock, and there will be many more at the Art in Clay show. Be sure to check out my events page for the where and when, and if you can’t make a show, my online store is always open!

Big Ass Mug, Green and White from Steelhead Studio

happy new year!

Thanks to all who supported me during the busy month of December. It seems I hardly have a break before I get to leap back into action. I learned a lot in working with ceramics last year, and plan to continue as I have some orders to fill and another show to prepare for! Stitches West is a large, fiber arts convention where I will be a featured artist at the Purlescence Yarns booth. I will be selling yarn jars, spin support bowls, stitch markers, and who knows what else?

I have also been collaborating with author and lino cut artist Anita Dime. Here is one of my favorites below, which happens to be for sale:

Deep Sea Diver Tile/Trivet from Steelhead Studio on Square Market

measured approach

I am in the midst of several commissions at the moment and one of them has a fairly tight deadline. In the past, I would have freaked out and said to myself “do as much work every day as possible!” and probably felt crunched for time every single day and disappointed at my lack of progress for which I set my expectations too high.

That gets tiring.

You’d think after this many years I could come up with a different approach. Well, I have! A friend recently reminded me of a technique I have used off and on: using music to measure time. In other words, I will commit to working for the duration of an album or two. The other tactic I am employing is to list all of the steps I need to perform in order to finish the piece. As a chronic list-maker, I’ve done this before. But this time, I scheduled the steps for each of the days I have remaining. Now, each day has a goal, and I work for an album at a time (40-60 minutes). Between albums, I take a break, which ensures that I give my eyes, shoulders, and hands a little time out. The daily milestone means I can go to bed knowing I accomplished what I was supposed to for the day and that I am right on schedule to meet my deadline.

Today was day two of the schedule and I even managed to work ahead a little. So far I am enjoying the measured approach. I need to keep this up and complete the project by the 18th. Oh, and here was today’s playlist, if you’re interested:

XTC – Apple Venus, Vol. 1
Steve Winwood – Back in the Highlife
Radiohead – The Bends
Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention – One Size Fits All