anatomy study

I picked these bees up from the "bee graveyard" in front of my hive after watching the golden colored bees (on the left) trying to get into the hive (it's robbing season) and being battled down by my darker ladies (to the right).  I'm still working in my daily sketchbook and from time to time go and get the dead bees (their adult lifespan is 30-60+ days, and if you notice dead bees with tattered wings, they've flown themselves to death) to better understand and render them in my drawings and on my pottery.  I was amazed by the huge orange pollen baskets on the top bee.  They're almost florescent.   My bees are Russian hybrid bees, and it's interesting how their abdomen seems to be a completely different shape than these golden (Italian?) bees.

Last week I went to trim some bowls that I'd planned to turn into berry bowls, but they were too dry.  They became bee bowls instead, with a bright aqua interior.  I have plans to make more bee mugs before Christmas, too.

papatya

 

Three weeks ago today one of my closest friends died.  It was sudden, tragic, unforseen, preventable.  There has been so much blame and sorrow and support and anguish and for the first time I'm really understanding that you can't just get up and move on.  I've always known that death and loss is something you get used to, over time, but not over.

After she died, I began making these origami-esque cranes out of porcelain.  I gave two to her mother and sister, one to her mother in law.  I kept one.  I folded dozens out of paper the first week after her death, and will fold more.  We've all heard the story of the thousand cranes and how they represent hopes for peace.  My cranes give me a bit of hope- hope to make more, hope to make them better, hope to make them a memorial somehow, but I don't yet know how.  I don't believe that I will ever sell these- they're too close, especially right now. 

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Mourning aside, I still have 3 more holiday sales between Thanksgiving and December 9.  I am still working and am trying to make time to update my etsy shop and restock my local vendors.  My husband had a large birthday party last weekend and my son's 9th birthday is Monday.  Life marches on.  I'm going to be pretty quiet here, perfunctory at best, but I'll post notices of the events and work I'll have for them as they come.

Thanks for reading.

Preview

All of my work is finished- ready to be dusted off and priced.  Debi and I will be ready with pottery and wooly Sweaterlove goods Friday from 5:30-9, Saturday 10-5:30.
719 Dickinson St, Memphis TN, 38107.