good morning

December has come and I feel as if I am simultaneously gearing up for my last big burst and winding down, ready to wrap everything up for the year.  I am still working and throwing and glazing and shipping every day until Dec. 15 (actually, I'll stop throwing by Wednesday of this week to focus on the finishing work), then I'll turn my focus to my family and tucking my business things to bed for 2012.  

 

I have one last sale event coming up next Sunday, December 9, at Literacy MidSouth from 2-4 pm.  Late this summer I created a group for creative female entrepreneurs in the Memphis area to explore some of our business and personal issues and learn how to grow, reshape, expand our businesses by learning from each others' experiences.  It is more virtual than real-time, although we do meet.  I struggled through growing my business- especially with taxes and licensing- mostly by myself.  When several women asked me to informally mentor them as they grew into their businesses, I thought about other "hive" organizations like these in other areas.  Since its inception, the group has taken on a life of its own and I've taken my hands off the reins.  This event, a "cash mob" is one that one of our members created to showcase independent retailers in Memphis, and this one is for our group.   I'm super excited about it, and about the group.  I think the group may be the best thing I've done this year.

These ornaments, by the way, are available locally and I have a few online in the shop.  They're simple unglazed porcelain.  I'll have some at the cash mob and at the Trolley Stop Market.

I hope to be back in this space more in 2013, at least once more this year.  Happy holiday season, friends.

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. 

SALE!

 

Sale!

719 Dickinson St, Memphis TN 38107

Nov 2 (5:30-9), Nov 3 (10-5:30)

Bridgman Pottery and Sweaterlove (recycled/upcycled wool accessories for you and your home)

bridgmanpottery@yahoo.com

Friday

Good morning.  This is what I'm tackling today.  Lots of last-minute glazing for the Whitton Farms Fall Festival (details here and here), and for my studio sale the first weekend in November.  I think I'm not sending out postcards this year, but email me if you're local and need my address.

Fall is beautiful and my bees are hurry-scurrying to get it all done.  They're bringing in the last of the season's nectar and their pollen baskets are loaded down.  I'm working just like the bees- firing 2-3 times a week- in both kilns.  Ally is working on my handbuilding projects- she makes all of the little trays and saucers for me to draw and print on.  I haven't done any outside shows in years, so I don't know if I'm making too much or too little to cover the slate I've signed up for.  I guess we'll see.

Have a lovely weekend.  Our son's godfather has just returned from 10 months in Afghanistan and we're anticipating seeing him again soon- potentially this weekend.  We're overjoyed.

good morning

it really is fall, y'all!  I've been working really hard on getting my work ready for my slate of fall sales.  I am so grateful that I found an assistant (with the help of several friends- networking is just the best way to fill needs, isn't it?) to help me with my production.  She's been busy rolling slabs and setting up molds for my platters and trays and helping me glaze.  Still, I wish there were three of each of us to crank the work out.

I am really excited to tell you about my dear friend Debi, who will be showing with me in November at my Studio Sale.  She makes the most darling pins and accessories out of upcycled wool sweaters that she rescues from thrift stores, felts, deconstructs, and refashions.  I am SO excited that Sweaterlove will be showing with me.  She'll also be at the Whitton Farms event on October 21.  I really have a hard time not buying every new thing she makes.  This red mum usually lives on my winter coat- it is the exact same shade of red and I feel like a floral little red riding hood when I wear it.

Today I'm buying pumpkins and pansies, making these and some tortilla soup, starting our first fire of the season, and doing a little ornament glazing.  Hope you have a lovely weekend.